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Aviation History
1909
1909 - 0144.PDF
MARCH 13, 1509. finished early next month, will be known as " Zeppelin II." A third one is also under construction, and it is intended that it should be on view at the Frankfort Exhibition, to the guarantee fund of which Count Zeppelin has con- tributed ^500. The new permanent airship sheds at Friedrichshafen will, it is hoped, be ready by September, and it will then be possible to construct two airships simultaneously, the yearly output being ten or twelve. "Zeppelin I" Flies. " : 7 ; ON Tuesday last, " Zeppelin I," the German Govern- ment dirigible, made its first flights with a military crew over Lake Constance. Count Zeppelin was on board in the first trip, but in two subsequent flights he merely watched the proceedings from terra firma, an unusual role for him to play. Each of the three flights was of about an hour's duration, and all were apparently successful, although it was reported that the motor in the rear compartment was not working properly. Three flights were made on Wednesday, and, in spite of a strong wind, a high speed was attained, the airship covering about 115 miles in 2^ hours. Further experiments were carried out during the week. Parseval Flyer. - - MAJOR VON PARSKVAL, whose name is so closely associated with the German military dirigibles, has now constructed a flying machine on the monoplane system, and trials are expected to take place very shortly at Brandenberg. A feature of the flyer is that it has been adapted to rise from the water; in fact, the first trials will be made on the Scharmuetzel Lake. Metz to be Headquarters. IT has been decided that the three German military dirigibles will go to MeU, which will thus become the headquarters of this section of the Army. Austrian Dirigibles. THE military authorities in Austria have decided to have constructed two types of dirigible for military purposes. One will have a capacity of 1,500 cubic metres, and the other a capacity of 2,500 cubic metres. Both are to be of the semi-rigid type, and to be built to the designs of Dr. Raymond Nimfuhr, who is at present engaged on the construction of models. American Dirigible Service. THE aerial transport schemes which have found such favour, on paper, in Germany, have spread to the United States, as we mentioned some time ago, and now a project is afoot to start a mail and passenger service between New York and Boston on the 1st of May. "Wind and weather permitting, April 1st " we should have thought would have been a more appropriate an- nouncement. Columbus Up to Date. IT is nearly 417 years ago since Christopher Columbus made the first trip across the Atlantic and discovered America, and, according to the New York Herald, it is now proposed by Mr. Joseph Brucker, of New York, that the trip should be duplicated, this time dirigible balloons taking the place of the sailing ships. Mr. Brucker is said to be already organising the expe- dition, and hopes it will be ready to start from Spain for the West Indies on July 25th, and, by utilising the trade winds, practically the same course as that taken by Columbus will be followed. The Aerial Torpedo. WORK is progressing in connection with the aerial torpedo of which particulars were given in FLIGHT of February 13th. The patent rights are in the possession of the Krupp firm, and it is said that a " tube " capable of firing a 100 mm. torpedo will only weigh 35 kilogs., and could therefore be easily carried on a dirigible or on a motor car. The principle has also been applied to marine life-saving appliances, and if a project which is afoot goes through successfully, this side of the problem will be worked out in England. . 3 " '•'..-." Cracks in the Air. LECTURING on Saturday last at the London Working Men's College, Prof. A. W. Porter expressed a belief that it was -possible to crack the air. He said that it might be thought that air was not a likely thing to crack, but neither was cobbler's wax, the liability of which to split under a sudden blow was well known. They had all heard the crack of the carter's whip, but which was it that cracked, the whip or the air ? He thought it was the air. Lightning cracked the air, and the visible form of the flash followed the cracks. French Aero Club Affiliation. r.r UP to the present time no fewer than 21 associations are affiliated to the Aero Club of France, and nothing could perhaps better indicate the popularity of aeronautics generally, on the Continent, than this. It is an object- lesson in uniformity, at any rate, and we hope to see the same sort of alliances take place in this country when the time is ripe. French Ballooning Prizes. THE Aero Club of France has decided to provide four cups for ballooning competitions among its members this year. These cups will bear the names of pioneer aeronauts, and will be known as the Charles, the Robert, the Pilatre de Rosier, and the d'Arlande. A special cup will also be available for competition among affiliated clubs and will carry with it a prize of 600 francs and a second prize of 200 francs. Antwerp Aero Club. AN aero club has been founded at Antwerp, and among the founder members are the Baron de Caters, M. Wilford, who has bought a Wright flyer, and M. Van- denberg, who has invented a machine of his own. There is also a strong military section in the club. The Busy Bee as Teacher. LECTURING before the Royal Photographic Society recently, Mr. F. Martin Duncan expressed the opinion that they might learn a great deal of valuable information from a series of photographs of flying insects. He instanced the wings of the bee and wasp as being of particular interest. They are marvellous for the small compass into which they can be packed and for the extent of their protraction when the insect is on the wing. eroplane Material. VERY special attention has been paid to lightness, combined with strength, in some new quality sheeting for aeroplanes which has been recently introduced by the Continental Tyre and Rubber Co., Ltd. Trials have been made with material other than indiarubber proofed sheeting, but in most cases such trials have proved any- thing but a success, and the new " continental" material appears to be specially suited for the purpose. 146
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