On its tests 390 gallons of gasoline, 20 gallons of oil, and 7 men were carried, but no guns, ammunition, nor bombs.
After a long delay, about January 1, 1918, tentative arrangements had been made with the Caproni interests looking toward the production of Caproni biplanes in this country. These machines had a higher ceiling and a greater speed than the Handley-Page. Capt. d'Annunzio with 14 expert Italian workmen, bringing with him designs and samples, came to this country and initiated the redesigning of the Caproni machine to accommodate three Liberty engines. The actual production of Caproni planes in this country was limited to a few samples which were being tested when the armistice was signed. The factories had tooled up for the production, however, and in a few months Capronis would doubtless have been produced in liberal quantities.
The performance of the sample planes in two tests is shown by the following figures:
| Test 1. | Test 2. | |
|---|---|---|
| Speed at ground level | 100 miles per hour | 103.2 miles per hour. |
| Climb to 6,500 feet | 16 minutes 18 seconds | 14 minutes 12 seconds. |
| Climb to 10,000 feet | 33 minutes 18 seconds | 28 minutes 42 seconds. |
| Climb to 11,200 feet | 49 minutes | |
| Climb to 13,000 feet | 46 minutes 30 seconds. |
ONE OF THE SMALL THOMAS-MORSE SCOUTS BESIDE A GIANT HANDLEY-PAGE MACHINE.
ARMORED GERMAN AIRPLANE SHOT DOWN ON THE WESTERN FRONT.
NIEUPORT SCOUT BESIDE A LOENING MONOPLANE.