Evening star., 1941-02-19
5OPet. Training Planes
Said 10 Be Included
In January Production
Aviution Circles Reveal
Output of Combat Croft
About 500 for Month
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.


Although it is claimed that mill
tary airplane production in the
United States passed the 1000
mark for the first time in Janu-
ary, it has been learned authori-
tatively that only half of this num-
Der were combat airplaneS.
The National Defense Commits
sion has consistently refused to
break down aircraft production fig
ures and never has announced Of
f1cially whether its figures of mil
itary airplane" production included
training airplanes.
1t has been learned from avia-
ton sources, however, that produc-
ton figures which have been made
public in the past have included
both trainers and combat airplanes,
in the proportion of about 40 per
cent trainers to so per cent fighters.
The proportion of training planes
produced in January, however, Is
even higher, and it is understood
that more than 500 of those listed as
military airplaneS" actually are
VI oAll44lS PlelllIo.
January Figures Delayed.
The Defence Commission has not
yet announced the January military
airplane production figures, although
they usually are available for pub
lication about the 10th day Of each |
month for the preceding month. |
1t is understood that efforts to make |
public a breakdown of the figures |
as to types, at least as to train
ing and combat types, is one of /
the reasons for the delay this .
month.
Col. John H. Jouett, president of .
the Aeronautical Chamber of Com |
merce. however, has announced that |
the total military airplane" pro- |
duction for January had passed the .
1000 level for the first time. The .
chambers membership includes all .
of the aircraft manufacturers in .
the United States now holding mill .
tary airplane contracts.
The Defense Commissions official
total for December was 799 military |
airplanes. 1t is estimated that be-
tween 400 and 480 were combat air.
planes.
Although Col. Jouett announced .
January production as "over 1000"
it is understood, on the best au-
thority, that the exact total of mill
tary airplanes produced during the
month was LOIS, but that there
were about lis additional airplanes
produced. which, although listed as
commercial" may be allocated at
least in part to the military services
for cargo, transport and other pur-
poses. This would bring the total
to 1,l3l airplanes.
Nearly 1000 for All Types.
In addition. there were about 800
light airplanes of non-milltary
types built in the United States
during January, bringing total
American airplane production of all
types to nearly 1000, or at the rate
of 24,000 a year of all types or
5000 year of purely combat types.
OF the total OF 1,016 military air.
planes built last month, according
to the best available information,
approximately $50 were for the
United States Army and Navy and
Great Britain and the others were
for other countries regarded as
pro- British or anti-Nazi" in their
SympathieS. Some South American
purchases probably were included
among the so to so export airplanes
for countries other than Great Brit
ain and Canada.
Actual breaking down of combat
airplane production as to types Is
the subject of the most rigid De
fense Commission censorship. Fig
ures as to the proportion OF pursuits
to bombers, for example. are re
garded as military information OF
the utmost value, since such in
formation would indicate to an
enemy the character of aerial war
fare for which the Nations air
forces are being prepared and would
tell the story of national military
policy.
Vital Information Read.
The balance between such COM
bat types as long-range and short
range bomberS, escort or lnterceptor
fighters, dive or heavy bombers, and
reconnaissance or corps obSerVa-
ton airplanes, struck in the building
up Of any air power is dependent
upon whether that power is pre-
pairing to act on the offensive or
defensive, to fight at home or to
fight abroad, it was explained.
If Britain could know definitely, /
for example. whether Germany is
building larger numbers of long
range than short-range bomberS or
a higher ratio of dive bombers or |
fighters, much of the present anxiety |
as to what the Nazis will do next .
would be alleyiated. From such .
breakdown of German production
it would be possible for England TO
determine with considerable exact
ness whether Germany actually is
planning an "all-out" assault on
England or whether she was con-
templating a drive through the
Balkans and into the Mediterranean.
Similarly, should it become known |
that Germany is building numbers
of very long-range bombers, the
British may look with anxiety to |