Department without comment being invited or offered on the part of the Bureau of Aeronautics. That, Mr. Chairman, completes the brief summation of the duties of the Bureau of Aeronautics. I have here a statement in regard to the status of aviation matériel. Mr. CARY. Proceed. STATUS OF AVIATION MATÉRIEL Admiral KING. The most important event of the fiscal year 1934 was the signing by the President on March 27 of the Vinson-Trammell naval bill. This legislation authorized the construction of a Navy of treaty strength in surface ships and the procurement of the necessary naval aircraft for vessels and other naval purposes in numbers commensurate with a treaty Navy. The aircraft building program enacted in 1926 provided airplanes. for a Navy of the strength existing in that year. Between the years 1926 and 1934, 15 cruisers and the aircraft carrier Ranger were commissioned, with no aircraft complement provided under "Increase of the Navy." These ships were supplied with aircraft only by curtailing other authorized activities. I want to add that the net result was that the ratio of aircraft to ship strength declined during those 8 years necessarily, because the authorized number of United States naval aircraft remained at 1,000 when there was the Ranger authorized and 15 cruisers, for which no aircraft were provided. That, of course, was remedied in the socalled "Vinson-Trammell treaty navy bill." The Navy will require a total of about 2,000 airplanes by 1940-42 in order to properly equip the existing Navy, the 6 cruisers and 2 aircraft carriers now building, and other ships to be built under the Treaty Navy Act, and to provide the tender-based long range patrol bombing squadrons and Marine Corps aircraft necessary to a balanced naval defense organization. A 5- to 7-year aircraft building program has been laid down, and funds to carry out the first year of this program are now available. Upon completion of the first year's program the Navy will have 1,193 airplanes. Funds for the second year's program are being requested in the 1936 Budget. The second year of the building program will provide the aircraft for the carriers Yorktown and Enterprise and the six new cruisers, Quincy, Vincennes, Savannah, Brooklyn, Nashville, and Philadelphia. AVIATION CONSTRUCTION ITEMS IN VINSON BILL FOR SHORE ESTABLISHMENTS This expansion of the naval aeronautical organization will entail a collateral expansion of the facilities at aeronautic shore stations to provide for an increased overhaul program, the quartering of additional aviation personnel and the housing of aircraft. It will also necessitate additional facilities for the training of student pilots. Requests for the necessary funds will be submitted in the annual public works estimates as the program develops. Mr. CARY. There is no money in this budget for the expansion to which you have just referred? Admiral KING. There is no money in this budget with reference to the paragraph which I have just read. There is money in this budget in respect of the expansion of the number of aircraft. Mr. CARY. Has any estimate been made of what that expansion of aeronautic shore stations would cost? Admiral KING. They are not in concrete form, Mr. Chairman, because the expansion of the necessary aviation facilities on shore is tied in with the requirements of the Navy as a whole, in coming up to and maintaining treaty Navy strength. Mr. CARY. Have you applied for any N. I. R. A. funds for accomplishing any of that work? Admiral KING. The only N. I. R. A. funds granted for aviation were obtained in the summer or fall of 1933, at which time, there was allotted from P. W. A. funds, which are the same thing as N. I. R. A. funds, a sum of $7,500,000 which went primarily for the purchase of aircraft. Mr. CARY. Admiral, I do not think we would be interested in those old allotments; it is just the future that we are inquiring into here. Admiral KING. There was recently, a few days or weeks ago, reported out favorably by the House Naval Affairs Committee an authorization bill for shore establishments which contains a number of items that relate to this matter of increased aeronautical facilities on shore. Mr. CARY. That is an authorization bill? Admiral KING. That is an authorization bill which for the whole Navy was of the order of $40,000,000. May I insert for the information of the committee what the aviation items in that authorization bill total? Mr. CARY. I wish you would. Station and project and estimated cost Naval Air Station, Norfolk, Va.: Barracks and mess hall for enlisted men.. $500,000 Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Fla.: Replacement of buildings and accessories, including barracks and mess hall for enlisted men, shop buildings, quarters for officers, storehouses and hangars... 3, 000, 000 Naval Air Station, San Diego, Calif.: Galley and mess hall for enlisted men.. Aviation facilities and rifle range, including buildings and accessories, San Nicolas and San Clemente Islands- 247, 000 Boat repair building and accessories.- Barracks for enlisted men.. Hangars Aircraft storehouse building and accessories_ Quarters for bachelor officers. Central storehouse building, West Beach. Garage, West Beach.. Equipment storehouse and accessories. Magazines__ 300, 000 300, 000 General storehouse building and accessories_. Total___ 2,064, 000 Station and project and estimated cost-Continued Fleet Air Base, Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii: Quarters for chief petty officers.. Paint and oil storehouse building and accessories. Total... Fleet Air Base, Coco Solo, Canal Zone: Hangar Administration building and dispensary and accessories.. Total.... Grand total... NAVAL AVIATION COMPARABLE OR SUPERIOR TO THAT OF FOREIGN COUNTRIES Mr. CARY. Will you proceed with your statement, Admiral? Admiral KING. The provision of aircraft and equipment that are modern, reliable, and equal to or superior to that of foreign powers is a matter of primary concern to the Bureau of Aeronautics. These objectives are pursued through a constant, progressive research and experimental program. The latest fruit of this program has been a considerable increase in the range of speeds for our aircraft. By means of controllable pitch propellers and the various devices for decreasing landing speeds, it has been possible to raise the high speeds of new service types and at the same time keep landing speeds down to required limits. Mr. CARY. There is absolutely no question in your mind, Admiral, that our naval aviation is fully equal if not superior, to the naval aviation of any foreign country? Admiral KING. There is no question in my mind, Mr. Chairman; and may I add that there appears to have been no question in the