FIGHTING PLANES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 March 1939, Page 8

FIGHTING PLANES

DEVELOPMENT IN UNITED STATES ' CLAIM BY CHIEF OF AIR CORPS. BEST COMBAT MACHINE I IN THE WORLD. 1 By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. (Received This Day, 1.8 p.m.) WASHINGTON, March 1. The testimony of Major-General Arnold, Chief of the Army Air Corps, given to the House War Department Appropriations Sub-committee at secret hearings a month ago, was published today. General Arnold declared that the army has a new combat plane which he believes capable of giving battle to the world’s best on equal terms and of outflying them. He added that one of the most important recent contributions to aeronautical research is a device for completely automatic landings. “More than fifty landings have been made,” he said, “witnout the pilot’s hands or feet touching the controls. Without manually operated ground radio aids it can bring the ship to a safe landing, with zero visibility, just as easily as on a clear day.” General Arnold said a production of 2,500 planes would be reached next year. 'Without any trouble, the industry was capable of a maximum production exceeding twelve thousand planes a year. He testified that the total cost of operating, maintaining and replacing planes under the 5,500 plane programme recently authorised by the House would be 230 millions yearly after the 5,500 planes had been obtained. He also estimated that the Air Corps could muster 1,428 planes now in commission, exclusive of the National Guard. General Arnold recommended that the Army dispense with hangars and let the planes stand in the open, the same as present-day automobiles, because all weather planes. Were being manufactured and savings of over 11 millions would result.