Evening star., 1940-01-08
BY CECIL F. HOLLAND.

oceans will gradually diminish and
superiority in aircraft design will
become more and more essential to
our national safety"
German Objective Cited.
After pointing out that Germany
'has concentrated much of its sci
entific and industrial resources on
the problem of gaining supremacy
in the air." and that England and
France are making every effort in
the same direction" the report sets
out:
In the present disturbed condi-
ton of world affairs, the impor-
tance of accelerating aeronautical
progress in the United States can
not be overemphasized."
The recommendations for in
creased reseach facilities take on
added significance in view of the
committees report on new dis
coverieS.
One is a new principle in wing
design, involving simple but funda-
mental changes, which will reduce
the drag" on airplane wings by
about two-thirds. AS the wind drag
is the principal obstacle to higher
speeds, the change may permit
speeds up to 500 miles an hour, the
report said.
The other is the development OF
a new cylinder filming" based on
the principle that the faster heat
is carried away the more efficient
the engine becomes. This improve
ment is expected largely to increase
the speed and efficiency Of an en-
gine.
Increase in Range Forecast.
In reporting the discovery Of the
new principle of wing design, the
Aeronautical Committee said:
1T is too early to appraise ade-
quately the significance of this
achievement. So far, its applica-
ton is limited to small airplanes. but
there are indications of its ulti-
mate applicability to larger air.
planes through continued research.
1T should increase the range and
greatly improve the economy Of air.
plane operation"
Behind these modest words is the
belief of aeronautical engineers that
the discovery will enable aviation to
provide the most economical form
of Transportation and build air.
planes of two or three times the
cruising radius of present ships.
Two specific recommendations for
expansion of research facilities we're
made:
/. Establishment sat the earliest
possible date" of an engine research
laboratory.
2. Give additional research stimu-
lation of aeronautical research in
educational and scientific institu-
tions.
Lack of Facilities Noted.
Col. Lindbergh and his committee
associates reported their survey dis
closed "a serious lack" of airplane
research facilities in the United
States.
1T is of the utmost importance
for the development of aviation in
general, and for our defense pro-
gram in particular, to take i'm
mediate steps to remedy this
deficiency" their report said.
In making this ton,
the committee wishes to call atten-
tion to the fact that the reason for
foreign leadership in certain i'm
portant types of military aircraft is
due in part to the superiority of
foreign liquid-cooled engines. At
the present time American facilities
for research on aircraft power
plants are inadequate and cannot
be compared with facilities for re-
search in other major fields of avia-
ton"
This is the first public announce
ment Of the report made by Col.
Lindbergh on the results of his
survey. To make it he made a
dramatic-and almost secretive-
return from his voluntary "exile"
in Europe and assumed temporary
active status with the Army.
Associated with Col. Lindberg in
the survey we're Maj. Gen. Henry H
Arnold, chief of the Army Air
Corps; Rear Admiral John H.
Towers, chief of the Nays Bureau
of Aeronautics, and Robert H.
Hinckley. chairman of the Civil
Aeronautics Authority.
Technical Personnel.
To these the Advisory Committee
added a recommendation for the
adoption of "a far-sighted policy
to develop trained technical per-
sonnet
The proposed new research labo-
ratory would be in addition to the
$4,000, 900 aerodynamics laboratory
which is being established at Moi
fett Field, Calf. The report de-
scribed the authorization of this
laboratory, which will supplement
the work done at the Langley Field
laboratory, as the most significant
event of the past year.
The research was described as lin.
dispensable" to the development o1
military airplanes for national de-
fense and to keep this country ir
the forefront of commercial aviation
1.-THE effectiveness of an air force.
Congress was told, lis largely de.
pendent on constant activity in re.
search laboratories necessary to in
sure continuous improvement in de.