Of the thirteen "lame ducks" that abandoned the race, there were but five forced landings and only two planes damaged. Credit for this is due less to good luck than to the good management of the Contest Committee in laying out a course over excellent country. The following table is of some significance:

Which is simply interpreted to mean that the Liberty is a fully developed engine flown in the D.H. plane, also fully developed. A return of 81% may be taken as standard. The S.P.A. engine in the Ansaldo plane is another developed combination. The 180 Wright in S.E.-5 and Vought planes is not at all experimental, but has not had the benefit of extensive service experience. The S.E.-5 and Vought were originally designed and used with the 150 Hispano engine. The 180 Wright seems to be a little too much for the cooling system provided.

The 300 Wright as installed in Thomas-Morse, Ordnance and Loening planes is still somewhat unfamiliar. The engine itself has had thorough block tests, the planes have had extensive test flights, but the installed engine in the planes has not been subjected to severe duty. This engine at ground level is too strong for the cooling system provided. Even the Thomas-Morse, which won second prize, and the Ordnance, fourth prize winner, ran the race under a handicap of cooling trouble.

The winner of the race, strangely enough, was a disappointment because it did not show more speed with its stupendous engine. The engine, however, never developed its rated power. Technically, the greatest interest lies in the Thomas-Morse, the Ansaldo, and the Vought.

The Thomas-Morse ran away from the Ordnance with the same engine, which might be accounted for from the fact that it is a somewhat lighter and smaller plane. However, there is a suspicion that the blunt ended fuselage and nose radiator of the Ordnance may have been largely responsible.

This suspicion is strengthened by the discrepancy between the times made by the Vought and S.E.-5, each equipped with the 180 Wright engine and identical propellers. The Vought is a two-seater training plane, flown as a single-seater for the race, with large wings. of 30 ft. span and eight struts. The S.E.-5 is a single combat plane

with wings of 27 ft. span and only four struts. Yet the Vought beat the S.E.-5 by over four minutes. Obviously, the Vought has more wing drag to overcome. But it is significant that the Vought fuselage has an easy entrance and the circular nose radiator is symmetrical round the propeller axis, while the S.E.-5 has a blunt fuselage with a nose radiator projecting high above the propeller axis into the slip stream.

On the other hand, the Ansaldo made a fine record and its nose radiator resembles the S.E.-5. However, this plane is smaller than S.E.-5, has greater power, and can hardly serve for comparison.

The evidence is accumulating that blunt bodies shaped like S.E.-5, D.H.-4, and even the Ordnance and Verville to some degree, choke the propeller. If nose radiators are used in spite of many objections, it would seem desirable to use a small deep circular radiator and, if possible, a geared down propeller of large diameter. The combination of a large nose radiator and a small diameter propeller as in D.H.-4 has nothing to recommend it.

Another interesting point about the race is the use of benzolgasoline blends by several of the prize winners. No power was gained but the knocking feared from running full power at ground level was eliminated and the engine eased. It seems reasonable to believe that the blended fuel permitted engines to run wide open which otherwise would have come to grief.

CHAPTER XIV

FOREIGN AERONAUTICS; REVIEW OF ACTIVITY, NATION BY NATION, THROUGHOUT THE WORLD

S

UBSTANTIAL progress in the development of aeronautics was made by many nations in 1920. The greatest development was attained in those countries having centralized government control. This national support, whether moral or financial, or both, is establishing commercial aeronautics on a firm and permanent basis. The respective governments following out a definite aeronautical policy are doing so with the avowed purpose of securing a peace-time position in the air which will be their chief defense

in war.

Through the courtesy of European air attachés and diplomatic representatives in Washington, and through the co-operation of the Air Service and the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, as well as by direct investigation abroad, the Manufacturers' Aircraft Association is able to present the following review of aeronautical activity, nation by nation, throughout the world:

ARGENTINA

Argentina is officially interested in developing its aeronautical resources, and the government is studying the regulations of the International Aerial Convention with the idea of formulating an aerial code. Meanwhile Federal aviation is under jurisdiction of the military. The Curtiss Aeroplane & Motor Corporation is demonstrating American built aircraft and maintains an aerial taxi service at San Fernando, 15 miles from Buenos Aires. There are also French and British companies co-operating with local financial interests.

