Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-09-13
LIBERTY MOTOR
Is GREAT NEW
u. s. INVENTION
Will Furnish Power to Sweep
Boches From the
Sky

Washington, Sept. 13,-The great
est American achievement of the
war is declared to be- the new air.
ship engine, completion of which
was announced by the Secretary of
War to-day 1t is to be called the
Liberty motor.
1t is an engine that equals in ef-
fectiveness If it docs not excel all
the British and French engines, It's
parts have been so standardized that
manufacture Is possible In a great
number of factories all at the same
time without the creation of new
machinery or new plants,
The great problem of successful
airship manufacture and operation
by American forces has been solved
and the promise of the most effective
airship aid In winning the war Is to
be kept by this nation.
Product of American Genius
Secretary Bakers remarkable story
of the development of the engine
followss
The United States aviation en-
gine' has passed Its final tests, They
were successful and gratifying, The
new motor, designated by the signal
service as the liberty motor is now
the main reliance of the United
States In the rapid production In
large numbers of high powered bat
tleplanes for service In the war, In
power, speed, serciveability and min
imum weight, the new engine invites
comparison with the best that the
European war has produced.
II regard the invention and rapid
development of this engine as one
fthe really big accomplishments of
the United States since It's entry into
the war, The engine was brought
about through the cooperation of
more than a score of engineers who
pooled their skill and trade secrets
in the war emergency, working with
the encouragement of the aircraft
production board, the war depart
ment and the bureau of standards,
The story of the production OF
this engine is a remarkable one.
Probably the war has produced no
greater single achievements.
"One of the first problems which
confronted the war department and
the aircraft production board after
the declaration of hostilities was to
produce quickly a dependable avia-
tion motor. Two courses were open.
One was to encourage manufactur-
ers to develop their own types; the
other to bring the best of all types
together and develop n standard.
The necessity for speed and guam
tity production resulted in a choice
of the latter course, and a standard
motor became our engineering OBJ
jective,
Two of the best engineers in the
country, who had never before seen
each other, were brought together at
Washington and the problem of pro-
ducing an all-American engine at the
earliest possible moment was pre-
sented to them. Their first confer
ence, on June 3, lasted from after
noon until 2.30 o'clock in the morn
ing.
Locked in Rooms For Five Days
These two engineers were figura-
lively locked in q room in Wash
ington hotel and charged with the
development of an airplane motor
for use by American aviators over
the battlefields of Europe. For five
days neither man left the suite of
rooms engaged for them. Consulting
engineer and craftsmen from various
sections of the country were brought
to Washington to assist them. The
work in the drafting room proceeded
continuously, day and night. Each
of the two engineers in immediate
charge of motor development alter
nately worked a twenty -four hour
shift.
AN inspiring feature of this work