THE L. W. F. ENGINEERING COMPANY, INC. General Offices and Factory: College Point, Long Island, N. Y. OFFICERS President Vice-President and General Manager. Bradley W. Fenn The L. W. F. Engineering Company during 1920 developed its Model H. "Giant" three-motored tractor biplane for the Army Air Service which is using it as a heavy bomber. There were also reconstructed for the Army Air Service and the U. S. Air Mail Service 147 DeHaviland 4 machines including ten twin-motored machines for general utility by the Army and twenty for the Air Mail. Of this production 50 DeHavilands were remodeled for the Air Mail. On these machines are several innovations designed at the L. W. F. factory. The most important L. W. F. product in 1920 was the "Giant." It is America's largest airplane. It can carry 3000 pounds useful load on long distance flights and on shorter trips 5000 to 6000 pounds. Two great fuselages, 50 feet long, constructed of laminated wood, carry part of the fuel supply and bombs. The crew and controls are located in the nacelle, or tailless body, the central carriage of the plane. A twelve-cylinder high compression 400 h.p. Liberty motor is set in the nose of the nacelle and one in each nose of the two fuselages, supplying in all 1200 h.p. The wing span is 106 feet from tip to tip. There is accommodation for two pilots, a radio operator and a mechanic. Resting and relief quarters for the crew are installed in the nacelle. Fully loaded, the plane weighs ten and a half tons. It has a cruising radius of 16 hours at low speed. It lands at 56 miles an hour. The maximum flying speed is 110 miles an hour. With only two of its motors operating it can climb with a full load. Flying at full speed under power from all three motors it can remain in the air 10 hours. Other outstanding features that identify this machine are the monocoque fuselage and nacelle, the intercommunicating gasoline system and the fire extinguisher system. The wing construction is of the Pratt truss type and consists of three upper and three lower panels of 11 ft. chord and equal spans with an 11 ft. gap. Each wing is equipped with balanced interchangeable ailerons. Ribs are built up first and then slipped over the beams which are built up of four pieces, thus forming a hollow box section; the top and bottom are of spruce and the sides of birch. The internal wire bracing is double and of No. 8 solid piano wire and 3/16" hard cable. All external wire fittings are applied directly to the beams and project through the covering. The fuselages and nacelle are supported between the upper and lower planes on tubular struts which are thoroughly streamlined. Each of the engines is streamlined. The main load and crew are carried in the nacelle while each fuselage carries its complete power plant and has a small auxiliary compartment for express mail or cargo. Each power plant is equipped with Delco ignition, electric starters and compression release. The radiators are above the motors, directly in the blast of the propeller and equipped with individual shutter controls. The tail is of the biplane type. It consists of two double cambered hori zontal stabilizer planes superimposed, with elevators attached and a fin on the top of each fuselage followed by a balanced rudder. A third balanced rudder is installed midway between the two. The landing gear is of the six wheel, two axle type, with the outer two wheels side by side directly under the center of each fuselage and the other two wheels spaced equally between. The landing gear is so placed that when landing the center of gravity falls sufficiently far back of the wheels to prevent any tendency to nose over. Total supporting area (including ailerons)............ 2216 sq. ft. WEIGHTS AND LOADING: Net weight (machine empty). Gross weight (fully loaded) 13,386 pounds 21,186 pounds Useful load.. 7,800 pounds 10.4 pounds 17.6 pounds 1200 h.p. 9′6′′ diam., 6′ 8′′ pitch Clockwise II0 m.p.h. Low speed. 