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Aviation History
1910
1910 - 0712.PDF
IfQgjJI initial experiments were carried out with the aeroplane as a glider. It will be observed that the machine is mounted on a skid for landing; circular springs, which look like wheels, can be seen between the skids and the lower plane. In Fig. 3 the glider is undergoing inspection by the authorities, among whom were General Hadden, General Ruck and the Duke of Atholl. Fig. 4 shows the start of a glide with Colonel Capper as pilot. In this attempt he attained a height of about 15 ft. above the ground, and finally charged the wall that is visible in the foreground of the picture. Subsequent to these experiments another machine was commenced in 1907, and was tried in the lower park at Blair Castle during 1908. The fifth photograph shows this machine, which is a power-driven aeroplane, ready for SEPTEMBER 3, 1910. flight. Lieutenant Lancelot D. Gibbs, whose name is now well known as an aviator, was at the helm. Mr. Gibbs made most of the glides on the Dunne aeroplane at the hill camp earlier in 1908, when he used a small scale replica of this machine. A peculiarity in the appearance of " D 4," which might perhaps escape notice, is that it has been disguised by painting so as to obliterate as far as possible evidence of its essential characteristics, so far as they might be ascertained by an observer at a distance. The special curvature of the planes and other peculiarities which were fully described in our article on the Dunne aeroplane that appeared in FLIGHT of June 18th and June 25th, 1910, were thus rendered so far as possible invisible to the ubiquitous gentleman of the camera and the telescope. ROUND-ABOUT FRENCH NOTES. LAST week I compared the respective states of the aviation sections in the armies of France and Great Britain. This week comes the semi-official announcement that at least a dozen aeroplanes and four dirigible balloons are preparing to take the air in the French manoeuvres, which commence in a fortnight. The supporters of both types of flying machine will at last have an opportunity of comparing each method of flying. Very little doubt as to the result troubles the minds of the majority of those who have any knowledge at all of air conditions. Some weeks ago I was fortunate enough to see three dirigibles—the "Ville de Bruxelles," the "Colonel Renard," and the small " Zodiac "—and one aeroplane, the Wright biplane, piloted by Capt. Eteve, in the air at one time on the Issy ground. There was no wind at all, and the evening was quite warm. Everything was favourable to flying. The dirigibles rose first after the usual cumbersome preparations, and were followed a few minutes later by the biplane. The superiority of the heavier-than-air type was at once obvious. Every movement, except that of rising, was quicker, and was performed with greater precision. And even as to rising slightly more rapidly, the dirigible once up, finds it difficult to descend again with any speed. On every turn the balloons drifted to leeward and lost way, and in straight flying they were perhaps ten miles slower. Eteve had he had some peculiarly horrible and compact explosive, such as will, no doubt, speedily be invented by the murderous ingenuity of man, could, with the aid of his passenger, have made considerable havoc amongst the three airships. Had three aeroplanes been present the three dirigibles would have ceased to exist in a very short space of time. It should be remembered that the rarefaction of air affects the engines of both types, thus making the possible effective height of both more or less equal. The aeroplane, moreover, can fly successfully in a wind ?ofore which a dirigible merely drifts. So long as he avoids the deadly backwash of the huge propellers of the airships, the aviator can do to a great extent as he pleases. After all, at least thirty aeroplanes, carrying a total of sixty men, can be purchased for the price of one dirigible. But only the future can settle finally the vexed question. For some time past intending aviators have fought shy of the " Demoiselle " type owing to the great difficulty of learning to fly one satisfactorily. The small area of the planes makes a high speed necessary before the machine will commence to rise as all, and then unless one is careful, very careful, it will leave the ground with a spasmodic leap, only to fall a second later, probably turning over backwards on the way. Again, the smallness of the " Demoiselle" has created a doubt in the minds of many as to the possibility of performing a vol plane" safely in the case of engine trouble. Audemars, whose courage I imagine is unquestioned, invariably flies low, rarely rising more than 30 ft. My own personal experience of the