Tanks, Tanks, Tanks

The meaning of President Roosevelt's recent announcement that the U.S. is going to double its tank program may in a few months hit the U.S. with something of a pleasant shock. The U.S. Army's Armored Force already has two crack divisions in the field, three in training, another about to be organized, plus 15 separate battalions. But it is now obvious that this force, far from being a military sapling, is little more than an acorn.

Under plans laid a year ago, tank production is already booming, will hit a huge figure--around 1,000 a month--early next year. And 1,000 tanks a month is enough to outfit two divisions (without spares) every 30 days. Double this again (by next July, Washington hopes) and the U.S. can create every two months a new tank army as big as the whole Armored Force now in existence and in training.

The actual expansion of the U.S. Armored Force will not be so rapid, because many of the new tanks are to go to the British and probably to the Russians. Even so, a lot will be left over for the U.S., for shipping space limits the number that can be sent across the ocean.

Already production is mounting. American Car & Foundry Co. announced that, between Aug. 2 and Oct. 21, it had delivered 1,000 light (13 1/2-ton) tanks. Its production is scheduled to reach 600 a month before the end of the year. A.C.F. has solved the Army's light-tank problem.

Meanwhile the Army is beginning to get 30-ton mediums. In the Armored Force, plans are already afoot to use a bigger proportion of the mediums (armed with 75 mm. cannon) and an improved M-4 model is soon to go into production (biggest improvements: a revolving turret for the 75, lower silhouette, a partly welded, partly cast armor hull). British officers now concede that today's M-3 model is the finest thing on the ground.

Chrysler, turning out eight mediums a day, is headed for 15 by Christmas, and last week Chrysler told its stockholders that it is about to expand, to double that production. Like other manufacturers, Chrysler will go into M-4 production without slow-up. Last week American Locomotive Co. showed its production line for mediums, already turning out two a day and headed for three a day very shortly.

Other medium-tank production lines were beginning to roll at Baldwin Locomotive, Pullman-Standard, Pressed Steel Car. Lima Locomotive will soon be in production. Some, perhaps all of these, will soon get speed-up orders. But the big push will come from Ford and General Motors. With plants already available and top priorities for tools, they are expected to be in production by summer.

By doubling the planned output of tanks, Franklin Roosevelt apparently meant turning out twice as many mediums, probably 2,000 a month when production hits its top. Indications are that, including lights, the U.S. may turn out around 2,600 light and medium tanks a month by 1942's end, plus such 55-ton monsters as it can turn out under its secret heavy-tank program. If tanks are the makings of victory on the ground (as most experts now believe), the U.S. and its allies are going to have more and better makings than Germany and its vassals can hope to turn out.

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