Gents...
*******
NARA II, COLLEGE PARK, MD
RG 341
Entry 172
Box 38
Declassified Via NND 813063
******************************
HEADQUARTERS
AIR MATERIEL COMMAND
WRIGHT FIELD, DAYTON, OHIO
1 May 1946
IN REPLY ADDRESS BOTH COMMUNICATION AND
ENVELOPE TO ATTENTION OF
FOLLOWING OFFICE SYMBOL:
TSENG (TSESA-2)
SUBJECT: Design Competition — Light Bombardment Aircraft
TO: Commanding General
Army Air Forces Washington 25, D. C.
Attention: AC/AS-4
1. The Air Materiel Command has completed an evaluation of light bombers, which have been submitted by five manufacturers in accordance with a design directive issued by the AMC. These requirements were based on the light bomber military characteristics, dated 23 November 1945.
2. The following contractors submitted proposals: Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation, Curtiss-Wright Corporation, Douglas Aircraft Company, Inc., Glenn L, Martin Company and North American Aviation, Inc. The following is a tabulation of the point score and total cost of both Phase I and Phase II for the three high competitors:
It is the considered opinion of the Air Materiel Command that, whereas all three scores are relatively close, the Martin and North American designs possess considerably greater potentialities, and are considered to be for all practical purposes potentially equivalent designs.
3. The following is a summary of the backlog of work at Glenn L. Martin Company and North American Aviation, Inc:
Glenn L. Martin Co.
Navy Contracts
PBM5 - Production (240)
XP4M-1
XPBM5a
JRM1 & 2 97% complete
XP4M1
XBTM1
BTM1 starting production (99)
Army Contracts
XB-48 2 experimental
Pilotless Research, one year
Commercial Contracts
Martin 202 ) approximately 125
Martin 303 ) airplanes
Martin 304 2 experimental
C-54 conversion
Total backlog approximately
$91,000,000.00
#################
North American Aviation, Inc.
Navy Contracts
XFJ-1 3 airplanes
XSN2J-1 2 airplanes
FJ-1 production (30)
Army Contracts
XP-86 2 airplanes
XB-45 3 airplanes
P-82 production (270)
Pilotless Research
Commercial
Light Plane "Navion" in production
Total backlog approximately
$50,400,000.00
4. Technically, it is considered that the North American Aviation, Inc., and Glenn L. Martin Company proposals are equivalent. Normally, the selection of the contractor to receive the award would be Glenn L. Martin Company, in view of an approximate $5,000,000.00 difference in selling price. To maintain an equitable distribution of workload in the interest of maintaining first-line contractors, it would appear desirable to award this contract to North American Aviation, Inc. It is believed that final decision must be made from consideration of the overall National Defense policy. It is, therefore, requested that decision be rendered as to the desires of Headquarters, Army Air Forces, as to whether this contract should be awarded to Glenn L. Martin Company or to North American Aviation, Inc.
FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL:
/S/
L. C. CRAIGIE
Brig. General, U. S. A.
Chief, Engineering Division
*******
NARA II, COLLEGE PARK, MD
RG 341
Entry 172
Box 38
Declassified Via NND 813063
******************************
HEADQUARTERS
AIR MATERIEL COMMAND
WRIGHT FIELD, DAYTON, OHIO
1 May 1946
IN REPLY ADDRESS BOTH COMMUNICATION AND
ENVELOPE TO ATTENTION OF
FOLLOWING OFFICE SYMBOL:
TSENG (TSESA-2)
SUBJECT: Design Competition — Light Bombardment Aircraft
TO: Commanding General
Army Air Forces Washington 25, D. C.
Attention: AC/AS-4
1. The Air Materiel Command has completed an evaluation of light bombers, which have been submitted by five manufacturers in accordance with a design directive issued by the AMC. These requirements were based on the light bomber military characteristics, dated 23 November 1945.
2. The following contractors submitted proposals: Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation, Curtiss-Wright Corporation, Douglas Aircraft Company, Inc., Glenn L, Martin Company and North American Aviation, Inc. The following is a tabulation of the point score and total cost of both Phase I and Phase II for the three high competitors:
| Contractor | Point Score | Phase I Cost | Phase II Cost |
| North American | 922.39 | $784,257.00 | $13,049,564.00 |
| Martin | 922.11 | 649,571.00 | 8,640,184.00 |
| Douglas | 898.01 | 984,200.00 | 17,630,318.00 |
It is the considered opinion of the Air Materiel Command that, whereas all three scores are relatively close, the Martin and North American designs possess considerably greater potentialities, and are considered to be for all practical purposes potentially equivalent designs.
3. The following is a summary of the backlog of work at Glenn L. Martin Company and North American Aviation, Inc:
Glenn L. Martin Co.
Navy Contracts
PBM5 - Production (240)
XP4M-1
XPBM5a
JRM1 & 2 97% complete
XP4M1
XBTM1
BTM1 starting production (99)
Army Contracts
XB-48 2 experimental
Pilotless Research, one year
Commercial Contracts
Martin 202 ) approximately 125
Martin 303 ) airplanes
Martin 304 2 experimental
C-54 conversion
Total backlog approximately
$91,000,000.00
#################
North American Aviation, Inc.
Navy Contracts
XFJ-1 3 airplanes
XSN2J-1 2 airplanes
FJ-1 production (30)
Army Contracts
XP-86 2 airplanes
XB-45 3 airplanes
P-82 production (270)
Pilotless Research
Commercial
Light Plane "Navion" in production
Total backlog approximately
$50,400,000.00
4. Technically, it is considered that the North American Aviation, Inc., and Glenn L. Martin Company proposals are equivalent. Normally, the selection of the contractor to receive the award would be Glenn L. Martin Company, in view of an approximate $5,000,000.00 difference in selling price. To maintain an equitable distribution of workload in the interest of maintaining first-line contractors, it would appear desirable to award this contract to North American Aviation, Inc. It is believed that final decision must be made from consideration of the overall National Defense policy. It is, therefore, requested that decision be rendered as to the desires of Headquarters, Army Air Forces, as to whether this contract should be awarded to Glenn L. Martin Company or to North American Aviation, Inc.
FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL:
/S/
L. C. CRAIGIE
Brig. General, U. S. A.
Chief, Engineering Division
