Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-09-13
ENGINEERS PERFECT MOTOR FOR
ITS FLEET OF AIRPLANES.
IN EUROPE.
SAID TO EXCEL ALL
TYPES NOW IN USE.
"United States Aviation Engine"
Passes Final Tests and Secretary
Baker Expresses Confidence Il Will
Help in Winning understandable
Story Of Production.

Washington. Sept. 13.-The liberty
motor" the airplane engine on which
the United States is relying to estab-
lish air supremacy over the Germans,
is complete and gratifying success
after final tests, Secretary Of War
Baker announced Wednesday.
The secretarys statement follows
The United States aviation engine
has passed it's final tests. They we're
successful and gratifying. The new
motto. designated by the signal
service as the liberty motor is now the
main reliance of the United States in
me rapid production in large numbers
of high powered battle planes for SerV-
ice in the war.
Il regard the invention and rapid
development Of this engine as one OF
the really big accomplishments OF the
United States since its entry in the
war The engine was brought about
thru cooperation of more than a score
of engineers who pooled their skill ana
trade secrets in the war emergency
working with the encouragement OF the
aircraft production board, the war de-
partment and its bureau Of standards.
STORY Remarkable.
The story Of the production OF this
engine is a remarkable one. Probably
the war has produced no greater SINCE
achievement.
one of the first problems which con-
fronted the war department and tHe
aircraft production board after me
declaration OF host!lities was TO pro-
duce quickly a dependable aviation
motor.
Two OF the best engineers in the
country, who had never before seen
each other. were brought together a.
Washington and the problem Of pro
ducing an all-American engine at the
earliest moment was presented to
them. Their first conference on June
3. lasted from afternoon until 2:3o
o'clock in the morning.
These two engineers were figura-
lively locked in a room in WI ming
ton hotel and charged with the deFe'-
opment OF an airplane motor Tor use
by American aviators over the battle
fields Of Europe. For five days neither
man left the suite of rooms engaged
for them Consulting engineers ana
craftsmen were brought TO Washing
ton TO assist them. The wo'k in the
drafting room proceeded continuously
day and night. Each of the two en-
gineers in immediate charge of motor
DEVELOPMENT alternately worked
twenty four hour shift.
Get Trade Secrets.
IAN inspiring feature of this work
was the aid rendered by consulting en-
gIneers and motor manufacturers VINO
gave up their trade secrets under the
emergency Of war needs. Realizing
that the new design would be gov
eminent design and no firm or indi-
vidual would reap selfish benefit be-
cause Of its making. the motor manu-
facturers nevertheless. patriotically,
revealed their trade secrets and made
available trade processes Of great COM
mercial value. The industries have aiso
contributed the services OF approx
mately two hundred OF their best
craftsmen.
"A remarkable American engine was
actually produced three weeks before
any model could have been brought
from Europe. It was promised that
this engine would be developed before
the Fourth Of July. Twenty-eight days
after the drawings were started the
new engine was set up: This was on
July 3.
IN order to have the engine In
Washington and in actual running or
der at the-nation's capital on indie
pendence day the perfected engine was
sent from a western city in special
express car. The Journey was made
in twenty-one hours ana four young
men guarded the engine en- route -
Westminster: =! ="' attendAn
to it's transfer from one railroad to an
other.
From Many Plants.
parts OF the first engine were
turned out at twelve different factories
locally all the way from Connecticut
to California When the parts were as
sembled the adjustment was per1ect
and the performance Of the engine was
wonderfully gratifying.
Thirty days after the assembling OF
the first engine preliminary tests just-
fled the government in formally ac-
cepting the engine as the gest AIRCRAFT