A Touring Triplane for Ruth Law 



A new world's record is now in order 



Wires are not entirely absent from the construction of the machine. But they are so few in number 

 that their effect will be negligible. Resistance has been reduced by eliminating the rear strut3 



T 



HE early builders of aeroplanes cared 



little for the resistance offered by the 



They were glad enough to fly at 



air. 



all. Wires and struts were used with no re- 

 gard whatever for their retarding effect when 

 propelled against the air at railway speed. 

 The aviator sat on the lower edge of a 

 biplane so that his 

 body added its re- 

 sistance to that of 

 numerous projec- 

 tions. No wonder 

 that monoplanes 

 were swifter. 



Soon aeroplane 

 builders discovered 

 what they should 

 have known in the 

 very first place— that 

 it is easier to move a 

 large, correctly de- 

 signed bulk through 

 the air than a multi- 

 tude of projections 

 each of which rakes 

 the atmosphere and 

 leaves a little wake 

 of its own behind it. 

 As a result the avia- 

 tor, whether he mounts a monoplane or a 

 biplane, is now completely enclosed in a 

 kind of boat-body so shaped that it parts 

 the air easily and leaves a comparatively 

 quiet wake at the rear. 



In the early days of the aeroplane, it was 

 thought that the piling of surface on 

 surface, while it meant stability in flying, 



The boat body is so shaped that it parts the 

 air easily and leaves a quiet wake behind 



also meant much head-resistance. It is 

 true that the resistance is increased. But 

 if structural difficulties are overcome, wire 

 stays may be abandoned without at all 

 weakening the craft. Recently a triplane 

 without wire staying broke the speed record 

 of monoplanes — an achievement which would 

 have been consid- 

 ered impossible only 

 five years ago. The 

 performance of that 

 triplane served to 

 drive home the les- 

 son that it is head- 

 resistance which 

 counts for everything 

 in attaining speed. 

 After that success 

 it naturally followed 

 that a touring tri- 

 plane like that of 

 Miss Law should be 

 built. 



Study the photo- 

 graphs of Miss Law's 

 machine. Wires are 

 not entirely absent. 

 They are necessary 

 because of the ma- 

 chine's size. Still they are so few in number 

 that their effect must be almost negligible. 

 The rear struts have disappeared with the 

 result that useless resistance has been much 

 reduced. Plucky Miss Law, who accom- 

 plished so much with an antiquated type in 

 flying from Chicago to New York, should 

 do great things in this modern machine. 



