The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-06-06
U. S. MARTIN BOMBER
Air Plane Selected for Transcon-
tinental by Captain Roy N. Fran
els for Stability

The U. S Martin Bomber is the
airplane selected by Captain Roy N.
Francis to attempt the one-step
transcontinental flight because Of
especial suitability. The airplane
was originally designed for military
purposes as day or night bombing
plane OF long distance photography
The power is supplied by two lib
ty motors of 400 H. p. each, mounted
in the wing gap on each side Of the
body. The body is well designed and
commodious. At the nose is the
cockpit for the front gunner. The
front gunner has access to passage
through which he can go aft to
handle the rear lower gun or sit be-
side the pilot on a folding seat. The
pilot is placed on the right hand side
of the body and we'll up, so that his
range of vision is the best possible.
He is provided with wheel-type con-
troll and has a splendid view of the
instrument board. Behind the pilot
are the three main gasoline tanks. To
the rear is a mounting for the lower
gun, which commands large field of
fire to the rear, below and to both
sides.
The wing structure is very light.
The designer was particular to OBJ
serve the principles of stream lines,
rigidity and strength. The total
wing and control area is 1856 square
\ feet. The span of-the upper and
lower wings is II #. 5 in, and the
depth of each wing is Z it. 10 in. The
gap between the wings is it,, 6 in.
The length overall is 46 #. and the
height overall Ia #. z in.
The under carriage is composed of
four 800x150mm wheels. The axIes
are hung on the usual rubber cord
suspension but have a great amount
of freedom not only vertically but in
the other two directions. All of the
lateral forces are taken up by the
center trusting under the body. The
two outside struts are free to swing
laterally, and hence only absorb the
vertical component of the landing
shock. A single wheel and foot-bar
control is provided for the pilots
cockpit. There are four equal all
erons for the maintenance of lateral
stability. The tail services are of
steel and wood construction. The ell
evator is one piece and with it's gen
erous area and ease of operation
forms positive control to be relied
upon in any emergency. Two bal
anced rudders working in synchro-
nism permit the pilot to control his
direction under any conditions with
ease. In fact, when flying with one
engine dead, the amount of rudder
necessary to correct the off-setting
force of the other engine is surpris-
ingly small Three sturdy gasoline
tanks, mounted securely inside of the
body contain the main supply of gas
oline. This airplane is particularly
adaptable to the requirements of civil
aeronautics for passenger, mail and
express service, coast, border and for
est patrol. This adaptation would
not involve any important changes,
for the same machine, less the mill
tary equipment, is Immediately SER
viceable for the carrying of one ton
of mail or of II passengers at a speed
of from 100 to 105 miles per hour
Requirements of safety so important
in our transport are especially well
fulfilled by this machine, because it
can fly and climb on one engine only.