In reply address not the signer of
this letter but the Bureau of Aeronautics,
Navy Department, Washington, 
     Refer to No.
                        NAVY DEPARTMENT
                     BUREAU OF AERONAUTICS
                                                  JHT-GB
                           WASHINGTON
                                
                        16 December 1941
                                
                MEMORANDUM for Captain Beardall.
                                
SUBJECT:              Situation regarding Torpedo Planes and Armor Piercing
                                                 Bombs.
                                
             Torpedo Bombers - The Navy has on hand an even 100 Douglas torpedo bombers known
as TBD (DEVASTATOR). This number is barely sufficient to meet minimum operating
re~requirements. The present shortage was anticipated as far back as t~,o years ago and every
practicable effort has been made to cope with the situation. To save time I took the risk of going
into production on a new type, the Grumman TBF (AVEVENGER)~ without waiting for
completion of samples. Despite this action a shortage will persist I or the next several months.
There is attached a table showing estimated production from facilities now available. Further
expansion of facilities is now being arranged. This expansion can not be expected to be reflected
in production before a minimum of nine months to a year.
                                
     Armor Piercing Bombs. The Navy has on order 17,500 armor piercing bombs of the 1600
lb. variety. These bombs are of approximately the same weight as those used by the Japanese in
the attack at ,Pearl Harbor. Tests have shown they should be capable of penetrating the heaviest
deck from around altitudes of 12,000 ft. They carry a much higher proportion of explosive than
any comparable armor piercing projectile.  Delivery of completely loaded and fused bombs will
co~:commence, in February 1942 at the rate of about 300 per month, which rate will build up to
1,000 a month by April 1942.