The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-31
O. K. De HAvILAND
Baker Declares 1t Is a SatiSfac-
tory Machine.
Says General Pershing Has Or
dered 500 More.
SETS WILD RUMORS At REST
Had Been D~~orted That Per-
shing Had Rejected Them.
Senate Committee Will Con-
tinue Its Investigation.
SETS WILD RUMORS At RES

Washington, July 31-Instead of
the DeHaviland four being obsolete or
of small military value. General Per-
shing has cabled for hundreds of
them to be sent over in August on
priority schedule. 1t is said he wants
six hundred in August
That information set at rest the
wild rumors that have been going
the rounds that Americas one best bet
in airplanes under manufacture in this
country were defective and of small
military use. Instead of the-DeHavi-
land being any sort Of a fizzle, they
have proven to be very successful and
are flying across the battle lines today.
it is said. Incidentally it might be
added that the Dayton Wright COM
pany expects to complete its one thou
sand DeHavilands this week, proba-
bly, tomorrow.
Because of the serious situation in
volved should the DeHaviland not
have come thru, as 1t was neIng
Is mind and made an official state
ment He did not go into detail. but
he left no doubt that the war depart
ment has complete faith in the De-
Haviland.
Changes All the Time.
He said:
IT have decided to make a statement
about the DeHaviland machine We
haven't built a perfect airplane yet,
and probably won't even by the time
the war is over. The changes in con-
struction, both in the plane and the
motor, are rapid, both as to types and
numbers. This is rue of the DeHav1-
land and all other airplanes. The lat
est makes of that type are better than
-, r1;a mn
we hope will be continuous.
General Pershing ca sles for a large
shipment of the DeHaviland as of the
present type on the priority schedules
for August. The purpose of this state
ment is tc set at rest the statement
made in some quarters that General
Pershing wanted no more shipped
The contraryis the truth. He has
made a very large order for them
Won't Stop Investigation.
The senate committee continued its
probe into the DeHaviland situation.
II had three army officers before 1t
from the Dayton plant. 1t expects to
continue its probe until it has got at
the bottom of the situation The COM
mittee evidently still is deeply con-
cerned- But the situation Is now ac-
cepted IN most quarters as being diff
fsrent While there has been no off,
cial statement of just what General
Pershing did cable over that started
the turmoil over the DeHaviland, it is
generally understood that most of the
changes desired were more or less of
minor character. that there was
nothing fundamentally wrong with
the DeHaviIand 1t was based on the
first machines shipped over, which had
been rushed thru the plant and which,
it is recognized. were not as well built
as later planes. 1t is said unofficially
that a large part of General Pershing's
message was ia ken up with calling at
tention to loose pins, injuries in transit
and recommendations for braces in
stead of wires ana such matters.
Some Defects Already Remedied.
Similar cables for changes will con-
tinue to come on every type of plane
sent over thruout the war, as methods
of improving them are found It is
said that the aviation service with the
A. E F. wanted closer inspection on
this side, otherwise the machines
would have to go thru a long shop
inspection on the other side to correct
minor defects instead of getting the
planes to the front shortly after they
were asse mbIed Some of these
changes had been made before Gen
eral Pershing had cabled and the mes
sage applied only to the first batch of
eight machines.
New Type to Come.
While there is no official word for
it, yet, it is said here that later re-
ports have been received from France
of a most commendatory nature on the
Liberty motor and the workmanship
on the De Haviland planes proper. The
fact that General Pershing has cabIed
for a large shipment of them for Au-
gust should end any doubt that the
manufacture of the De Eaviland will
continue at full blast.
The machine now being bTIiIf is
much improved in many small ways
from the first The store of parts will
be used up and others made until the
De Haviland 9, which is a new type
after the 4, is ready for manufacture.