Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-04-10
IContlnued From Pare ~
Training Neglected.

Regarding the training Of aviators,
the committee found. there has been
very serious delay In providing
them with training planes.
A a result" the report. says,
seven hundred Of the American ca
diets have beep practically idle and
na Xbo maa 1'a no ns cosrts ~. an. !
England, France and italy. last year
to receive primary and advanced.
''The experience Of a great many Of
these me- . has been most unfortu.
nate" says the report, sin that at
some Of the schools q very serious
delay has occurred in providing them.
with training planes which it was ex-
pected would be manufactured in
About 450 Of them are reported as
having completed the primary train
ing after long delay. The signal corps
is giving serious consideration to the
ACCESSIBILITY Of bringing the remainder
back to the United States"
With four new schools to be finish
ed In juno, the committee said the sig.
nal corps Is now conducting twenty
training schools In this coun-
try with q total capacitySof 5000, ca
'dets. Graduates have numbered A.
'926, commissioned as reserve military
aviators. but very few" have receiv-
ed their advanced training.
With the. exception Of what the
committee referred to as severe dis
appointment" the primary training OF
aviators was said to- appear to be
progressing favorably. Fatalities .from
accidents, the committee said, were
distressing but appear to be less FIRE.
duent than in the schools Of our al
lien ~ nDo pAinO o{rr1o~n 1~nrk~,~
ton the committee found that from
the inception, Of the work on primary
training. planes it gave ground for
grave concern" a,
Output Increased. !.
I'm recent weeks, however," the re-
port said, the output has been
greatly, increased and there seems to
be n o doubt Of the signal. corps hav-
ing an amply sufficient number in the
future. On April /, 3,458 primary
training planes had been completed
OF two standard types. In advanced
training planes four types are being
ufactured being 342. In these planes
three types Of engines Gall. Of foreign
design but American m~anufacture)
will be used, Of which 965 have been
completed.
The production of combat planes
80 . has thus far been a substantial
failure and constitutes a most seri-
Gus disappointment in our war prep
|arations. We had no design of our
own; neither did, we adopt any one
Of the European designs until months
after we entered the war. Much
time was consumed in discussion as
to types: innumerable changes IN de-
sign and specifications = y have
cost further delay. In all. five types
have, at one time or another been
adopted Two of them have been
abandoned after expenditure of much
time and money. The three remain
ling types still left - = are now in
course of manufacture" =.
Most, Powerful Craft.
The largest and most powerful
Handley Page bombing machine, the
committee stated, Is to be driven by
two liberty motors and carry six
men eight machine \ guns and a
heav9'load Of bombs. $
The history Of, negotiations for the
adoption and Manufacture Of this
fplaness afford remarkable illustra-
ltion Of procrastination pd.indecision
Designs. Of this .plane#which had
lbeen.1used with marked SUCCESS by
Ethe British wtsA w~ere&offered to@our
officials as early as May. 1917. The
corps finally decided upon
manufacture Of a number OF parts
about January 1, 1918. Officials tes-
tify that they do not expect compile
ftion Of the first set of parts in this
country before June. 1915"
III De Haviland combat plane lib
|erty motor driven and carrying two
men. four machine guns and a mod
ferate load Of bombs is being develop
ed, the committee said, but only Is
had. been very recently completed
and one shipped to France.
ES.s Misunderstanding machine, Known
Ias thes@MsBristol is lighter and faster
and is expected to attain a speed >ot
1875 miles per&hour, to be used large.
~ for reconnaissance. Another type.
q defensive fighter, carries two men
and four machine guns. driven by
one liberty motor. The first machine
of this kind was completed March 80
last. 1t caught fire and was COM
|pletely destroyed in testing. but "sat-
|~isfactory quantity production" is ex-
pected within a reasonable period. ,
&"In addition to the American pro-
|duction. of engines and. airplanes,,,'
the report continues. Considerable
orders for combat airplanes and ems
European manufacturers and VIZ
have furnished materials and mo
char!cs for their construction"
Important changes made in the lib
Ierty motor within the last two
months, the report states will make
the motor serviceable" for combat
planes ct the defensive type and for
bombing and observation planes. The
|motcr!it a bids fair to hold its own
with foreign motors of similar power,
weight and purpose. Some liberty
motors already delivered, the com.
imittee said. are being altered to overs
come defects. II
.The production Of liberty motors
to date is Of course. gravely disaps
pointing. The testimony. shows that
experts Of the highest reputation and
experience have since last July re-
peatedly warned oficials that perfect
ing Of q newly designed motor must
Inevitably involve many months Of
|painstaking experiment accompanied
by many setbacks ARE disappoint-
!ments. In spite Of the unanimous
Testimony Of motor experts along this
line. government officials having. the
manufacturing Of the liberty motor In
charge have made the mistake OF
|CAcT TrAnANnV