Evening star., 1940-06-16
4,0O0-H. P. Engine
Is Goal Of Proposed
Aircraft Laboratory
So, ,4N,0 900 for Research,
Passed by House, Now
Pending in Senote
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.

OeVelOpment OF AIRCRAFT engines
of sizes up to 1000 horsepower
nearly three times the size Of the
present larger sized engines-will be
investigated by the National Advis-
ory Committee for Aeronautics in
the proposed $8,400,000 engine re-
search laboratory, funds for which
have been approved by the House
and which now are pending before
the Senate.
Such giant engines virtually would
revolutionize present concepts OF
aircraft power plants. They would
make possible flying boats, lombard
ment airplanes and land transports
of sizes beyond anything yet con-
templated and might even put aero
nautical science, at one jump, face
to-face with the problems of flight
at speeds approaching the velocity
of sound.
The proposed engine laboratory,
however, would not be confined to
research work leading merely to
larger engines, but to perfection of
existing types of engines and &C
ceSSories and to investigation of
new types of power plants and new
principles of power application to
human flight.
New Fuels Would Be Sought.
Search would be made for new
fuels, for improvement of existing
fuels and for the more efficient use
Of fuels in carburetion, fuel injec-
ton and Diesel-type engines. Means
of conserving power now lost in the
form Of heat Wastefully poured from
existing engines will be one of many
goals to be sought by the new lab
oratory
Although it is hoped that work on
the new research plant may be
started this summer, it is estimated
than two and one-half years will be
required for its completion. In the
meantime, engine research work is
being pushed forward as rapidly as
possible under serious limitations at
the Langley Memorial Aeronautic-
al Laboratories of the N. A. c. A. at
Langley Field Va, and by the Army.
Navy and commercial aircraft en-
gine factories.
An outline by DR.. George w.
Lewis, director of research of the
N. A. c. A, of the setup and pro-
posed facilities of the new engine
research laboratory gives the first
indication of the far-reaching scope
and tremendous Importance to
American aviation and to national
defense OF the proposed research
program.
Five Units in Laboratory.
1t already has been disclosed that
the laboratory will consist of five
major units, a power-plant labora-
tory, a power-plant wind tunnel,
fuels and lubricants laboratory, an
engine-torque stand and an engine
f1lght-test section. A break down
by DR.. Lewis of the functions of
these units shows how broad will
be the research program.
The first unit, the power-plant
laboratory, will provide for study of
slngle-cylinder and multicylinder
engines with view to improving
power output and economy. The
laboratory also will contain shops
and facilities for such basic prob
lens as supercharger research
The air war on the other side
is a high-altitude war" DR.. Lewis
explained. The fighting is going
on above 10000 feet. Superchargers
are essential TO our airplanes now.
There are three types of super
chargers. There is one type that
is driven by the exhaust from the
engine. Then there is the two
speed gear-driven supercharger and
there is the two-stage supercharger,
where compressed air from one
stage is delivered to another stage
for further compression. This
whole field must be investigated to
improve supercharger efficiency and
range
The power-plant laboratory also
will have section devoted to