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, Director 2 June 27, 19h) > RUTHERFORD thereupon left for California to en the above mentioned airplane muffler in the Lockheed Laboratory + While in California RUTHERFORD found in a copy of the ° ley, » Los Angeles Examiner, a daily newspaper, an article A written by HENRY ARNOLD, Command Comaander- ef of the United States & Air Corps. The article described anpirplane gasoline tank found on a German plane shot down in Eng’ » It was said to be a oo bullet-proof self-sealing gas tank. These tanks, RUTHERFORD ‘ states, have been in American production during the last 90 days“ only. ARNOLD stated in the article that at that time, May 3 940} the United States did not have a self-sealing gas tank.! ccording to RUTHERFORD, subsequent to that time, all United \ States military planes have been fitted with tanks of this type. Plans he forwarded to Colonel LINDBERGH. He believes that because the design of the tank mentioned in the article of HENRY ARNOLD'S corresponds with that of the plans forwarded to LINDBERGH that the latter may have given the plans to a foreign government. He does not believe that this is a mere coincidence of the develop- ment of these tanks simultaneously in Germany and the United States. Up to the time of Major ARNOLD'S article the United States, he says, did not have such a tank. He said that he had not patented his self-sealing gasoline tank because this would expose the principle of its design to anyone who would consult the records of the patent office and as a patriotic citizen he wanted the benefit to inure to the United States Government. RUTHERFORD has not received an acknowledgment of the | | Pt RUTHERFORD declares that various attempts have been made by unknown individuals to “shake down" his premises to ob- tain information relating to his military inventions. However, these would have been unsuccessful as to the tank because the plans were kept at another place. He said that his mailing of the letter to LINDBERGH had been occasioned by just such a “ghake down" and the fear that some foreign agent would obtain the plans. No one in collaboration with RUTHERFORD knew of the principle of this development.