The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-19
ADD THIRD MOTOR
TO OVERSEE Filler
Another 100 HORSEPOWER En-
CINE to Be Used to Lift
Her OFF Water.
ALL PLANNING DEVICES FAIL
Glenn Curtiss Promises to Have
Wanamakcr Boat in New
York by August I.

HAMMoSpsPoRr, N Y. July 1s.--The
Rodman wsnamaker transatlantic flying
boat America In to have three 100 horse
power motors instead OF two motors as
originally planned.
This announcement came tonight as
the climax OF three weeks experimenting
with different hydroplane surfaces. none
OF which would lift the big flying boat.
The third engine. which will give the
machine 400 horse power. is practically
certain to lift the America of the water
with even greater load than will be
necessary for the transatlantic fight.
The third motor will be installed be-
tween the other two and will drive trac-
tor screw. Only two Of the motors will be
used In actual flight except possibly at
the very start, when the fuel load is
heaviest, but all three will be used to
get the transatlantic fiier into the air.
The machine may be flown with any two
OF the motors and a third motor will al
ways be In reserve.
II Is estimated that the new motor will
add 1000 pounds to the lifting capacity
OF the America In addition to the $50
pounds that the motor and its attachments
will weigh. The gasolene tanks OF the
America are large enough to carry fuel
for all three motors provided the third
Is used only part OF the time. The tanks
will hold 312 gallons. and It is estimated
that the three motors would run twenty
eight hours on 300 gallons.
Glenn II. Curtiss has promised VIII
Cash. Mr.. wanamakers representative.
that the America will he ready to ship
from New York on August 1 with the
third motor installed. The test OF the
boat with the three motors over Lake
Keuka will take place in a few days. The
third motor Idea has been scheme OF
Mr.. Curtiss ever since several of the
known water planning devices failed on the
America and for more than a week the
third motor has been under way in the
assembling room.
Chances Bettered 80 Per Cent.
The addition of another motor increases
by so per cent the chances of success
fully flying the Atlantic from Newfound-
land to Plymouth by way OF the Azores
and Spain, in the opinion of experts here.
Failure after failure has come from the
experiments and there were just about
two ways left open to get the America of
the water. one was TO rebuild the hull,
making II larger That is what Lieut.
Porte favored The other was TO add
third engine. which was adopted as
quicker and less expensive.
The new sea sled bottom. over which
the experts were enthusiastic. failed 20 Mt
the America to the waters surface this
afternoon. She ploughed about the lake
like ferryboat and the best she could
do was twelve miles an hour There were
a dozen different theories as to why she
did not do better. They are going to give
the inverted 'v'' sea sled bottom another
trial tomorrow with large tail plane TO
bring the tail higher In the water. but with
little hope that II will be practical The
experts here have now tried ~" bottom
an inverted 'V'' bottom. pontoons attached
to the hull and pontoons eight feet from
the hull. single and double submerged fms
and hydroplane surface fins attached to
the hull All OF these were tested in q
variety Of combinations with and without
submerged tail fin. There are not many
more known varieties OF boat bottoms left
to try.
Lieut. John Cyril Porte. who has been
engaged by Rodman Wanamaker 10 pilot
the America on its transatlantic attempt,
came here from New York last night to
try the sea sled bottom which had given
great promise of success. After its fall
ure THE Sun representative asked Lieut..
Porte. Mr. Curtiss, the constructor and
DR.. A. +. Zahm, recorder of the aero
dynamlcal laboratory OF the Smthson an
Institution. which of the bottoms or water
planning devices they favored from the
tests thus far, The experts were divided.
We'll. / don't know" Lieut.. Porte said
THE whole boat is built wrong. that's the
trouble. II ought to be wider and longer
and have more foataton under the tail,
II is too small"
1t has been suggested here several times
that the hull OF the America was not
large enough. 1t has little more water
planning surface than two passenger flying
boats OF ordinary size. Ever since the
America was launched Lieut.. Porte has
believed she ought to have more fioation
and all his suggestions for water plan
ing devices have been pontoons or some
thing that would give more hoation, but
his statement to-day was the first indi-
cation that he was not satisfied with the
hull OF the Wanamaker fier Although
the contract between Messrs, Wanamaker
and Curtiss has never been made public,
II Is understood that the America was
to be built by Mr., Curtlss acting on sug-
gestlons offered by Lieut.. Porte and was
70 be made satisfactory to Lieut. Porte.
Whether Lieut., Porte thinks the America
should be rebuilt could rot be learned to-
night Al least no radical change is con-
templated until after further experiments
with pontoons, fins and new bottoms and
with the third motor.
surface or Submerged Fins:
Once in the air the America flies to the
satisfaction OF every one. The whole
trouble has been to get.her to plane along
the surface of the water so that the wings
can be brought into use to lift the machine
into the air. Mr. Cur,iss favors hydro
plane surface fins attached to each side of
The hull which We're the first attachments
tried on the America, and they will prob
ably be used with he third engine
1--WE know she has lifted ten men and