The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1919-05-10
Richardson Tells Story Of
How NC Type Was Built
and Tested,
BY Commander Holden c. Richard
son. II. s. N

Dt NOHhauutT hOiuVH ~ ElCUAIu
son, U. S. N.
Copyright. 1919. by Universal Service }
While th original conception OF the
nayys great trans Atlantic gulls
had in its scope the possibility OF ex-
tended journeys over the sea and land
II canno, be maintained that the craft
was built expressly for this purpose
at least not in the form now presented
In the summer OF 1917. Rear Ad-
miral ID. w. Taylor. chief OF the bu-
reau Of construction and repair. CON
ceived the idea OF seaplane tina,
would be seaworthy and capable OF
sustained flight In this idea was en-
bodied the proposition OF plane
which could carry good offensive
equipment, bombs, guns, ,orpedoes or
mines and at the same time a suffi-
cicnt armament 10 protect i, from at
tack by enemy planes
Curtiss Present Design.
This obviously required that II be a
plane OF large Dimensions such as
would be impracticable 10 deliver
aboard ship. II suggested also a pos
sibilty OF proceeding TO Europe by
air. Bureau representatives. consulted
with Glenn II. Curtiss and hi, assist
ants. who presented an outline of a
design having the appropriate char
acteristics contemplated
The original characteristic, covered
two biplanes. one with three engines
and the other with five. For use in
the power plants of these plane. was
contemplated the engine then beine
designed. and which aiterward became
known as the Liberty motor"
Both contemplate a departu,e from
the original "America' tyne designed
for trans Atlantic flight before the
war. on instruction., from Rodmau
Wan,m,L., IN ,h,, III. h,Ji ,,,
,hor,ened and III, ,,l ,u,i,ce. v.r.
70 he carried m ou, y;egcr. instead
of an extension ~ IN, ,,,l of ,be (loat
Had 10 Trv Ont p.r,s
About the. end Of Sep,,mbrr 7 va.
called from tdu,v a, P,n,,col, vi,
TO Buffalo 10 assist in d,yelon;ng dc
tail, ot IN. d..;,r n, ,..o,n, =, al.
unu,u,I dimension, IN, NV .,r,,a. nv
m.n,. and IN, d.o,,,ur. from n,.y;on.
practice many Of IN, d,,,;l, had N
he d,,.rm;r.d NV ,c,u,i ,vn.,;,n.n,, =,
cop,true,;on,
Tn. most d;ff;cul, o,ob,.m, w.,.
the de,,rm;na,ion, ot N. ron,,,rr,;on
of the wing sn,,, and m. vino ,,,n,,
So mi. dri;,;,, ;,fo,m,,,o, Wa,
available =, 10 IN. strength -, mat
rial, involved and a. m.nv ,,r,na.
men,, NJ material w.,. no..;hi. r.,
The only way 10 ,rr;ye =, , d.c;,;on
wa, to construct esper;men,,l o,,,,
and calculate their strength and verify
the same by actual te,t, IA d-,,ruc.
tion.
The use of ,,eeI instead NJ wood
NJ first ,ooe.yed m offsr I,Sv.,,,o q.
but il was soon found that ,teeI ,,r,,r.
lures of equal strength could not he
built the same weight a, wooden
members without seriou, difficulty in
fabrication or danger due 10 co,ro-
sion.
Tested In Wind Tunnel
As soon as the Approximate dimen-
sions of the seaplane were determined
scale model was built and tested in
the wind tunnel at the Washington
navy ward. From the result, Of these
tests the longitudinal and d;,ec,;o,,I /
stability were determined \, well A,
the horsepower and flight character
i,tic,. alI Of which ,inc, have re-,
verified closely in actual practice.
The form Of the hull adopted 10 a
departure in that il has a beam Of
only ten feet and is so constructed
that no ribs are used to support the
bottom planking. Both these point,
were severely criticised by foreign es-
perts and a number Of American con-