The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-05-18


ing.
scarcely dry before work was begun
upon the giant bombing planes with
which Germany thought to terrorise
Paris and London, to adapt them to
commercial purposes.
This may sound like the statement
Of an alarmist, but / can assure you
that the Germans are going into the
transatlantic flight field scientifically
and aggressively and after visiting the
lStaacken works, a subsidiary company
o. the famous Zeppelin concern, I am
able to state with certainty that they
are creating engines which surpass
in size and power anything Which1t the
allied manufacturers have conceived.
Plans for Air Monsters.
I am not an aviator, but after my
inspection of the STACKER plant, 1 am
convinced that il the allies give the
Zeppelin people a chance to enter the
transatlantic field, the Stacker
planes are as likely to succeed as any
other. Besides the great bombing
planes which are being altered for
commercial purposes, the Germans
have already built engines larger
than the Caproni or Handley- Page,
and they have perfected plans for
aeroplanes with greater wing spread,
and longer, than any contemplated by
the allies.
I spent two days at the Stacker
plant and it was amusing to note the
freedom with which the Zeppelin peo-
pie parted with secrets hitherto so
jealousy guarded. 1 do not think
that before the end of the war Ger
many ever considered seriously the
use OF aeroplanes for other than war
purposes.
Herr Rasch informed me that the
production of aeroplanes in Germany
is being held up at the present time
because concerns which manufactured
war planes are not certain that they
will be able to find a market for an
aeTopIane for commercial purposes
only.
Ignore Air Mail Service.
AS far as the small fast aeropIane is
concerned. to, be used for transporting
mail and baggage, there is no POSSIBLE
ity to develop this service to any great
extent because Of the German railway
system. Germany developed her rail-
way system to such a high degree dur
ing her forty years preparation for
this last war that il will always be
possible for her to send mail and ex-
press fast enough by train with less
expense than by aeroplane.
OF course, all of the concerns manu-
featuring aeroplanes are contemplating
building a few OF these small fast ma
chimes for trips such as Berlin TO Ham
burg and return, but it is Herr Raschss
opinion that Germany intends to build
nothing but very large aeropIanes for
transatlantic flights and for journeys
from Berlin to London. Paris. Vienna
and Constantinople.
The 3.000-horsepoweF aeroplane that
is to be built, with its full load will
weigh $4,000 kilos. OF this, $4,000
kilos is the machine itself and the
weight Of passengers and gasoline is
1900 kilos. 1t will have i've engines
OF 6oo-horsepower developing a speed
Of $50 kilometers an hour. With crew
and gasoline sufficient for twenty-four
hours flying with full engine, this ma
chine can make trip of $500 kilo-
meters. and against a twenty-mile
wind, the same machine can make
1850 kilometers. A trip Of ], 200 kilo-
meters, carrying crew, sufficient gaso-
line and rs passengers leach pas
senger averaging 100 kilos) can be
made in eight hours.
Worlds Greatest Acceptance.
But the machine with which the
Stacker aeroplane people hope to
cross the Atlantic, and the largest
type OF machine that has ever been
contemplated in the history of avia-
ton makes all Of these other three
planes look like mere gnats. The ma
chine is to have a wing spread of 20
meters, more than So feet. and eight
Mercedes and Diesel motors, 500 horse
power each. will develop 4,0OO-horse-
power.
This machine is capable Of carrying
5000 gallons of gasoline. With gaso-
line and a crew OF ten men, this ma
chine can make trip in twenty-five
hours. flying full engines, Of $3.50
kilOmeters, and with crew and gaso-
line sufficient for eight hours flying,
the machine can make a trip Of 200
kilometers carrying 40 passengers.
The Stacker people have also per-
fected a motor which is located within
the fusilade of this machine " hich de-
velopes and feeds compressed air to all
Of the other engines. In this way the
thin air and low pressure at high alti-
tude is overcome and it is still possible
to get the maximum amount OF power
out OF the motors.
Atlantic Flight IL Ambition
For transatlantic flight this device
will be OF great benefit for while il !
Will not generally be necessary to fly ]
at an altitude of over 1000 feet, never !,
theless this invention will assist large |
planes TO a considerable extent in their !
transatlantic flights because il will |
make il possible for each plane 10 .
overcome any wind difficulties which !
may arise BY rising and flying at a /
higher altitude.
When one stops and considers the /
size Of this machine, the horse power .
developed, and the amount Of gasoline !
that il can carry, one realized, when
finished, 1t will surpass any machine
;Onten plated by the Caproni people
in Italy or the Handiey-Page people I
IN England.
! asked Herr Rasch IL he thought D
hat Germany contemplated the man /.
lfacture Of Zeppelins on a wholesale 4
scale. He said that this was not FEAST Il
Die because Of the terrific expense nee II
essary TO build the Zeppelin sheds and
he great loss that would ensue each II
inc 4 Zeppelin was lost. He said 4
II present the chef desire Of his con-
.crn was 10 cross the Atlantic; second.
o increase the horse power OF the mo-
ors which would increase the speed
md shorten the length Of time pnces