The sun., 1918-08-23

this obviously essentia! policy" the re-
port said
An ostensible reason assigned for the
boards inaction was the diff,culty Of
translating metrical into linear measure
ments. and OF obtaining quantity produc-
ton OF foreign motors. But the tardy
acceptance and manufacture OF some OF
the models and designs revealed the
imaginary character Of this objection.
The board took some of the planes
placed at its disposal and attempted with
III success to change them materially for
American production. The general pur-
pose Of the changes seems to have been
designed to adapt them to the Liberty
motor. but this normal sction should
have been paralleled by the manufac-
ture. both as to plane and engine, In
strict accord with the plans as sub
mitted
In September. 1917, the report says
5000 one scatter "Spad" planes were
contracted for to be built by the Cur
tiss Company. The next month the
given for this was that Gen. Pershins
directed it
The report pointed out that Gen. Per-
shing's cablegram bore the date of De-
cember ~. following and that therefore
the committee must accept the state
ment ofNthe Curtiss Company's officials
that the board Cancelled the contract
because II desired to equip these plants
only with the Liberty eight cylinder
motor. which was found impracticable."
The report then takes up the visit here
last January of Capt. d'Annunxio and
nineteen OF the best men from the
Italian Caproni factory. At that time
a verbal order for 1000 Capronis was
Uix he Gto do I'D W If nj
order followed 1t.
Pilots Killed while Waiting.
The backing and Killing over the Ca
prom programme and the final substitu-
ton of the Handley Paige are discussed.
An order for ESQ Capronis was given the
Fisher Body Company and later can
celled. Again in May. 1918, the Curtiss
.Aeroplane Company was gwen an order
for 500 Capronis and the Fisher Body
Company n similar order the same day
However. these orders were not to be
carried out until the experimental ma
chine built by Captain dAnnunzio had
been tested This machine was not flown
until July 7 last. However. during the
delay both Italian pilots who came here
were killed and the Caproni programme
is now awaiting the arrival Of Italian
pilots and the testing of the expert
mental machinery.
Plans for the Handley Paige were sup
piled the Signal Corps in the summer
Of 1917 with full permission to use them
A number OF changes were made in them
and nothing else was done with them.
The owner. therefore. demanded their
return in the early winter. and they
were delivered to him as changed. Con-
tracts for 1000 sets of parts were made
last February and then reduced to 500
sets, to be assembled In Great Britain.
Two or three months are required to
assemble a machine.
Only twenty have been shipped so
far and the number will reach 40 for
the month OF February, 1919. This fig
ure would have been reached already
had contracts been let last October.
The De Havlland 4, the report states,
Is the only so-called fighting plane ac-
tually being produced. Contracts for
$500 Of them are outstanding and on
August 1000 had been delivered, most
of them Ny the Dayton Wright concern.
On July l 2S6 had been shipped abroad
end 81 reached headquarters in France.
Defects Found by PershIns.
A month later COL had been en-
barked. Inspection abroad developed
many defects, some serious. and on
June 20 zen. f~eTsniuk III II
declared the machines could not be used
until these defects were corrected.
August an order was issued that no
more deliveries be made until the cor
rections were completed, and the pro-
ducction under these conditions is about
TO be resumed.
The navy got 1855 OF these planes In
July, sent so abroad and had 100 ready
for shipment. Four were tested at
Miami and the same old defects were
found. About this time forty De Havi-
| land tours were tested out near New
York and found structurally weak and
defective.
This plane. the committee reported, is
chiefly available for observation or
reconnaissance purposes and is TO be
replaced as speedily as possible without
complete suspension of production.
with the exception Of the S. +. and
the Handley- Paige. In parts, no other
type of fighting plane can be produced in
quantities before 1919" the report de-
clares machine called the L. s. d.
| ga, now under test, appears satisfac-
| tory If II Is, it will be substituted
! for the De Haviland 4.
The French and English have deliv-
cred ANA planes to the American Eek