Although neither Mr. Ferry, nor Captain Woolson, would disclose any
technical details as to the engine's construction in making it
applicable to airplane use, the secret of its success was reported to be
an especially designed pumping device creating high compression
necessary for Diesel firing.
Since announcement of the engine, the Packard factory has been literally
a Mecca for engineers from many parts of the world wishing to see the
engine. The Crown Prince of Spain, in Detroit last fall, was given a
flight in the Diesel powered Stinson. None of the construction secrets,
however, have been divulged, it was said.
The Packard announcement set at rest rumors that the company planned
construction of a plant costing several million dollars, as well as
reports that the company was going into the production of airplanes.
"Our efforts," Mr. Ferry said, "will be confined to the engine, or power
plant end of the aircraft industry. We will continue to build the
water-cooled type we have been producing for years." The new Diesel
plant will be primarily an assembly plant, although some machine work
will be done there. The bulk of the machine work, however, will be done
in the present Packard machine shops.
Although no approximation of selling price on the new Diesel was
divulged, it was intimated that the engine will retail at a price
competitive with or slightly under the price of present gasoline
consuming air-cooled engines of that horsepower range. Captain Woolson
will have complete charge of the Diesel plant, it was announced.