PREPARING LIBERTY ENGINES FOR STORAGE
Photo by Signal Corps
ASSEMBLING PLANT AT ROMORANTIN
In the first place, how much money did we actually spend in the prosecution of the great aircraft program? A billion and a half? A billion? Not at all. The war appropriations for the air were widely advertised; the acts of Congress covering back into the Treasury the unexpended balances, the transfers of air service funds to other purposes, and the recoveries and reimbursements from the sales of surplus materials were not so well advertised. The well-advertised appropriations came to a total of $1,691,854,758. But the greater part of these appropriations was made when the Air Service was a branch of the Signal Corps, and a considerable sum went for the procurement of signaling materials not connected with aircraft at all. Moreover, when the armistice came, several hundred million dollars of these authorizations were as yet untouched by those procuring the aircraft, and Congress revoked all such appropriations. When the subtractions are made on account of the Signal Corps’ proper business and on account of revoked appropriations, we find that the net appropriation on account of the air program was $1,158,070,773.
Signal Corps Photo from drawing by J. André Smith
FLYING FIELD AT ISSOUDUN
Signal Corps Photo from drawing by J. André Smith