During World War I the Lawrance Aero Engine Company of New York City produced the crude opposed twins that powered the Penguin trainers, and the Lawrance L-1 60 hp Y-type radial.

[1] The U.S. Navy badly needed light, reliable engines for its carrierborne aircraft.

As a means of pressuring Wright and other companies into developing radial engines, it gave a contract to Lawrance for 200[2] of the J-1 radial and ceased buying the liquid-cooled Wright-Hispano engines.

The Wright Whirlwind had essentially the same lower end (crankcase, cam, and crankshaft) as the J-1.

[2] The New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, has a Lawrance J-1 on display.