New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-11
THE LIBERTY MOTOR

NuI american lNdNui 2cCur9. Inc Ii b.
erty motor is not suitable for use in
these planes.
THE LIBERTY MOTOR
at is apparent from the evidence that
the twelve-c cylinder Liberty motor is
just emerging from the DEVELOPMENT
or experimental stage. Since the orig
ina! design and the setting up OF the
first completed motor in July, 1917.
large number of changes have been
found necessary, many Of them causing
delay in reaching quantity production
Within the last TWO months changes
Of cons derabie Importance have been
made which, it is hoped. will make the
motor serviceable for combat planes
OF the defensive type and for bombing
and observation planes 1t IS rot de
signed Tor and cannot be used in the
swift. single-seater lighting machine.
a few of the motors are being flown in
appropriate machines. These reports,
as recited to the committee. indicate
that with the latest changes che motor
Will be satisfactory for the character
OF work expected OF it, and shat it buds
fair to hold its own with foreign motors
of similar power, weight and purpose
For the campaign Of 1919 the Liberty
motor must undoubtedly be further i'm
proved in order to keep up with tho
evolution constantly going on along the
front. The motor as now manufactured
is OF the direct-driven type. a type
which has limits Of usefulness in heavy
machines.
steps arc being taken in the design
ing of Geared drive in order that the
usefulness of the motor may be further
extended and further improvements at
tanned. Twenty thousand five hun
dred Liberty motors have been ordered.
lz2 have been completed for the army
ard l42 FOR the navy. Four have been
shipped overseas. Some Of those al
ready delivered are being altered to
overcome the defects ascertaned dur
ing the last few weeks. 1t is under
stood. however, that these alterations
viii consusse but a very short Tine.
THE production of Liberty Motors to
date is. of course, gravcly disappoint-
ing. The testimony shows that ex-
pcrts OF the highest reputation and
experience have since last July re-
pcatedly warned the officials Of our
government that the pcrfccting Of a
newly designed motor must inevitably
involve many months of pans.aklng
experiment, accompanied by many set
backs and disappojntments. In spite
o. the unanimous testimony OF motor
experts along this line, the govern
nent officials having the manufacture
Of the Liberty Motor in charge have
M made the mistake of leading the pub
tic and the Allied nations to the be
lief that many thousands Of these
motors would be completed in the
spring Of 1913. Information Of this
sort, not borne out by the facts, has
been injurious, and It's constant dis
sominatlon the committee regards a.
n isleading AID detrimental 20 our
cause.
COMBAT PLANES
"I'i,e production Of combat planes in
the United States for use in actual
warfare has thus far been a sub
stantial failure and constitutes a
most serious disappointment in our
war preparations. We had no design
Of our own; neither did we adopt any
one Of the European designs until
months after we entered the war
Much time was consumed in discus
SION as TO types. Innumerablc changes
in designs and specifications Of the
types finally decided upon have cost
further delay. In all FIVE types have.
at one time or another, been adopted
Two Of them have been abandoned
after the expenditure of much time
and money. The three remaining types
still left upor. our programme are now
in the course OF manufacture. W
these the largest and most powerful
is the Handlcy- Page heavy bombing
machine, designed to carry as many as
six mer, eight machine guns, and a
heavy load Of bombs, ard to be driven
BY two Liberty Motors.
"The history Of the negotiations for
the adoption and manufacture Of this
plane affords remarkable illustration
Of procrastiration and INDIGESTION too
long 10 recte
Suffice it TO gay that the designs and
specifications Of this plane, which had
been used with marked success by the
British and placed in production by
that government, were offered 10 our
officials as early an May, 1871. The
testimony before your committee. shows
that the Signal Corps dnally decided
upon the manufacture Of a number or
wcts Of parts Of this machine about
January /, 1919. Eventually the fin,
inhed and testcd parts viii be shipped
~ England, where they arc to be i'nal-
tx assembled in factories no" ocihg,
prepared for this work Officials OF
the aviation section Of the Signal Corps
tsstify that they do not expect the
completion Of the first set OF parts IN