the mastery of the air(操纵空气)-第17章
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the flight had been complied with； and that the prize had been legitimately
won。 It is interesting to read that the famous aeronaut divided the money
among the poor。
But important though Santos Dumont's experiments were with the air…
ship； they were of even greater value when he turned his attention to the
aeroplane。
One of his first trials with a heavier…than…air machine was made with a
huge glider； which was fitted with floats。 The curious craft was towed
along the River Seine by a fast motor boat named the Rapiere； and it
actually succeeded in rising into the air and flying behind the boat like a
gigantic kite。
12th November； 1906； is a red…letter day in the history of aviation； for
it was then that Santos Dumont made his first little flight in an aeroplane。
This took place at Bagatelle； not far from Paris。
Two months before this the airman had succeeded in driving his little
machine； called the Bird of Prey； many yards into the air； and 〃11 yards
through the air〃； as the newspapers reported； but the craft was badly
smashed。 It was not until November that the first really satisfactory flight
took place。
A description of this flight appeared in most of the European
newspapers； and I give a quotation from one of them： 〃The aeroplane rose
gracefully and gently to a height of about 15 feet above the earth； covering
in this most remarkable dash through the air a distance of about 700 feet in
twenty…one seconds。
〃It thus progressed through the atmosphere at the rate of nearly 30
miles an hour。 Nothing like this has ever been accomplished before。 。 。 。
The aeroplane has now reached the practical stage。〃
The dimensions of this aeroplane were：
Length 32 feet Greatest width 39 feet Weight with one passenger 465
pounds。 Speed 30 miles an hour
A modern aeroplane with airman and passenger frequently weighs
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over 1 ton； and reaches a speed of over 60 miles an hour。
It is interesting to note that Santos Dumont； in 1913that is； only
seven years after his flight in an aeroplane at Bagatelle made him world…
famousannounced his intention of again taking an active part in aviation。
His purpose was to make use of aeroplanes merely for pleasure； much as
one might purchase a motor…car for the same object。
Could the intrepid Brazilian in his wildest dreams have foreseen the
rapid advance of the last eight years？ In 1906 no one had flown in Europe；
by 1914 hundreds of machines were in being； in which the pilots were no
longer subject to the wind's caprices； but could fly almost where and when
they would。
Frenchmen have honoured； and rightly honoured； this gallant and
picturesque figure in the annals of aviation； for in 1913 a magnificent
monument was unveiled in France to commemorate his pioneer work。
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THE MASTERY OF THE AIR
CHAPTER XXVIII M。 Bleriot and the Monoplane
If the Wright brothers can lay claim to the title of 〃Fathers of the
Biplane〃； then it is certain that M。 Bleriot； the gallant French airman； can
be styled the 〃Father of the Monoplane。〃
For five years1906 to 1910Louis Bleriot's name was on
everybody's lips in connection with his wonderful records in flying and
skilful feats of airmanship。 Perhaps the flight which brought him greatest
renown was that accomplished in July； 1909； when he was the first man to
cross the English Channel by aeroplane。 This attempt had been forestalled；
although unsuccessfully； by Hubert Latham； a daring aviator who is best
known in Lancashire by his flight in 1909 at Blackpool in a wind which
blew at the rate of nearly 40 miles an houra performance which struck
everyone with wonder in these early days of aviation。
Latham attempted； on an Antoinette monoplane； to carry off the prize
of L1000 offered by the proprietors of the Daily Mail。 On the first
occasion he fell in mid…Channel； owing to the failure of his motor； and was
rescued by a torpedo…boat。 His machine was so badly damaged during the
salving operations that another had to be sent from Paris； and with this he
made a second attempt； which was also unsuccessful。 Meanwhile M。
Bleriot had arrived on the scene； and on 25th July he crossed the Channel
from Calais to Dover in thirty…seven minutes and was awarded the L1000
prize。
Bleriot's fame was now firmly established； and on his return to France
he received a magnificent welcome。 The monoplane at once leaped into
favour； and the famous 〃bird man〃 had henceforth to confine his efforts to
the building of machines and the organization of flying events。 He has
since established a large factory in France and inaugurated a flying school
