The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-07-19
No Failure In Aircraft

An official statement of Americas progress in
airplane building was made in a speech by
John D. Ryan, head of the aircraft production
board at Elizabeth, N. J. The occasion was the
launching Of the first American built Handley-
Page bombing airplane turned over to the United
States government.
This airpIane is one of the most powerful ever
built" Mr.. Ryan said 1T is a type Of plane that
is driving the Hun behind his own lines, the kind
that is keeping him there and glad to tell
you that thousands just like the one are under
construction all to be driven by the Liberty mo-
tor, the best and the most powerful aeronautical
engine ever built. We are now furnishing LIB
erty engines to our own airplane manufacturers,
and England France and italy have called US
to furnish Liberty motors for installation in their
planes The production Of the airplane in
quantity is easy, but that Of the airplane engine
is another matter. The number Of airplanes in
the last analysis is the number OF engines to
Too Much Expected.
"TThere has been great dissatisfaction expressed
bv the people Of the country at the results at
tanned in the production Of aircraft Some of 1t
has been warranted-nost Of 1t has been caused
by expectations beyond the possibility OF per"
Torrance. $780,.
Il can speak with knowledge this subject
because I have for two months studied every
cause of delay and disappointment, and can
speak freely, because no stretch OF my conscience
will let me claim any credit for what has been
done I'D to the present day
Much good work has been done by my pre-
decessors and I am taking this opportunity to
assure the people of the country that in my
opinion, there has been no such delay with the
in charge as has been indicated in some of the
criticism Of the accomplishments, or lack Of
them, in production. few facts WILL think
The Liberty Motor.
I'm the Is months we have been at war there
has been designed and put into production, the
Liberty engine, which is acknowledged by all OF
the Allies as great performance and a distinct
contribution to the cause. A a powerful ma
chine to drive heavy aircraft, it Is undoubtedly
as satisfactory as any engine produced by any
either
produced here in workshops May and June
just passed, many Of these engines as Great
gines in the entire year Of 1916 at the close OF
which she had been II months at war. Including
other types OF alrGa 9nsngS mere mere we're more
tain produced in the whole year Of 1916,
Two of the best Of foreign types of engines
have been put into production here in quantity
and are now going overseas to drive planes being
built in France and England for our air forces,
as we'll as being supplied for planes we are build
ing here to be shipped abroad
I'VE have in course Of development another
foreign engine Of high power, and facilities have
been provided for its production in quantity. We
are now loading on almost every ship sailing for
France large planes equipped with engines and
every accessory to fit them for service as as
they can be assembled on the other side. We
have in order and in production, a large number
Of planes of the type you saw flown here today,
planes are being started in production.
Not 10000 AirpIanes in All.
'"The people Of the country have been carried
away with the talk of tens Of thousands of fight
ing and bombing airplanes, and have been inn
patient when they heard Of the few we have pro-
duced so far. There never have been 10000 air.
planes on either side of this war at any one
time, and until within a month, If even now,
there have not been 10000 on all sides and ali
fronts Of the war added together
1.-THE facilities for the manufacture OF aircraft
engines and planes are being developed with all
speed and skill available-that we now have en-
tered the production stage gives assurance that
the country and Its allies will soon realize the
~ nIYch as will {gTyJ
our people and bring CONSERVATION and defeat to
our enemies.