the mastery of the air(操纵空气)-第18章
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substantial prize given by a French engineer； M。 Armengaud； to the first
pilot who remained aloft for a quarter of an hour。
Probably an even greater performance was the cross…country flight
made by Farman about three months later。 In the flight he passed over hills；
valleys； rivers； villages； and woods on his journey from Chalons to
Rheims； which he accomplished in twenty minutes。
In the early models of the Voisin machine there were fitted between
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the two main planes a number of vertical planes； as shown clearly in the
illustration facing p。 160。 It was thought that these planes would increase
the stability of the machine； independent of the skill of the operator； and in
calm weather they were highly effective。 Their great drawback； however；
was that when a strong side wind caught them the machine was blown out
of its course。
Subsequently Farman considerably modified the early…type Voisin
biplane； as shown by the illustration facing p。 160。 The vertical planes
were dispensed with； and thus the idea of automatic stability was
abandoned。
But an even greater distinction between the Farman biplane and that
designed by the Wrights was in the adoption of a system of small movable
planes； called AILERONS； fixed at extremities of the main planes； instead
of the warping controls which we have already described。 The ailerons；
which are adapted to many of our modern aeroplanes； are really balancing
flaps； actuated by a control lever at the right side of the pilot's seat； and the
principle on which they are worked is very similar to that employed in the
warp system of lateral stability。
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CHAPTER XXX A Famous British Inventor
About the time that M。 Bleriot was developing his monoplane； and
Santos Dumont was astonishing the world with his flying feats at
Bagatelle； a young army officer was at work far away in a secluded part of
the Scottish Highlands on the model of an aeroplane。 This young man was
Lieutenant J。 W。 Dunne； and his name has since been on everyone's lips
wherever aviation is discussed。 Much of Lieutenant Dunne's early
experimental work was done on the Duke of Atholl's estate； and the story
goes that such great secrecy was observed that 〃the tenants were enrolled
as a sort of bodyguard to prevent unauthorized persons from entering〃。 For
some time the War Office helped the inventor with money； for the
numerous tests and trials necessary in almost every invention before
satisfactory results are achieved are very costly。
Probably the inventor did not make sufficiently rapid progress with his
novel craft； for he lost the financial help and goodwill of the Government
for a time； but he plodded on； and at length his plans were sufficiently
advanced for him to carry on his work openly。 It must be borne in mind
that at the time Dunne first took up the study of aviation no one had flown
in Europe； and he could therefore receive but little help from the results
achieved by other pilots and constructors。
But in the autumn of 1913 Lieutenant Dunne's novel aeroplane was the
talk of both Europe and America。 Innumerable trials had been made in the
remote flying ground at Eastchurch； Isle of Sheppey； and the machine
became so far advanced that it made a cross…Channel flight from
Eastchurch to Paris。 It remained in France for some time； and Commander
Felix； of the French Army； made many excellent flights in it。
Unfortunately； however； when flying near Deauville； engine trouble
compelled the officer to descend； but in making a landing in a very small
field； not much larger than a tennis…court； several struts of the machine
were damaged。 It was at once seen that the aeroplane could not possibly be
flown until it had been repaired and thoroughly overhauled。 To do this
would take several days； especially as there were no facilities for repairing
the craft near by； and to prevent anyone from making a careful
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examination of the aeroplane； and so discovering the secret features which
had been so jealously guarded； the machine was smashed up after the
engine had been removed。
At that time this was the only Dunne aeroplane in existence； but of
course the plans were in the possession of the inventor； and it was an easy
task to make a second machine from the same model。 Two more machines
were put in hand at Hendon； and a third at Eastchurch。
On 18th October； 1913； the Dunne aeroplane made its first public
appearance at Hendon； in the London aerodrome； piloted by Commander
Felix。 The most striking distinction between this and other biplanes is that
