Evening star., 1940-06-14
Research Program
For Aircraft Called
Vital Defense Need
$S,400, 900 Project Voted
By House to Help
Keep U. S: in Forefront
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.

BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.
Despite urgent national efforts to
attain mass production of aircraft
engines for defense purposes, which
have resulted in a freezing" of
existing types on the production
lines, airplane engine research and
development in the United States
rapidly is approaching levels never
before attained.
Coming over the horizon, beyond
the wonderful engines which today
are becoming the driving power of
American and Allied air defense, are
engines of size and efficiency
greater than any yet seen. They
are expected in the not far distant
future to make possible airplanes
of sizes and speeds not yet ap-
preached.
All the leading aircraft engine
manufacturers have large-scale re-
search programs in progress. Pratt
& Whitney Aircraft Division,
United Aircraft Corp, at East Hart
ford, Conn, alone has 1000 engi-
neerS at work on design and re-
search projects. A giant 1900
horsepower radial air-cooled engine
is the most promising of the prof.
ects now in immediate sight there,
it is said.
Even more important, however, is
the impending Inauguration by the
Federal Government of great air.
craft engine basic research program.
to be carried on by the National
Advisory Committee for Aeronau-
tics. Approved by an overwhelming
majority in the House Wednesday,
legislation authorizing and appro-
priatlng for this project now is
pending before the Senate, with all
promise of speedy approval.
$4,000 Project.
The pending bill carries 50 900 900,
to be Immediately available, for
starting construction of the new
engine laboratory and authorizes
contractual obligations for an addi-
tional S6,400,000, or total of So
400 900 for the laboratory site, build
ings and equipment.
The work to be carried on in the
proposed Federal engine laboratory
would be of outstanding importance,
since it would deal with the funda-
mental problems of aircraft engine
design and the exploration of all
possible lines leading to the devel-
opment of new types of engines and
the improvement of existing types
This work would not conflict with
or duplicate the research programs
now in progress in the aircraft en-
gine factories. The factory research
is what is termed applied research"
and deals with specific problems in
connection with engine production
improvement of specific models, or
the development of new models with
a view to their future production.
Development of New Principles.
The fundamental or basic research
work in the proposed Federal labo-
ratory will be directed to the solu-
ton of problems applicable to all
types of engines and to the devel-
opment of new principles of engine
design suitable for future detailed
exploitation by the Army and Navy
or the aircraft engine industry. In
this way, the engineers in private
industry would take up for appli-
cation to the specific engines pro-
duced by their companies the basic
findings of the Federal scientists,
carrying on the work from the point
where the Government laboratory
stops.
The National Advisory Commit |
tee for Aeronautics recently cele-
brated the 25th anniversary of its
establishment. During the quarter
century it has been in operation as
the Nations basic aviation research |
organization N. A. C. A. scientists
have produced long series of basic |
inventions" or developments, which |
have kept American aviation in the |
forefront of world progress. Its
findings have been applied to
American military and civil air
craft, virtually without exception.
In just the same way, the new
engine laboratory is expected to
pioneer developments which will
profoundly affect the efficiency and |
performance of every aviation en-
CINE built in the future.
More Powerful Engines Needed.
There is urgent need in the avia-
ton field for far more powerful en-
gines than any now in existence
to power large bombardment air.
planes, long-range reconnaissance
planes, Navy patrol flying boats,
large land and sea transport air
craft and much faster pursuit and
fighter airplanes for both the Army
and Navy.
There is a demand for more eff
ficient engines, which may be of the
Diesel or possibly of entirely new
types, air-cooled or liquid cooled.
These needs present basic prob
lens of the type which will be re-
ferred to the N. A. C. A. engine
laboratory.
The need for the proposed labora-
tory, in the opinion of Mai. Gen
Henry H. Arnold, chief of the Army
Air Corps, "is definite and urgent
and delay may prove costly"
ut is of great Importance to the
Army Air Corps that the proposed
laboratory be placed in operation
at the earliest possible date" Gen.
Arnold said
Speaking for the Navy. Rear Ad-
miral John H. Towers, chief of the
Navy Bureau of Aeronautics, said:
This project is of great signif-
canoe to the Navy. The aircraft
power plant is the heart OF the air.
plane. 1t is largely around i'm