AMAZING DEVICE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 54, 6 March 1939, Page 7

AMAZING DEVICE

CONTROL OF U.S. PLANES

WASHINGTON, March 1. The testimony of Major-General Arnold, Chief of the Army Air Corps, which was given ot the House’s War Department and Appropriations Subcommittee at secret hearings a month ago, was published to-day.

General Arnold declared the army has a new combat plane believed to be capable of giving battle to the world’s best on equal terms and of outflying them. General Arnold 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 without the pilot’s hands or feet touching the control, and without manually operated ground radio aids. It can bring a plane to a safe landing with zero visibility just as easily as on a clear day.” The Air Chief said the production rate of 2500 planes would be reached next year. Without any trouble the industry was capable of a maximum production exceeding 12,000 machines a year. He testified that the total cost of operating, maintaining and replacing planes under the 5500-plane programme recently authorised by the House would be 230 millions yearly after 5500 planes had been obtained. He also estimated that the Air Corps could muster 1428 planes now in commission, exclusive. of the National Guard. General Arnold recommended that the army dispense with hangars and let its planes stand in the open the same as present-day automobiles, because all-weather planes were being manufactured, and savings of over eleven million would result.