The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-03-30
PROF. LANGLEY's AIR SHIP.
A Flying Machine Devised At the Smith
s0nimn Institution.

PROF. LANGLEY'S AIR SHIP.
A Flying Machine Devised At the smith.
sonian institution.
WAsHNaroN, March 29s--It ID stated that
Prof. Samuel Pisrpont Langley. tho sue
csssor Of Prot. Henry @. Baird In tho con-
troll Of the Smithsonian institution Of this
city. which 10 one of the recognized lead
inR scientific inRtitutsa In the world and IL
under control OF the government, has de-
ysloped a flying machine which he believes
10 practicable.
The machine 10 q working model. II 10
not intended TO carry passengers. In CON.
nQuration the body portion closely simu-
lAtss q mnckeral. The backbone 10 q light
known ~ "title metal" ono Of the many
alloys Of aluminium and steel. II 10 fifteen
feet In length and five centimsters. or prno-
ticnlly two inches. In diameter. To give
rigidity to the skeleton, longitudinal ribs
OF atid steel arc provided. intorssctsd at
Intervals by cross ribs OF pure aluMinium.
the result being q lattice framework OF
great strength.
The engines. which are located In the
portion Of the framework corr esponding TO
the head Of tho fish, are of the double-os o.
cillntinc. Tyre. They weigh sixty ounces
OF that power ever made. There are four
boilers Of thinly hammered copper weighing
little more than seven pounds each and
they ocoary the middle portion OF the tsh.
Instead of water. = very volatile hydro.
which ia a matter Of secrecy, but which va.
porizes at a comparatively low temperature
Tho fuel used IL refined gasoline and tho
extreme end of the tail OF the fsh 10 util-
iced for q storage q with a capacity OF
one quart. Before passing on to the boilers
che gasoline 10 volatilizod by going through
heated coil.
There are twin.screw propellers, which
would be made adjustable to different
angles in practice, to provide for the steer-
ing. but which in simply n working model
given trial. Sorrows Of various pitches, and
ranging from twenty to eighty centimetors
in diameter. have been experimental with.
but it is not vet definitely determined which
shall be adopted for trial. With the small
est. the engines develop a speed of Zoo
revolutions a minute. With the larger ones
the speed is somewhat decreased.
A thin jacket of asbestos covers the
upper portion OF the body Of the fish. 1t
is unusually porous, and probably is en-
ployed to prevent undue loss OF heat by
radiation. The wings or aeroplanes are
of tubular aluminium steel. covered with
China silk. The front one is forty-two
inches wide in the widest part and has an
extreme length of forty feet from tip to
tip. The rear one is somewhat
smallsr.. Both ae:oplanes are designed
gle they present to the air. A tubular
mast extends upwardly and down
wardly through about the middle of tho
craft and from its e1tremities run stays Of
aluminium wire to the tips of the aero
planes and the ends of the tubular back.
bone, and by this trusting arrangement the
whole structure is rendered exceedingly
stiff.
The machine was constructed and per-
fscted to its present degree in a secret room
in the Smithsonian institution, whore it
now rests. 1t was conceived about twenty
months ago by Prof. langley. who asso-
ciated with him in the work of experiment
tation Chief Clerk W. g. Winlock and DR..
kidder. q scientific expert employed at that
time in the institution. Four skilled work.
MOI in mechanics and metallCrgy were put
10 work at so cents an hour under pledge
hours, mostly at night and on sundnys.. At
the institution the s~trictest iniunctions
were laid on the w%atchmen to keep all in
truders off the scent. The watchmen them
selves were instructed to turn their backs
or walk to the other end of the corridor
when word was passed from the chief TINT
some article was to be conveyed to or from
lhe secret chamber. 1t is said that one en-
ploye was discharged merely for being seen
on ths third floor of the building. None of
viz ICkuluk cAupAOycO WAC oupRo0oo w
know What was going On there. As a mat
ter Of fact, very few of them do know that
anything Is there at the present time.
Prof. Langley went to France to superin-
tend personally the making of tho central
tube, which constitutes the backbone of the
structure. and brought it back with him
among his personal effects to insure careful
handling. II is SO light that 1t can DO
handled easily by an infant. Daring his
French visit. while in touch with the most
advanced Investigators, he is believed to
have reached his conclusion as to tho best
model for the general confol nation of the
proposed mir craft. namely, the long, thin,
tapering lines of the mackerel.
In the large lecture room of the National
museum Prof. Langley hns succeeded re-
peatedly in producing successful flights with
small models. They would fly az long as
the power lnsted. the power being applied
by means of lightly wrapped rubber bands,
on the principle of the string top. The
lightest of these little models weighs ak
teen grams. and will soar from one end of
the room to the other as freely as a bird.
1t may be supposed that tho gross weight
has been GO far reduced as to give hope of
actual success now. inasmuch as an out
door trinl has been planned. Tho inten-
ton is to employ n tug to tow the expert
mental party to a creek about forty-hve
miles down the Potomac, where the expert
ments may be conducted without fear of
interruption.