New-York tribune., 1919-04-23
NC-2 Lifts 1850 Pounds
OF Fuel and Consumes
$50 Pounds Each Hour;
More Expected of NC.3
Latter Will Fly To-day
Data Now Available Said to
Indicate That the Azores
Route Will Be Selected

The naval tlylng hoat \ c. made
sove@l ntehta yesterday 10 test the
wrelcsa direction Nnders that will he
used ON her three aister sn,ps in their
flight across the Atlantic. one of these
hlghts was witnessed by Rear Admiral
James H. Glennon, the new commandant
OF the Sd Naval District.
The maiden flight of the N CO was
postponed until to-day. 1t will be wit
messed by Commander John H. Towers.
the officer appointed by the Navy De-
partment to take command of the ocean
flight.
An official statement issued in Wash
ington yesterday confirmed the story
printed in yesterdays Tribune that only
three of the huge flying boats would at
tempt the Transatlantic hight-the
N CT, the N CO and the N ca The
statement also confirmed the prediction
that the wings of the N CO would be
put on the C-1 for the flight
The statement declares the route of
the three big ships from Newfoundland
across the ocean has not yet been deter
mined. From data at present available
1t appears certain that the Azores route
finally will be chosen.
Gas fer 1S-Hour Flight
The various experimental flights made
with the N C-2 have shown that total
load of 1880 pounds of gasolene and
oil can be carried. They also show that
the engines consume an average of $50
pounds of gasolene an hour On flight
across the ocean this would mean ap-
proximately eighteen hours of flying.
While the N CO has made a maximum
speed of ninety-tive miles an hour. there
is every reason to DeIieve, according to
experts who have handled her expert
mental trips, that in crossing the ocean
the best normal speed would be approx-
mately seventy miles an hour In other
words she could cross from Newfound-
land to the Azores "a distance of 1900
miles-in seventeen hours
10 cross from Newfoundland to Ire
land distance OF 1900 miles, would
require almost nineteen hours at her
best speed of ninety-fve miles an hour
This would be materially reduced
should favorable weather conditions be
encountered, but it is understood NAVY
Department officials are basing their
plans upon actual facts and not upon
possible chances.
The figures now available refer only
to the NC2. 1t is expected the NC-3.
with her altered engine arrangements,
may show much better results, both as
regards lifting capacity and actual
speed. The results of her tests in
these respects will govern the final de-
clSlOn as to route.
Capacity Shown by Tests
Other interesting figures concerning
the flying ability of the NC-2. WITH
four engines, and the NC-1. when
with three engines, show the
useful load of the 1.-TWO" is AZ per cent
OF the total load, as compared with 36.4 |
per cent in the case of the "One.o
These figures probably will be changed
now the "One" is being fitted with four
engines.
The comparative data also shows
that, while the 1.-TWO" with the same sur
face area of planes has lifted $500
pounds more weight than the "One "
the actual weight lifted per HORSEPOWER
Is l',9 pounds for the "Two" as com
pared With 29,2 pounds for the cone"
The Nc made two flights yesterday,
one in the morning lasting one and a
half hours, and the afternoon flight of
TWO hours. In the afternoon flight she {
was pilotcd by Commander II. c. Rich
ardson, and by Lieutenant j, II, Hinton
IN the morning ilight, In the final tight
she carried eleven passengers, making
a total weight of 2S 800 pounds.