The Washington times., 1906-06-11
AIRSHIP EXPERT
PREPARED To RIDE
OVER WASHINGTON
Roy KnabenShue and His
Flying Machine Ready
For Test.

Roy Knabenshue. the aeronaut. and
his airship. Knabensnue No. >. arrived
I In Washington today. and tomorrow
I the aerial navigator will begin his
series Of ascensions over the CITY.
Starting from Luna Park. he will cross
the Potomac. cruise a few hundred feet
above the tallest buildings in the tusi-
ress section of the city. and return to
mis- starting roint
Ali this Knabenshue considers the
most natural thing in the world.
In speaking Of his airship. he said.
7 have made many improvements
Upon it TO suit my purpose II was
an automobile engine when l got hold
Of it, bur now" he said laugbingIy
1t is my own peculiar machine You
see, I have TO have the lishtest pos
sible apparatus in the ship This en-
gine does not weigh, completed. with
The frame attached. more than ninety
pounds
This crank shaft" he continued.
pointing to a long, thin piece Of hollow
steel, which, connected with the fly
wheel, had attached TO it the two pro
peller blades. "can make 5000 revolutions
a minute. 1t has never failed me here.
tofore. and that is what makes me so
very careful Of it
Knabenshue was originally in tho teIe-
phone business in Toledo. and became
interested in airships by watching an
old-fashioned smoke balloon. He bought
this balloon. and gave exhibitions
throughout the country. He was not
were offered for balloon races at the St
Louis Fair he took his old gas bag
there
At St Louis he met Santos-D Dumont
and Captain Baldwin. Dumcnt impress
ed him with his great knowledge of air
ships. and took him over 70 his ship
and explained all about it, Captain
Baldwin came alons about this time
with his ship. The Arrow. He talked
airships until Knabenshle was about
like a child listening to fairy stories
before going to bed.
One day Baldwin gave him chance
to go up.
1t was mis- first trip in an airship. but
despite is thrill did not cure him Of The
fever.
The airship. which is sixty-two feet
long and sixteen feet in diameter. is
shaped like a herring being more blunt
fore than ar Its capacity is 10000
cubic feet. IL is made of $50 yards OF
Japanese silk, the thinnest and finest
known, and imported by the inventor
for this purpose. The pieces of silk are
so SeWed together that a seam could
rip only for a short distance. in which
case the balloon would descend to the
earth slowly.
The net which is thrown about the
balloon, and which holds the suspended
framework. steering apparatus, motor.
etc. rs of small fishline
The. frame suspended in the net is five
feet besow the bottom of the balloon
1t Is made of spruce sticks-the light
est ana most durable wood-braced with
piano Wir"s and fastened with one-eighth
inch bolts.
The go solene engine which drives the
ship is lo-horsepOwer four cylinder.
lour cycle. and air cooled Its base fs
or aluminium and its cylinders of steel.
II weighs only ninety pounds and is
as powerful as that used in many auto
mobiles This remarkable motor MS
constructed entirely by Knabenshue
The propeller. which is at the front
Of the framework. il driven bv tbe
gasolene engine, and pulls, rather than
prope's. the airship. II makes go revo-
lutions a minute in an ordinary breeze
1t Is sixteen fee in diameter and is
on a shaft Of steel tubing nine feef
long. The blades are of spruce frame
covered with French muslin and painted
with aluminium paint.
The rudGer is five by six and one-naif
feet in dimension made of spruce frame
with French muslin stretched between.
and weighs only flye pounds.