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Aviation History
1912
1912 - 0077.PDF
JANUARY 27, 1912. is intended to act as a forward elevator. As such, however, it really must' be of little use, by comparison with the superior area and leverage of the rear-elevating flap. Indeed, the only apparent reason for its presence there is that it forms a constantly visible indicator of the attitude of the machine, and that its outriggers constitute a very [AJGHg convenient point from which to brace the main planes against drift strains. Weighing 638 lbs., the machine has been designed to lift a useful load of 500 lbs., and maintain a speed of 60 miles an hour. ® ® ® ® A SUMMER FLIGHT (EASTCHURCH, SHEPPEY). At the swing of the blade leaps my Gnome into life, Spinning smooth on her shaft in a scintillant haze ; Planes a-shiver, and stays, Like a ship on the ways, When the shores fall away at the lilt of the fife. Roll out wide of her tail, give a hundred yards' run, Ah ! she's spurning the grass in scarce fifty, or less ! In the wind's huge caress Every wire bears its stress, As we spring like a bird to the gates of the sun. With a low-angled slant o'er the hangars we lift, Beating up to the sea of aerial blue, To the shimmering blue Where no bird ever flew, Nor do fleets of cloud argosies languidly drift. Lo ! how quickly the landscape grows less in degree, Well-nigh in a level lie valley and hill; Mountain top but a hill, Stately river a rill, And the king of the glade, squat Noah's Arkian tree ! A thousand feet up, and five hundred feet more, Yet each dyke sends its uptread of air in a blast; Field and farrow o'erpast, Surging on thro' the vast, Till below, myriad-wrinkled, the Channel's flat floor. In pure ecstasy soar, climbing height and yet height, In this cool-pouring volume of strong, singing wind. In this ocean of wind, Troubles swept from the mind Seem to flutter and fall till they fade out of sight. As an albatross poised on slant pinions outspread, With no wing-beat impelling so royally wheels, So we, braced on our heels, As obliquely she keels, Now in wide arc symmetric bring shoreward our head. And adieu to the sea, as the coast-line swings under, Giving way to grey downs, in the gloaming asleep. Sussex downs fast asleep, Save the unheeding sheep, And shepherds, perchance, gazing skyward in wonder. Dropping down from the sky—one deep rose all the west- A spiral vol plain* brings earth to our feet, Gliding under to greet, Sliding under to meet, Till we touch and run on—run on lightly to rest. A. T. C. ® ® ® ® A FEW OF THE PUPILS AND PILOTS AT HENDON.—At the top, in a jubilant mood, is Mr. Raphaite of the Grahame'White School. Standing, reading from left to right, are Messrs. Baumann and Dubois of the W. H. Ewen School, Messrs. Pothet, Morris, Marcel-Dessouter, and Gordon Jones of the Bleriot School. Sitting in front is Mr. H. Slack, pilot, also of the Bleriot School. 77
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