The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-09-16

If details could be given on the number of these planes and the squa- drons equipping for the battle line l. would cheer those who have grown heart-sick with waiting and charges and investigations, and would let them know the day of real accomplishment was at hand in the thick of the fight ing. Without giving numbers, it can be said that we saw these machines crowding vast workshop in such ar rays that their wings touched ani covering much more than the area of city block. They were not piece meal cars, but all ready to go forward. They have been passing by the score daily into the hands of the aviators, and squadron after squadron was be- ing made ready for the front. We saw them in combat formation over the flying fields In Issoudon. This was no longer a vague promise of the remote future, it was at hand and we saw these machines in vast l numbers arming and starting for the battlefront.
 The testing of the engines gave an idea of the tremendous power of the new cars. The cars were anchored | by heavy chains, and workmen gripped the long body to keep it from | plunging as the propeller started and
 the engines gave out a long vail. The men, gripping the chains and rigging. | were swept as though in a tornado, the grass was fattened and great clouds of dust rose like the smoke of batteries. There is an awe in the power of this engine and it's whirling propeller, and a danger too, which the men have learned.
 | The suction of the propeller while the car is on the ground is far greater than has even been known with other cars. A workman was drawn in and killed the. other day, and the great maelstrom: of rushing air sucks in everything coming within ten feet of its mouth But this is merely a de- tail of testing and has no bearing on the capacity of the car for flight. Like the power of the engine, the propeller is much larger and heavier than in other cars.
 ] This turning out of the new type of American Liberties is only one of the activities of this mammoth air ser
 vice production center located here, with huge shops and warehouses, 2,7OC men. 200 officers and 1900 Chinese la- borers. All the cars made in America come here in parts, to be assembled tested armed, and all the other makes
 of cars are mobilized here prepara- tory to going into use on the flying fields and the front. There is besides the huge work of receiving the wrecked cars as they are shot down
 and smashed. They come here rid dled with bullets, their wings torn
 off, which tells of a fierce contest
 Such as can be made serviceable
 again are sent back to the field, while ) the wreckage of those beyong repair
 strews an immense field and is z
 ghastly reminder of the heroic sacri
 flee their pilots have made.
 The process of assembling the care as they come from America was fol lowed through it's various stages, 1T
 the six huge bays" of the workshop each bay having a capacity of IS ma
 chimes. or over 100 machines goins forward at the same time. Nine hugt boxes bring the different parts. Firs , the fusilage or body is set up, th' motors installed. the landing wheel , attached the wings and tail adjusted the gun racks and armament pre- pared, and soon complete car read for flight grows out of the scatteret
 parts.
 , How many are turned out dail, cannot be stated, but it can be sai that the capacity of this big airplan center working in eight-hour shifts i
 90 complete airplanes day. And i l these days when the mobilizing o . machines follows close on the mobil s izing' of men, the actual production n not far from the full capacity.