New Britain herald., 1922-05-12
AIRCRAFT SUPPLY
 FOR U. s. WARSHIPS
Plans Submitted Provide for 21S
 Planes Of All Kinds
NEW ENGINES PERFECTED
Naval Report Tells of Improved Mc- chanics-New Launching Devices for Battleships-Eighty- Com bat Planes Included.

Washington May 12.-Plans for complete equipment of the fighting kfleet with aircraft during the coming fiscal year have been laid before the senate naval committee by Rear Ad- miral Moffatt chief of the Navy's S bureau of aeronautics. The project contemplates placing 21S airships of various essential types on battleships, cruisers, scouts and other vessels and is designed to furnish the fleet with it's own aerial defense against enemy aircraft attacks.
 Eighty-six Fighting Planes. Under the plan, eighty-six small, swift fighting planes will be included in the aircraft to become perma- nent part of the fleet aircraft defense. The machines to be used for this pur- pose are believed by Navy officials to be the best yet developed for fighting in air having been completely de- veloped under navy control since the close of the war. They are designed to meet in air and repel raids against the ships of the fleet by enemy bomb CTS.
 Flock of Other Planes.
 In addition, the active ships will carry forty three observation and spotting planes twenty small spotters, thirty-six torpedo or bomb- ing planes, eighteen scouts and four kite balloons for observation pur- poses. Each battleship of the eight cen comprising the fleet under the naval limitation treaty will carry four planes, two VIZ or single fighters, one big spotter and one torpedo or bombing plane. The torpedo plane will permit attack on enemy surface craft with 1900 pound torpedoes or with an equal weight in bombs.
 New Launching Devices.
 Catapult launching devices recent ly developed and tried out success fully are to be installed on all ships enabling them to send away their aerial defense squadrons even in a heavy sea. The ten new scout cruisers fighting and scouting planes to ada to the range of observation of enemy movements.
 This airplane equipment sought by the navy as an immediate answer, it was explained at the department to assertions that surface craft were de- fenseless against enemy air bomb at tacks, is regarded as essentially de- fensive. The aerial offensive power of the fleet is to be grouped aboard the airplane carriers into which it has been recommended that the battle cruisers Lexington and Saratoga be converted.
 Work Summarized.
 In presenting the naval aircraft program to the senate committee aviation officials summarized the work of the last year in developing modern airships and air engines which has been done by the navy it. self or under navy funds and en- A very optimistic pie ture of the situation was drawn it | was learned navy officers being confi- dent that the United States has kept | fully abreast thus far in the aviation developments in other Coun- tries.
 New Engines.
 Half a dozen or more engines of | improved power and reduced weight have been produced. It was explain ed the endurance Of new engines has been tested up to 300 hours contnu- ous operation as compared to 50 | hour test standard prevailing and ex- perimental work with a Diesel type fuel oil engine for aircraft purposes have given great promise the senators were told