Evening star., 1942-04-26
Labor Shortage Ends,
But Plane Plants
Lack Materials
Fitch Service Cites
Strenuous Efforts to
Improve Supplies
peeial Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch tO The Star.
NEW YORK, April 25.-Thanks TO
extensive training programs, the
problem of finding skilled labor has
disappeared almost entirely in the
luSty aviation industry, according to
Fitch Investors Service after a Ma
ton wide survey.
Now 1t is shortage of strategic
materials that constitutes the bot
tleneck. the service reported. only
recently the industry was given an
Ala priority rating on materials" I"
However, the service pointed to
strenuous efforts of both the Gov
ernment and industrialists to in
crease supplies and conserve them
by substitutions and standardiza-
ton of products.
Inventories TO Be Combed.
The Government plans a COM
plete examination of all inventories
In an effort to determine which of
the stocks now held can be reouisi-
toned for use in military aircraft.
A drastic curtailment of civilian
uses of essential metals and fabrics
has been effected.
aluminium output under the
present expansion schedule will in
crease from the 1941 peak of 615.-
100000 pounds to 2,i0O .O0O, 900
pounds in 1943. This figure is to be
further augmented by shipments
from Canada of 100000 pounds.
In this connection, there have come
requests for this vital metal from
Russia. This new phase is being
dealt with as effectively as possible.
Magnesium is another metal vital
to the manufacturers of aircraft.
Methods OF extraction have been
criticized as retarding the supply as
well as involving excessive charges,
but with all this shortage of ma
terials should be considered the sub
stitutions being introduced for GER
tain uses of the rarer metals.
One of the leading airplane
manufacturers has successfully ap-
piled low carbon steel in the place of
aluminium. This is fitting for use in
wings and cowlings, and In the fuse
lage plywood and plastic glue have
been inserted. This type of struc-
ture in certain single-engine train
ers has involved the saving of 1850
pounds of aluminium alloy per plane,
saving 623 tons of the 'bottleneck'
material for each 1000 planes. With
the material thus saved, 400 pursuit
ships or $50 medium bombers could
be built.
Types Standardized.
The War Production Board,
working with the aircraft industry,
is endeavoring to limit the produc-
ton of fighter, bomber and trainer
planes to certain types most suitable
to present needs. The purpose of
this action is to concentrate effort
on the best models as designated by
the armed forces.
This Standardization is the key TO
mass production and the ultimate
fulf1llment of President Roosevelt's
goal of l25,000 planes for 1912. Un-
der the limited types plan, the
Boeing Flying Fortresses are being
made by three different plants so
that the great demand for this su-
perior fighting weapon can be sup
piled most effectively. The same is
being done with other outstanding
designs, and the result Is a marked
stepping up Of output.
ASSarnhIv 7 ina Tpfrnau,aS
Powered assembly lines were the
important factor in increasing de-
liveries in recent periods. According
to reports from one company's plant,
for the fiscal year ended November
80. l941. deliveries rose to s34 4,000, 900
from SIS 600 900 for the previous like
period. Similar results are being OBJ
tanned in the majority of the in
dustry'S factories. Production costs
are being cut sharply as a result of
the introduction of the powered as
Sembly line into the aviation indus
try. and this savings is being turned
back to the Government to be ap-
Piled against further orders.
The automobile industry. with all
Of its experience in volume output,
Is now thoroughly geared to the re-
Qulrements of supplying air engines.
Bomber engines being constructed by
a General Motors division plant are
now being delivered at a rate that is
nine months ahead of schedule The
entire supply scheduled to be deliv-
cred in 1912. ii is said. will be delv-
cred in the first six months.
The supply Of materials, parts,
instruments and accessories neces-
sary to meet the sccelerating month
" quotas is a matter cf particular
concern to defense leaders. Yet in
these same circles, there is every
confidence that the quota Of 1875 900
planes will be reached and probably
exceeded in ls43."
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