ard diesels were sold on the commercial market and were
used to power airplanes manufactured by a dozen different American
companies.

1931--World's official duration record for nonrefueled
heavier-than-air flight. First flight across the Atlantic by a
diesel-powered airplane.

1932--Packard diesels tested successfully in the Goodyear nonrigid
airship _Defender_.[9] Official American altitude record for
diesel-powered airplanes established (this record still stands).

In spite of this promising record, the project died in 1933. The
December 1950 issue of _Pegasus_ gave two reasons for the failure of the
engine: "One blow had already been dealt the program through the
accidental death of Capt. L. M. Woolson, Packard's chief engineer in
charge of the Diesel development, on April 23, 1930. Then the Big
Depression took its toll in research work everywhere and Packard was not
excepted."

[Illustration: Figure 14.--Walter E. Lees, Packard chief test pilot (in
cabin) and Frederic A. Brossy, Packard test pilot, before taking off on
their world's record, nonrefueling, heavier-than-air aircraft duration
flight, which lasted 84 hours, 33 minutes, and 1-1/4 seconds.
(Smithsonian photo A48446E.)]

[Illustration: Figure 15.--Walter E. Lees, official timer, and Ray
Collins, manager, 1930 National Air Tour, with their official airplane,
a Packard diesel Waco "Taper Wing," at Packard proving grounds near
Detroit. (Smithsonian photo A49449.)]

[Illustration: Figure 16.--Capt. Karl Fickes, acting head of Goodyear's
airship operations, pointing out features on one of the "Defender's"
Packard diesel engines to Roland J. Blair, Goodyear airship pilot,
Akron, Ohio. From "Aero Digest," February 1932. (Smithsonian photo
A49674.)]

The engine did not fail for the above mentioned reasons. Capt. Woolson's
death was indeed unfortunate, but there were others connected with the
project who carried on his work for three years after he passed away.
The big depression was also unfortunate, but it did not stop
aeronautical engine development. "It was a time when such an engine
would have been most welcome if it had been produced in large enough
numbers to bring the price down to compare favorably pricewise with gas
engines of the same horsepower class."[10] The Packard diesel failed
because it was not a good engine. It was an ingenious engine, and two of
the several features it pioneered (the use of ma