Evening star., 1941-01-01
Expansion Achieved,
Plane Industry Is Set
Big-Sca|e Production
Plant Space and Output
Both Doubled in Year,
Survey Declares
By JOSEPH 5. EDGERTON

assignment in hiStOry-the prOduC-
tiOn OF Warplanes to defend the
Nation, the hemisphere and the
democratic way of life throughout
the world
A yearend statistical roundup by
the Aeronautical Chamber OF Com
merCe, the trade body of the air
craft industry, shows that the
tremendous plant expansion pro-
gram which is the necessary pre-
lude to any large-sCale aircraft
production. Is we'll in hand at the
beginning of the new year.
While accomplishing this eXpan-
sion, the industry has, at the same
time, more than doubled during 1910
its production of planes. engines.
propelleys and accessories, it was
reported.
Expansion Accomplished
Expansion was the aeronautiCal
induStry'S Job in l940-that and the
hiring and training of men to build
the alrplanes needed by the United
States and Great Britain" the
AerOnautical Chambers new Avia-
ton News Committee reported i'll
summarizing results of the survey.
How well the industry has handled
its 1910 assignment may be judged
by the following statistics.
AT the start of 1910 the industry
had 1l983896 square feet of work.
ing space. At the end of 1910 this
total had been expanded to more
GOO OOD cr,119va
"On January l, 1910, there were
10000 productive workers employed.
On January !, 194l, that figure has
risen to better than 1865 1000
In other words the aerOnautical
industry doubled its productive
working space. spending more than
S83000000, and providing employ
ment for thousands OF construction
workers. Il practically trpled its
employment rolls.
And while Il was doing this, the
industry was still able to make spec
tacular gains IN production. The
dollar value of airplaneS delivered
in 1910 was more than two and one
half times that of 1889.
What Seven Firms Did.
The results of the survey show
that between January l. 1910, and
today the seven leading awplane
manufacturers in the Eastern Unit
ed States accomplished the follow
Ing in the way Of plant and per-
EOnnel expansion.
Bell Aircraft Corp Buffalo, N. Y,
increased floor space from 100000
10 435 900 square feet; personnel
from ll60 to 4 300
Brewster Aeronautical Corp.
Long Island City. N. Y, increased
floor space from 10000 to 85OOOO
square feet; personnel from $50 to
500
Curtiss Wright Corp Buffalo, in
cluding the St. Louis division, in
creased floor space from 100000 TO
$4,000 square feet; personnel from
1881 to 1850
Fairchild Aviation Corp. New
York and HagerstOWn, Md, in
creased floor space from $4,000 to
100000 square feet; personnel from
485 to 1910
Glenn L. Martin Co, Baltimore.
increased floor space from 1103 070
to 1,663000 square feet; personnel
from 10000 to 1880
Republic Aviation Corp Farm
ingdale n. Y. ,the former Seversky
Aircraft Corp. increased floor
space from 100000 to 100000 square
feet; personnel from 1850 to $3.50.
Vought-Slkorsky Aircraft Divi-
sion OF United Aircraft Corp, STRAIT
ford, Conn, increased floor space
from 100000 to $4,000 square feet;
personnel from 1900 to 4500.
Eastern aircraft factories. with
the exception of Glen L. Martin Co.,
are engaged primarily in the pro-
duction Of pursuit and interceptor
aircraft. Martin is producing two
engined bombers and large Navy
patrol l-bombardment flying boats.
Fairchild is engaged chiefly in the
production Of military training
planes. Bell, Brewster, Curtlss, Re
public and Vought- t-Sikorsky are
building the vitally important high
speed, performance pursuit,
interceptor and fighter aircraft
which are the most effective pro-
lection against hostile bombers and
which are essential as protection to
permit friendly bOmbardment at
tacks to be driven home.
Eight Western Firms.
The eight principal Western air
plane manufacturers accomplished
the following results:
Boeing Airplane Co., Seattle in-
eluding the Stearman Division at
Wichita. Kansl, increased floor
space from 92l 900 to $4,000 square
feet; personnel from $500 to 10000.
Consolidated Aircraft Corp, San
Diego, increased floor space from
96l 500 to 100000 square feet; per-
sonnel from 5000 to $4,000
Douglas Aircraft Co, Santa
Monica, Calf. increased floor space
from 100000 to 1,875000 square
feet; personnel from 14100 to 49,
200.
Lockheed Aircraft Corp, Burbank.
Calf, increased floor space from
$1,000 to 1,139.2O5 square feet; per-
sonnel from 7,4OO to 174OO
North American Aviation, Inc,
IngleUood, Calf, increased floor
space from 100000 to 1O126 square
feet; personnel from 4,8OO to $500
Northrop Aircraft, Inc, Haw-
thorne. Calf, increased floor space
from $4,000 to $4,000 square feet;
personnel from 73 to $500
RYAN AeronautiCal Co., San Diego,
Increased floor space from 10000
to 10000 square feet; personnel
from 600 to 1900.
Vultee Aircraft, Inc, DoWney,
Calf. increased floor space from
28l 900 to 100000 square feet; per-
sonnel from 848 to 5,400
Produce BOmberS.
These Western factories produce
all of the heavy bombardment planes
for the Army and Great Britain
manufactured in this country and
many of the medium bombers. Many
trainers and fiohter or OurSllit air.