Part 23 (1/2)

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate XXII.]

THE MORANE: First the European Circuit and Paris-Madrid type. Then the 1912 types, with taper wing and modern type wing. The 1913 types, the ”clipped wing,” flown by the late Mr. Hamel, one of the standard tandem types now in use. About the same time came the ”parasol.” 1914-15 came a little biplane like a Nieuport, and the ”destroyer” type with a round section body, flown by Vedrines.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate XXIII.]

THE VOISIN.--1908, the first properly controlled flight on a European aeroplane was made on a Voisin of the type shown with fixed engine.

Then followed the record breaker of 1909 with a Gnome engine. In 1909 also the only Voisin tractor was produced. 1910 the Paris-Bordeaux type was built; 1911 the amphibious ”canard” and the ”military” type with extensions, and the type without an elevator. 1913 came the type with only two tail-booms and a geared-down engine, which developed into the big ”gun” machine with a Salmson engine.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate XXIV.]

THE HANRIOT AND PONNIER MONOPLANES.--In 1909 came the first Hanriot with 50 h.p. 6-cylinder Buchet engine, and in 1910 the famous ”Henrietta”

type with E.N.Vs. and stationary Clergets. 1911 came the Clerget two-seater entered in French Military Trials, and 1912 the 100 h.p.

Hanriot-Pagny monoplane which took part in British Military Trials.

Sister machines of the same year were the single seater with 50 h.p.

Gnome and the 100 h.p. Gnome racer with stripped cha.s.sis. In 1913 the Ponnier-Pagny racing monoplane with 160 h.p. Le Rhone competed in the Gordon-Bennett race, doing about 130 miles in the hour. The 60 h.p.

Ponnier biplane was the first successful French scout tractor biplane.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate XXV.]

THE WRIGHT BIPLANE.--The first power flights were made, 1903, on a converted glider fitted with 16 h.p. motor. The p.r.o.ne position of the pilot will be noted. By 1907 the machine had become reasonably practical with 40 h.p. motor. On this the first real flying in the world was done.

In 1910 the miniature racing Wright was produced; also the type with a rear elevator in addition to one in front. Soon afterwards the front elevator disappeared, and the machine became the standard American exhibition and school machine for four years. In 1915 a machine with enclosed fuselage was produced.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate XXVI.]

THE BLACKBURN MONOPLANES.--In 1909 was built the curious four-wheeled parasol-type machine with 35 h.p. Green engine and chain transmission, on which flying was done at Saltburn. In 1911 the Isaacson-engined machine was built, together with a 50 h.p. Gnome single-seater on which Mr. Hucks started in the Circuit of Britain race. In 1912 another 50 h.p. single-seater was built on which a good deal of school work was done. A more advanced machine appeared in 1913 and a two-seater with 80 h.p. Gnome did a great deal of cross-country work in 1913-14.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate XXVII.]

In 1908 the first Antoinette monoplane was produced by MM. Gastambide and Mengin. Then followed a machine with central skids, a single wheel, and wing skids. In 1909 came the machine with four-wheeled cha.s.sis and ailerons and later an improved edition which reverted to the central skid idea. On this M. Latham made his first cross-channel attempt.

The next machine shed the wing skids and widened its wheelbase.

During 1910-11 the ailerons vanished, warp control was adopted and the king-post system of wing-bracing was used. In 1911 the curious machine with streamlined ”pantalette” cha.s.sis, totally enclosed body and internal wing-bracing, was produced for French Military Trials. In 1912 the three-wheeled machine was used to a certain extent in the French Army. Then the type disappeared.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate XXVIII.]

In 1908 and 1909 detached experimental machines in various countries attained a certain success. The late Capt. Ferber made a primitive tractor biplane 1908. The Odier-Vendome biplane was a curious bat-winged pusher biplane built 1909. The tailless Etrich monoplane, built in Austria, 1908, was an adaptation of the Zanonia leaf. M. Santos-Dumont made primitive parasol type monoplanes known as ”Demoiselles,” in which bamboo was largely used. 1909 type is seen above. A curious steel monoplane was built by the late John Moisant, 1909. The twin-pusher biplane, built by the Barnwell Bros. in Scotland, made one or two straight flights in 1909. The Clement-Bayard Co. in France constructed in 1909 a biplane which did fairly well. Hans Grade, the first German to fly, made his early efforts on a ”Demoiselle” type machine, 1908.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate XXIX.]