Evening star., 1941-01-12
By JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.

BY JOSEPH 5. EDGERTON.
Standardization of parts used in
Army and Navy planes-an i'm
portant factor in the effort to bring
about mass production of aircraft
has been effected to large eX-
tent. but because of the different
conditions under which the two
services operate there is little pos
sibility that planes can be built
exactly alike for both Army and
Navy use.
The 25 year old Aeronautical
Board Is the agency which heads
the effort to standardize parts. To-
day 1t is at the peak of its long
career-but its members have no
illusions that they will be able to
standardize all ships down to the
last bolt.
The board has been hard at work
to bring about uniformity of the
parts used in aeronautical equip
ment for the Army. the Navy and
in export models for England.
The work of the interdepart-
mental organization during the past
few years has been described by
Army and Navy officials as invalu-
able. An examination of the prob
lens which the board faces re-
veals why many difficulties in the
way of absolute standardization ap-
pear insurmountable.
Arnold Is Senior Member.
Maj. Gen. Henry H. Arnold, avia-
ton member of the War Depart
ment general staff. is now senior
member of the board. The job which
it faces, now that aircraft produc-
ton Is being expanded so rapidly,
is monumental.
The Aeronautical Board was Gre
ated in 1916 to help speed World
War aircraft production by stand
ardizing parts. One of its first jobs
was to standardize screw threads
nuts and bolts, and it succeeded so
we'll that its efforts resulted in SIM
plif1cation Of this problem for the
entire American industry and be-
came the basis for a beginning of
international Standardization work
The World War work of the board
was deemed so essential that it was
given permanent status and has
been functioning continuously for
the past Is years. During this quar-
ter century the board has worked
with the assistance of the aero
nautical industry, the Bureau OF
Standards and the National Ad-
visory Committee for Aeronautics
to effect Standardization of vir-
tually every one of the thousands
of separate parts which go into the
modern airplane and its engine
instruments and accessories.
Co-operates With Others.
The board is composed of aviation
engineering and production officials
OF the Army and Navy and works
in close cooperation with similar
group representing the aviation
manufacturing industry and such
bodies as the Society of Automotive
Engineers.
Except for recent developments
which have come too rapidly to be
susceptible of Standardization in all
cases, the board has brought about
uniformity of parts in virtually all
essential items which can possibly
be used in common by the two serv-
ices, it was explained by service
authorities.
There are. however, many items
which cannot be duplicated for the
two services because of unavoidable
differences in type of operations
conducted by Army and Navy avia.
ton and such factors as exposure
of naval aircraft to salt water cor.
rosion and to the restrictions ot
carrier operations.
Requirements Differ.
These different operating condi.
tions are reflected in such obscur,
ways as differences in the shape o.
radiators, oil and fuel tanks, engine
controls and even location Of In