Transport: Second In-Line

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Approved by the Civil Aeronautics Authority last week was the second high-powered U. S. engine to be built inline, for streamlining into wings and fuselages of high-speed airplanes. Like the Army's 1,000-horsepower Allison (TIME, Jan. 30), which has much less head resistance than broad-beamed radials, the new Ranger has twelve cylinders in two banks. Unlike the Prestone-cooled Air Corps motor, it is air-cooled, has finned cylinders set head down below the crankcase for better pilot visibility.

Developing 500 horsepower, the Ranger is the lightest powerplant of its size in the world (1.28 pounds per h.p.), weighs some 200 pounds less than European engines of the same design and power, has no counterpart in U. S. design. Jubilant Ranger engineers declared its principles were adaptable to bigger engines, refused to confirm a current report: that at its modest (100 employes) plant at Farmingdale, L. I., Ranger is already working on a new powerplant of more than 1,000 horsepower to compete with Allison.