CHAPTER IX 



HISTOEY OF LAUNCHING APPAEATUS AND FIELD-TEIALS OF 



AEEODEOMES 4, 5 AND 6 



Launching A ppabattjs 



I Lave elsewhere mentioned thai the difficulties of launching oven a very 

 small model aerodrome are considerable. Early experiments were tried with 

 an apparatus something like a gigantic cross-how, and in later years with vari- 

 ous forms of pendulum, all of which latter brought out the inherent theoretical 



defect of the movement of rotation of the aerodrome, and were otherwise prac- 

 tically inefficient. 



A device, consisting of two pendulums, one behind the other, connected by a 

 rigid rod, from which the aerodrome could be suspended and cast off without ro- 

 tation, was at one time considered, hut abandoned. Experiments were also made 

 with several forms of railroad, upon which the aerodrome was to run up to the 

 moment of release, before the form of launching apparatus, which finally proved 

 successful, was adopted. 



All these had failed chiefly for two reasons; first, it was difficult to cause 

 the aerodrome to be released just at the moment it attained sufficient speed to 

 soar; second, the extensive surface presented to the wind by the wings of the 

 aerodrome, made it necessary to provide means for holding the machine se- 

 curely at several points up to the moment (if release without danger of inter- 

 fering in any way with the aerodrome when it was cast into the air. This proved 

 a serious problem, which can he appreciated only by one who has seen such a 

 machine in the open air, where its wings are subject to movement and distor- 

 tion by the slightest breeze. The stops by which these difficulties were removed 

 and the final type of launching apparatus perfected are recorded in the following 

 pages in connection with the field-trials of the model aerodromes. 



1892 



As the end of the year L892 approached and with it the completion of an 

 aerodrome of large size which had to he started upon its flighl in some way, 

 the method and place of launching it pressed for decision. One thing at least 



seei I clear. In the present sta,i;'e of experiment, it was desirable that the aero- 



drome should — if it must fall — fall into water where it would suffer little in- 

 jury and he readily recovered, rather than anywhere on land, where it would 

 almost certainly he badly damaged. 



92 



