Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-31

cooled engines Tor M1ulBl- mo9oreu
planes. Some weird results have
been obtained from improperly
4 designed coWlings for cupboard
engine nacelleS and the most
comprehensive research must be
completed before satisfactory re-
suits can be obtained. The ex-
perience OF one commercial de-
Signer who fitted cowlings to q
tri-notored ship and suffered a
reduction Of speed of three miles
per hour shows that no hit-or-
miss designing can produce good
results.
Similarly the National Advisory
Committee is going with the
greatest possible thoroughneSs
into the question of the oil-burn-
ing compression jgnition engine,
the improvement OF seaplane
floats and flying boat hullS, the
reduction OF drag and multitude
of other matters which are bring
ing gray hairs and furrowed
brows to American aircraft de-
SignerS,
High-speed Wind Tunnel Devised.
A new high-speed wind-tunnel
has just been installed by the
Guggenheim aeronautical labora-
tory at the California Institute OF
Technology, Pasadena, and 1t is
expected that facts will be un-
covered which up to the present
time have been beyond the grasp
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can be circulated through the
tunnel at a velocity Of 200 miles
per hour, which Is so great that
it is said it person were to
thrust his hand into the tunnel
the force Of the wind would
sprain his wrist.
Other educational institutions
which have contributed materially
to the science of aviation are the
Guggenheim School of Aeronau-
tics at New York University and
the Massachusetts, Institute Of
Technology.
Development of radio beacon
service and the gathering and
broadcasting of weather data to
pilots in flight promise to form
one of the vital chapters in pres
ent day improvement of COM
mercial aeronauticS. The Bureau
of Standards is operating a fight
test laboratory at College Park,
Md, where an experimental radio
beacon station has been in opera
ton for many months. The De-
partment of Commerce has eStab-
liShed several radio beacon sta
lions on the Eastern end of the
transcontinental airway and Is
extending the chain of stations
westward.
Air transport companies are
hard at work on the application
of radio to their operations. Along
the tranScontinental lines they
are establishing a great chain of
meteorological stations for the
gathering and analysis of weather
information and radio and tele-
type communication system for
sending this information to con-
troll points and broadcasting it
from there to pilots.
Discovery by Army Air Corps.
The Army Air Corps, following
six years of experimental work at
Wilbur Wright Field, Dayton,
Ohio, has announced the develop
ment of a new cooling fluid to
replace water in the systems of
water-cooled airplane engines,
with great increase in efficiency
of both motor and plane. Not
only is the total weight of the
cooling fluid tremendously de-
Creased, but the size and, conSe-
quently, the weight and wind re-
.SiStance OF the radiator, are de-
creased as well. There is made
possible a reduction in weight of
some 100 pounds and an increase
in speed, due to reduced drag, of
more than 10 miles per hour in
the standard Army pursuit plane,
the War Department has an
ncunced.
From Michigan came a report
this week that a variable Gambler
airplane wing has been developed
and flown. The wing Is built in
three longitudinal sections, hinged
together so that the wing curve
may be adjusted in fight by the
pilot. For taking off and landing
6 deep curve is used to reduce the
speed and increase the lift. Once
in the air the wing Is f1attened
out to reduce the curve and in
crease the speed.
Roof Markers to be Installed.
The Department of Commerce
set to work some time ago to pro-
duce the best possible type Of roof
Identification marker5to be paint
ed in cities and towns all over the
country for the guidance OF flyers.
Specifications for the painting
and lighting of the approved type
of marker have been issued for
distribution to all parts Of the
country. Spring painting in towns
and cities all over the United
States this year includes the APP
proved type roof marker.
A national contest is in pro-
greSS to produce the best possible
standard airport design which
may become the model, with slight
Variations to ut local conditions,
for the laying out Of landing fields
by American municipalities.
Similarly with airways beacon
lights, field landing lights, han
gars and score OF other facili-
ties Of greater or lesser import
ance.
Research. in the laboratory and
in the air, Is the breath Of life to
American aviation today and
under its spur the art Of flying Is
going forward at q rate never be-
fore attained even during the
period Of forced growth during
the World War.
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