What's Wrong with Big Aeroplanes 



By Carl Dicnstbacli 



A novel feature of the first huge American land aeroplane is the use of biplanes for ailerons. 

 This furnishes stronger control, at the expense of great head resistance 



WHEN Curtiss built ihu "America" 

 for an intended flight across the 

 Atlantic, he was compelled to 

 design a big machine. The radius of 

 action could be extended only by pro- 

 viding for much fuel. Fuel became the 

 most important freight of the bigger 

 machine. Increase of size will not in it- 

 self materially increase the radius of 

 action. 



For the reason given, the size of the 

 "Americas" and "Super-Americas" is not 

 only such that the radius of action is 

 practically extended across the Atlantic, 

 but a somewhat greater load can be car- 

 ried. The Allies' lack of fast dirigibles 

 made them eager bidders for the "Amer- 

 icas." But the difficulties encountered 

 in increasing the aero[ilane's size must 

 not be lightly dismissed. Accidents now 

 teach their lessons ((uickly. The first, a 

 very dramatic one, happened in this 

 country when on May ii last, a "Super- 

 America" for passenger service between 

 Washington and Newport News sudden- 

 ly turned over into the Potomac, after 

 performing some somersaults, wrecking 

 itself, killing two and injuring three 

 passengers. Similar accidents had oc- 

 curred in Europe, but they were hushed 

 up for military reasons. So rigitl and 



strong was the large machine that axes 

 could not break through in the effort to 

 get at the victims below the floating 

 wreckage. Yet, a big machine is weaker 

 for its weight than a smaller machine. 

 Very large sailing vessels must be square- 

 rigged, and many small sails must be 

 employed. Aeroplane dreadnoughts 

 ought to be multiplanes on the same 

 principle. This becomes impcrati\c if 

 the fact is considered that aeroplanes 

 were for many years nothing better than 

 death-traps, ready to break in midair 

 and that it was exceedingly difficult to 

 strengthen even the smaller types with- 

 out making them too heavy. Landing 

 on hard ground is particularly difficult. 

 It means literally a collision with the 

 earth. Huge flying boats are better off, 

 their landing places are abundant and 

 always le\el and wondrousK- soft. 



But, after the recent accident one feels 

 like asking: Isn't the "America" a some- 

 what mistaken construction? May suc- 

 cess be expected merely by enlarging a 

 successful small model ? 



A mammoth ste.imcr may get along 

 with proportionately the same size of 

 rudder as a smaller one because it mat- 

 ters little if it takes it many times 

 longer to complete a turn. But in 



