footbar to the pilot's controls. This method of interconnecting the pilot and passenger controls has proved very satisfactory, permitting the pilot control at all times even against the will of the passenger or student receiving instruction, without, however, actually disconnecting the secondary control. In June, 1919, the United States Post Office Department requested bids for the construction of ten mail machines to be equipped with two or three Liberty or Hispano-Suiza engines, to carry from fifteen hundred to three thousand pounds of mail. As a result of its bid, the Corporation was awarded an order for four machines, to be equipped with two 300 horse-power Hispano-Suiza engines to carry fifteen hundred pounds of mail. One of the requirements of the contract was that the machines must be capable of carrying the required mail load with one engine. To most satisfactorily carry out this requirement, the design provided for the two power plants in a center nacelle, placed back to back, one driving a tractor propeller and the other a pusher. This novel arrangement was most favorably received by the Post Office Aerial Mail committee, as providing the best power plant installation for reliability. In the design of these mail machines, the type of construction which was used so successfully in the pursuit type, fitted with the same engine, was followed as closely as possible throughout. As a result the total weight has been brought to a minimum of 5,564 pounds, fifty per cent. of which is useful load. With this unusually large percentage of useful load, it has been possible to restrict the wing span to forty-five and one-half feet, at the same time providing sufficient wing area to give a satisfactory landing speed. The two fuselages are arranged one on each side of the center engine nacelle, with pilot located in the nose of the one at the left and the pilot mechanic in the one at the right. The latter is provided with the Thomas-Morse type flexible control. Wing radiators are fitted in the top wing above the engine nacelle. Streamline wire is used throughout the wing bracing, and all control surfaces are balanced. The fifteen hundred pound mail load is placed in the center nacelle between the two engines, and in each fuselage behind the pilot and pilot-mechanic. The high speed is estimated at 132 miles per hour with full load, and 102 miles per hour with but one engine, the machine having sufficiently low power loading to enable it to fly satisfactorily or climb on one engine. The first machine of this new type was com 1. Front quarter view of Thomas-Morse S.-7. 2. Line-up of Thomas-Morse Scouts. 3. Side view of Thomas-Morse M.B.-3 Fighter. pleted near the end of the year and was tested early in 1920. Outline specifications of the Thomas-Morse machines brought out during the year 1919 follow: THOMAS-MORSE AIRCRAFT CORPORATION AIRPLANE SPECIFICATIONS MODEL M.B.-3. PURSUIT MACHINE Dimensions: Length, 19 ft. 11 in.; span, 26 ft.; height, 8 ft. Power Plant: One Hispano-Suiza, Model H, 300 horse-power; trac- Performances: Speed, 60-163% m. p. h.; climb, 10,000 ft. in 4 min. 52 sec. MODEL S.-7. ADVANCE TRAINING MACHINE. SIDE-BY-SIDE SEATER Dimensions: Length, 21 ft. 6 in.; span, 32 ft.; height, 9 ft. Power Plant: One LeRhone 80 horse-power rotary; tractor pro- Performances: Speed, 38-95 m. p. h.; climb, 6500 ft. in 10 min. MODEL S.-6. ADVANCE TRAINING MACHINE. TANDEM TWO-SEATER Power Plant: One LeRhone, 80 horse-power rotary; tractor pro- Performancess Speed, 40-105 m. p. h.; climb 8000 ft. in 10 min. MODEL M.B.-4. TWIN ENGINE MAIL MACHINE Dimensions: Length, 25 ft. 5 in.; span, 45 ft. 6 in.; height 11 ft. WEST VIRGINIA AIRCRAFT CO. MAIN OFFICES AND PLANT, Wheeling, West Virginia THE activities of the West Virginia Aircraft Company since the signing of the Armistice have been principally engineering experimental work in perfecting a design that would be practical and cost of production would be reduced to a minimum, which would be consistent with durability and efficiency, to carry not less than three passengers. The manufacture has been reduced to simply rebuilding machines for individuals. Our engineering department reports that their plans for the three passenger machine are about completed, and we contemplate building three or four of these craft at an early date, although we have not indicated to the public that we would build any of these machines at the present for the market. Our engineering department has been held intact, although the mill and the assembling department have been temporarily diverted to other lines, but at any time when the airplane business justifies it and shows some signs of stability, our entire plant could be brought back to its full capacity. For quite a few months after the Armistice was signed, we continued to the completion of our contract with the Government, but since the completion of this contract, we have not built any new complete machines. When the Armistice was signed, we again placed in operation our Flying Schools at Princeton and Daytona. THE Wright Aeronautical Corporation has taken over certain of the assets and liabilities of the Wright-Martin Aircraft Corporation. This reorganization is for the purpose of putting the operations of the older corporation on a satisfactory peace-time basis. The new corporation has possession of the Wright patents and the Hispano-Suiza license for the United States and is continuing the manufacture of the Hispano-Suiza engine. In order to maintain its place as the foremost individual aeronautical engine builder in this country, the corporation expects to develop new and improved types of aircraft engines and thus keep abreast of the times. |