Popular Science Monthly 



527 



attained by the aeroplane that has its 

 prcjpelier in front of a Ijoat-lxxiy. 

 Thanks to the tractor-screw the IjipUmc 

 has (icvcioped as much speed as tiie 

 monoplane. It is even preferred, since its 

 greater surface gi\'es more lift in emer- 

 gencies. Unobstructed \isinn in front is 

 often so desirable that the [)ro|)eller is 

 sometimes placed behind the surfaces 

 and the boat-body shortened, in spite 

 of the increased head-resistance and 

 decreased strength of the design with 

 the rudders carried by poles. A beautiful 

 solution of the problem of free \ision is 

 obtained in large passenger-carr>ing 

 niaciiines, with the long bodies of wiiicii 

 rudders are integralK' combined, two 

 tractor-screws and two separate motors 

 l)eing nwiunted on both sides of the main 

 botly. It is then essential to enclose the 

 motors in separate bodies. In the big 

 . ("icrman liattleplancs, the motor Ixjdies 

 are Ujng and carry the rudders. I'",\en 

 such designs waste a certain amount c)f 

 power, because a catamaran has always 

 less spee<l than a single boat. Hut 

 multiple bodies and division (jf load 

 across the span of the planes is the only 

 method by which large aeroplanes are 

 enabled to carry many passengers and 

 to exhibit that strength which it has 

 taxed all the ingenuity' of the scientific 

 engineer to obtain even in the smaller 

 machine. 



7/05 the Bi^ Aeroplane Come 



to Slayi 



Mammoth aeroplanes are at i)resent a. 

 spectacular development, especially in 

 America. But it would be premature to 

 include I hem in a seriously critical 

 re\iew of the aercjplane of to-day. In 

 the main, they ha\e not yet justified 

 themselves, although some of the big 

 water machines of Curtiss, are said to be 

 in fre(|Ui'nt use. But there are no 

 accounts of their |X'rformances under 

 very critical air conditions, when their 

 relative lack of strength would be a very 

 serious matter, judging from the ex- 

 periences of similar smaller machines. 

 \\'hat recommended them is not economy 

 of iierformance (because they carry 

 relatively less per scpiare foot of surface 

 than sm.iller water machines) but the 

 improved facilities offered for navigation, 

 comfort for long trips, and the advantage 



that one pilot can transport many 

 passengers. They are also required, 

 whenever a great radius of action is 

 tlemanded, which can be obtained with 

 aerofjlanes only by cutting down the 

 passenger list and carrying more fuel 

 instead. In a small machine, this would 

 mean amiiulating the alighting gear. 



The difficultN' of starling and alighting 

 with a mammoth plane is serious. The 

 impact of the heavy mass is too much 

 for its strength, especially for the landing 

 wheels, which have to be made very 

 bulky and clumsy, consequently wasting 

 ])ower in air -resistance. Transformed 

 into a Hying boat the mammoth machine 

 becomes more practical, because the hull 

 partakes of all the naval advantages 

 that follow with increased size. Strains 

 to which they are subject from gusts 

 must be formidable. But no technical 

 accounts of their beha\ior in the air ha\e 

 been jjublished. 



Air-figh.ting is fully as romantic 

 as ever were the deeds of Homer's 

 heroes or Cooper's Indians; for this is 

 the day of personal prowess in air-fight- 

 ing. We need not dwell solely on the 

 exploits of such German supermen as 

 Immelmann and Boelke (each with 

 a record of at least fifteen victories). 

 Neither superiority of numbers nor of 

 machines cuts much of a figure if it is 

 matched against a certain mysterious 

 personal equation, which cannot as yet 

 be completely analyzed. It may be 

 safe to say that rapid, masterful marks- 

 manship plays in it no small part. It 

 would Ije indeed a rare coincidence if 

 this ability were likewise found combined 

 with exceptional talents (like Pegoud's) 

 for managing an aeroplane. If that be 

 the case it is obvious that a fighter and 

 flyer in one person must be more formid- 

 able than the co-operation of a mere 

 (Iyer and a mere fighter. We need only 

 imagine two cavalrymen on the same 

 horse, (assuming that they could be 

 accommodated together as perfectly as 

 two flyers on a machine) of whom one 

 wields only the lance and the other 

 manipulates the bridle. How should 

 they communicate their respective inten- 

 tions in fractions of a second? 



But this holds good onh' in regard to 

 small powerful racing machines which 

 fight wasp-like at close range. 



