The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-08-21
BY George T. Bye
(Reciprocal News Service)


American Headquarters in France
' (via London). July 30-(Cor-
respondence)-The gigantic Ameri.
can eagle who, in the midst of lot
of early battles scratching was toe
busy to think of nesting duties, has
now settled down to hatch out
eaglets.
AT one air production center in
France, Yank machines of the latest
type, equipped with Liberty motors
are being produced at rate OF
speed we should expect from an old
established factory.
A few weeks ago the site of this
air production center was occupied
only with underbrush and trees. A
tract equal to several square miles
has been cleared, levelled. and a good
fraction of it covered with buildings.
Amony the buildings are some of
the unit type so common in our big
manufacturing cities, several stories
tall, very long, and with special pro-
visions made for lighting day and
night.
The construction of new buildings
goes on at the same speed of the
various factory bays" already pro-
ducing; and before long this airplane
plant will be the greatest in the
world. The project was planned
definitely before the site was taken.
The expansion will proceed upon a
program that will ultimately cover
the great tract with works excepting
small area for flying fields; and
will exercise brigades of workmen to
the uttermost in realizing an output
beyond belief.
Production Centers
The center is for assembly. The
material comes from America. From
base port in France the airplane
parts are rushed to the yards of the
aircraft production centers, the one
I visited being the largest in the
American area in present prospect.
The material comes in strong
boxes. If the shipping directions are
in certain color, it means that the
parts are fuselages. There is another
color for tails, another for wings.
The motor comes already mounted
in the fuselaSc, but there have been
received a scifn~ient number of extra
Liberty motors to take care of all
possible breakdowns.
The efficiency of the system of
the aircraft production center goes
back to American. The boxes are
provided in such way that they
are easily identified, easily opened.
The parts are quickly moved from
the unloading platforms to a huge |
adjacent building where the tails are
fastened to the fuselages and the
linen sides laced together They are
then rolled to another building, con-
veniently placed, where the strong
wings are attached.
Mechanics Are Testing.
AS quickly as the first operation
Is under way inspection mechanics
are already climbing through the
machines trying controls. examining
very nook and corner for defects.
Durinf this same time mechanics
Who have charge of the installation
IF the bombing racks and the nasty
ooking little guns, go about their
work. The guns and racks are fixed
o the machine as second opera
ion.
The inspection officer now in
icates that a certain half dozen ma
hines are ready for testing. The
esters are in sort of open con- /
rete pavilion. 1t has a concrete
loor and partitions that are foot l
hick about the place where the front :
{ the machine is anchored. This is
D protect testers from the wind and Z
ust OF the neighboring machines.
he roof is at a jaunty angle. t
Six machines are put into their
erths. Testers and their helpers d
warm about them. The motors roar
18th that mad roar of the Liberty c
lotorS. The propellers send clouds
{ dust backwards to an open space 4
here dust doesn't matter.
Guns Are Tested.
In front OF the testing pavilion is
huge sloping mound of earth, as
II as the pavilion almost 1t is the
IN testing butt. The gunners fire ?
to it and are able 10 determine ii u
lie gun mounting is right. -
1t is to facilitate the handling OF Il
achines in the testing pavilion that e
C wings are affixed last. Now L
ierc is another examination.
othing can be wrong if every part \
properly joined. After the final Z
ok-over, what? What would you
lagine. &
Several impatient young men in re
iicers' uniforms, and wearing
ngs on their breasts. have been
cling about the great doorway