National Affairs: High & Fast

From Dayton to Buffalo to Indianapolis an Army pursuit plane streaked last week, bearing the most precious bit of freight now in custody of the U. S. Army Air Corps. Plucked from the Reserve for active duty, Colonel Charles Augustus Lindbergh dutifully inspected the Air Corps experimental centre at Wright Field, and two fighting-plane factories at Buffalo.* He flew on to analyze the Indianapolis plant of Allison Engineering Co., which thereupon announced that it was tripling its capacity and planning to produce a revolutionary, 2,400-h.p. in-line engine for the Army (see p. 56).

After Indianapolis, Charles Lindbergh flew out of public sight. He went back east to meet Anne Morrow Lindbergh and their two little Lindberghs, who arrived from perilous Europe to stay awhile with Grandmother Elizabeth Morrow at Englewood, N. J. But Father Lindbergh could not tarry long. He had 25 other visits to make before he could turn out a report for his admiring superior, Major General Henry H. Arnold. Expert Lindbergh in that document will have a chance to compare what he finds in the U. S. with what he found in Germany, Russia, England. His report may be a loudspeaker for Henry Arnold's little heeded pleas to Congress for more research money. It may also hot-spot War Department procurement policies.

Congress last week voted, and the War Department immediately spent, $46,400,000 for new airplanes, engines and other gear. The civilian in charge of Army buying, Assistant Secretary of War Louis Arthur Johnson, evinced no qualms when he reported to Franklin Roosevelt on the biggest peacetime order for aircraft. Some of the 571 planes ordered, the President heard, would do better than 400 m.p.h.; all are the best to be had. The contract awards (number of planes estimated unofficially):

-> $12,872,398 to Curtiss-Wright for 400 P-40 all-metal pursuits, to be powered with Allison engines. Reported speed: well above 400 m.p.h. >$2,880,000 to Consolidated (whose huge flying boats are U. S. Navy favorites) for four four-engined bombers, reportedly able to fly 280 m.p.h., carry 2,500 lbs. of bombs.

>-$2,180,728 to Lockheed for 13 two-engined interceptors—pursuit ships designed to fly high & fast enough to head off bombers.

^ $1,073,445 to up-&-coming Bell Aircraft for 13 single-engined interceptors.

> $528,749 to Beech Aircraft for commercial cabin planes for photography.

>Unannounced amounts for guns, engines (including Allisons), radios, navigation instruments, other gear.