Evening star., 1940-06-12
Production Genius
OF j. ). Holds Small
Hope for Tanks
Output Of Machines
Estimated at 100
Week q Year Hence
BY ROBERT BRUSKIN.

ny hODEh1 DhUSNIN.
Allied efforts to recoup quickly
losses of tanks or attain parity with
the mechanical forces of Germany
and Italy through production IA
cilities in the United States are apt
to bring bitter disappointment at a
critical time.
Reliable sources declared the Allies
had made no attempts thus far to
have tanks manufactured in this
country. There is little likelihood
that they will obtain any now in
Army use and classed as obsolete,
since only about $50 are in service,
scattered throughout the United
States and its possessions.
Despite American mechanical and
production genius, despite defense
program which contemplates con-
struction of 2.700 tanks and COM
bat cars, the United States will
have an estimated production rate
with present facilities of a paltry
10 week-about one year from to-
day. At present production is far
less.
When completed the program will
give the Army a fleet of 3,100-
slightly more than the Germans are
reported using in the drive on
Paris and about the same num-
ber used in driving the Allies to the
Channel in Flanders with the con-
sequent abandonment Of major
portion of the Allied tanks.
Only Three Plants Now.
Only three plants are equipped to
produce the complex vehicles of the
type now battering the French and
British lines. Another is being
adapted for tank construction.
The Army's Rock Island 1ll.)
Arsenal has the only plant where
tanks have been built for more than
10 years. The American Car and
Foundry Co. of Berwick, Pa. re-
celved an order last fall of $6,O55 ,251
for 329 light tanks and is already
IN production. The Marmon Her
rlngton Co., Inc, of indianapolis
has built small tanks for the Marine
Corps and probably could turn out
larger Army types.
The Baldwin Locomotive Works.
Eddystone, Pa, last week received
its first education order" of s587.-
694 for light tanks and related
Items The Baldwin plant will
complete only about 5 to 10 tanks
with this order, but the award will
permit installation of machinery
for large production. The ma
chinery will remain the Army's
property as provided under the sys-
tenn of educational orders.
Few Built After War.
The new industry has few prece-
dents for production experience.
From 1920 to 1885 Army records
show the United States built only
81 tanks. All were experimental
models and each varied in size and
capabilities. During the World War,
despite frantic efforts. only "a were
produced up to the Armistice and
by March l, 1919, the total was 799.
These were comparatively poorly
armored and armed; they were slow
and prone to stall. They seldom
managed more than miles an hour
as compared with the modern light
tanks capability of more than 30
miles an hour. Their low speed
made them excellent targets. Un-
like present models, which were
planned by the Army's Ordnance
Department, those of the World War
vintage were chiefly of British de-
sign.
Army experts believe tank manu-
facturers will have little difficulty
in obtaining the radial type of air.
plane engine used to power the roll
ing forts. The 12-ton light tank
and the 18-ton medium tank-the
only sizes being built for the Army
have the type of engines used in
training planes.
Few Armor Plate Manufacturers.
However, increasing production
has brought a choke point" in
armor plate. There are only about
five manufacturers capable of sup
plying the thin armor plate needed.
All new airplanes and many of the
old are now being equipped with this
form of protection, so that facilities
may have to be increased before long.
Most of those now producing the
plates are hardware manufacturers.
Without adequate armor plate the
tank is worse than useless, since
its highly trained crews are not
easily replaceable. The armor- plated
hull of the modern tank comprises
80 40 per cent of the total weight.
Industries which supply compO-
nents of the $4,000 or more parts in
clude steel, engine, automotive parts
(fcr transmission, autOmOtive ac-
cessories, airplane accessories. rub
ber. antifriction bearings. electrical,
aluminium and radio. Thus large
proportion of the needed parts can
be bought from private industry.
but most are of special design.
Increased defense preparations have
also increased the costs of tanks. A
light tank can be produced in guam
EDJICATIONAL-