type had certainly led me to take the same view of its entire unsuitability for any other purpose save causing much amusement at By OISEAU. aviation meetings. As an acrobatic machine it is unrivalled. But a few days ago I was given another point of view by M. Roland Garros. Not only did he fly on his Demoiselle at the first attempt, but he has since made a number of quite long flights at a height of 1,200 ft. He says he has never found the slighest difficulty in gliding safely to earth* at any time. On the morning of the 17th August M. Garros left Saint Cyr for Issy on his Demoiselle (which is that used previously by M. Santos Dumont himself) intending if all went well to be present at the arrival of the competitors in the Circuit de l'Est. His engine failing whilst over the Palace of Versailles he commenced to plane down from a height of 1,000 ft., only to hit an unseen telegraph wire in the Place d'Armes, com pletely turning turtle before reaching the pavement. Neither the machine nor the pilot was greatly damaged. He speaks highly of the general control of the Demoiselle, and states that it is possible to perform evolutions with ease that on other aeroplanes would require the greatest skill. The position of the pilot, below the engine and wings, he considered was ideal, as one has an uninterrupted view of all happening in front or on the ground. After a descent the machine can be stopped in a few yards by using one's feet as brakes. Replacements are cheap and easily made. M. Garros says he thinks so highly of the Demoiselle monoplane that he has no intention of forsaking it for any other type. Wiencziers, who took part a fortnight ago in the race from Frankfort to Mannheim, was entered to have driven an Antoinette with a Gnome engine at the Havre-Trouviile meeting, but so far has made no public appearance. It would be interesting to watch the performance in flight, and it is to be hoped that Wiencziers will find it possible to fly before the end of the meeting. Previous substitutions of other motors in place of that made expressly for the purpose on the Antoinette monoplane have not proved very successful. Both De Mumm and Kuller have fitted other engines, and yet their recent history has been that of misfortune rather than of success. While referring to the Antoinette I should like to point out that while the landing chassis at present fitted is the worst feature of that monoplane, the 9ketch which has appeared in some English papers does not accurately depict the chassis of the standard machine. The skid curves forwards and upwards, and is not simply a straight bar, as shown in the sketches. This is a small detail, yet it makes a great difference in the safety of landing. On Saturday evening, Bielovucic started from Issy on a racing Voisin similar to that used by Champel at Lanark, and flew round the Eiffel Tower to the Place de la Concorde, thence up the Champs Elysees, over the Etoile and back again to1, Issy. He kept at a height of 1,200 ft. during the entire flight, and as far as I could judge appeared to be travelling at a very high speed. This new type Voisin has so far not been over successful but at last there are signs of future good fortune. The new tail is the simplest I have yet seen and is apparently one of the best features of the biplane. THE ROLLS MEMORIAL AT MONMOUTH. THE proposal to erect a memorial to the late Hon. C. S. Rolls, at Monmouth, is now taking definite shape, and a fund has been started by the Mayor. The idea is to erect a statue in the main street of the town of Monmouth, and, as we have already mentioned, Sir Aston Webb has been consulted. The cost will be about ,£1,000, and it is hoped that all friends of the distinguished motorist, aviator and aeronaut will contribute to the fund. Sub scriptions may be sent to the hon. treasurer, Mr. H. T. Simmonds, Wyeravon, Monmouth, or to Mr. W. Sambrook, the Mayor of Monmouth, at The Bryn, Wyesham, Monmouth. OUR SPEED ALARM COMPETITION. LETTERS, accompanied by descriptions and drawings for the Speed Alarm Competition, are acknowledged from Z. Y. Lee, M. Thomas, R. E. Pearson, R. L. Pearson, T. Fogden, J. H. Cardew, Andrew Forson, A. W. Chappie, J. Bartlett, J. H. Wilkins, W. Dingley, A. V. Maund, W. H. Pickering, E. P. Hall, C. S. Kent, Frank Hiskett, F. W. Ludlann, George Burnside, A. A. Griffith, G. S. Beer, F. Rex Elderton, Chas. Lee, F. G. Fowle, D. C. Beale> J. Demott, E. Meyer, G. H. Harris, F. Barlow, F. H. Wilson, T. T. Hearle, W. V. Ford, Authur Pugh, A. E. Evans, W. Dunbar, W. J. Stallan, F. Brown, F. Carter, O. A. P. Clark, G. Wacher, C. H. Ridpath, A. T. Wyllie, W. G. Gibson, T. Alexander, J. O'Connell, Aubrey Green, G. Eagle, Henry Rossy, R. B. Kirby, C. H. Rigby. 710
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