wrighthispanoe

The notation below the photo ("The Famous Liberty '12'.") is likely referring to an (unseen) photo below the one posted here. The aircraft in the photo is a Curtiss JN-4HG Jenny (ser. no. S.C. 38431). As is evident from the four visible exhaust headers coming from the engine, this is a V-8 engine (the Wright-Hisso E, a license-manufactured version of the Hispano-Suiza 8). The Liberty L-12 (a.k.a. "Liberty Engine") was a significantly larger V-12 engine.

The date here is when the aircraft was designed. The US Navy bought theirs much later during the 1920s Stig

As per the Joe Baugher site, this Naval Aircraft Factory (NAF) manufactured VE-7 was converted to a VE-9. www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/firstseries1.html "A5970 converted to VE-9."

TVL1970 To be honest, I can't tell the difference between a VE-7H and VE-9H, so perhaps you can point me how you can see this was after any conversion? As far as I know this photo has always been ID as a VE-7 and since it is shown here on floats I have myself 'upgraded' it to VE-7H since that is what my sources tell me it was designated when equipped with floats (and remained a two-seater). None of my sources say any VE-7 were upgraded to VE-9 standard, but who knows? Sorry to say I have no access to USN record cards where probably the answer can be found. Stig

Stig Jarlevik Hi Stig, I wasn't noting that this image depicts A-5970 in its converted form. That was just a note about its later fate. With respect to the notation about the upgrade to VE-9 standard, I based that upon the Joe Baugher site and Jos Heyman's work: usmilitaryaircraft.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/undes-t-z1... See Page 30: "Based on the VE-7, the US Army procured 24 VE-9 aircraft with serials 64310, 64316 and 23-379/400. Several of these were also flown with Project serials: 64310 as P-203, 64316 as P-216, 22-399 as P-330 and 22-400 as P-331. Other known serials include 22-375 and 22-377 with the possibility of others. The US Navy had 17 aircraft with serials A-6465/6481 whilst VE-7 A-5970 was also brought up to this standard. The VE-9H version had a single float and four were built for the US Navy with serials A-6461/6464 although these had been ordered as VE-9."

TVL1970 Thanks I wasn't aware of that site. I know Jos a little since he is a fan of old NEI aviation stuff. Unfortunately I have yet to come across someone who can advise me the difference between the two types. The VE-7H had the same float system as the VE-9H so that does not work. All I can find are references saying the difference was minute, and then we are back to dates, and somehow accurate dates are mostly lacking on old photos..... Stig

Pity the photo cannot be blown up more. Easily identifiable is the Curtiss JN-4HG 41554 to the left. That aircraft was also in Rockwell's inventory on 4 Dec 1919. Beside the "usual" Jennies and US built(?) DH-4 there is dark painted small aircraft under the the digit 3 of the hangar in the middle. A Thomas-Morse perhaps? Can the digits on the side be read? Stig

Stig Jarlevik Stig, I replaced this one with a big one.

Thanks However the mystery deepens. What I read on its side are the digits 448 which belonged to a LWF Model V and this is certainly not it! I sure can need some help with that one....😮 Stig