Evening star., 1940-03-06
War Causes Chances
In Designs Of New
u. 5. Warp|anes
Decision Is Revealed by
Gen. Arnold at Secret
House Hearing
BY the Associated Press.

Disclosure that the European war
has dictated essential changes in the
designs of new American Army
planes was made officially today fol-
lowing the testimony of Maj. Gen.
Henry H. Arnold at a secret House
committee session.
Such alterations as equipping
bombers with armor and installing
fuel tanks which automatically seal
bullet holes were decided on after
weeks conference Of experts.
Members of the House Military
Committee said Gen. Arnold testified
privately yesterday that the cost of
planes had mounted about 10 per
cent since the Air Corps $500 900 900
expansion was voted last year. The
increases were ascribed in part to
the alterations.
Earlier, it was learned, Gen. Arm
old informed a group of Army Of
f1cers that the war lessons were
learned fortunately in time.
Completion on Schedule Seen.
He predicted that despite a delay
in the production of some high
powered engines, anticipated delays
in construction of some pursuit and
bombing craft, and the contemplated
design alterations, the goal of $500
planes should be reached on time,
by July l, l94l. ..-..
Many planes built abroad at
great expense, and but recently
turned from factories and sent up
to the battle fronts have demon
strated complete inadequacy-defi-
ciencies which made it necessary to
pull them back from the fronts I'M
mediately, and relegate them to
training roles" Mr.. Arnold said.
He called in top technical and tao
tical men for the conference, he re-
lated. after asking for the most COM
plete possible summary of informa-
ton from military intelligence
sources.
I'VE had heard that foreign pur-
suit planes were finding enemy
bombers easy prey" the Air Corps
chief said. I'VE heard that foreign
planes were forced to hang on
armor; we learned that the warning
nations found it necessary to
use protective coverings for fuel
| tanks, -
Study Completed.
I'VE have now completed that
study. We are now preparing the
specifications for submission to
make the indicated essential changes
in our aircraft program"
Tests are in progress at Wright
Field, Dayton, Ohio, on various types
of self-sealing fuel tanks, but Air
Corps officials said details were con-
fldential
Committee members quoted Gen
Arnold as saying that a British
plane, with about 100 gallons of
gasoline, sustained So bullet holes
in its self-sealing tanks, but was
able to land safely with the loss of
only about 10 gallons.
The vast European orders since
the war started have resulted, he
said, in IAN industrial mobilization
of our aeronautical industry"
European nations are buying our
equipment because it is better than
they can get at home" he con-
tended.
The foreign sales helped the Air
Corps by partially financing new
models; he noted, but counseled
that there must be some strong
hand to coordinate and control
those orders or, conceivably, they
may easily throw our own programs
out of gear if not indeed completely
out of the window"
Meanwhile, President Roosevelt
signed today a measure designed to
speed up purchases of airplanes for
national defense during the next
fiscal year.
The act permits the War and
Navy Departments to award con-
tracts for fighting planes and their
equipment to the three lowest re-
sponsible bidders" when that is
necessary 'in the interest Of ma
tional defense"