Evening star., 1941-02-14
Curtiss-Wright Gains
10 Pei. a Month in
Engine Production
Paterson N. J.) Plants
Expected to Hit Peck
Output in Moy

fT,Denty-ftth OF a series. J
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON,
Star Aviation Editor.

Star Aviation Editor.
PATERSON, N. J., Feb. 14-Air-
craft engine production of the
Curtiss-Wright Corp. at its five
plants in the vicinity of Paterson
passed the 1000, 0,O00-horsepower
mark during the last month of 1910
and the 1,l00 0000-horsepower mark
last month. This rate of increase,
amounting to 10 per cent in a
month, is expected to continue into
the spring, reaching a peak pro-
duction rate of 1,750,000 horsepower
per month in the Paterson area in
the middle of May.
Federal military regulations forbid
announcement Of the exact number
of aircraft engines produced, but
permits summary by horsepower
which is a rough guide. Curtiss-
Wright engines are rated from
about 500 to more than 1000 horse
power. At an average of 1000
horsepower per engine the current
production is at the rate OF 1900
engines per month.
Production at the Curtiss-W Wright
New jersey plants and at the Pratt
& Whitney plant of United Aircraft
Corp. at Hartford, Conn, is at
almost the same level, the P. & w.
production having recently passed
the 100000 0-horsepower mark for
q single month.
New Plant to Add Output.
Completion of the new Curtiss-
Wright engine factory now under
construction at Cincinnati, however,
will add another 2,120,000 square
feet of production space and should
increase Curtiss- Wright production
by at least so per cent this year.
Upon these two companies the
United States and Great Britain
must rely for virtually all of their
Varplane engine production in this
country until next year. The only
other important source OF warplane
engines is the Allison Engineering
Co, branch of General Motors Corp,
at Indianapolis now producing 1000
horsepower, liquid-cooled engines at
a rate of approXimately 400 engines
per month.
All of the Army warplanes except
two pursuit models powered with the
Allisons. and all of the Navy COM
bat atrplanes today are powered with
either Pratt & Whitney or Curtiss
engines.
112 Acres for Production.
There now is a total of 2,842 900
square feet of floor space in the
Curtiss factories in the Paterson
area, either now in use or to be
placed in use in the immediate fu-
ture. With the added space at
Cincinnati. CurtiSs- Wright will have
total of 100000 square feet
Of floor space-approximately l12
scres-devoted to aircraft engine
production.
In December. 1899, the company
had only 100000 square feet of fac
tory space in operation. This space,
at Paterson, composes the parent
plant and headquarters. Since that
time, in a little more than a year,
the following factory space has been
roughly miles square.
A total Of $4,000 square feet in
Plant No. 2; $4,000 square feet in
foundry additions, $4,000 square feet
IN assembly additions, $4,000 square
feet in assembly part building,
$1,000 square feet in new test stands,
$4,000 square feet in Mclean Boule-
ward Plant, 100000 square feet in
Plant No. at Fair Lawn, 433O
square feet in East Paterson Plant,
$1,000 square feet in test stand
construction totaling "a stands. 49,
900 square feet in a magnesium
foundry at Fair Lawn, and 14600O
square feet in packing and shipping
department additions, or a total
Of 2,842 900 square feet in Paterson
and vicinity.
Additions at Cincinnati.
At Cincinnati the company is add
Ing l,640 900 square feet in the new
machining and assembly building;
l6l 900 square feet in an aluminium
foundry, $4,000 square feet in
magnesium foundry, $4,000 square
feet of office space, 900 square feet
In a power house, and 10000 square
feet in test cells.
These figures may convey little
meaning at first to the layman. The
total picture to the man who wan
ders for miles through acres of close
poCked machinery, however, is lit
tie short of appalling. Everywhere
are lines Of machines and toiling
men stretching off through the
typiCally oily factory haze beyond
eyeshot-it is literally impossible
to see the length of one of these
modern aircraft plants inside. They
stretch off into an apparent in
flnity of blending machines, columns
and lines of lights fading into the
distant haze.