New-York tribune., 1919-04-24
NC-3, with One Motor Out
Of Service, Declared TO
Have Shown Superiority
to all Previous Types
Sea Fliers Watch Trip
Glenn HI. Curtiss Says Lift.
ing Capacity of Earlier
Models Has Been Tripled

The NC-3, the first great American
fyingboat completed for the race
across the Atlantic Ocean, made her
maiden fight yesterday over Jamaica
hay. The giant ship, said by experts
10 be the most efficient air craft in
the world, was in the air forty-one
minutes.
Her first flight was witnessed by all
the officers who will pilot the three
ships of her type across the Atlantic
next month, Yesterdays trial flight
was all the more remarkable because
of the fact that but three of her Lib
erty engines were in action.
Immediately the huge craft began to
push her Hanged howa through the
water II was noticed that some defect
had developed IN the starboard engine
despite the loss of power and one
aided pull that resulted the NC-a rose
With tho eaae and grace Of gull, Ris
ING To hno feet she eiroled around the
arm OF the hay and then returned to
her landing ponteon,
"two" Now ont of Race
Meanwhile IN the NC hangar, her
older Hister. tho NC.9 was aheddnp
her winge 40 they might brng grenter
glory TO another eiptcr the NC.1
From now on tho NC.a viii rest In a
corner of the hangar, no longer fac
tor in tho race.
Tho N c. 4. last of the four great
flying. boats, is rapidly being com.
pleted. and should be ready FOR her
first flight early next week
Yesterdays trial flight was wit.
messed by Commander John II. Towers
the officer in command of tho trans
atlantic flight Glenn II. Curtiss also
was present.
The N: C.. 3 was plotcd by Com
mandcr H. c. Richardson. one of her
deslgners; Lieutenant Commander F.
n. L. Bellingcr and Lieutenant David
Mccullough. Commander Bellinger has
Just returned from Newfoundland
where he selected n landing site for
terday's flight was his first experience
with the boats he will help to pilot
across tho ocean.
although yesterdays flight did not
solve any of the problems confronting
the \. {. boats, and was not intended
to do so, officials who witnessed it
oeelared themselves as particularly
pleased with the performance.
Lifting Capacity Tripled
Glenn II. Curtiss, whose company
built the four boats, said: "Thev are
the greatest development in aviation
yet. They have shown the most re-
markable increase in efficiency. and
we are getting from them about three
times as much weight lifhting capacity
per surface area of the planes as Wa
possible IN earlier machines"
The Navy Department is still main
tanning policy Of strict secrecy re-
sarding the boats No information re-
gardlNg the fight, other than what
was observed by the reporters them
selves, could be obtained. 1t was
learned complete set of Olmstead
propellers had been ordered for all
iogr Of the n. c. boats.
While the n. c. was in the air. the
naval "Blimp" dirigible airship G. 2
rose from her hangar and navigated
around for about an hour. This shin
IS now undertaking short night fights
70 prepare her crews for night flVinp
Inns Is preparatory to the flight from
Rockaway to San Diego, Cal, which is
expected to commence shortly.
After yesterdays flight the N. C. 2
was loaded to her full capacity in
preparation for to- days tests