AUSTRALIA

Australia is organizing an air force which, with civilian aviation activities, will be under the control of a board including in its personnel representatives of the Army, Navy and commercial interests. During 1921 the government hopes to map all possible air routes, make appropriations to encourage civil aviation and provide in this a civilian reserve and assure an operating aircraft industry,

able to supply planes and motors in case of war. For this the budget appropriates £500,000 (about $2,500,000 at normal exchange) for military and £100,000 for civilian aviation in 1921. An air mail service is being operated by the government between Lismore and Tenterfield, 101 miles apart.

AUSTRIA

Austria has an aeronautics department under the State Secretary of Transport. Provisional regulations for aerial navigation, pending the publication of Austria's signature to the International Aerial Convention, have been issued.

BELGIUM

Belgian aeronautical activity is under the jurisdiction of the premier group of the Minister of National Defense, who has under his supervision a department headed by a Director of Aeronautics. The development of civil aviation is under this Director. Commercial, passenger, freight and mail lines are being operated between Brussels and Paris and Brussels and London. Belgium has assigned air attachés to all important capitals of the world. Their duties are to aeronautics what those of the military and naval attachés are to the military and naval branches of the government.

BOLIVIA

When Bolivia completes government and civil aviation plans, both branches will be under the jurisdiction of the Minister of the Interior. Bolivia presents a problem for aeronautical engineers. The extremely high altitude of the country makes it imperative that high-powered special high-altitude planes be employed. Bolivia first saw an airplane flight in June, 1920, when a Curtiss triplane purchased by the War Department was placed in operation.

BRAZIL

Brazil is developing an air force, and has formulated certain rules and regulations concerning civilian flying. Representatives of the Curtiss corporation, continually flying over Rio de Janeiro. and other cities, created much enthusiasm in aeronautics. Practically the only restriction on flying to date has been the rule that a pilot must have a government permit.

CANADA

Canada has an Air Board which supervises all federal and civilian aeronautics. It was established by an act of Parliament, June 6,

1919. A chairman and advisory officers were appointed immediately. They, in turn, divided the work of the Air Board into three branches, each under a Superintendent: flying operations, certificate branch and a secretariat. The superintendent of flying operations controls all government flying. The certificate branch conducts that part of the administration relating to the public, such as licensing of pilots and personnel, inspection of aircraft and air harbors. The secretary has charge of the office organization.

The Canadian Air Board at once issued orders against dangerous flying and then set to work on regulations. The rules were established by 1920. They conform to the Air Board Act and the International Aerial Convention.

Preliminary surveys have formed the basis for a network of aerial routes and landing fields designed to facilitate the development of commercial aviation in time of peace and the transportation of aerial troops, supplies and munitions from one end of the Dominion to the other in time of war.

The Board is also gathering meteorological data.

All

There are two aerial mail routes being laid out; one, the Red Route," connects St. Johns, Newfoundland, the gateway of the transatlantic air lines, with Victoria, B. C., the Canadian port of entry on the Pacific. This route, which has been charted and flown over in many sections, includes Quebec, Montreal and Ottawa, follows the line of the Canadian Pacific Railway through the Canadian national parks and makes many depot stops, also junction points whence, it is planned, branch routes will divert aerial traffic to Toronto, Sydney, Ont., across to Detroit, Mich., and from Winnipeg to Hudson Bay, Edmonton to Peace River, and Vancouver to Yukon. Under this system Halifax will be forty hours, by air, from Vancouver, while Winnipeg and Montreal will be separated by only 15 hours. The "Sunset Route " connects with all the principal cities and towns between St. Johns, N. F., and Vancouver, B. C., including Sydney, Halifax, Frederickton, Rivierre du Loupe, Quebec, Montreal, Three Rivers, Toronto, Brockville, Camp Borden, Port Arthur, Winnipeg, etc.

The Canadian Air Force was organized by the Air Board early in the summer of 1920. Since then seaplane stations at Halifax and Sydney have been taken over, and the flying field at Camp Borden has been obtained from the Department of Militia and Defence. Aerial maps are being made up as rapidly as possible. A bureau of aeronautic intelligence has been organized for gathering and disseminating information.

A trans-Canada flight was conducted by the Air Board in September and October, 1920. (See Chronology.)