Evening star., 1937-02-20

marked advancement, and that at the
present time the newest types have a
speed approaching 300 miles an hour.
THE new system of development"
he said, has produced planes carrying
greater loads for longer distances and
at greater speeds than were dreamed
of a few years ago. These results, to.
gether with the greater ease of opera
ton and comfort for the personnel
manning the planes. places them at
as head of similar known aircraft OF
the world powers"
THE Air Corps has sought persist
emily to improve the plan Of pro-
curing aircraft and to speed up the
previously long interval between de-
velopment and deliveries. Great
progress has been made in this direc-
tion. it is claimed.
The past two years have witnessed
strengthening of the aircraft IN
dustry, which he termed 1.-The back
bone of immediate national defense"
according to Mr.. Woodrtng.
Creative interest in engineering and
development" he remarked. has been
stimulated to the extent that industry
is now in a better position to meet
the needs of the Army Air Corps in
an emergency than ever before.
with our present War Department
procurement system reaching its full
stride, our patriotic citizens interested
in national defense can now feel that
our Army All Corps is on its way to-
ward taking its proper place among
those of the other nations OF the
world with respect to both efficiency
of fighting aircraft and numbers OF
planes. The Nation may rest assured
that our aircraft industry is gradually
being built up to the point where 1t
will be adequately prepared for any
emergency that may arise"
A LIST Of Navy airplane contracts
"A covering the same period as the
Army purchases shows a total OF 81
Northrop bombers, 80 Grumman and
Sikorsky amphibions; 176 Consolidated
patrol boats; 1T Curtiss and Vought
scout bombers; 40 CurtiSs scout OBJ
servation and ia Douglas torpedo
bombers.
Rear Admiral Arthur B. Cook, chief
of the Navy Bureau Of AeronautlcS,
has said that the Nays aircraft build.
ing program is progressing so satis-
factorily that it appears likely that
the Navy will be up to its authorized
treaty strength of 1910 airplanes by
1940-1942, as was planned in the Vim
son-Trammen bill.
It Is a fundamental naval policy
that naval aviation shall be developed
primarily for operations with the feet.
This determines the types of aircraft
to be used and is the controlling fac
tor in design. The Navy also Is pro-
viding a powerful force of patrol boats
which are characterized by large size
and exceptionally long range; it is
this type which has established one
record after another in transoceanic
and coastal operations.
The patrol boats which recently
made history in the flight to Hawaii
are of the PBY-1 type, built by Con-
solidated. There are 176 Of these
splendid big flying boats on order.
The Hawaiian squadron, of IL planes,
the initial deliveries; the
others are coming along at the rate
of nine a month and there now is
second squadron-lot available to the
Navy.
In addition to its carrier-based
squadrons, composed Of land-type air.
planes, the Navy also has Fleet Ma
rine Force, which includes aircraft
of the same types as the carrier planes.
This force, though mostly ashore at
fleet Marine bases, is trained to go to
sea in carriers. There also are Marine
Corps squadrons assigned to carriers.
To-day" Comdr. A. D. Bernhard.
Navy Bureau of Aeronautics, said in
the naval aviation organi-
cation, "Our naval aviation Is the
envy Of every foreign nation"