minds of the Federal Aviation Commission which recently went into this whole matter of aviation in the United States. Mr. CARY. Your view was also confirmed by the Baker Board? Admiral KING. Yes; although the Baker Board was not empowered to deal with anything but Army aviation. Mr. CARY. But it did corroborate this belief of yours, as did also, as you have stated, the conclusions of the Howell Commission? Admiral KING. It does very positively. RECENT FLIGHT ACCOMPLISHMENTS Mr. CARY. Proceed with your statement, Admiral. Admiral KING. For the first time two squadrons of patrol planes accompanied the fleet from the West coast to Panama and to Caribbean ports and took part in fleet exercises. These two squadrons were joined by three additional patrol squadrons from Coco Solo, Canal Zone, and remained with the fleet until the completion of fleet problem XV, taking part in all exercises. During the fiscal year 1934 the policy of ferrying new and overhauled aircraft was extended to include practically all deliveries of aircraft to operating units. The ferrying program was extended to include delivery over seas as well as over land. In this connection a squadron of new patrol planes was flown nonstop from Norfolk to Coco Solo, a distance of over 2,509 statute miles. This was the longest formation flight on record at that time. Another incident which exemplifies the high state of efficiency attained in matériel and in personnel is the flight of a squadron of patrol planes from Norfolk, Va., to Coco Solo, Canal Zone, thence to Acapulco, Mexico, San Diego, Calif., San Francisco, Calif., and thence to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The last leg of the flight was 2,399 statute miles and was flown nonstop and in formation-a new world's record. ACTIVITIES OF THE "MACON" Operations in the lighter-than-air field included the departure of the U. S. S. Macon from Lakehurst to her new base, the U. S. Naval Air Station, Sunnyvale, Calif., in October 1933. After her arrival on the Pacific coast she participated in fleet problems, and in April made a flight to the Atlantic coast to participate in fleet problem XV in the Caribbean area, after which she again returned to Sunnyvale, and continued flights for the purpose of training personnel and independent operations of airships. Particularly noteworthy progress was made in the matter of operating airplanes from, and in conjunction with, airships of the Macon type. With the return of the fleet to the Pacific in October the Macon resumed active participation in all fleet problems and favorable comments upon the Macon's work were forthcoming from fleet commands. The Macon was engaged in fleet maneuvers on February 11 and 12 when a serious casualty in flight started a chain of circumstances that ultimately resulted in the total loss of the airship. The lives of 81 of the 83 persons on board were saved. The causes for this casualty, occurring after some 1,800 hours of successful operation, are a subject for investigation now in progress. INCREASE IN MAINTENANCE AND OPERATING COSTS Maintenance and operating costs have increased because of advances in the prices of gasoline and spare parts, and the heavier fuel consumption of more powerful power plants. The most rigid economy and constant striving toward efficiency are necessary to maintain the existing naval organization with the amounts appropriated. The cost of overhaul of naval aircraft and accessories are the subject of continual study by officers in the bureau and in charge of overhaul work at air stations. Such officers visit commercial aircraft plants annually to study shop methods. These visits are followed by conferences in the Bureau of Aeronautics and always result in improved and less costly practices being adopted. EXPERIMENTATION IN DIESEL-TYPE ENGINES FOR AIRCRAFT Mr. CARY. I understand that the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics is constantly engaged in research looking to economy in fuel consumption. You are about convinced, are you not, that there are scientific obstacles that render it next to impossible to effect further appreciable economies in gasoline consumption, Ad miral Admiral KING. Constant slow improvement is being effected in gasoline economy but the Diesel still shows considerably lower fuel consumption. I believe, however, that there is hope for further reduction in fuel consumption in gasoline engines. Mr. CARY. To what extent are you looking to the substitution of Diesel engines? I am told that General Mitchell indicated to the Army subcommittee that the Diesel engine would be the aircraft propulsive medium of the future, and that it was in wide use abroad right now. Would you care to express your opinion upon this matter? Admiral KING. I am afraid that General Mitchell is misinformed as to the wide use abroad of Diesel engines in aircraft. It is being widely used in other respects. A limited number of Junkers Diesels are understood to be in use in German commercial planes, and the English have one or two Bristol Diesels flying, together with a limited number of Dapier (Junkers type) Diesels contemplated. Diesels are much more attractive in Europe due to 55 to 60 cents gasoline price. Then there are those that are being put into the new German Zeppelin, the LZ-129, which I think is to be called the Hindenburg; and that that was done only after a very exhaustive competition between sample engines of four or five firms in Germany. I think I ought to say for the committee's information that we now have under way a competition in design and construction of Diesel engines intended, when it was undertaken, for airships, as a first essential step in the development of Diesel engines for aircraft, because weights per horsepower were not of such great importance in airships as they are in airplanes. We expect to carry through on that. Mr. MCLEOD. You are buying some Diesel engines now for planes, are you not? Admiral KING. There are not any suitable military Diesel engines to buy. The Guiberson was tested but showed desirability of improvement. Mr. MCLEOD. Is not the Packard Co. developing Diesel engines and selling them? Admiral KING. They have dropped that, have they not, Commander Lonnquest? Lieutent Commander LONNQUEST. Yes, sir. Admiral KING. We have one or two Diesel engines under test. Lieutenant Commander LONNQUEST. TWO. We have just finished the testing of one and have another one under development. Mr. MCLEOD. You do not approve of them at the present time? Admiral KING. Well, the weights per horsepower are so high and the total horsepower per unit is so low; these are in the development stage, as Commander Lonnquest has testified. Mr. MCLEOD. It necessitates a heavier engine; is that it? |