San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-01
Flying Students Are En-
abIed to See Every Opera
ton Of Engine and Learn
Constructions Thorough
~.

Students Mt the Primary Flying
School at Brooks Field do not have to
depend upon their individual visual
'zed picture of airplane motors in their
-,aay of the machine. Neither do they
have to depend totally upon lectures
from their instructors. and upon
blackboard charts in their attempt to
gain an accurate understanding of all
the minute parts of the airplane en-
CINE. In order that the students might
observe the actual workings of each
part of an airplane motor, 400
horsepower Liberty motor has been
sectionalized and placed in one of the
lecture rooms at the Primary Flying
Schools.
This motor was sectionalized by
Sergeant Charles o. Peterson Of
Brooks Field, and is the first one ever
made in San Antonio. A section of
the covering of each part of the giant
Liberty motor has been cut away so
that the actual working of every part
can be seen by the student.
The Liberty motor makes an aver
age of 100 revolutions per minute
when running at flying speed, but an
engine running at this rate would be
of little value to students in trying
to see the operation CT the various
parts. Consequently the sect;oraliz0l
motor In the lecture room at Brooks
Field is mounted on blocks and is ro-
tated by a small electric motor at the
retarded rate of seventeen revolutions
per minute. In this way the student
can see exactly how each part of the
complicated machine works. Small
electric light bulbs have been attached
TO each of the spark plugs and these
lights are autone tically turned on
at the time each cylinder is supposed
to fire.
Shows Every Part.
Sergeant Peterson made a sectional
ized motor for the Primary Flying
School while it was stationed at Carl
strom Field, Fla, bur it was not as
complete as the one recently com
pieted at Brooks Field. The one he
has recently completed at Brooks
Field, and which every student Of the
Primary Flying School is required to
carefully study, shows absolutely
every part of the Liberty motor as it
operates. 1t is completely sectional
lied machine.
Since the. average man knows moth
ing about an engine except the fact
that IL runs as long as everything is
all right and stops when something
Zoos wrong. instruction for students
Of tho Primary Flying School starts
with lecture dealing with the principle
ZION which an internal combustion
firra until instruction has been given
'-'Hn the construction, care. mainten-
.--'~r. and operation of service air
r'-e en9ines. which include the
'i-hf eight-cylinder 150-horsepower
~ $50 horsepower motors; the Lib
~ twelve cylinder 400 horsepower
ITO" and the LeRhone 40 horse
--rr rotary motor.
N addition TO lecture work Illus
-HHtcd and supported by charts and
Ff~gr1ns. and again. by the section
"iized motor, each student is given in
strrction in repair work. and Is ac-
trally required to tear down. repair
and re-assemble flying engine Of
each type mentioned above.
Makes Filler Independent.
In learning to do this work the sec
tionalized motor is by far the stu
dents greatest Instructor. BY seeing
I'll actual workings of each part of the
motor he gets thorough understand
ing Of the why and wherefore of each
mart that goes to make up the motor
This KNOWLEDGE may save his life at
scme future date In his career ms an
airplane pilot. At any rate it will save
him untold discomfort and inconven-
fence in case Of forced landing due
to engine trouble. for his knowledge
81 the funetioning Of each minute mart
Of the motor will enable him to dag
nose The trouble and remedy it in
stead Of having to spend hours waiting
for aid to reach him.
The Liberty motor at Brooks Field
which has been sectionalized is the 10
cylinder. 400 horsepower motor. and
n the standard service type used in
the DeHaviland Alb nlane. The Nor
tin bombing plane and the Navy fly
ing boats. IL Ia also the type Of engine
used IN the planes flown bv aviators
IN setting The worlds record for alti-
tude and for endurance.
Following II a list of the section
allied parts Of the Liberty motor at
Brooks Field. showing how they re-
veal the workings of all parts of the
enrine.
Crankshaft-this shows the method
employed to force oil 70 both main and
connecting rod bearings by positive
pressure oiling.
Crankcase showing the crank
shaft. connecting rods. main hearings
shaft. connectin rods, main bearings
and thrust bearing.
CYLINDERS: Showing tho sppcial cor
siruction of the water Jackets. nosi-
tion and operation of valves. and pis-
ton movement.
Pistons: Showing the arrangement
of piston rings. wrist nins and method
&c securing and method Of oiling wrist
pire.
Camsh~ft housing: Showing tho on
craticn Of the cams. valve stems. and
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