56 m.p.h. Ceiling Climb .15,000 ft. 6,000 ft. in 10 minutes THE GLENN L. MARTIN COMPANY General Offices and Factory: Cleveland, Ohio. President OFFICERS Glenn L. Martin Secretary Thomas H. Jones Since its inception, which was in Los Angeles, in 1912, the Glenn L. Martin Company has had a steady growth. Today, the Glenn L. Martin Company has unfilled orders, both Army and civilian, amounting to nearly $1,350,000. It employs more men and women than it did during the war, and plans are under way at the present time for the development of commercial aircraft on a considerable scale. January, 1920, found the Glenn L. Martin Company in production on a Navy contract for ten huge torpedo planes. The Martin Torpedo Plane is essentially a land type, twin-motored, tractor biplane, designed to carry a 2100-pound torpedo (or the equivalent weight in torpedo and bombs) two machine guns complete, radio equipment, a crew of three men (pilot, navigator and gunner) and sufficient fuel for 480 miles cruising radius. It has a wing spread of 71 feet and 5 inches, with an overall length of 46 feet 4 inches, and a height of 14 feet. This new type of torpedo plane has several recent developments, such as folding wings, which when folded reduce the overall width of the plane to 35 feet 10 inches-thus minimizing the space required for housing. Another new feature is found in the landing gear which is divided in the middle so as to permit the torpedo cradle, capable of carrying a 2100-pound torpedo, to be suspended underneath the fuselage. In June, 1920, the United States Army placed an order with the Glenn L. Martin Company for twenty bombers of the M. B.-2 type. The Martin Bomber, type M. B.-2, is a special military machine designed for the Army. It is intended to be used for night bombardment and is designed accordingly to carry from 1791 to 3400 pounds of bombs, five Lewis machine guns, flares, night navigation equipment, wireless and interphone outfit, and a very complete set of instruments and accessories. It is equipped with general electric type superchargers, which enable the motors to develop full power to an altitude of 18,000 feet and thereby permit a ceiling of approximately 30,000 feet to be reached. The gross weight of the M. B.-2 bomber is 12,075 pounds, and the useful load, comprising a crew of three men, gasoline and oil for four hours' flight, complete armament equipment and bomb supply, is 4750 pounds. The entire bomb load is carried within the fuselage on bomb racks which allow almost two tons of bombs to be carried. This enables the plane, in war service, to make short raids with an exceptionally heavy cargo of explosives. The two 400 horsepower Liberty Motors can drive the plane 107 miles an hour at sea level and it can climb more than 4,000 feet in ten minutes. The landing speed, with full load, is 60 miles per hour. From tip to tip, the wing span is 74 feet 2 inches, although this can be reduced to 37 feet 10 inches by folding. The overall length is 43 feet 716 inches, and the height 15 feet 634 inches. The wing chord is 95 inches or approximately 8 feet. The total wing area is 1121 square feet. In addition to the present Army contract calling for twenty Martin Bombers type M. B.-2, the Glenn L. Martin Company has received up to the present time Government orders amounting to forty-six planes, twenty-six of which have already been put into active service and have made enviable records of performance. Of the four corps de armée planes built for the Army in 1918, one is in the Smithsonian Institute at Washington, D. C., while the other three are still in service at various Government aviation fields throughout the U. S. These four planes were undoubtedly the most completely equipped airplanes in existence at that time. In addition to their regular equipment, they carried navigation lights, signal lights and search lights for night landings, land flares, electrically heated flying suits, internal telephonic system for communication between members of the crew, a complete wireless set, and two gun mounts for Lewis machine guns. Six Martin Mail Planes were built in 1919 for the Post Office Department for use in the Aerial Mail Service between New York and Chicago. The general design of these planes is very similar to the types built for the Army. They carry a supply of fuel for six hours' operation as well as a crew of two men and 1500 pounds of mail, which is divided among five compartments. These planes have established a remarkable record of efficiency in the Mail Service. Of the ten planes built recently by the Glenn L. Martin Company for the U. S. Navy, the first two were of the M. B. T. type, which is very similar in general design to the original Martin Bombers, with the exception of the divided landing gear. The succeeding eight planes were of the M. T. type, which is a totally new design, the outstanding features being the high left wing section and folding wings. The two 