Evening star., 1940-08-06
Army Cutting Down
On Types Of Planes
For Mass Output
Manufacturers See
Trend as Great Aid
To Production
BY DEVON FRANCIS,
Associated Press Aviation Editor.

AssociAted Press Aviation Editor.
The Army gradually is reducing
the number Of types OF warplanes
in its defense brochure, and the
result, aircraft manufacturers be-
lieve, will be reflected during the
months to come in sharply &C
celerated output on the production
lines.
Multiplicity of designs has been
one of the banes Of aircraft manu-
facture for years.
Even Germany, with the worlds
greatest air force and in the midst
of war. has too many kinds OF
warplanes for efficient mass manu-
facture, in the opinion of United
States Army officers. The evidence
is accumulating that Hitler's Air
Ministry is cutting down on the
number of designs produced.
If the Army Air Corps hews to
the line projected for maximum
production in the air rearmament
drive it will have six general cate
gories of planes-interceptors, sim
gle-engine pursuits, twin-engine
| fighters, attack planes and medium
and heavy bombers
Up to now no fewer than 18 COM
bat types have been in the service
of the Air Corps.
Experimentation Program.
That has been due partly to the
existence of tactical experimental
ton program. The Army wanted
to see what the planes could do,
both individually and en- masse. 1t
was due partly to the lack Of a
co-ordinated program for the en-
ployment OF aircraft in wartime.
Army strategy and tactics are prod
ucts of the Nations foreign policy,
and the Air Corps has not known
what it would be called on to do.
With the emergence of hemi-
sphere defense as the goal Of the
rearmament program, the Air Corps
found its work cut out for it.
| Here are some of the types of
aircraft which will go into the dis
card in the drive for greater air
power: Single-engine attacks, day
and night bombardment planes,
single-engine bombardment planes,
general liaison planes and biplane
pursuits.
Nom Combat Types.
Remaining in the combat
types probably will be short-range
corps and division observation
planes.
The interceptors for localized"
defense, which the Army is going to
buy by the hundreds, are typified
by the Bell pursuit, made in Buffalo
N. Y. The Curtiss "P-40," made in
Buffalo. typifies the new equipment
and the Lockheed twin-engine fight
er, made in Burbsnk, Calf, the in
terceptor for long-range work.
The Boeing Bit four-engine
bomber, made in Seattle, already
standard Air Corps equipment. anc
the Consolidated "B-24," made ir
San Diego, also four engined, viii
provide the general design for long.
range bombardment machines. Such
planes are intended for forays deer
into enemy territory on the theory
that the best defense is an offense.
Medium Bombers.
The Arny's medium bombers will
be like the Douglas "B-23," mad,
in Santa Monica, Calf, and attacl
planes will follow the general line,
of the Curtiss "A-20," made in Buf
falo. Medium bombers, unlike tn,
long-range planes, are intended fol
operation in the ground Army:
theater of action, and attack planes
are used for breaking up concen
trations of ground troops. The Ger
mans use "Stuka" dive bombers fo
the same purpose.
The most sensational develop
ment in Warplanes the world owe
is the rangy heavy bomber. capable
of carrying tons of bombs. TIL,
United Sattes Army's newest ex
perimental machine is designed TO
a pay load" of % tons. German,
is reported to have six and eigh
engine long range bombers in tn
process of manufacture.
Some American Army officers ar
talking of an even greater simplih
. cation in types-only two kinds O
, fighters and two of bombers. Tn
Army long ago abandoned the ide
. of an ideal" all-purpose plane.
AS one officer expressed it, "yo
can't make a plane which will carr
.. 10000 pounds of bombs 1000 mile