851.248/75
The French Ambassador (Saint-Quentin) to the Secretary of State
Mr. Secretary of State: I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that, on May 16 last, the French Government decided to order from the Curtiss-Wright Company one hundred planes of the type Hawk, 75a (a type similar to the type P–36 of the American army). The manufacturers had already definitely assured the French Government that the American regulations would permit the exportation of these planes.
The French air corps intends by this means not only to satisfy its needs in respect to pursuit planes, but also to instruct its technicians in American methods of production which are stated to be the best.
Consequently, the contract will provide permission for missions of French engineers and technicians to be present in the Curtiss factories for long periods. These missions will serve a double purpose—first, the supervision of the production of the planes manufactured for the French Government and, second, the instruction of personnel in the means and methods of production appropriate to these planes.
A first mission, probably composed of Captain Amouroux, Engineer Cambois, and Monsieur Détroyat, will arrive in the United States about the middle of June. Its principal purpose will be to undertake trial flights in planes of the type which the French Government has ordered, either with the permission of the War Department at Wright Field in planes of the type P–36, or at the Curtiss factory at Buffalo in planes of the type Hawk 75. Also, it will visit certain airplane factories.
The second mission, which will probably be composed of Engineer-in-Chief Volpert, Major Badart, Engineer Maillet and two representatives of the Sociétés Nationales, will arrive about the end of June. It is charged with studying, by means of visits to factories, the conditions of production in American industry. Two of its members will be charged, in addition, if authorized by the Departments of War and of the Navy, to spend several weeks in the factories of Curtiss-Wright and Pratt-Whitney, manufacturers of the planes and engines which the French Government has ordered.
[Page 310]I would be grateful to Your Excellency if you would inform me whether the interested Departments have any objection in principle to the plans of these missions, especially in regard to prolonged visits to the factories, dealing with the orders placed by the French Government. Furthermore, I should appreciate it if I might be informed whether the first mission could be authorized to make trial flights in American army planes of the type P–36.
The necessary authorizations for the visits in question will be requested each time in advance by the Air Attaché of the French Embassy, who will furnish all necessary information in regard to the program and dates of these visits.
Accept [etc.]