New Britain herald., 1919-04-04
BARGAIN DAY FOR
 MOTOR EQUIPMENT
Government Sells $18,25O,0O0
 Worth for $2,72O,00O

Washington. April 4.-The Curtiss Airplanc S Motor corporation has purchased from the army air service 4,6OS Curtiss O\-5 motors, 1,616 JN-4 planes without motors, and HOO condemned standard planes without motors. for $2,720,000.
 The motors sold under this arrange mcnt are for 90-horse power and have been used in elementary train ing planes Most of them have been used to such an extent that they would in many cases have to be en- tirely rebuilt before being of any value whatever"
 The HOO standard planes, as con- demned equipment, have only a scrap value and most of them proba bly, will be thrown on a, big bonfire by the Curtiss agents. About half of the Cvrtiss JN-4 Twill have to be sal vaged," an announcement says.
 The OX-5 motors cost new, includ- ing the overhead incident to the con- struction of plantand other war costs, about s1,7OO each. The planes with out motors. cost about $3,750 each. The mass of equipment involved in the sale, therefore, ordinarily cost Uncle Sam about $1S,25O, 1000.
 Only Types in Disuse Sold. Air service officers said that if the Curtiss company comes out whole on the deal at $2,72o,000 it will do well. Attention Is called to the fact that the JN-4 planes involved are not the JN-4-H planes now in active service, none of which will be sold for the present. All are earlier types of the JN which have been well used in training flyers to fight the Germans. r {l.~ he Y department had this to say for the office of the director of sales:
 'Following the policy of the de- partment to disrupt as little as possi- ble the market price for any mate rial which is to be sold, and at the same time to obtain for the govern i ment the best possible price at the sale of surplus material, the manu- lecturers of airplanes were requested 10 bid on this material. The best bid obtainable was that of the Curtiss company"
 No sales have yet been Y,ade of active equipment below cost. Un- til the permanent size of the air service personnel is determined by congress, most of this equipment will be retained.
 Air Training for College Men.
 
 ment for the development of the ftr service in the future contemplates the inauguration of 8 system of train ing for qualified students of colleges and universities.
 The idea is to develop a reserve of | young men trained in the art of fly ing in order that the nation may be prepared to put 8 large number of flyers in the air immediately in the event tho country is drawn into an- other war.
 Men over 80 years of age. as a rule, are not considered of flying age" While some veteran flyers are older, the majority of American pilots are youngsters. Ten years hence most of them will be past flying age" and will not be imm ediately available in the l event of future hostilities in which the 1 United States participates.
 With ground schools teaching avia- l ton theory in colleges and universi- ties, students would receive active training on flying fields during vacat- | tions and other stated periods until 1 they fully qualify as pilots and ob- 1 servers.
 This plan has not yet been for l mally approved by the department but it is known to be under active consideration