Jane's All The World Aircraft 1919

THE L.W.F. MODEL 6. FIGHTING AEROPLANE.
  
   Among the most successful of the all-American designs is the L.W.F. machine, the first experimental model of which was in the air early in January, 1918. This first machine, known as Model G., was powered with a Liberty 12 motor and was taken off with the wind, looped and tailspun the first time it was in the air.
  
Specification.
  
General.
   Type Two seater land tractor biplane.
   Use Military reconnaissance, advanced training, or commercial.
  
Dimensions.
   Length overall 29 ft. 2 in.
   Height overall 10 ft. 7 in.
   Width overall 46 ft. 6 in.
  
Wings.
   Wing curve L.W.F. No. 1.
   Chord 80 in.
   Gap 80 in.
   Stagger 8 in.
   Span
   Upper wing 46 ft. 6 in.
   Lower wing 38 ft. 4 in.
  
Areas.
   Total supporting area 555 sq. ft.
   Area of ailerons 42 sq. ft.
   Area of elevators 22 sq. ft.
   Area of horizontal stabilizer 29 sq. ft.
   Area of vertical stabilizer 5.5 sq. ft.
   Area of rudder 11.5 sq. ft.
  
Control.
   Deperdussin control centre column single or dual.
   Stick control can be furnished if preferred.
  
Power Plant.
   Liberty 12-cylinder engine 350 b.h.p.
   Gasoline consumption per b.h.p. .54 lbs. per hour.
   Oil consumption per b.h.p. .03 lbs. per hour.
   Propeller Two blade, 1,650 r.p.m
  
Weights.
   Gross weight, fully loaded 3,522 lbs.
   Light weight, empty 2,498 lbs.
   Useful load 1,024 lbs.
   Water (11 gallons) 92 lbs.
   Gasoline capacity (86 gallons) 532 lbs.
   Oil capacity (6 gallons) 42 lbs.
   Two men or equivalent 330 lbs.
   Accessories 28 lbs.
  
Performance (fully loaded).
   Highspeed 125 m.p.h.
   Low speed (landing) 47 m.p.h.
   Climbing speed 10,000 ft. in 7 1/2 mins.
   Ceiling 24,000 ft.
   Endurance at full speed 2 3/4 hours.
  
   This machine is capable of carrying a cargo of about 1,200 lbs., in addition to the above load.
   Model G.1, an improvement over Model G., was built and flown successfully during the summer of 1918, demonstrating before various government officials its speed, climb and carrying capacity. Thin machine, loaded as a fighter, with full tanks, seven machine guns, ammunition, pilot and gunner, made 128 m.p.h. and climbed 10,000 feet in ten minutes.
   Later in the summer. Model G.1 was radically changed into Model G.2 by cutting off the overhang, balancing all control surface, doubling the number of wing ribs and later installing a wing curve radiator. The following description refers to the later machine. Model G. 2, which, as before stated, is a modification of Models G. and G. I.
  
General Description.
   Model G.2 is a general service, 425-450 h.p., two man biplane of the land tractor, military type, armoured, and curries an armament of seven machine guns. In addition it can also be equipped with four large bombs. As will be noted, a wing nose radiator was used at the tune the photos for the accompanying figures were made. All parts of the machine seen from above are finished in earth brown, while from below it is sky blue.
   The general specifications follow :
  
THE L.W.F. MODEL G.2 FIGHTING AIRPLANE.
Specification.
  
Dimensions.
   Overall width 41 ft. 7 1/2 in.
   Overall length 29 ft. 1 1/4 in.
   Overall height 9 ft. 4 3/8 in.
   Tread of wheels 5 ft. 6 in.
   Wheels 26 in. x 4 in.
  
Wings.
   Wing curve L W.F. No.1 (modified R.A.F.6) upper and lower wings.
   Incidence : lower wing 0 degrees.
   upper wing +1 degree.
   Decalage 1 degree.
   Chord 80 in., upper and lower.
   Dihedral 0 degrees.
   Gap 72 in.,
   nose to nose on vertical line with body horizontal.
   Backsweep 0 degrees.
   Stagger 7 1/8 in. (positive)".
   Span : upper wing, inc. ailerons 41 ft. 7 1/2 in
   lower wing 38 ft. 5 3/4 in.
   Aspect ratio:
   Upper wing, inc. ailerons 6.3
   Lower wing 4.78,
   average 5.54.
  
