711.00111 Armament Control/Military Secrets/584

The Department of State to the Ambassador of the Soviet Union ( Troyanovsky )29

The request of the Soviet Ambassador30 covers two items of different character, namely that arrangements be made whereby the Russian technicians can visit the Consolidated plant, and that the blue prints for the PBY–1 plane be delivered at the same time as the plane.

In regard to the visits, the Navy Department would have no objection to allowing the Russians free access to the plane under construction [Page 471] for them, nor to the plant machinery used in its construction were it possible to isolate this equipment in such a manner as to protect confidential features of the latest Navy planes, as well as of planes still in the experimental development stage.

The Consolidated plant though covering a large area is constructed as one enormous room. The system of production is such that particular equipment can not be effectively isolated. It is understood that this matter was made very clear to the Russian representatives before the contract was signed. A special visit through the plant was recently permitted to seven Russians. As special safeguards are necessary in the case of each visit authorized for this plant, it is not practicable to grant the request of the Russian Ambassador for repeated visits of Russian technicians to the production facilities of the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation.

In regard to the release of blue prints for the PBY–1 Model Airplane, the present policy for release establishes as a normal period of release an interval of six months after the release for export of the plane itself. It will be noted that this period is just half that prescribed by the former policy. The Navy Department felt that its decision to permit the export of the plans of the PBY–1 plane as early as May 1, 1938 was a very liberal decision in view of the security features involved. In the absence of any new factors affecting the case, it must adhere to this decision.

  1. Handed to the Ambassador of the Soviet Union by the Chief of the Division of Eastern European Affairs, April 23, 1937.
  2. Reference is to the Ambassador’s letter of March 23, 1937, p. 464.