Evening star., 1943-01-01
Plane and Ship
0utputHitsHuge
RATE SET for AZ
Wilson Sees 10000
Aircraft Produced
Monthly This Year
BY JAMES Y. NEWTON.

Aircraft production in Decem-
Der attained the rate of $4,000
planes a year asked by Presi-
dent Roosevelt in the early fall,
while the Nations Shipyards,
enjoying perhaps the most pro-
ductive month in history, pushed
the merchant shipping tonnage
to 100000 for 1912, the goal set
last January, it was learned to-
day.
In producing more than 5000
planes last month, the aircraft in
dustry accomplished an objective
which short time ago seemed i'm
possible. October was a bad month
in plane production, the total falling
below September. In November,
however, plane output shot up 20 per
cent over the previous month, the
greatest gain since our entry in the
war. In December it was even
better.
High officials gave considerable
credit for the greatly increased
plane production in December to
Charles E. Wilson, the former Gen.
eral Electric Co. president, now pro-
ductlon vice chairman of the War
Production Board Mr.. Wilson was
directed a month ago by WPB
Chairman Donald M. Nelson, pre-
sumably with agreement of the
Army and Navy, to whip the war
program into better shape and TO
give special attention, among other
things, to production of aircraft,
which was behind schedule. Mr..
Wilson took hold Immediately. in
the fashion which made him one of
Americas production geniuses.
Doubled Output Predicted.
| Mr.. Wilson gave the country a
heartening New Year message today
by predicting confidently that dur
ing 1943 the December rate of plane
production would be doubled.
After returning from his secret
tour of inspection of the Nations
war plants in the early fall Presi-
dent Roosevelt denied that in jan
uary he had set goal of $4,000 new
planes for the year. What he had
asked. he told reporters, was that
the aircraft industry attain in 1912
the rate of $4,000 planes a year.
This goal was reached last month,
Mr.. Wilson said.
Mr.. Wilson also said he was con-
fident that in 1943 the Nation will
produce 20000,000 tons of merchant
shipping, urgently needed to supply
our allies and our ever increasing
armies overseas. He said shipyards
are now producing vessels at the
rate of slightly over 10000, 900 tons
a year. This can be greatly stepped
up by the use of new ship ways and
more efficient use of ways already
producing. The 1943 goal means
that we must produce the equivalent
OF 1000 large cargo ships.
Raw materials for the huge 1943
plane and shipbuilding programs
will be provided by increasing out
put and through savings realized in
cutting back the programs of other
munitions such as military trucks
and tanks which have been reap
praised now that our troops have
had considerable battle experience.
Time Saving Moves Made.
Mr.. Wilson said the aircraft pro-
gram was obtaining considerable
new production facilities from this
pairing of some of the military pro-
grams. For example, a factory in
Pennsylvania which had been max
ing trucks was turned over to an
aircraft company, savings of six
months over the time required to
erect a new plant. A large tank
arsenal, he added, would be con-
verted to manufacture of airplane
engines. This move. he said, would
save four months time.
Engineers and workers of the air.
craft industry, production experts
of the Army and Navy and his
predecessors in the aircraft division
of WPB were given credit by MIR.
Wilson for attainment of the high
rate of plane production in 1912.