at Pau。
All the time that the Wrights were experimenting with their glider and
biplane in America； and the Voisin brothers were constructing biplanes in
France； Bleriot had been giving earnest attention to the production of a
real 〃bird〃 machine； provided with one pair of FLAPPING wings。 We
know now that such an aeroplane is not likely to be of practical use； but
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with quiet persistence Bleriot kept to his task； and succeeded in evolving
the famous Antoinette monoplane； which more closely resembles a bird
than does any other form of air…craft。
In the illustration of the Bleriot monoplane here given you will notice
that there is one main plane； consisting of a pair of highly…cambered wings；
hence the name 〃MONOplane〃。 At the rear of the machine there is a much
smaller plane； which is slightly cambered； this is the elevating plane； and
it can be tilted up or down in order to raise or lower the machine。
Remember that the elevating plane of a biplane is to the front of the
machine and in the monoplane at the rear。 The small； upright plane G is
the rudder； and is used for steering the machine to the right or left。 The
long narrow body or framework of the monoplaneis known as the
FUSELAGE。
By a close study of the illustration； and the description which
accompanies it； you will understand how the machine is driven。 The main
plane is twisted； or warped； when banking； much in the same way that the
Wright biplane is warped。
Far greater speed can be obtained from the monoplane than from the
biplane； chiefly because in the former machine there is much less
resistance to the air。 Both height and speed records stand to the credit of
the monoplane。
The enormous difference in the speeds of monoplanes and biplanes
can be best seen at a race meeting at some aerodrome。 Thus at Hendon；
when a speed handicap is in progress； the slow biplanes have a start of one
or two laps over the rapid little monoplanes in a six…lap contest； and it is
most amusing to see the latter dart under； or over； the more cumbersome
biplane。 Recently however； much faster biplanes have been built； and they
bid fair to rival the swiftest monoplanes in speed。
There is； however； one serious drawback to the use of the monoplane：
it is far more dangerous to the pilot than is the biplane。 Most of the fatal
accidents in aviation have been caused through mishaps to monoplanes or
their engines； and chiefly for this reason the biplane has to a large extent
supplanted the monoplane in warfare。 The biplane； too； is better adapted
for observation work； which is； after all； the chief use of air…craft。
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In a later chapter some account will be givcn of the three types of
aeroplane which the war has evolvedthe general…purposes machine； the
single…seater 〃fighter〃； and those big bomb…droppers； the British Handley
Page and the German Gotha。
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CHAPTER XXIX Henri Farman and the Voisin
Biplane
The coming of the motor engine made events move rapidly in the
world of aviation。 About the year 1906 people's attention was drawn to
France； where Santos Dumont was carrying out the wonderful experiments
which we have already described。 Then came Henri Farman； who piloted
the famous biplane built by the Voisin brothers in 1907； an aeroplane
destined to bring world…wide renown to its clever constructors and its
equally clever and daring pilot。
There were notable points of distinction between the Voisin biplane
and that built by the Wrights。 The latter； as we have seen； had two
propellers； the former only one。 The launching skids of the Wright biplane
gave place to wheels on Farman's machine。 One great advantage； however；
possessed by the early Wright biplane over its French rivals； was in its
greater general efficiency。 The power of the engine was only about one…
half of the power required in certain of the French designs。 This was
chiefly due to the use of the launching rail； for it needed much greater
motor power to make a machine rise from the ground by its own motor
engine than when it received a starting lift from a falling weight。 Even in
our modern aeroplanes less engine power is required to drive the craft
through the air than to start from the ground。
Farman achieved great fame through his early flights； and； on 13th
January； 1908； at the flying ground at Issy； in France； he won the prize of
L2000； offered by MM。 Deutsch and Archdeacon to the first aviator who
flew a circular kilometre。 In July of the same year he won another
substantial prize given by a French engineer； M。 Armengaud； to the first
