The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-29

ture of considerable money and time
because it was found unsafe and of
little military value, Mr.. Ryan said
the same thing might happen again.
He pointed out, however, that de
Haviland planes, improved by expert
ence, have reached quantity produc-
ton, and told of successful efforts of
American and foreign designers to fit
new types of planes to liberty motors
Orders for liberty twelve-cyIintier mo-
tors have been increased from 1880
to $4,000, he said, and building of His
pano-Suiza and eight-cylinder liberty
motors had been ordered ito balance
the program"
Allies Order Liberty Motors.
Emphasizing that motor production
now was fully up to expectations, Mr..
E.yan said that each Of the allied gov
crnments is seeking liberty motors in
quantity more than we can build"
we are making a good many de
Haviland fours,' he said. There has
been good deal of criticism of them
and there have been a good many
changes made on them recently
These changes have not been discover
ed in the way that is generally sup
posed.
Changes in De Haviland.
When they were first built, an Of
ficer from this bureau was sent to see
SA-NSO AAAoNAlAAAC0- put lOSelI1ST on Ine
other side, to see them flown, to get
the information that came from the
tests and to report any change that
would make them better. This officer
returned and some days later a cable
from General Pershing was received
embodying the same things, covering
the same points, found thru the same
channels, and as soon as it did come
the orders for changes were made and
issued So-called defects, that result
in changes, are not in many cases
what you can really call defects at all,
but improvements in workmanship
and they are going on all the time"
Models of the Sc five. a single
seated British fighter, have been
brought to the United States, Mr.. Ryan
said, and copies of it made here are
being tested. Captain Lepers,
French officer, has designed three
types of planes to fly with the liberty
twelve. he said. and they are very
promising"
There are at least two other types
of machines designed here that are be-
ing flown that we do not think it ad-
visable to give publicity to, because
they are not So far along that we feel
satisfied that they are going thru" Mr..
Ryan said.
Probably Five Types.
I'VE do not want to say that we
AioNO 41NO NypCo anu IIlSll COIIlS Oul
with only three. These are all ma
chine& that can be made in quantity
and, % course, it will take some little
time to get them in production, but
the work of design is going on. Con-
trary to supposition we are using many
American designers of reputation"
Use Wright and Curtiss.
Orville Wright, Glen Curtiss, Glenn
Martin and other prominent airplane
designers and manufacturers were as
sisting on the new models, Mr.. Ryan
said.
within a week, the Pomilio BROTH
ers, an italian family of airplane de-
signers. have been brought to this
country he said, land are established
at Indianapolis with about thirty peo-
| pie. They have been successful de-
| signers and builders in Italy"
| Speaking of engines as the limiting
| factor in airplane production" Mr..
! Ryan declared that the best engine
building shops in America" were be-
| ing given "every inducement" to get
! large production of liberty and other
motors now being used.
I'VE are not afraid OF what we can
| accomplish he SAFE, but we are not
going to make any promises or predic-
| lions.
No Country Has Enough Machines.
| 81 would not say that we are meet
ing the need at the front, because the
| need on the front has never been met,