Areas.
   Total supporting area, including ailerons 515.54 sq. ft
   Net area of main wings, not inc. ailerons 465.46 sq. ft.
   Net area of upper wings, including ailerons 268.78 sq. ft.
   Net area of upper wings, not inc. ailerons 218.70 sq. ft
   Net area of lower wings 240.76 sq. ft.
   Total area of one aileron 25.04 sq. ft.
   balanced area, 1.95 sq. ft.
   Total area of both ailerons 50.08 sq. ft.
   Total area of one elevator 13.85 sq. ft.
   balanced area, 1.5 sq. ft
   Total ares of both elevators 27.70 sq ft.
   Total area of rudder 12.65 sq. ft.
   balanced area, 1.31 sq. ft.
   Total area of horizontal stabilizer
   (both sides) 29.15 sq. ft.
   Total area of vertical stabilizer 5.21 sq. ft.
  
Controls and Control Surfaces,
   Dual stick control
   Aileron wires enclosed in wings.
   Horizontal stabilizer double camber with centre line set at 0 degrees to thrust line.
   Elevator curve included in stabilizer curve.
   Aileron curve included in wing curve extended.
   Rudder and vertical stabilizer flat.
  
Power Plant
   Liberty 12-cyl engine, direct connected 435 hp. at 1,700 r.p.m.
   Airscrew, 2 blade, tractor, diam. 9 ft. 7 in ; av. pitch 7.38 ft.
   Propeller turned 1.800 r.p.m.
  
Weights.
   Case 1.
   Weight of complete machine empty,
   with gun mounts, but no guns 2.675 lbs.
   Case 2.
   Equipped as a fighter
   Weight, light 2,675.5 lbs.
   90 galls, gas 553.5 lbs
   14 galls, water 118 lbs.
   6 galls, oil 44 lbs.
   Ammunition 150 lbs.
   7 machine guns 152 lbs
   2 men 330 lbs.
   Total full load 4,023 lbs
   Case 3. Equipped as a bomber.
   Weight, light 2,675.5 lbs
   120 galls gasoline 752 lbs
   6 galls oil 44 lbs
   14 galls, water 118 lbs
   Ammunition 150 lbs
   7 machine guns 152 lbs
   Armour 66 lbs
   4 bombs, rack and release 592 lbs
   2 men 330 lbs
   Total full load 4,879.5 lbs
  
Loadings (based on 515.54 sq. ft. area and 435 h.p)
   Case 1.
   Loading per sq. ft. 5.185 lbs
   Loading per h.p. 6.15 lbs
   Case 2.
   Loading per sq. ft. 7.82 lbs
   Loading per h.p. 9.25 lbs
   Case 3.
   Loading per sq. ft. 9.47 lbs
   Loading per h.p. 11.22 lbs
  
Performance.
   High speed at 10,000 ft. 130 m.p.h. (loaded as in Case 2).
   High speed at low altitude 138 m.p.h. (loaded as in Case 2).
   Low speed (landing) 50 m.p.h. (loaded as in Case 2).
   Climb.
   Case 1. 10,000 feet in 7 mins. 28 secs.
   Case 2. 10,000 feet in 9 mins. 18 secs
   Case 3. 10,000 feet in 14 mins. 45 secs
   Endurance. Four hours at full speed.

W.Green, G.Swanborough The Complete Book of Fighters

L.W.F. MODEL G-2 USA

   The L.W.F. Engineering Company, established in December 1915 by Edward Lowe, Charles Willard and Robert Fowler, developed the Model G in late 1917 as a two-seat reconnaissance aircraft. The Model G was destroyed in a crash on 16 January 1918, but a more powerful version, the G-2, was completed and flown in the spring of 1918, this being intended as a two-seat heavy fighter and reconnaissance-bomber. Powered by a 435 hp Liberty 12 water-cooled engine, the G-2 carried an unprecedented armament of seven 0.3-in (7,62- mm) machine guns, four of these being grouped around the engine and synchronised to fire through the propeller disc, two being Scarff-mounted in the rear cockpit and the remaining gun firing through a ventral aperture. Although flight testing was considered successful, the sole G-2 crashed and was destroyed in fog on 18 November 1918. A third example was subsequently completed as a mailplane, but further development as a combat aircraft was abandoned.

Max speed, 138 mph (222 km/h) at sea level.
Time to 10,000 ft (3050 m), 9.3 min.
Endurance, 4 hrs.
Empty weight, 2,675 lb (1213 kg).
Loaded weight, 4,023 lb (1825 kg).
Span, 41ft 7 1/2 in (12,69 m).
Length, 29 ft 1 3/4 in (8,88 m).
Height, 9 ft 4 3/4 in (2,86m).
Wing area, 516 sq ft (47,94 m2).