12-cylinder Liberty engines moreover were mounted on the lower wings just outside of the first wing strut away from the fuselage. The first Martin Bomber Torpedo Plane or M. B. T. type was given its trial flight January 31, 1920, at the Martin airdrome. The naval officials stationed at the Martin Plant considered the trial flight a most unusual success. This same plane was flown from Cleveland to the Naval Air Station at Anacostia, D. C., and has been in constant operation ever since in the experimentation of torpedo dropping. The second machine of the M. B. T. type was shipped to the Naval Aircraft Factory at Philadelphia, where it was fitted with flotation gears for operation with the Atlantic fleet. The eight remaining M. T. type or Martin Torpedo Planes were divided between the airplane torpedo detachments of the Atlantic and Pacific fleets, four being sent to the Pacific and three to the Atlantic. The remaining one M. T. plane was lent to the Army for experimentation purposes in dropping 1000-pound bombs. It was later ferried to Anacostia for delivery to the Atlantic fleet. At the present time, the Glenn L. Martin Engineering Department is preparing plans and designs for two distinctly new types of planes; one a four to six passenger small twin engine touring machine, and the other a huge bi-motored commercial plane capable of carrying from 15 to 24 passengers or a cargo of over 3,500 pounds. PACKARD MOTOR CAR COMPANY General Offices and Plant: Detroit, Mich. OFFICERS President and General Manager.... Treasurer Alvan Macauley . Col. Jesse G. Vincent .H. H. Hills .E. F. Roberts . Frank R. Robinson The aeronautical activities of Packard during 1920 have been entirely in charge of the engineering division, and have been devoted to development work for the government. During the year three new airplanes have been successfully completed, which completes the Packard line, so that the company now has engines developing from 125 to around 600 b.p.h. In addition the engineering division has now nearly completed designing a 6-cylinder engine for the U. S. Navy for use in dirigibles. For use by other than the government, Packard has sold a number of engines with specifications identical with the Liberty. These have been used both for aviation engines and speed boats. For the government service the most important job has been the development of the 2025 engine. This is a twelve cylinder, V type, engine, producing up to 600 b.h.p. at 2,000 r.p.m. The weight is 1118 pounds, giving 1.94 pounds per horsepower at 1920 r.p.m. It will operate with great economy as low as 1275 r.p.m., giving about 400 b.h.p. It is the largest airplane engine yet designed for quantity production and the most powerful of any except a special racing development. Among the notable features of the design is the fact that a single duplex carburetor is used, obviating the necessity of synchronizing the four carburetors common on other machines of high power. Another is that all vents are outside the cowling, eliminating fire danger. A third is the extreme ruggedness of the design, which will permit of some 250 flying hours at 1275 to 1350 r.p.m. without overhauling the engine. These engines have been built and delivered to the Engineering Division, U. S. Air Service, McCook Field, Dayton, Ohio. Packard has also delivered to McCook Field engines of the 1116 type, developed during the year. This engine weighs 820 pounds, and develops from 200 b.h.p. at 1200 r.p.m. to 330 at 2000 r.p.m. It is a twelve cylinder engine of the same general type. The fourth and smallest engine in the Packard line, which was also perfected during the year, is the 744, an eight cylinder motor. Its weight is 595 pounds, and its power curve runs from 145 b.h.p. at 1200 r.p.m. to 215 at 2000. These also have been delivered to the Airplane Engineering Division at McCook Field. The engineering department has developed, also, for all the engines, a new type of installation giving greater accessibility, also an electric starter to be attached to the rear end of the engine. The most notable record made with Packard engines during the year was that for altitude by Major Shroeder, U. S. A., an account of which will be found in the chronology. STURTEVANT AEROPLANE COMPANY General Offices and Plant: Jamaica Plain, Boston, Mass. Important research work in the development of the Sturtevant airplane engines has been undertaken and work on the Sturtevant supercharger has |