Show I lAM MERICAN EAI CAN CANAIR AIR PLANES UN WAY TO THE FRONT Peak of Production to Be Reached Vi Within thin a l Month 1 When hen Thousands Will Be Ready Read to Enter Service DELIVERY AHEAD OF SCHEDULE BAKER SAYS Shipped to ton France Surpass n in Tests All AIl Records in 1 Speed for Machines Iachine of Their Type n By Nev eTlI Sorrier Service W ASI Feb 20 The Tha Ii rs l r r mma cat I lIt a tit c planes planer ace arc on ou their heir way WRY to the front frontin in Prance France l Equipped q iJ ped with twelve twelve- cylinder clinder Liberty motors slid and representing representing representing the latest product of combined combined com com- hinc allied ingenuity ing they have IH surpassed sur nr- nr passed d in tests all records for speed and ana r climbing for planes of or their type The They are are- being delivered practically four months ahead ahel 1 of ot schedule Other I will follow tollow Imme immediately and in quantity The Thc peak of enormous production brought t about lt through typical American standardization will willbe willbe be he reached reache 1 within the next month when thousands of ol them will be bc on their way to cloud the western skies against th Gorman hordes linker alfr linkes Announcement Announcement of this achievement achie was ml made toda today b by Secretary of ot War ar Baker He lIe told 1 In a frank simple statement th the tho trials and difficulties that the tho undeveloped aviation lv service ser of or this country countr had to overcome o to reach time the point of oC perfection attained b by the warring warring- nations under the tho urge of or their greatest emergency Three times tines were thc the plans drawn b by the thc avi- avi Continued on Pa Page c 2 2 BATTLE PLANES T- T SENT TO EUROPE Continued from Page 1 atlon experts on the tho war rout front changed or discarded for the time more mora modern battleship bat- bat of or tho the sk sky And again tho the that separated the American aviation aviation avi avi- atlon commission from Its base In Washington caused delays delas of or from seventeen sev soy enteen days das to eleven we weeks ks In the shipment of or Important samples Secretary Baker makes It quite ap apparent apparent apparent ap- ap parent that the size of or the air fleet that America can put forth Is limited onlY b by the number of or men who can be trained for tho the service ser A After ler three years ears of warfare said the tho secretary in outlining outlIning- tho the task surmounted tho the total number of or planes able to take the air all at an any time was to build up an Industry to rush out the training planet planes needed for tor tho the prospective aviators who nho Immediately Imme Imme- mine mine- on hand This fresh and most promising personnel afforded Indeed Americas America's largest immediate source of or her ber bel aid to her associate nations in the war isar which while well wen able to turn out the latest type of airplanes were seriously seri serl- 4 drained of or men capable of or manning man- man ning them The ultimate goal coal however however how how- ever e was tho tIme construction of ot a a. large larse fleet of ot Two serious problems Interwoven Inter and reacting reacting- were immediately met met met- the almost total lack Jack both of or airplane industry and of ot airplane engineering on either cither side of or the western front has not been over This combined with the fact that I six forty men are required on the ground for fOl the plane piano in tnt the lie air gives Ilves b a 5 truer perspective o of oC the E European aviation In t situation laUon than I is 15 f the a airI air r plane pl In el For FOI every cry there there- must nu t be t two YO replacement m nt planes I on Oh the tio ground and antI one training plane readies reaches readiest for or oror every or Pilot hilOt who eventually t the he front t wi with thi a spare ro re en engi engine for fOl each Moreover i while the tho American t n nt his has he been en delayed b by d l C program pi Impossible to tOl foresee c el tI ties Ues s' s which were when the tentative pro program was wai I adopted In all lall our lack of or I knowledge knowledge An Amen Amen- said ald that lint be last spring it mn may limo duo In iii Franco France under can Planes are arc not the time original schedule until July Unlit Vv U. Xe Industry r At 1 the outbreak o of the time theal al war ar the first Irel In IIi and amt Importance both sequence ste step Tho Time estimates tho time to total total to- to kno knowledge led e. e tal tat value or of the time Industry vary r from om t to antI of or CI em- em em front from MOO to 1 Time The government gov gov- the tic only Purchaser purchaser pur Pur- eminent was wal practically chaser having ordered om planes the tho of which only onh year seat c before the war delivered Europe at atI Ix I sixty six were iere I war wal with wih tho the