Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-17
NOT A SINGLE FIGHTING
AlRPLANE YET READY
Startling Statement Made Upon Authority of General
George ~ oqu1er, Chief Signal Officer of Army-says
Machines Will Be in Air When Time Is \Rine

IS being made at different place and
under special orders and plans Of the
army. For each OF them, models had
to be made. This is true OF tn, mo-
| tors. rs we'll as other units. Also, il
IS True OF the parts of the motors
themselves The cylinders. for instance
arc Doing made In one plant, shaftin:
IN another and tho casing in unothe:
IL mas not been deemed practicable for
inc manufacture OF complete meteor
IN any one factory.
ana IN order 20 build thcsc at all.
every motor plant engaged in the bust
','s' "ao HrSt 10 make over it's facili
''cS. All this has been going on for
"e'ha ana months. and most OF the
work III this direction has been finish
ca: once the stream starts 10 run. Of
nc:als say. tho machines will come JUS:
as fast as they possibly can be as
scmb:ed and set in motion.
Then. too. IL is explained that there
nave bcan some labor troubles par.
icaiarly with respect TO the suoplv
OF spruce from which the wings OF All
aircraft arc made. This has ncccs-
STATED the organization OF 4 forestry
Sec''on or the aviation corps under
'hs direct command Of the War rc-
paFtment. More than that il has been
NECESSARY TO establish three or four
pioneer industries in order to secure
eNact'| he kind ~ individual products
"hich 80 INTO the manufacture OF ma
chimes.
HUNDREDS OF TRAINING:
MACHINES ~ USE
MI these explanations are given for
INC long delay In delivering the finished
e,
war Department has turned on, a
great many training machines. They
arc IN use In various training camp,
III The South. many hundreds or them.
OUT these arc not the airplancs which
will operate with the army i'm France
hcE are not even equipped with tho
Liberty motor. the. motor which com.
bincd the best qualities OF the best
combustion engines in tho world.
This motor Is believed TO he the
initial triumph Of the signal officers.
1t has never been publicly described
by the War Department. h,:t il l.; the
last word in engines OF it's sort. aud it's
trial performances have proved ita
superiority 10 any motor known 10 She
Tying or automobile world. The first
complete Liberty motor to he turned
out for tho army was delivered on
Day, Secretary Baker
himself maxim. tho announcements
Ali these facts and circumstance: re-
GardinS the Roadway mad> in airpiane
production do not. ho~evcr, remove tho
fact that nearly nine months OF war
have passed without the delivery OF
single lighting machine TO the army
Just how much longer the country
must wait before tho American air
crnft feet is put into the equation no
body III Washington will say. The only
assurance given is that which has come
from General Squier, tho boss Of tho
job. who confidently declares that
American airmen will be lighting in
France just AS soon as any srca; body
OF American landsmcn are there.
There will be popular disappointment:
over the adm ission, however thar
months must elansc before this country
i Gb!e 10 equip itself to produce any
apDrcr.ablc number OF aircraft. with
almost unlimited money at it's disnosai:
with power TO commander every
highly efficient motor nlant in the
country. and with q wealth OF materials
available for this business il was be
lteved by the people generals. that tho
var Department would have been
ready weeks ago TO place it's s1uadrons
in the air.