The New York herald., 1921-01-23
Details Of Americas
L arg st Heavier
Than Air Machine,
the Obi, Show Up
the Transatlantic
Flyer NC-4 as a
Pygmy - Nine En-
gines to Drive Tri-
plane Of 5000 Mile
Cruising Radius

r Ul QcL3HS O1 AMcHCdS $ISdLeSt
lighter than air machfne-the R-3S, or as
it will be known the ZR-s-now being
constructed In Great Britain. were given
recently In the Magazine Section of THE
NEW YORK HERALD. Herewith are
presented hitherto unpublished facts con-
cerning Americas greatest heavier than
air machine, under construction by the
navy and known as the GB-I. This mon
ster flying boat so far exceeds anything
built or building by any other country
that the facts concerning it will be
revelation to students of aerouautics.
New York Herald Bureau
Washington, D. O.. Jan. e.
lost Americans who have attained
NI the age OF 40 can remember the
exploits Of Darius Green, the first
American "ace." whose famous nonstop
flight from the barn roof to the ground was
POLITICALLY described In the old Fourth
Reader" to be perused with excited thrills
by the pupils and a smile of good natured
tolerance by Teacher.
There used to be some confusion in the
minds Of the fourth grade boys as to whether
Darius Green really had been q person Of
flesh and bone and blood or was merely
the fgment of a poetic imagination. But
usually Teacher was ready to explain that
Darius was the representative of type
facetiously chosen by the author to portray
a rather numerous class of half mad persons
who persisted in the belief that it would one
day be possible for man to fly.
1t is a far cry from Darius Green to
Orville and Wilbur Wright, and still more
distant halo to Rear Admiral d. w. Taylor,
chief constructor Of the United States Navy,
who designed the worlds greatest heavier
than air craft now building at League Island
Navy Yard
Experts Predict Huge Aircraft
Will Be Able to Cross the Pacific
This huge airplane. already appropriately
named the GB. or Giant Boat" type. will
be as large as an ordinary church. with
planes $50 feet in length. and experts predict
that it will not only be able to cross the
Atlantic in single nonstop flight. but will
also be able to traverse the Pacific by stop
ping only at the usual steamship ports Of
call. Honolulu, Midway and Guam.
Huge as were the NC type ships which
blazed the way across the Atlantic and
thereby added another Jewel to Americas
diadem of aerial achievement, they will be
as toys compared with this new giant boat.
Likewise the 100 passenger airplanes pro-
5ected by Signor Caproni, the famous Italian
engineer. will appear insignificant alongside
her.
The GB-1, now building at League Island,
will have nine engines. developing horse
power of $500, which will drive the great
craft when loaded to capacity at speed of
ITO miles an hour. The enormous fuel tanks
will give her cruising radius of nearly
5000 miles, which can II necessary be con-
s;derably increased.
The GB-i is to be a flying boat, SO
called because she will actually be stout,
seaworthy boat which will plough through
rough water up to a speed Of so miles an
hour, and then take the air and buffet any
gale. The hull, or boat proper will be 81
feet in length by Is feet beam. Seven bulk
heads will divide the hull into eight water
tight compartments. with watertight doors In
a wing passage for access. The forward
compartment will have a cockpit for the
lookout and navigator.
In the next compartment will be seated.
side by side the principal pilot or aviator
and his assistant Next comes a compart-
ment for members of the crew Off watch TO
rest or sleep. Beyond this are compartments
containing gasolene tanks and finally a