Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-01
DAMAGE TO WILLIAMS PLANE
WILL NOT HINDER RACE ENTRY
Propeller Accident Not to Keep Famous
Speed Pilot From Seeking Lost Honors
In Schneider Meet.

The accident to the propeller of
Lieut.. A. J. Williams racing plane at
Port Washington, Long Island yester-
day, occasioned by it's having come IN
contact with sprays of water sent up
nv the Dontoons while the propeller
was turning over at a high rate of
speed, will not jeopardiZe the pilot
chances of taking the plane to Italy
as Americas entrant In the Schnei l.
der international seaplane trophy to
he held at Venice. September 20, II
was learned here today.
While Lieut.. Williams has not com
mitted himself on future activities
for the racing plane. 1t Is known
throughout the aeronautical frater-
nifty that he is bending every effort tc
get the ship in competition with rae
Ing craft from England and Italy
within the next two months.
On his behalf the National Aero
nautc Association has formally re-
auested the Aero Club of Italy. pro-
moters of the 1927 seaplane classic. to
postpone the date of the event for 30
days In order to make Lieut.. Will
liams' presence possible. The asso-
citation has been supported in this re-
quest by Comdr. Silvio Scaroni. air
attache of the Italian embassy. No
official word has been received to date
OF the clubs action on the request.
although rllmOrS are current in New
York that the applica ton either has
been denied Or ignored.
Accident Is Common.
The incident surrounding the dam
age to the propeller In not new one.
1t was said at the Bureau of Aero
nautics today. Seaplanes, both large
and small, have experienced damage
to the propellors as they beat through
spray sent by pontoons AS the craft
plowed through the water on the take
off. 1t was said that Lieut.. Williams
probably could use the same pontoons
that now are attached to the plane
and avoid a repetition of Yesterday s
trouble by placing metal strips. called
SPRAY strips" across the underpart
of the floats. at the nose.
Carl +. Schory, secretary of the con
test committee of the National Aero
nautic Associa ton. who will supervise
the first speed trials OF the plane, re-
ceived telegram from Williams to-
day saying: "Will wire you when to
come the latter part of the week" No
details of the delay were given and
Schory took this to mean the plane
will he ready for its maiden flight at
an early date.
Plane Privately Backed.
The racing plane project was mi
tiated by Williams after the Army and
Navy Air Services withdrew from such
competitions that involve the design
and construction Of planes not used In
regular service. The project Is backed
by private subscription, but the Navy
has given the pilot assistance of Vari
Gus degrees from the beginning. The
original plan of Williams was to build
a. racer that would bring back to this
country the high-speed records fol
both land and seaplanes. and the op
portunity to enter the Schneider tro
ply contest did not come until the
Navy several months ago Withdrew
from further competition, after this
country had won two of The three
legs" A victory this year means per
manent possession of the coveted tro
ply.
Lieut.. Williams has not abandoned
his original plan to recapture the
speed records for a StraightaWaN
course of three kilometers. AS his
IL
In this country, he was prevailed
upon by aeronautical enthusiasts To
enter the Schneider events. The Ma
tional Aeronautic Association made
three blank entries last April. but did
not reveal the individuals in mind
This. however, was not necessary, as
by their formal application for three
places in the contest Lieut.. Williams
should he get across, will be taken
care of.
Eager for Race Trial.
Those familiar with the detailed
plans of the project are particularly
anxious that Lieut.. Williams get tc
Italy, as 1t is believed his plane is the
fastest in the world today. While
there is very little improvement in
the design of his craft over the 1925
Army and Navy racers. from the
viewpoint of making it faster. the
presence of the Packard "X' engine
capable of developing about 1896
horsepower. is the fea ture Of the shiI
upon which all hopes cling. This
engine has "a cylinders and Is the
most powerful ever installed in any
plane Of any type in the world.
As a land plane, 1t Is believed the
Williams racer can tfaVet COnSlOsfaDlA
in excess Of 800 miles an hour. hui
"a n seaplane. it Is thought that ths
pontoons will hold its speed within
several miles this side of the 300-mil
mark. No one, not even Lieut.. vii
liams himself will know the maximum
speed of this craft until after the
Schneider race. II he succeeds in get
ting abroad.
His speed trials at Port Washington
are not planned for the purpose o
breaking the existing record of 25'
miles an hour for seaplanes, which
was made by an Italian pilot and al
italian plane at Norfolk last Novem
Der. but to get an accurate accOun
OF the capabilities of the plane il
flight. Lieut.. Williams. in the forth
coming test flights. does not plan Il
'uncork" all OF his tremendous horse
power. but just enough to slide hin
over the 25S-mile-an-hour mark.
This record. incidentally, is credited
to the United States. although foreign
ingenuity NADIA IL SOlAiv hnca uGn thu