best engineers of oC each each euch other in ina inu country countr pitted against u a struggle which knew lineW no close and worked out ott the time most Ingenious developments devel In the tIme I light ht o of actual fighting fight fight- In lug ing experience Information reaching hero helo was generally fragmentary and alwa always s 's late late As 0 a result when war came the lie United States hind had practical practically ly I no airplane staff sniff and no modern moden fighting planes Commission Son nt to In I The Time first step vai vas to obtain Information infer infer- mation from Europe A commission rush rushed d was early sent across detail upon POM tIme the hack back the last minute number ot or lar larF strength of or which a fighting g planes of oC a 1 ce al t type pc c were WC ordered The raw ma ras we were cre e J Jar largely eh a at t hand Il Il tho lie d dra within several d S 'S 3 or of f. f Completion when another c 0 said sald that Via this t type po ed and should not nota noth had hiatt been si- si e ant h a II Nearly early a L month was thus lost ost Drawings then lien came for or another type They had Just been redrawn and tho time put to work worl when whenn n a second and different set get arrived lust Just as It I was nearing completion still sun a 1 third set of or dla drawings In s arrived and amid a n third start was isas necessary Jt It I is sIgnifIcant of or the lie rapid development of or aviation that not a n single type of oC he time original schedule has survived cd into the ho present program I The great reat problem now remaining Is s to secure the lie thousands of oC skilled skied mechanics motor motol repair repairmen men wood and worl workers ers needed to keep tho the planes always al in perfect condition This great reat engineering and auth I mechanical force toree at the time airdromes I flying tIring fields Ields and repair depots both hero here and beyond the he lines linc In France I Is 15 a n. vital Industrial link in the time chain of or air all supremacy Without them the planes turned out would be useless I and tho he fliers CIers helpless Now that hint American ar are aro going golrig overseas overseas over over- seas Increase in the tho volunteering volunteer seas a great In ing of oC skilled mechanics Is both cs es es- an and expected Flying Field in ii France Francc Inspiring Sight Says Sharp p Paris Fob Feb 20 A O.-A A city of oC 00 Inhabitants Hauts where six mouths months n ago o there thero was wasa a vacant field man many O of the finest physical phy phy- sica and intellectual specimens of Americas America's young oun manhood with wih one ono another In mastering the art of ot flying fly fly- lug InS and hundreds of oC airplanes continually continually contin contin- hovering or spiraling overhead aro facts which caused William Imam S S. Sharp the American here lucre to bo ho delighted over the thc achievements of ot the time aviation a department of or the American army when visiting the lal largest largest larg larg- est American aviation camp In France Francea a 3 fe few days das ago o. The ambassador said ho he was greatly Impressed b by the work accomplished In inthe tho the short time as ground round at the he aviation aria avia n la tion ton camp was ivas only broken last August Tho The boys are working under tinder Ideal conditions con con- Modern sanitary methods have ha e been adopted and baths and amid swimming pools Installed The Red fled Cross and time the Young Mens Men's lIens Christian Christan association havo have organized recreation and amusement places an and the tho camp gives gl one tho the Im Impression urn urn- pr slon that It is the campus of or a n. large larso American university A large percentage percent percent- age ago o of O the men are university undergraduates under under- graduates Tho The French officer of or Instruction told the ambassador the American boys aro are mar eltus flyers flers quick to lear learns learn courageous courageous cour cour- ageous ag and energetic and will develop rapidly into aces comparable to tho the renowned men in other armies The men are given ghen thorough preparation preparation tion ton in this camp but have to take a apost apost apost post graduate course at another aviation aviation avia avia- tion ton camp near the front for a n few Cew weeks before going over o cr the lines to face tace tho the Germans The Tho full fledged CUl aviators turned out daily daly at this camp camparo are aro Immediately replaced by novices novice's Jt It 1 was sas a n. most Inspiring sight Mr 1 Sharp said The Time men radiate strength physical and mental They have ha great spirit and confidence conr- conr con con- deuce dence and are eager easel to do their hit bit bit Nearly all an the men In the flying flIng force are tra trained ned athletes Another hundred men are attending attending- a n French camp near b by I |