AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 116, 20 May 1942, Page 5

AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION

ROOSEVELT’S GOAL IN SIGHT FIVE THOUSAND PLANES MONTHLY (Reed. 7,5 p.m.) ■ Rugby. May 18. Recorded developments in American aircraft production show how President Roosevelt’s goal of 60,000 machines in 1942 is being carried out. Production exceeded 2000 in October and by the end of December 5000 engines monthly were coming off the assembly lines. The floor space in factories then occupied 45,000,000 square feet, compared with 9,500,000 square feet in 1939. It is being- increased to 80,000,000 this year. Whereas 194,000 workers were employed in January, 1941, there were 326,000 in December. By this autumn the number is : expected to exceed 700,000. The output in 1942 is exneeted

.cue umjjui in is expected to double last year’s in value. American officials stated in De-! comber that the output of engines: surpassed Germany’s, and thei production of aireitift would exceed Germany’s early in the t spring of 1942. This point has' t now been left behind. j ' A speaker in the House o. Repre- ’ sentatives said recently / 1 , United States was producing a.r- , craft a month. These figures are seen in London in the light of Mr. Churchill’s recent statement that this year the British and American bomber offensive against Germany will be one of the principal features of the war. It is pointed out that the devastating raids already carried out have been the work of the Royal Air Foroe alone.—-8.0.W.