Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-04-14
AIR SERVICE OF
2l,O53, men IS
PEACE-fIME PLAN


organization plans upon which the war
department is now working it is learn
ed, provide for an air service with
approximately 100 airplanes in ac-
tual commission and a minimum avail
able reserve of 3,400 additional planes.
This is based upon the proposed mill
tary establishment of 100000 men, in
which the total air service personnel
will be / 1923 officers and 81 1853 men.
The organization tables show that
the air forces on a peace basis will be
comprised of eighty-seven air service
squadrons, of which forty-two will be
assigned to coast defense work in the
United States and insular possessions;
twenty will be pursuit squadrons and
twenty-five observation and bombing
squadrons. The typical army airplane
squadron includes eighteen planes in
service and their personnel
FOrty-TwO Balloon Companies.
The tables also call for the mainet-
nance of forty-two balloon companies,
divided into three wings of fourteen
companies each.
The general plan of the army re-or-
ganization calls for twenty-one diVis-
ions, including one cavalry unit of nine
regiments, to be formed into five army
corps, each to be commanded by
lieutenant general. To each corps will
be attached five observation and bomb
ing squadrons of airplanes and four
pursuit squadrons, representing a
wing formation for each type of ma
chine
The effect of this will be to give the
air service definite recognition as the
fourth of the line, or combat, forces of
the army, the others being the old trio
or artillery cavalry and infantry. All
other units are supplemental forces,
generally known as auxiliary arms or
staff corps troops.
Carrying out. the organization of this
new element of the line, the tactical
formation of the airplane branch of the
air service will be in sQuadrons, groups
and wings, and the balloon section in
companies, groups and wings.
Two SquadrOns in Group.
The formation is elastic, however,
above the squadron, two or more
suuadrons, as circumstances require,
forming a group and two or more
groups a wing. The same arrangement
prevails with infantry divisions, two
OF more of which form a corps.
@Machines in sufficient number to
equip all of the air units planned for
are now being stored at the various
aviation fields that are being retained
by the government. Storage capacity
has been provided for approximately
5000 complete planes, not including
those in service, or in immediate re-
serve. with the squadrons. In add1-
ton, airplane motors by the thousand
have been stored, the up-keep OF any
unit in service requiring three or four
extra motors per plane
The production of planes has ex
ceeded, however, even the storage ca
pacity of the fields. The war de-
partment is negotiating with afrpiane
builders for the disposal OF all train
ing and of a considerable number of
service machines, for which it has no
present or indicated future use or
place of storage.
The surplus machines are said to
form a separate problem. There Is no
general market for the extra planes
and the only offers received have Deen
for relatively small numbers and at
prices that mean tremendous loss to
the government on it's investment
There is no reason to expect, it is
said. that even tenth of their cost
can be salvaked. Probably planes that
cost SIS. 900 or more will bring not
amore than $1,000. The only offers thus
far received have been from the con-
tractors who built the machines. There
is practically no commercial market
for airplanes. The offers received for
the governments surplus represent
risks the builders are willing to take
in the hope of finding sales for the
planes later at much less than cost
nrice. To illustrate the situation from
a commercial viewpoint attention was
called to a report that the recent air
nlane show in New York City had re-
suited in only two sales.
Many government planes purchased
nv the manufacturers, it is understood
are TO be converted into seaplanes'