Emphasis
Added
First I recommend that you direct
a memorandum to the Joint War Production Committee suggesting that
planes of the Burnelli type be put on the integrated program of
requirements.
As I see it, any attempt in Canada
or here to build either experimentation models or to build
quantities on order for any of the United Nations will be disapproved by
the Joint War Production Committee unless this is done. Lack of
this already, in the case of the MB-2 stopped MB-2 development(see first
paragraph p. 3).
Take the necessary steps to secure from
an American company (Burnelli preferably if he shows facilities and
evidence of control of the patents) one or more MB-2 planes as a
"hedge" should the C-76 program prove impossible.
Take steps to secure a prototype of the 220,000
lb. all cargo land type plane reported
upon by Munk
provided
this fits in with a program of the Air Transport Command.
It may be advisable to specify that
except for the motors, accessories, and appliances these orders must
not interfere in any manner with the present production program;
also, these two planes might afford an opportunity to try out what
the British call "private venture procurement" which worked out so
successfully with the Mosquito.
Again, if Wright-Field is preoccupied
and unable to take this, Civil Aeronautics would be glad to do so.
In the event C.A.A. is entrusted with a task, recommend it to be
done on what you have worked out before satisfactorily with them on
"Certificate of Airworthiness" basis.
In making these recommendations I submit
that you will, by so doing, be making an attempt to (a) -- secure
safer airplanes, (b) -- obtain less expensive
aircraft.
With respect to (a)
-- Safety, wing loading has been going up at such a dangerous rate
of late that an effort of some kind must be made to stop it. With
increased wing loading the impact in a crash, from greater speed,
mounts up so rapidly that the chances of passengers surviving
diminishes about as the square of the increased pounds per square
foot loading, something most distressing which few seem to
appreciate. (b.) Cost, aircraft, already so expensive when compared
to the cost of automobiles is actually mounting up with quantity
production. In speaking of the Navy plane recently in the Senate
during the debate on Naval Appropriations ( in May 1943) Senator
Thomas referred to one airplane which has been production for three
years in the Navy, as an example citing for it a cost of $75,800 in
1941 to $112,000 in 1943. Hasty calculations would seem to indicate
that this airplane, after modifications, is costing close to $20.-
per pound as compared to automobiles at $0.15 per pound -- over 100
times as much!
The structure of these Burnelli planes
permits the use of wood, common alloys of steel, and magnesium.
There actually is a surplus of magnesium at the present moment, --
40 million pounds being produced monthly with indications that 50
million will be produced monthly by the first of January
1944.
Construction of these planes should not
in any manner embarrass the present production program. In fact,
there appears to be everything to gain and nothing to lose by
encouraging both in Canada and here, the building of these
airplanes.
Respectfully submitted,
Harold E. Hartney, Lieutenant Colonel
(inactive)
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