QUICK DELIVERIES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Issue 2, 12 April 1940, Page 2

QUICK DELIVERIES

AMERICAN PLANES FOR ALLIES The way in -which American aeroplanes are now being turned out for the Allies may be gathered from one or two statements which have recently been published by American newspapers, According to the Associated Press, the new orders which Britain has lodged with the Lockheed Aircraft Co for Hudson planes, amd a newer type still, are being filled at the rate of 20 machines a week. The Glenn Martin plant at Middle River, Baltimore, Maryland, has sold 385 planes to France recently and is now turning out three a day on a five-day week. It works 24 hours a day except on Saturdays and Sundays. An engine shortage, however, reduced the output to two planes a day last month. The aircraft being built for France at this plant are the deadly 167-F bomber, a 300 mile-an-liour machine with a wing spread of only 61 feet and motors as powerful as the largest in usehhr3 r American domestic air lines. The work is being done in what is known as Hangar No. 3, a building which was specially erected in eleven months. A significant thing is that the French have decided they do not want the Martin ships test-flown any more. The machines are assembled, tested on the ground, and ship ped. In France the racks, and guns are installed.