Evening star., 1923-06-24

Great credit Is given tie Army air
service engineering division at Nc
Cook Field for the expeditions and
clever way in which new installa-
tions were carried out on the F-4 or
T-2. as 1t is popularity known, by
Robert B. c. Noorduyn. American
representative of the Netherlands
Aircraft Manufacturing Company.
producers of the monoplane, in an
article in the forthcoming issue of
u. s. Air Service, the official publ
cation OF the Army and Navy Air Serv-
ice Association. Mr.. Noorduyn is only
thirty years old, and 1t was he who
promoted the idea of having one of
the well known F'okkers attempt such
feat.
After the T-2 was put through
tests at McCook Field, 1t was de-
termined by the engineering division
there that this ship was capable of
taking off and landing safely with
load something more than a ton
in excess of that specified by the
manufacturer. this bringing the total
loaded weight up to 10,S00 pounds,
says Mr.. Noorduyn.
The chief alterations made in the
T-2 in the original layout. he says,
are in the fuel system, the controls
and the cabin arrangement TO the
original 135-gallon tank, further
gasoline tanks were added in the
wing and the front half of the cabin
to bring the capacity up to 737 gal
Ions. The carburetors are fed from
and the tanks are filled from the
tanks in the wing. The center seq
tion of the wing spars was specially
strengthened to carry the great
loads imposed by the new tanks.
Originally a cockpit for only one
pilot was provided, up beside the
engine: the engineering division in
stalled a complete second control in
stallation in the cabin. the windows
of the latter being enlarged down to
to the floor and large sliding door
fitted next to the pilots seat in the
cabin. The pilots are able to change
places through small triangular
door, which was made in the cabin
wall behind the front pilots seat.
Extra oil and water tanks. specially
cooled and braced. exhaust pipes and
several other ingenious detail ar
rangements, all playing their own
important part in obtaining the alb
solute reliability of the whole, COM
plete an installation which has prob
ably no parallel in any aircraft at
the present day.
Naval Air station.
Lieut.. Rutledge Irvine, executive
officer of the station. and Lieuts. Rit-
tenhouse and Gorton. all of whom
will represent the United States in
the Schneider cup races off the Isle
of Wight next fall. will begin train
ing this week for the event Two
will be used by the officers. Much
time will be given to landing prac-
tice. as it is understood one feature
of the race requires a landing within
specified distance and then taking off
again. The officers in order to ac-
complish this angle of the race will
try to land on "ten-cent pieces.
Lieut.. George R. Pond. with the
stations F5-L $500. flew to the naval
base at Hampton roads. where "Old
Home week was being celebrated
and participated in the maneuvers
put on by the Atlantic aircraft squad
ron. He laid a smoke screen around
squadron of Fills somewhat the
same exhibition as was held here dur
ing Shrine week.
Lieut.. Pond has just returned to the
station after an extended visit to
New York. where he tested new
Douglas torpedo-2 airplane. equip
ped with super-high compression
motor and built by the L. W. F. En-
gineering Corporation. Lieut.. Pond
established what is believed record
for speed. flying 1O4 miles an hour
with torpedo and passenger. While
there he also tested out two sub
marine planes, both of which are due
here any day for further tests. These
little planes can be stored in sub
marine, assembled on deck and flown
off from the water. They are equip
ped with Lawrence three-cylinder
motors and in one of the planes Lieut.
Pond flew 102 miles an hour.
The altitude flight which was to
have been made by Lieut.. L. H. Sand
erson, U. S. NJ C., shortly before
Shrine week and was postponed. is
scheduled to be held within short
time. Lieut. Sanderson is making
final preparations for the hop.
The daily mail route between here
and Hampton road, which Is trav
ersed by Douglas torpedo plane, by
way of testing II, was officially
opened last Thursday and since has
been flown over daily except Sun
days. Wednesday Commander Albert
Reid who took the NC-4 across the
Atlantic, flew down with Lieut.. Com
mander Mitscher. Commander Reid
returned to Washington Friday.
Boiling Field.
Excellent flying weather has pulled
many air service officers on duty in
the office of the chief away from their
desks. During the week numerous
pilots took ships up on practic flights
and several went cross country. They
are. in an excellent position from one
standpoint, ie.. they are able to get
away from the heat that has en-
crossed Washington for several days
and seek out cool, pure atmosphere of
higher levels. However, when land