its wings or planes； instead of reaching from side to side of the engine；
stretch back in the form of the letter V； with the point of the V to the front。
These wings extend so far to the rear that there is no need of a tail to the
machine； and the elevating plane in front can also be dispensed with。
This curious and unique design in aeroplane construction was decided
upon by Lieutenant Dunne after a prolonged observation at close quarters
of different birds in flight； and the inventor claims for his aeroplane that it
is practically uncapsizable。 Perhaps； however； this is too much to claim for
any heavier…than…air machine； but at all events the new design certainly
appears to give greater stability； and it is to be hoped that by this and other
devices the progress of aviation will not in the future be so deeply tinged
with tragedy。
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CHAPTER XXXI The Romance of a Cowboy
Aeronaut
In the brief but glorious history of pioneer work in aviation； so far as it
applies to this country； there is scarcely a more romantic figure to be found
than Colonel Cody。 It was the writer's pleasure to come into close contact
with Cody during the early years of his experimental work with man…
lifting box…kites at the Alexandra Park； London； and never will his genial
smile and twinkling eye be forgotten。
Cody always seemed ready to crack a joke with anyone； and possibly
there was no more optimistic man in the whole of Britain。 To the boys and
girls of Wood Green he was a popular hero。 He was usually clad in a
〃cowboy〃 hat； red flannel shirt； and buckskin breeches； and his hair hung
down to his shoulders。 On certain occasions he would give a 〃Wild West〃
exhibition at the Alexandra Palace； and one of his most daring tricks with
the gun was to shoot a cigarette from a lady's lips。 One could see that he
was entire master of the rifle； and a trick which always brought rounds of
applause was the hitting of a target while standing with his back to it；
simply by the aid of a mirror held at the butt of his rifle。
But it is of Cody as an aviator and aeroplane constructor that we wish
to speak。 For some reason or other he was generally the object of ridicule；
both in the Press and among the public。 Why this should have been so is
not quite clear； possibly his quaint attire had something to do with it； and
unfriendly critics frequently raised a laugh at his expense over the
enormous size of his machines。 So large were they that the Cody biplane
was laughingly called the 〃Cody bus〃 or the 〃Cody Cathedral。〃
But in the end Cody fought down ridicule and won fame； for in
competition with some of the finest machines of the day； piloted by some
of our most expert airmen； he won the prize of L5000 offered by the
Government in 1912 in connection with the Army trials for aeroplanes。 In
these trials he astonished everyone by obtaining a speed of over 70 miles
an hour in his biplane； which weighed 2600 pounds。
In the opening years of the present century Cody spent much time in
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demonstrations with huge box…kites； and for a time this form of kite was
highly popular with boys of North London。 In these kites he made over
two hundred flights； reaching； on some occasions； an altitude of over 2000
feet。 At all times of the day he could have been seen on the slopes of the
Palace Hill； hauling these strange…looking； bat…like objects backward and
forward in the wind。 Reports of his experiments appeared in the Press； but
Cody was generally looked upon as a 〃crank〃。 The War Office； however；
saw great possibilities in the kites for scouting purposes in time of war；
and they paid Cody L5000 for his invention。
It is a rather romantic story of how Cody came to take up experimental
work with kites； and it is repeated as it was given by a Mohawk chief to a
newspaper representative。
〃On one occasion when Cody was in a Lancashire town with his Wild
West show； his son Leon went into the street with a parrot…shaped kite。
Leon was attired in a red shirt； cowboy trousers； and sombrero； and soon a
crowd of youngsters in clogs was clattering after him。
〃'If a boy can interest a crowd with a little kite； why can't a man
interest a whole nation？' thought Codyand so the idea of man…lifting
kites developed。〃
In 1903 Cody made a daring but unsuccessful attempt to cross the
Channel in a boat drawn by two kites。 Had he succeeded he intended to
cross the Atlantic by similar means。
Later on； Cody turned his attention to the construction of aeroplanes；
but he was seriously handicapped by lack of funds。 His machines were
built with the most primitive tools； and some of our mo
