Palatka daily news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1919-1994, 1922-05-12
Republicans Planning to
Spend Millions on
Program
213. NEW AER0P[ANES
This Number Will Be
Supplemented From
Time to Time

washington, May ll.-fldnS 1O1
complete equipment of the fighting
fleet with aircraft during the coming
fiscal year, it was learned today
have been laid before the senate ma
val committee by Rear Admiral
Moffatt, chief of the navy's bureau
of aeronautics. The project con-
templated placing 213 airplanes of
various essential types on battleships,
cruisers, scouts and other vessels and
is designed to furnish the fleet with
its own aerial defense against enemy
aircraft attacks.
Under the plan So small, swift
fighting planes will be included in
the aircraft to become permanent
part of the fleet aircraft defense. The
machines to be used for this purpose
are believed by naval officials to be
the best yet developed for fighting in
air, having been completely develop
ed 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
ers.
In addition the active ships will
carry 46 observation and spotting
planes, 27 small spoilers, SO torpedo
or bombing planes, 18 scouts and four
kite balloons for observation pur-
poses. Each battleship of the 18
comprising the fleet under the naval
limitatio ntreaty will carry four
planes, two VT, or single fighters,
one big spotter and one torpedo or
bombing plane. The torpedo plane
will permit attack on enemy surface
craft with 1,5OO-pound torpedoes or
with an equal weight in bombs.
Catapault-launching devices re-
Gently developed and tried out Sue
are to be installed on all
ships enabling them to send away
their aerial defense squadrons even
in heavy seaway. The ten new
scout cruisers will carry two cata-
pults each and fighting and scouting
planes to add to the range Of observ-
alton of enemy movements.
This aiGplane equipment sought by
the navy is an immediate answer, it
was explained at the department, to
assertions that surface craft were
defenseless against enemy air bomb
attacks, is regarded as essentially
defensive. The aerial offensive pow
er of the fleet is to be grouped aboard
the airplane carriers into which itI
has been recommended that the bat
lie cruisers Lexington and Saratoga
oe converted. The fleet aerial squad
ION also is supplemental to an equip
nent of "a land planes sought by the
marine corps, twelve to be fighting
,r pursuit ships and twelve observa-
10 nplanes, and also in addition to
30 torpedo planes with which it is
designed to equip naval stations.
In presenting the naval aircraft
program to the senate committee,
aviation officials summarized the
work of the last year in developing
modern airplanes and airplane en-
zines which has been done by the
,avy itself or under navy funds and
Encouragement. A very optimistic
picture of the situation was drawn,
t was learned, navy officers being
confident that the United States has
,ept fully abreast thus far in avia-
ion material developments in other
countries. Half a dozen or more en-
yines of improved power and reduc-
ID weight have been produced, it was
the endurance of new en-
yines has been tested up to 300 hours
continuous operation as compared to
5O-hour test standard prevailing,
md experimental work with Deisel
VINO f,,al oil anprine for aircraft mr.