The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-09
LANGLEY AERODROME'S FALL.
GOES INTO THE RIVER AFTER A
?OO-YARD FLIGHT.

Had to lie Fisi,ed Out OF the Mud--ExDerts
say the Test Of the Model Was a Sue
cess-SpectatOrs Unable 20 Under
stand the PuZzle-The Model Damage
WIDE WATER, Va, Aug. s.-After weeks
of delay q model of Prof. LaDgley's new
HGrodrome, embodying all the improvements
in aerial navigation suggested by twenty
years OF work by the inventor, was launched
from the houseboat Buzzard, or Wide
Water this morning. The aSrodrome sailed
through the air in an erratic course and
fell into the water about two hundred yards
from the houseboat and sank.
Charles II. Marley. Prof. Lang ley's
chief assistant, who has been in charge Of
the experiments at Wide Water, says the
experiment was an entire success. All
who saw the fight Of the airship model are
at loss to understand Mr.. Manley's state
ment. unless he was engaged in target
practice, with the aSrodrome as the pro-
jectile and the broad sheet OF water az the
target. To others who have been waitirg
for weeks for the airship trials to begin,
the fight of the miniature aSrodrome to-
day was a distinct disappoir tment.
This is due, in some measure. to the fact
that Prof. Langley has said that several
years ago during his experiments at Wide
Water, a model asrodrome sustained itself
in the air for distances varying from a
mile and half to two miles and half and
then only dropped for lack Of motive power.
The flight of the aerodrome to-day can best
be understood by comparison with the sail
ing Of n playing card cast from the hand
The vessel, apparently, remained in fight
as long as the force transmitted by the
launching apparatus lasted and then inn
mediately fell into the water.
The asrodrome was, launched at half
past o'clock. The weather conditions
were Just what the members Of the Langley
expedition nave been waiting for for many
days. There was a light breeze, and the
Potomac, which is four miles across al
Wide Water, was perfectly smooth. The
model aercdrome, which is about fifteen
feet long, is very light, and was hoisted
without difficulty from the interior OF the
house boat to its position on the launching
apparatus.
The asrodrome is similar to those with
which Prof. Langley has been experiment.
ing for years, and is miniature repro
duction Of the airship in which one Of the
members of the Langley party will soon
endeavor to ascend. The framework OF
the machine is of forged steel, made as
light az possible consistent with strength.
Four silken wings extend from the sides.
Three propellers, two for propulsion and
one for steering, are driven by an alumni
mum gasolene motor. The car on which
the asrodrome was placed was forced
up against the springs and secured. The
tracks were pointed toward the Mary
land shore. The wings Of the strange
craft were extended and secured and a
moment later, at a given signal, the cylin-
der pistons were released and the aero
drome left the launching tracks at the rate
OF seventy feet a second against the wind.
The airship did not ascend, but, travelling
at an estimated speed of forty miles an
hour, sped away from the houseboat in
a straight line for about 100 yards. Then
it DETECTED 10 the left and downward
striking tho water with great force about
200 yards from the Buzzard. There was
great splash, and the rapidly-revolving
propellers forced the machines nose down
beneath the surface Of the water. The
alright cylinders attached to the frame
work of the machine to keep it sfoat in
Just such an emergency proved power
less against the force OF the propellers.
The entire fight, from the releasing Of the
cylinder to the sinking of the asrodrome
lasted considerably less than half n minute
The scientific men on the houseboat
watched the first hundred yards OF the
a,~I,A 10 81. L.
when the machine DETECTED and hit the
water they wasted no time In words, but
yelled to the captain of the tug D. M. Key,
which has been acting as tender to the
houseboat, to hasten to the wreck. The
tug was lying north Of the houseboat,
having been stationed there just before
the airship was launched.
1t was apparent that the wings and steer
ing apparatus OF the erOdrome had been
arranged with view to having the vessel
sail circular course and land to the north
Of the houseboat and near the tug. The
erratic flight of the machine, however,
spoiled these plans. 1t took the steam tug,
a gasolene launch, three rowboats and eight
scientists about three-quarters of an hour
to find the wrecked Brodrome, and ~
much longer to raise it to the surface.
The airship, when pulled out of the
water was forlorn and bedra ggled look
ing wreck The graphing irons had torn
great rents in the silken sails, the delicate
steel framework was bent and battered
and the whole machine was covered with
mud, where the propellors had forced it +,
head onJ into the soft riyerbed. The
scientific men, in recovering the wreck,
however, acted with the same secrecy
that has characterized their movements
since the flying machine expedition came
TO Wide Water.
Several OF the mechanics in the party
had nothing to do but manipulate i'm
mense squares Of canvas which they drew
over each portion Of the wrecked aerodrome
! as it was dragged from the river, to con-
oeal it from the gaze Of curious eyes.
Enough was seen by the newspaper men
surrounding the rescue party, however, to
| reveal what had happened to the air vessel.
Every one present who saw the flight
and the recovery of the asrodrome thought
the test had been q complete failure, and
that the machine had been badly wrecked.
Mr. Marley at first refused TO make any
statement regarding the trial, but when
the views Of the spectators were expressed
to him he manifested some feeling and
dictated the following
"Tle flight took place at 9:3lb. The e1
pertinent was entirely successful All data
for which the test was made were obi lined.
The equilibrium Of the machine was per-
feet, the power adequate and the sust air ing
''"face Of the wings ample. No accident
VIII fever occurred during the test. Al
cough some Of the woodwork Of the wings
and rudder was damaged by the graphing
hooks used in removing the aerodrome
from the river, no. essential part Of the