New-York tribune., 1918-08-29
J. S. Making
3 Neu Planes,
$4,000 Motors
Continued from page 1

it was found unsafe and of little mill
tary value, Mr.. Ryan said the same
thing might happen again. He pointed
out that De Haviland planes improved
by experience have reached quantity
production and told of successful
efforts of American and foreign de-
signers to fit new types of planes to
Liberty motors.
Models of the Sc S, a single scatter
British fighter, have been brought to
the United States, Mr.. Ryan said, and
copies of it made here are being tested.
Captain Lepere, q 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 they are going through" Mr..
Ryan said. "We do not want to say
that we have five types and then come
out with only three. These are all
machines that can be made in quantity,
and, of course, it will take some little
time to get them into production, but
the work of design is going on. Con-
trary to cupposition, we are using
many American designers of reputa-
ton"
Orville Wright, Glenn Curtiss, Glenn
Martin and other prominent airplane
designers and manufacturers were as
sisting on the new models, Mr.. Ryan
said. "Within week the Pomillo
brothers, an Italian family of airplane
designers, have been brought to this
country" he said, "and are established
at Indianapolis with about thirty
people. 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.
eve are not afraid of what we can
accomplish" he said, "but we are not
going to make any promises or predic-
tions. would not say that we are
meeting the need at the front, because
the need on the front has never been
met, not only as far as the American
army is concerned, but it has never
been met as far as any army is con-
cerned."
One of the Lepere models Of fighting
planes, designed for Liberty Twelve
motor, has been flying thirty days, Mr..
Ryan said. He expressed complete con-
fidence that American artisans and
manufacturers can successfully meet
the delicate requirements of arplane
construction, "because there is no mys
terry about it," 1t takes nearly a year
to develop an airplane motor, he said,
but in six months it is possible to get
a plane type into quantity production.
w. C. Potter, who has been Mr..
Ryan's assistant as head of the divis-
ion of aircraft production, will con-
tnue in that capacity, but it has not
been determined yet who will take
charge Of the production division.
An explanation in behalf of officials
who had charge of the original air.
craft fund of $640 100000 was made in
the Senate to-day by Senator Thomas,
of Colorado, chairman of the military
sub committee, which recently made a
report charging waste of millions of
dollars in aircraft production. The
Senator said published accounts of the
report were erroneous and did the off
cials an injustice in stating that the
committee reported the original appro-
priation practically wasted.
What the report said, Senator
Thomas explained, was that "a sub
stantial part" of the fund had been
wasted Only about one-half of the
actually had been ex-
pended.