Evening star., 1918-01-12
u. s. AIR FLEET
DUE BY SUMMER
Howard E. Coffin Replies to
Charges of Serious Delays.
Comment by Maj. Bishop.

| MONTREAL, Quebec, January Ia
Germany will have nothing to fear from
the United States air fighting forces
during the coming spring because the
American aircraft program Is "far be-
hind" its schedule. according to MAJ.
! William A. Bishop, winner of Victoria
cross, who is credited with shooting
down forty-flve German aircraft.
| Maj. Bishop characterized as "unfor-
tunate" the advertising which has veen
given the United States governments
aircraft program. He said that while
! France would find it impossible further
| to enlarge her airplane Aghting forces
during the coming half-year, Germany,
knowing Americas Intentions, has
greatly expanded her flying corps In
an effort to gain supremacy In air
| warfare. Consequently, he declared
during the next few months Great Brit
ain will have "to face the most terrible
time she has yet faced, and especially
from the point of view of war in the
air."
Americas assistance in maintaining
allied air fighting superiority may be
felt" by summer, but during the spring
months Maj. Bishop said, 'the United
States will not be a factor for the Ger
mans to reckon with in the air.
Statement by Aircraft Board.
Coineident with Mai Bishops state
ment the aircraft production board mas
made public statement, replying TO
various charges that there have been
serious delays in the aerial program.
in which Howard E. Coffin, chairman OF
the board. has summarized the progress
made so far.
Ii. relation to providing completed
hit, Srn n1Yy1i
bombing types, for American needs
after July /, 1918. and for shipment of
the finished product overseas as ton
mage would permit, Mfr. Coffin reports:
I'm accordance with the plans orig
inally agreed upon with allied govern
ments, it was deemed advisable to pro-
vide for advanced training overseas ad-
jacent to the actual theater OF military
Operations. The training facilities thus
provided have been oyererowded, with
resultant request that early arrange
ments for advanced training be made in
America. To meet this change In pro-
gram, delivery of advanced training
planes will begin this month. and
within ninety days will have met re-
uuirements The engines of general
design for this advanced training
schedule are already in quantity pro-
duetion in this country.
What Air Service Has Done.
IN discussing tne dCCOnpllSlfuSHIS
of the air service in the -consummation
% fthe Army program it will be well to
point out the impossibility of certain
proposals, enthusiastically and per-
sistently put forward by word of
mouth and in the press. We have seen
and heard much of the proposal of
100000 airplanes' to be provided by
the United States within the next year.
I'm a country where one great in
dustry produces million and half
motor cars per year. the fabrication Of
a hundred thousand planes might seem
easy, but actual figures, based on three
years of practical experience in the
war, show that there are now between
forty and fifty men of the auxiliary
service required for each active ma
chine at the front. II the same ratio
should be adhered to in our service. it
would mean that some 100000 would
be required in our aeronautical depart
ment on foreign soil between our ports
of debarkation and the fighting 'front.'
Every decisieh of the aircraft board
has been based upon the military poll
cies of the front. Daily cable COM
munications with allied countries is
maintained. The freest possible ex-
change of information, machine de-
signs and aircraft experts with foreign
countries is in effect"