Evening star., 1942-03-30

a II y e. II a - ys:S:233&48# r
reached a point
of conSumma-
tion that is truly &a&z EdA
sensational David Lawrence.
The great question 18 months
ago was whether to expand exist
ing aircraft engine plants or build
new ones under automobile COM
pany management. But the auto
managers had never built aircraft
engines. They had no engineers or
designers familiar with that type
of machine. They were mechanical
minded but they just didn't know
aircraft. The country had been cry
ing for conversion" of the auto
industry and didn't know that you
can't convert automobile tools into
aircraft tools. Some can be used but
its an altogether different problem.
Who then could make aircraft
engines? The Government turned
to Pratt e. Whitney and to CurtisS-
Wright. They had the "knoW-how." ."
They had the patents. They had
been shipping aircraft engines for
a couple decades to many foreign
governments.
But how would Pratt & Whitney
and CurtiSS- Wright feel about teach
ing some of the auto companies to
p,oLo ojroroft anoipaco With u-b O 7
spirit would they approach a task
that meant building up competi-
tors for themselves for postwar
days? And what kind of co-opera
ton could be expected?
Achievement Unparalleled.
While the country was talking
about conversion" of auto plants
and while automobiles were still
being made, the task of aircraft
engine production was started.
Though there are some other war
weapons that might have used the
materials absorbed by 1941 auto
production, the fact is that this
had little to do with the making of
aircraft engines. The Job was one
of primary instruction and plant
building.
Now comes the tale OF achieve
ment which is unparalleled in the
annals of American industry. The
&c yn-
ahead signal in August, 1910. In
September it started the plant. fin
ishing in May, 1941. Engines began
rolling out in July, 194l, and this
month the production compares well
with what the old-line aircraft en-
CINE makers did in some of their
pre-War years.
Buick did an even more remark
able job. They got the decision to
90 ahead in October, 1910. They
started their plant in March, 1941,
and were scheduled to ship their first
engines in March, 1912, but they
were about two months ahead OF
schedule in getting out their first
engine in December, 1941. Buick is
now in quantity production and
this month is making engines at a
rate that was not expected to be
reached till January, 1943.
This phenomenal result cannot be
adequately described in print be-
cause details as to exact quantl-
ties cannot as yet be disclosed. But
here, too, the production OF Buick
can be stated to be equal to or
better than the monthly rate at
which the companies whose busi-
ness 1t was to make aircraft en-
gines were producing in pre-war
years,
Auto Men Eager Pupils.
But that's only part Of the story.
How were Buick and Ford taught
the making of aircraft engines in
such a short time? Pratt & Whit
ney. for instance, sent instructors to
the two newcomers in the business.
The auto men were willing and
eager pupils. An average OF 30 top
flight executives of Pratt & Whitney
spent their time every day for sew
eral months training the new max
ers of aircraft engines, passing on
the experience and accumulated
know-how of 20 years.
Ford and Buick are not making
the same kind of engines and the
Jobs are somewhat different IN many
respects. but the fact remains that
both were ahead of schedule in get
ting their first engines produced
and Buick is eight months ahead
of schedule in quantity production.
And all this happened while both
Pratt & Whitney and Curtiss-
Wright expanded their own existing
facilities to such a point that 1t Is
believed these two companies alone
are making more aircraft engines
today than all of the factories Of
the Axis countries combined. Nor
is there an end yet to expansion, not
only of the primary facilities of the
two big pioneers, but of the auto
makers plants so that if the war
lasts through 1943 or 1914 the
United States will have its stand
ardized production of aircraft en-
gines well along. This means that
the two big pioneers in the engine
business then can concentrate the
attention of their designers and en-
gineers to the improvements that
are bound to become necessary in
meeting the combat requirements of
our flying fortresses and fighter
planes.
T.sI. Inn NJ.