Evening star., 1941-01-22
BY JOSEPH s. EDGERTON,
Star Staff Correspondent.

BY JOSEPH s. EDGERTON,
Star Staff Correspondent
INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 22.-No
automobile factory, regardless of ex-
perience in the mass production Of
automobile engines, can undertake,
without several years OF prepara-
tory work, the large-scale building
OF aircraft engines, in the opinion
of engineering experts Of the Allison
Division Of General Motors Corp,
now engaged here in building nearly
a quarter-billion dollars worth of
engines for national defense and
Great Britain
Although General Motors has
built automobile engines Of various
types by the thousands, its expe-
rience, factory space, tools and
equipment counted as nothing when
the world emergency showed Allison
into the aircraft production lime
light. Production engineers very
quickly came to the conclusion that
1t would be quicker and less expen-
sive to start aircraft engine produc-
ton from scratch, building factory
and tools outright, than to attempt
to do any part Of the job in the old
automobile plants. with automobile
tools and methods.
Not Less Than Two Years.
Il do not think that any one, In
t''e automobile industry or anywhere
e,5e, starting from scratch, with the
test knowledge available in industry
tcday, could get into production Of
c1e of the larger modern airplane
e,rines. liquid-cooled or cooled,
il less than three years. one OF the
outstanding Allison officials told the
ritter.
This corroborates the statement of
the president Of one of the two great
American factories now building
military air-cooled aircraft engines.
who declared that even his company,
with all its experience, could not set
up a new plant to produce even one
of the present-type engines IN less
than two years. He voiced the
opinion that no automobile company
could do the job that fast.
Allison has been at work for years
preparing for airplane engine pro-
duction and is just now ironing out
TIE last of the difficulties in the way
c. mass production of engines to
meet United States and British con-
tracts.
Engine Considered Revolutionary.
Behind the Allison engine produc-
ton program, now totaling 10 to IL
engines per day, is one OF the ro-
mances of American industry.
In the good old days" before the
1928 boom the late Jim Allison, part
owner OF the Indianapolis Speedway,
decided to undertake the building
of automobile racing engines. In
1929 General Motors bought his COM
pany and began research work on
liouid-cooled engines Of larger sizes,
with the aviation boom as its in
centive. The Allison enterprise
then was nothing more than small
experimental plant, and General
Motors continued it on this basis,
except for the production of bear
ings. for another decade. Allison
roller bearings however. became
important in aviation and found
their way into the best of the air.
cooled engines.
1t was not until August. 1887, that
the first Allison engine passed the
necessary tests and was approved
by the War Department. At that
time all Army and Navy combat
aircraft were powered with radial
air-cooled engines, and, although
the Army some years earlier had
used numbers of Curtiss Conqueror
liquid-cooled engines Of about $50
horsepower. the Allison engine was
regarded as revolutionary.
Ready When Orders Came.
Fortunately" C. E. Wilson. presi-
dent of General Motors, explained,
''the Allison Co., had its engine
ready to go into production when it
was needed by the Nation and it was
the only liquid d-cooled engine of this
type available in the United States.
Four years ago the total Allison
production was four engines in an
entire year. In 1899 the Army placed
its first production order, for 969
Allison engines, and first expansion
of the Allison plant was started in
June, 1889 The first unit Of the
expansion program was completed in
November, 1889. During all of that
year, only $50 engines were built.
During the year, however, further
orders we're received from the War
Department, requiring further ex-
pansion and still more orders from
the United States, England and
France were received before the ad-
ditional buildings were finished and
machinery installed. A third ex-
pansion program was undertaken.
These plant expansions were COM
pleted about a week ago and the
plant now has machinery for about
half its ultimate production capacity
of 1000 engines a month. All OF
the machinery is expected to be
available by September, l94l. and
by November engines will be rolling
at the rate of 10000 year.
To date Allison has delivered a
few more than 1000 engines in all
and the present rate Of $50 a month
will be stepped-up at steadily in
creasing rate until the full capacity
of 1000 a month is reached.