THE LANGLEY AERODROME 469 



proved to be perfect, and the power, supporting surface, guiding and 

 equilibrium-preserving effects of the rudder also. The weight of the 

 model was 58 pounds, its sustaining surface 66 square feet, and the 

 horsepower from 2y 2 to 3. 



This was the first time in history, so far as I know, that a success- 

 ful flight of a mechanically sustained flying machine was made in 

 public. 



The flight was not as long as had been expected, as it was found 

 afterwards that one of the workmen, in his zeal to insure an especially 

 good one, had overfilled the gasoline tank, which would otherwise have 

 enabled a flight several times as long. However, as such a flight would 

 have given absolutely no more data than the short one did. and as the 

 delays in getting ready for testing the large machine had already far 

 exceeded what was expected, it was thought best not to make any more 

 tests with the small one, as all of the data which were desired had been 

 procured, and it was accordingly stored away and every energy im- 

 mediately concentrated in getting the large machine ready for its first 

 test, which at that time seemed only a few days away. 



During all these delays it may be remarked that we necessarily 

 resided near the house boat, and therefore in a region of malaria, from 

 whose attacks a portion of us suffered. 



I have spoken of the serious delays in the test of the small machine 

 caused by changed atmospheric conditions, but they proved to be 

 almost negligible compared with what was later experienced with the 

 large one. I have also alluded to the fact that the necessarily light 

 ribs of the large sustaining wing surfaces were covered with several 

 coats of a special marine varnish which many tests had shown enabled 

 the glue to withstand submersion in water for more than twenty-four 

 hours without being affected. This water test was made with a view 

 to guarding against the joints of the ribs being softened when the 

 machine came down into the water, as it was planned for it to do at 

 the close of its flight, and these submersions had apparently shown 

 that no trouble need be anticipated from the effects of the sustaining 

 surfaces getting wet. It is an instance of the unpredictable delays 

 which present themselves, that when preparations had been begun for 

 the immediate trial of the large machine, already down the river, it 

 was found that every one of the cross ribs had been rendered almost 

 useless by the damp, though under shelter. As it would take months 

 to build new ones, a temporary means of repairing them was used. 

 There were other delays too numerous to mention, but chiefly incident 

 to working over the water, some of the principal of which were due 

 to storms dragging the house boat from its moorings and destroying 

 auxiliary apparatus, such as launches, boats, rafts, etc., to say nothing 

 of the time consumed in bringing workmen to and from the scene of 



