On May 1, 1918, the Otis Elevator Co. started its rough machining. Hard spots were found in the metal, causing great trouble at first, but this difficulty was overcome by changes in the heat treatment. The Carnegie Steel Co. was then instructed to rough-machine the forgings before sending them to the Otis Elevator Co. An order was also given to the Midvale Steel Co. to rough-machine 24 forgings. Early in November, 1918, the Otis Elevator Co. finished its first recuperator.
One 240-millimeter howitzer unit was completed at the time of the signing of the armistice, out of a total of 1,214 contracted for; but had war conditions continued, the expectation was for a monthly capacity of 80 units by 1919. Actual deliveries are given below:
| Units. | Contractors. | Number ordered. | Number completed Nov. 11, 1918. | Number completed Apr. 17, 1919. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 240-mm. unit, complete, except howitzer. | Watertown Arsenal | 250 | [11]1 | [11]41 |
| [12]4 | [12]25 | |||
| 240-mm. howitzer carriage units, except recuperators. | Standard Steel Car Co. | 964 | 5 | 67 |
| Windlasses | Dodge Manufacturing Co. | 1,125 | 33 | 350 |
| Rammer trucks | do. | 1,205 | 2 | 375 |
| Shot trucks | do. | 3,214 | 2 | 1,000 |
| 240-mm. howitzer cannon | Watervliet Arsenal | 2 | 19 |
[11] Carriage alone.
[12] Carriages with recuperators.
FIGHTING THE AIRPLANE WITH ARTILLERY.
The American development of antiaircraft artillery had, previously to 1917, been confined almost exclusively to the task of designing and constructing stationary units of defense for our coast fortifications. It was naturally expected that it would be at those points that we would first, if ever, have to meet an attack from the air. Very little attention had been paid mobile artillery of this sort.
Before April, 1916, the Ordnance Department had designed a high-powered 3-inch antiaircraft mount for the fixed emplacement at coast fortifications. The gun on this mount fired a 15-pound projectile with a muzzle velocity of 2,600 feet a second. It is still to-day the most powerful antiaircraft weapon of its caliber. Between May, 1916, and June 18, 1917, orders for 160 of these mounts were placed with the Watertown Arsenal and the Bethlehem Steel Co. Up to April 10, 1919, a total of 116 of these had been completed and sent for emplacement at the points selected.
