Evening journal., 1918-03-14
LIBERTY Motors
FOR U-BOAT Chase
First Fighting Seaplane TO
be Equipped With Them
is Tested Successfully
IS FORERUNNER
OF BIG FLEET

WASHINGTON. March i4,-America's
FIRST fighting seaplane equipped with
Liberty motors has been tried out and
accepted. it was learned last night. and
a number OF the craft are now being
delivered for the use Of the naval 8lr
service They are the advance guard
Of a big fleet which will be added Co
the forces engaged in submarine hunt
INK i'm the war zone
A second type Of lighting airnlano for
the American army. known as the B-is-
col model, has also reached iho produce
tlon stage and considerable number
will become available during the rres-
ent month Sin another type. a two
seated machine. is being manufactured
Construction details of these airplanes
have never been published. 10 Is known
that The seapl1nes alC substantially
similar 90 The British nyinc boats and
ere equipped with two Liberty motors.
which provide approximately 700
horse-powef Co drive the ship. This is
understood 90 be much IN excess of The
power used in similar British craft and
the Performance is expected to be pro-
portlonatcly better
In this connection 10 was learned that
engineers Of the Aircraft Board have
overcome the last minor defect OF the
Liberty motors, having to do with The
lub~icatlon system. A number OF motors
taken haphazard from the quantity pro-
duction supply have been operated con-
tinuously for many hours without any
trouble developing.
Officials In close touch with the pro-
Fress being made on the production ef
AL In nrn
stll satisfied that the output will tax
shipping facilities before July, when
delivery i'm quantities in France has
been scheduled. Already lhc problem
Of caring for the airplanes on the other
side is one 10 which General pershing's
star is giving serious thought.
Those produced in the United States
are In addition TO the fighting aviation
equipment TO be provided under con
tract through the French and British
Governments. There are indications
that this foreign contract work also is
not up 90 the original schedule Of de-
livery. No details are available as
90 the actual number of machines that
Will be turned over 10 General persh-
ing during the summer.
Fhe success OF the Liberty motor is
known to have attracted the attention
of both French and British air service
officials. and both Governments have
had experts In this country studying IFS
construction and the methods OF guam
tity production employed 70 IS aniici-
pated that a large number OF foreign
oirplaHcs. particularly British. will. he
using Liberty motors during the pres
ent wear. steps were taken here re-
Gently 10 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 VIII
show a very considerable increase In
horse power over the present twelve
cylinder model There is now time for
a careful study Of the various types OF
motors. both foreign and domestic de-
sign. and q decision as to the machine
10 be made the standard for 1919 VIII
not be necessary before July.
More powerful motors viii be needed
for machines 10 carry such armament
as General Pershing has proposed In
response % an inquiry some time ago
as 20 the gun power Of American fight
ING airplanes. General Pe-shing recon-
mended at least two heavy and two
light machine guns, adding:
I'VE should anticipate the use OF
three Vickers synchronized guns and
three Lewis unsynchronizcd guns on
every airplane.'
To carry out such program larger
machines would be necessary, and 1t is
tis Judgment Of officials here that
fighting aircraft will increase constant
~ in size and armament.