Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-09-19
BY Basil M. Manly.

Washington, Sept. %19.-The story
can now be told of how the All-Amer-
lean Aviation Engine, to carry Uncle
Sans battleplane fleet over the Ger
ma lines. came to be built.
III secretary Of war has confirm
ed The Daily Herald's exclusive &C
count of the engines wonderful per-
tormances, and this automatically re-
leases the story of how the engine
was conceived story I have had
simmering under the censorship lid
more than six weeks.
1t is a great story of American
genius. audacity and perseverance,
with a touch of the workings of fate
that stirs imagination.
Fate played it's part when a chance
view of a headline started the whole
train of events which gave the United
States the worlds greatest engine.
May 26 the French and British
commissions at Detroit visited among
other centers of interest the Packard
experts, under the guidance of j. G..
Vincent. Packard vice president, in
spected the Packard aircraft engine
on which developmental work had
been done under Vincent. They were
pleased, but said, ITS too heavy.
At dinner Vincent discussed the air.
plane situation with the commission
experts until lne SHldll IouIS, WiiSAa
all were Wearied.
But Vincent could not sleep. End
lessly through his mind ran a chain
of thoughts-"the war must be won In
the air-America must turn the trick
-~airplanes are 10 good without first
class engines-nobody in the United
States can build a cal fighting en-
CINE"
The next day Vincent arose heavy
AVA onI 1nr~accn1 A. hraaEfnS CT he
listlessly thumbed the latest copy of
an automobile trade journal, when
suddenly a headline caught his eye:
"Thirty-seven kinds of aircraft en-
gines in England, forty-six in
France"
In a flash he saw why England and
France We're failing to surpass Ger
many in airplane output, and the line
the United States must follow.
Suppose he thought, "an auto
mobile company was building 81 or 46
types of engines, what chance would
1t have. 1t wouldn't last a month.
We must get at the best features pro-
duced up-to-date by these 81 British
and 46 French builders. weld them
into a single engine, concentrate or
1t. n improve it. And we ave got
to hurry"
He left the table on the jump and
Will " 10 %1lNiA
of his company. 1t looked right to
Macauley. but he is older n more
conservative. He urged a long-dis-
lance conversation with Howard Cof-
fin of the Aircraft Production Board;
but there was only half an hour to
catch the Washington train Inc Vim
cent wouldn't wait.
AS soon as he reached Washing
ton he conferred with Coffin, Deeds
and Waldron of the Aircraft Board
and soon had them with him. They
told hi INTO go to 1t, and offered help.
Deeds suggested he meet e. j. Hall
of the Hall-scott Motor Co.. who had
just left Washington after a confer
ence with the Aircraft Board in which
he had demonstrated his great teohni.
cal knowledge. Vincent caught Hall
whom he had met, at Cleve-
land. and thus was formed the Vim
rent-Hall combination which worked
out h All-American motor.
Meantime Maj. souther of the sig.
nal corps, with the aid Of British an6
French aviation experts, rounded w
vii available information on foreign
engines. - H
With this Vincent and Hall locked