Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-16
FRENCH AEROPLANES
FOR AMERICAN ARMY
This Country's Machines Fail to Pass
War Department Tests. Is Report.
Initial Order for 800.
STUDENTS TO BE ARMY EYES"
Hundreds Begin Active Training I'm
mediately in Six Universities.
several Thousand Enlisted in
COrps-Aero Stations for Coast.
ny Associated Preasl

WASHINGTON. May l5.-The United
states has been forced to go to France
To obtain aeroDlanes for It's army. Ma
chimes OF American manufacture have
failed to meet the War Department
tests, II was learned to-day, and as a
result. contracts for supplying the en-
tire army OF 100000 men will be
placed abroad
An initial order for 1900 machines
already has been placed. u is under
Stood and further contracts arc to he
made which will run into the tens of
thousands. The advisory committee
on aviation. after n close survey Of the
held has notified the War Department
That France will be able to supply an
the machines needed by the American
army.
These facts became known to-day in
connection with the first opcn move
ny the government to put the air SER
vice on war footing. This was the
appointment OF Professor Hiram Bing-
ham, OF Yale University as director OF
cadet instruction. Professor Bingham
has been attached to the office OF
Brisadier- General George 0. Souier.
chief signal officer OF the army He
Will he In direct charge OF the 5000
cadets enlisted in the special aviation
corps which VIII supply the new con-
script army with its eyes"
SPECIAL COURSES PROVIDED
IN AERO WORK At COLLEGES
4 special course Of instruction has
been arranged for these recruits. most
OF whom are college students aud will
begin imme diately. Arrangements have
been concluded by six universities
selected TO cover all sections OF the
country whereby months course in
theoretical acronautics first will be
given. Practical training will then
begin.
Ont OF the 1900 enlisted in tho corps.
500 has" been selected TO begin -hese
courses Immediately. Each college Will
he assigned class Of 100 The
course will begin Immediately after
conference TO be held at the War De-
partment, probably tomorrow. between
officers OF the Signal Corps, Professor
bingham and members OF the faculty
OF ehch OF the selected schools. Ill Of
whom made n special trip TO Camp
rden. the Canadian aviation station
near Montreal. To study practical
methods and conditions there
The schools at which courses will be
held nre Massachusetts Institute IF
Technology. Cornell University. ONO
State University. University Of Illinois.
versity Of California
AS soon as tho first coo ha"s re-
ceived their months schooling.
second group OF 600 will be sent into
the classrooms.
MORE THAN 5000 MACHINES
REQUIRED FOR OUR LARGE ARMY
For the selectivc army alone fo-,y-
eight aero battalions OF twcnty-fou.
men each will be needed. Each man
has two machines. with a third in re-
serve, This is Il total of 3.l56 aero
planes as an initial outlay for this
force alone. For the othor 700, oIo
men of this years army. including
regulars and National Guard, ct least
5000 machines will he necessary. This
makes a total OF more than 5000 aero
planes which will be required from
together with vast reserves OF acro-
planes and acroplane engines. Tho
machines will be both monoplanes and
biplanes. and army officers are viewing
with interest successful experiments
being made with tho new triplanc. The
outlay for these machines VIII even
tually run into tho hundreds of thou
sands OF dollars
In addition 10 the cadet training
schools, there will be several air mo-
bilization camps for regulars and
qua dsmcn. One will he near New
York ami another viii he located at
Chicago,
Tho third probably will be in Texas,
while the entire coast line will be de-
Tended by series OF lesser Etations