The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1918-03-22
new SEAPL.ANE
STANDS TEST
Now Being Delivered to Naval
Air Service.
ANOTHER NEW FIGHTING TYPE
British And French Take Lively In
terest In New American Motor
Which ls Considered The
Most Speedy OF All.

washington. -America's first fight
ing seaplane equipped with Liberty
motors has been tried out and ac-
cepted. and a number OF the craft are
now being delivered for the use of
the naval air service. They are the
advance guard of big feet which
will be added to-. the forces engaged
in submarine hunting in the war zone.
A second type of fighting plane for
the American Army, known as the
Bristol model, also has now reached
the production stage, and consider.
able number will become available
during the present month Still an
other type, two-seated machine, also
Is being manufactured.
Construction details of these planes
have never been published. 1t is
known, however, that the seaplanes
are substantially similar to the British
flying boats and are equipped with two
Liberty motors, which provide approx
imately 700-horsepower to drive the
ship. This is understood to be much
in excess of the power used in similar
British craft, and their performance
is expected to be proportionately bet
ter. a @
In. this connection it was learned
that engineers of the aircraft board
now have overcome the last minor
defect 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 prog
ress being made on production of
fighting planes in this country are
still satisfied that the output will tax
shipping facilities before July, when
delivery in quantities in France has
been scheduled Already a problem
of caring for the planes on the other
side is one to which General Perish
ing's staff is. giving serious thought
Those produced in the United States
are in addition to the fighting aviation
equipmetn to be provided under con-
tract through the French and British
Government. There are indications
that these foreign contracts also are
not up to the original schedule of de-
livery No details are available, how
ever, as to the actual number of ma
chimes that will be turned over to
General Pershing during the summer.
The success of the Liberty motor is
known to have attracted the atten-
ton of both French and British air
service officials and both governments
have had experts in this country
studying its construction and methods
of quantity production employed. 1t
Is anticipated that a large number of
foreign planes, 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 study of the
motor to be used next year, which un-
doubtedly will show very consider
able increase in horsepower over the
present 12-cylinder model There is
now time for very careful study of
the various types of motors, both of
foreign and domestic design, and a
decision as to the machine to be made
the standard for>1919 will. not be nee
essary before July.
More powerful motors will be need
ed for machines to carry such an
armament as General Pershing has
proposed. In response to an inquiry
some time ago as to the gun-power
of American fighting plans, General
Pershing recommended at least two
heavy and two light machine guns,
adding:
we should anticipate the use of
three. Vickers synchronized guns and
three Lewis unsynchronized guns on
every airplane."
To carry out such program larger
planes would be necessary and it is
the judgment of officials here that
lighting aircraft will increase con
stantly in size and armament.