Evening star., 1939-04-10
By JOSEPH 8. EDGERTON.


during the last two years has told
repeatedly of pursuit and attack air.
planes capable OF higher speeds and
better performance than our own.
Such news is of the gravest impor-
tance to us in connection with our
air defense expansion program.
Mere numbers Of airplanes mean
little in the way of air defense. If
our airplanes are not match, plane
for plane, with any which may be
sent against us, they are of little
value for combat purposes.
For the last few years our Army
Air Corps has been given an aver
age of about 100000 a year to
spend for experimental develop
ment. The news from Europe shows
clearly that this has not been nearly
enough.
Time was when our military air
planes were the envy of the world
and when the United States held a
majority of the recognized world
airplane performance records. Those
were the days when our aeronau-
tical research. both in the labora-
tories of the National Advisory Com
mittee for Aeronautics at Langley
Field. Va, and in the Air Corps
Materiel Division. Wright Field,
Ohio, kept us in the van Of aero
nautical progress. Now the principal
international airplane performance
records are held abroad. among them
the world speed record, the world
altitude record ana the world dis
tance record-all vital key records,
from the military standpoint.
Vital to Security.
1t is shocking fact that the
United States has fallen behind in
aeronautical research and develop
ment and that only through deter
mined effort and liberal expendi-
lures for scientific equipment and
experimental work can we hope to
regain our position in the van of
aviation development. That we re-
gain that position is vital to our
national security.
This has been recognized in plan
ming our $500 900 900 air defense
program and it is proposed as a part
Of the program to make $4,000 900
available during the coming fiscal
year to increase the facilities of
the Wright Field Army plant and
to attract high-class scientists and
engineers into the field of applied
military research.
A separate program. also of vital
Importance to our air defenses. calls
for a great expansion of the re-
search work Of the National Ad-
visory Committee for Aeronautics.
This research. of a different type
than that carried on by the Army,
goes into the basic problems of
fight. The Army research, on the
other hand. applies the results OF
this basic research to strictly mill
tary purposes.
About $4,500,0oo of the Air Corps
research appropriation will be ap-
piled to increasing the facilities Of
the Materiel Division plant. includ-
ing the construction Of q wind tun-
mel for testing airplane models at
speeds in the neighborhood of 400
miles per hour. Extensive enlarge
ment of the Materiel Division lab
oratory and the testing facilities
for airplanes, engines and aeronaut-
ical accessories is contemplated.
Through the proposed increase in
basic and applied military research
and the stimulation of increased
aeronautical research work in col
leges and universities, it is believed
that the United States can regain
ground that has been lost to Euro
pean countries which have enor-
mously increased their research ac-
tivities during recent years while
ours remained static.
Although its funds for applied
military research have been almost
insignificant when compared with
those reported to have been spent in
the European air race. our Army
Air Corps experimental engineers
have made the most Of what they
have been given. Evidence of the
worth of their efforts is found in
the new aircraft just now ready
to go into production in our de-
fense program. Some of these out
standing types. such as the P-36A
and XP-40 single-seater pursuit air
planes: the new attack -bombers;
the Bell XFM-1 interceptor fighter,
and the Boeing four-engine flying
fortresses. have been described ear
1;or ~, fbic carlos All oro ko ~ v>,,r
chased for our combat squadrons.
Substratosphere Airplane.
Another outstanding experimental
type is the KEGS substratosphere
airplane, hailed by the aeronautical
world as the outstanding aeronaut-
ical achievement of last year and so
recognized by the award to the Air
Corps of the Collier Trophy.
Other important experimental
work at Wright Field has to do with
automatic bad-weather landings, de-
velopment of airplane engines of
2,0O0-horsepower output or greater.
propellers, landing gears. flaps,
wheels. brakes, tires, fuel injection
and high octane fuels.
The experimental program during
the coming fiscal year, beginning
July l, will be directed particularly
toward development of high-speed
combat airplanes and equipment to
permit their more efficient opera
ton, especially at high attitudes.
Other early research objectives are
improved wing slots, wing flaps and
other high lift devices-necessary
to keep landing speeds within rea-
sonable limits. New and improved
materials and methods of construc-
ton are sought which will speed up
manufacturing operations and in
crease structural strength without
increasing weight. Research also is
planned on inclosing engines In the
wings to gain still further speed.
To the layman, these things may
not sound very interesting or excit-
ing in comparison with other phases