Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-06-11
PRIVATEFIRM
FINDS USES FOR
BRITISH PLANES
Sells Excess Stocks on Hand
When Armistice Stopped
War With Germany.
SIX SUPPLY STATIONS

planes and airplane material, which are
now lying derelict in British airdromes
as a result OF the sudden ending of hos
ttlities. has had to be undertaken at last
BY private enterprise, and a syndicate
known as the Aircraft Disposal Com
pany Ltd. has taken over en- bloc mate
rial to the value of several million
pounds sterling with the intention Of
disposing Of it TO smaller buyers, both
In the United Kingdom and overseas.
Six depots have been formed in which
the material is being concentrated to
facilitate inspection and sale. and apart
from the huge stocks already transported
theres there are the contents of well
over 100 airdromes still to be dis
posed Of.
One of these depots is situated at
Waddon, about twelve miles from Lon
don, and was shown to representative
Of the Christian Science Monitor as
typidal example Of war effort
When first the site was taken over. il
consisted Of open fields with no buildings
anywhere.
On this agricultural area was erected
self-sufficient airplane factory, capable
Of turning out sixteen machines a week,
Including large bombers, or in the no
menclature Of later days, passenger car
rsers.
The factory was absolutely independ-
ent. making everything it required
within its own walls and carrying on
every process, from the raw material
stage 90 the finished machine.
ACTIVITIES CAME TO
END WITH ARMISTICE.
kiln was erected in which the tim
her was seasoned, eventually for most Of
the London area, sheet metal shops pro-
yided the structural parts, the parts OF
the machines requiring chemical treat
ment received their coatings Of dope"
on the spot, and finally in the assembling
shop machines were put together and,
after being wheeled Out on to the adj
Joining airdrOme were put through their
tests and then flown away for service.
All these activities were stopped by the
armistice Of 1918, and since then No. i
depot has become merely a place for
storage where now can be seen, packed
neatly in rows. a small fraction Of sur
plus material which has been returned
from the war areas or has been produced
from the completion of outstanding con-
tracts.
In the old sheet metal shed are stacked
spare parts, aeroplane instruments, COM
passes, gauges, indicators, pumps and
other small "gadgets."
Then come literally hundreds Of new
and second hand engines of all the best
known makes. rotary and otherwiss~com-
plete with the log book which records
the history Of the engine since the day
It was turned out Of the shops.
In another part Of the factory are
stacked many other kinds Of machines,
Bristol Scouts" the D. H. 0, the Avo.
the Vimy bomber and the Short flying
boat, to mention a few. Wings, under
carriages and other portions of the ma
chine were stacked up IN great quaint
ties for the inspection Of the party which
included overseas private buyers and
representatives Of governments.
With private trade in aeroplanes COM
paratively small IN comparison with the
war activity in the industry. much in
genuity is being expended on possible
methods Of utilizing this great stock for
peaceful purposes.
Some Of the uses to which the material
can be put were revealed at a luncheon
given at the Savoy hotel after the visit
to Waddon aerodrome, under the chair
manship Of Lord Londonderry, under
secretary Of state for air.
Headley Page, whose firm Is very
much interested in the Aircraft Disposal
Company, stated that 10000 machines.
10000 engines and huge quantities of ma
teria1 and accessories were involved in
the recent purchase from the government.
There was no difficulty IN disposing Of
such things as the 900 or 1000 tons OF
ball-bearings, $4,000 sparkling plugs,
100000 magnetos, in addition to nuts,
bolts and small accessories.
Out OF the enormous stock Of instru-
ments sets for motors were easily made
up.
The revolution counters could be
changed into speedometers and the
anerofd barometers for registering height
could be changed into barometers.
The steel tubes previously used for air.
craft had been bought up by enterprising
bedstead manufacturers to change into
bedstead frames.
The royal air force wires previously
used for bracing the planes were now
being used for the cross stats Of bed
stead frame.
Propellers had been widely used for
hat stands and clock cases, and discarded
instrument cases for the family cruet
The greatest enterprise had, however,
been shown By one firm, which had
solved the housing problem and the pro-
vision OF facilities for summer travel by
purchasing under-carriages from aircraft,
fitting on top Of them a light caravan
body furnished with the material read
Sy available from the stores.
INGENIOUS USE OF ENGINE
IN ELECTRIC PLANT.
IN engineering work a great quantity
ii material was also being utilized.
Engines which were designed for air
craft work ran most satisfactorily on
town gas.
For instance, the Sunbeam ARAB" en-
CINE, which developed 200 horsepower as
an aircraft engine, with its gearing re-
moved, was running at a slower speed as
a most efficient plant engine developing
30 horsepower.
Such a unit took up but small space,
and enabled the small electric light plant
TO get over its period Of bad load with
out unduly taxing the normal capacity Of
the other plant.
Such an engine could be purchased at
a very small price compared with the
large, slow speed gas engine which would
otherwise be required.
Speaking Of the opportunities now
available for governments to economic in
their organizations for defense, Mr.. Page
said: "AeropIanes could now be pur-
chased at a cost which was only a small
proportion of the original cost to the
British government
"a country, therefore, inaugurating a
national program in the air, could get
through the development period at a
very low cost owing TO the large stocks
available.
Behind these stocks Of complete ma
chimes were all the necessary adjuncts
Of spare parts available, both for en-
CINE and machines, SO that there was no
fear of the organization being hampered
By lack Of requisite subsidiary supplies.
After these stocks were exhausted 1t
would be impossible to replenish them or
obtain material. except at three or four
times the cost"