The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-30
by ERNEST E. HARMON,
LIST Lieutenant, u. S. Air Service

tn HE contest for the one great fiy-
ing record of the world Is al
ready on. 1t began on the day
when the armistice was signed bring
ing hostilities to a close in Europe.
The transatlantic flight would have
been made before this time but for the
outbreak of the war. which drew the
attention of aeronautic experts to the
. stern and immediate business of scout
ing and bombing and fighting over the
contending armies.
I should say-and ! speak from in
formation as we'll as from deduction
that four planes built especially for
the transatlantic flight will have their
trial trips within thirty days. It's
a race among the builders to get them
done. The planes mean are the one
which our navy is building at the
Philadelphia navy yard, the British
super Handley-Page machine, the
super Caproni. which is being built
in Milan, and the multiplane which
| am to pilot that is now being assem-
bled at Langley Field, Hampton
Roads, Va.
Perhaps the critics of our hasty
achievements in preparation for the
war will allow us some little credit as
engine builders after the flight is ac-
complished. All but one of the planes
will have Liberty motors, and perhaps
all of them will. have been informed
that Caproni in Italy is seriously con-
sidering the abandonment Of the Fiat
for the Liberty motor. The British
have already adopted the Liberty
motor for the super Handley-Pag e.
, Capt. Hugo Sundstedt, the Swedish
aviator, also has Liberty motors in
his plane. 1t is possible that he may
attempt or even accomplish a transat-
lantic flight, but / do not put him
down in the list of high possibilities
He has a biplane with a hundred-foot
wing spread and two motors capable
Of developing a total of 400 horse
power, but it doesn't class with the
other planes have mentioned.
The seaplane which our navy ex~
perts are constructing will have a wing
spread of $50 feet, and the British
super Handley-Page has five Liberty
motors to develop 1000 horse power.
Glenn Martin told me he was build
ing a machine especially for the trans
atlantic effort. He said its construc-
ton had been rushed and that it was
not far from completion. Therefore
I should, perhaps, add one more to
the list of four planes which are
likely to begin tuning up for the cross
ocean trip within thirty days.
The Glenn Martin machine is being
built at Cleveland. Ohio. 1t will have
only two motors liberty. Add-
tional interest Is given to Mr.. Martins
announcement. since II means that our
army rs well as our navy will be in
the transatlantic competition. I'm
doubtedly the Glenn Martin eight will
be under army direction.
$4,000 in Prizes.
The flight from continent to con-
tinent across the Atlantic will be made
soon-I should say, possibly, within
ninety days. There may be failures
nrst, and some ambitions for a place
in history may vanish tragically in an
ocean waste. but that will rot deter
others from going on, because, as any
experienced flier can tell you, to ny
across the Atlantic is a cinch--if moth
ing goes wrong Among the six ma
chimes built or building which we know
of-and there may he as many more
that are being prepared in secret
two. at least. under normally favorable
conditions ought to be able to fly
across the Atlantic and back again
without landing. That feat may fur
IRISH the conditions for a contest in
a year not far away. Some one is go
Ing to fly from America TO Europe or
Europe to America before midsummer,
There's nothing to prevent IT. Besides,
the bait of an aggregate of about
$4,000 in prizes is an inspiration.
The plane which is being built &C
cording TO the plans OF our navy fly
ing experts at the Philadelphia navy
yard is simply the best model in the
navy multiplied by two in all dimen-
slons. The navy people believed that
their seaplane with a wing spread OF
1876 feet had a good chance to fly
across the Atlantic. So TO accomplish
. the feat surely and certainly, they
started building a seaplane just twice
as big. No machine with such a wins
spread has ever been built, unless II