The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-12-24
AMERICAN filters
NOW STATIONED
BEHIND THE LINES.
Regulation U. s. Aviation
Units Have Been Set
Up There.
some AIR WAR HISTORY
Fleet Of $1,000 Planes Is
Under Construction In
This Country.

IhlS Country.
Especial Dispatch to West virginian)
WASHINGTON, Dec. 24.-American
aviation units have moved up to sta
lions Immediately behind the front in
France. The vanguard OF the new
army Of the air for which Congress
voted $640, 900, 900 last summer Is about
to toin the forces Of land and sea In &C.
ton against the Germans.
When ancient Homer sought to con.
.yey an impression Of the army Of the
Greeks going forth to fight the Trojans
he employed striking smile. He
likened the advancing horde to count.
less flock Of swans wheeling In the air
above the Asian fens. II he were sit
uated where he could do It, Homer
would doubtless grant that his famous
figure is more applicable to the adj
vance of our new air service than to
any pedestrian evolution Of the Tro-
jan war.
The Navy has tripled in size since
the war began. and the Army has mul.
tiplied itself by thirteen. Those are
rapid increases. But the first year
plans for the Air Service call for an
increase Of more than hundredfold.
Last spring the Aviation Corps had
less than 200 airplanes Of all degrees Of
Eeryiceability. Now fleet of $4,000
planes Is being built. When war began
there were IS aviators. A force Of TO-
600 ayiators is being trained. The to-
tai personnel Of the old flying corps,
ground workers as well as filters, was
1000. The total personnel Of the new
flying corps is 100000.
To provide the new airplanes is the
work Of the Aircraft Board, the new
lody composed of three men from the
Army, three from the Navy, and three
from civil life, that has recently taken
the place Of the, old Aircraft Produc-
ton Board Of the Council of National
Defense.
Before any real fighting planes could
be turned out new American industry
had to be created. This is the great
task that has been quietly accomplish
ed In the last five months. When the
Aircraft Production Board started its
work only two companies manufactur-
ing airplanes were in operation in
America, and the machines they had
been making for the Allies were of a
type serviceable only for practice
flights.
The first move Of the Board was to
stop negotiations for the use of exist
ing patents, and to set men at work
designing new airplane engine which
should comprise as many OF the good
points Of the different patents as these
men cared to use. In week twenty
experts working together had evolved
the Liberty Motor. which Secretary
Raker has called the greatest achieve
ment OF the war so far.
The Liberty Motor is q model OF
Standardization. 1t is built with four
cylinders, or with eight, or with
twelve, and the same parts are inter.
changeable for all three Of the differ
emit sizes. The greatest automobile fac
tories in the world have been provided
with the machinery necessary for turn.
ing out these motors-the factories
that have supplied the United States
with. its 100000 automobiles then all
the rest OF the world gets along with
only 100000.
It has been necessary all along not to
Interfere with the supply of raw mate.
rails, particularly spruce, and of Ger.
tain completed aeroplane parts, to the
flying forces of our Allies. America
Is the hope OF the Allies not only for
aviators but for materials.
In return for these materials the AL.
lies are giving US the rich benefit OF
their experience. For months young
Americans have been in training for
our Air Corps on the flying fields Of
England and France. On dozen and
more Of new flying fields in America
veteran fliers from the Western front
are helping in the preliminary training
Of our newly commissioned aviators.
It takes six months to make a. flier.
In the American course of instruction
there are three stages: ground school,
preliminary flying, and advanced fly.
ing.
The first third of his work the
neophyte performs in the familiar and
peaceful atmosphere Of an American
university campus.
It is the intermediate stage of train.
ing that the flying fields in this coun.
try have been taking care Of. Their
business Is to teach plain flying. When
enc OF their students by flying 80 miles,
BY climbing 10000 feet, and by doing
q few Of the simpler circus tricks, has
satisfied his instructors that he can
lind his way about In the air, the time
mas come for him to graduate.
Usually that time comes for a flying
recruit in from eight to twelve weeks.
But for many men who went to fly for
their country It never comes at ali, for
the flying corps Is using severe tests
IN wedding out every applicant who
falls short Of the highest standards in