Evening star., 1941-03-15
Plane Engine Output
Sets Record With
$500 in February
Figure, Over Twice
Aircraft Production,
Shows Reserve Stock
By JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.

Aircraft engine production in the
United States reached a record high
during February, according to a
report by Aeronautical Chamber Of
Commerce officials. A survey of
engine factories made by the
chamber shows $500 high-power
engines were produced last month,
as compared with 2,400 in January.
The increased production pro-
vided a reserve of engines above
airplane requirements, indicating q
more rapid expansion rate for the
engine industry than for the air
craft industry.
Once of Production Management
figures showed a total of 972 air.
planes delivered by American manu-
facturerS during February, a de-
crease of 64 from the January total
At an average of two engines per
airplane, the engine production for
the month was sufficient for 1900
airplanes, 1t was pointed out.
1000 Per Cent Increase Since War.
A survey of the three principal
manufacturers now turning out air
craft engines in the warplane sizes,
made by the Aviation News Com
mittee of the chamber, shows pro-
duction expansion of more than
1000 per cent since the outbreak of
the war. These companies are Pratt
& Whitney and Wright Aeronauti-
cal, producing air-cooled engines,
and Allison, turning out liquid
cooled engines.
When the European war began
In September, 1889, these three COM
panies were producing combined
total of between 200 and 300 engines
q month. A year later their total
combined production had increased
to l, 500 engines a month. BY July,
1941, 1t is estimated on the basis
of survey of factory capacity, these
three plants will be turning out be-
tween $500 and 3,700 engines a
month.
The Allison division of General
Motors Corp. had a reported pro-
duction of approximately 400 en-
gines during February, as compared
with $50 during January. The
company is planning a production
OF 1000 engines per month by the
end of this year. Allison now holds
Army orders of S234,000,O00 for en-
gines to be installed in the Curtiss
P-40, the Bell P-39 Airacobra, the
Lockheed P-38 and the North Amer
lean NA-73 pursuit and pursuit.
tnterceDtOr airDlaneS
Horsepower Figures Released.
Although information as to the
exact number of engines produced
by any factory is a military secret,
the plants have been permitted to
announce the total horsepower rat
tngs of the engines they produce.
Pratt & Whitney during February
produced more than 100000 horse
power and it is expected that by
July, 1941, new plant facilities now
under construction will be COM
pleted and the horsepower output
raised to about 100000. BY the
end of this year the output is ex-
pected to be about 100000 horse
power per month.
ouGpuG dG IIl6 wright plants
during January amounted to 1,1OO,-
900 horsepower and the February
total was about 10 per cent greater,
or about 100000 horsepower. May
production is expected to be about
1,750,000 horsepower.
By midsummer, according to the
survey, total production of these
three companies is expected to be
nearly 100000 horsepower per
month.
In addition to this output, several
automobile companies are prepar-
ing to get into engine production
during l94l, among them Ford,
Packard, Buick and Studebaker.
Ford production may be under way
by July, Packard later in the sum-
mer. Buick and Studebaker pro-
duction is not expected to become a
factor before next year.