Evening star., 1942-11-07
Biggest U. 5. Plane
Included in Higgins
2OO-ki|Iion Program
ShipbuiIder to Use
PIywood in Construction;
Other Work Scheduled
BY JAMES Y. NEWTON.

Andrew Jackson Higgins an.
nounced yesterday he had closed
negotiations with the Government
to build wooden cargo planes, air.
craft accessories. new-type engines
and wood alloys" for use in his
plants and those of other war man.
ufacturers-a new program calling
for total expenditure of considerably
more than $2oo,00O,000.
The new industrial ventures, he
said, will center around the uncom-
pleted shipyard in New Orleans, con-
struction of which was halted last
summer when the Maritime Com
mission cancelled the contract for
200 Liberty ships to be built there
The Army, he AIDED, had agreed in a
letter of intent to advance $50 ,OO0,-
900 for construction of facilities
necessary to carry out the new pro-
gram.
The quick-tempered Mr.. Higgins
storm center of many investigations
growing out of cancellation of the
ship contract, seemed well satisfied
with results of his five weeks of con-
ferences with high Washington
officials, including President Roose-
welt.
He said the President invited him
to Washington for discussions as to
how the abandoned shipyard could
be put to use in the war effort.
The President recently directed the
Army, War Production Board and
Maritime Commission to find more
work for Mr.. Higgins.
Promises Huge Plane.
In addition to all the things he
will do for Government, Mr.. Higgins
said he would build on his own re-
sponsibility the largest airplane ever
put together in this country. It will
be a six-engined, 150-ton craft, cap
able of carrying normal load of
100 tons of cargo, several times that
of the Martin Mars. 1t will be built
of neW-tyce of plywood, which Mr..
Higgins predicted eventually would
replace metal in construction of
plane shells. When it is finished, he
hopes to interest the Army in an
other contract.
Mr.. Higgins said he had a letter
OF intent from the Army to build
1000 cargo planes of a type similar
to the Curtis Commando. These
large planes are new development
and will be built of nodded wood"
rather than the conventional alum
mum. Presumably ready for pro-
duction, the plane is revolutionary
in that it is by far the largest, so
far as is known, to be built of wood
This program, Mr.. Higgins said, will
cost about $180,0O0 900.
The shipbuilder said he can con-
struct many more than 10 a day"
once he gets into production of the
planes.
Many Accessory Items.
The airplane accessories he will
make will include many items, pro-
duction of which is tagging in other
plants. Mr.. Higgins continued He
described them as parts which con-
stitute "the cork in the bottleneck
Of plane production" He said it
was the idea of Production Chief
Donald M. Nelson that he be given
that job. Mr.. Higgins referred to
it as an Army Air Corps-WPB
project" The parts will be used by
other plane manufacturers.
Another new Higgins project will
be the development and manufac-
ture of various types of combinations
of plywood and plastics which he
called wood alloys" These prod
ucts also are to be used largely by
other plants, he said.
Contract for manufacture of the
new engines, he said, had been
signed with the Army Services Of
Supply. He added the first order