New Britain herald., 1918-03-14
LIBERTY MOTORS ON
SEAPLANE SUCCESS
Several Craft Thus Equipped AL
ready Being Delivered for Service

Washington, March 14.-America' s
first fighting seaplane equipped with
Liberty motors has been tried out and
accepted, and a number of the craft
are now being delivered for the use
Of the naval air service. They are
the advance guard of a big fleet
which will be added to the forces en-
gagged in submarine hunting in the
war zone.
A second type Of figh ting airplane
for the American army, known as
the Bristol model, has also reached
the production stage and a consider
able number will become available
during the present month. Still an
other type, a tWo-seated machine, is
being manufactured.
Construction details of these air.
planes have never been published 1t
is known that the seaplanes are sub
stantially similar to the British flying
boats and are equipped with two
Liberty motors, which provide APP
proximately 700 horsepower to drive
the ship. This is understood to be
much in excess of the power used in
similar British craft and the perform
ance is expected to be proportionatelv
better.
In this connection it was learned
that engineers of the aircraft board
have overcome the last minor de-
feet of the Liberty motors having to
DO with the fabrication system. A
number of motors taken haphazard
from the quantity production supply
have been operated continuously for
many hours without any trouble de-
Veloping.
officials in close touch with the
progress being made on the produce
ton Of fighting airplanes in this coun-
try are still satisfied that the output
will tax shipping facilities before July,
when delivery in quantities in France
has been scheduled Already the
problem Of caring for the airp1ancs
on the other side is one to which
General Pershings staff is giving seri-
Gus thought.
Those produced in the United
States are in addition to the fighting
aviation equipment to be provided
under contract through the French
and British governments. There are
indications that this foreign contra ct
work also is not up to the original
Schedule Of delivery. No details
number of machines that will be
turned over to General Pershing dur
ing the summer.
Attracts Attention of Others.
The success of the Liberty motor
is known to have attracted the At
tcntion of both French and British
air service officials. and both govern
mcnts have had experts in this coun-
try studying its construction and the
methods Of quantity production EN-
lloyed. 1t is anticipated that
large number of foreign airplanes,
particularly British, will be using
Liberty motors during the present
year. Steps were taken here recently
to expedite the delivery Of motors for
British use.
Meanwhile American engineers are
deVOting themselves to a study of the
motor to be used next year. which
will show a very cOnsiderab BILE increase
in horse power over the present
twelve-cylnder model. There is now
time for careful study of the vari-
GUS types of motors both foreign and
domestic design, and a decision as to
the machine to be made the standard
for 1919 will not be necessary before
July
More powerful motors will be need
ed for machines to carry such arma-
m ent as General Pershing has pro
posed In response to an inquiry
some time ago as to the gun power
Of American fighting airDlanes. Gen
cral Pershing recommended at least
two heavy and two light machine
guns, adding:
I'VE should anticipate the use Of
three Vickers synchronized guns and
three Lewis unsynchronized guns on
every airplane.'
To carry out such a program larger
machines would be necessary, and it
is the Judgment of officials here that
fighting aircraft will increase con-
stantlv in size and armament