Los Angeles herald., 1908-12-29
ZERBE PROVES
AERONEF WILL
RAISE ITSELF
INVENTOR is SATISFIED WITH
AER0PLANE'S TESTS
AVIATOR DEMONSTRATES HIS
MACHINE WILL FLY
Arshlp Sails Four Feet Above Earth,
Responding to Steering Apparatus
Well Enough to Demon
strate Efficiency

Prof, J. S. zerbe has made sufficient
flying demonstrations with the aero
plane he has been building at Bimini
baths to prove to his entire satisfaction
his theories, embodied in the machine,
will work out as he has anticipated.
He has had the aeroplane in the air
for short flights several times, but the
breaking of the crank shaft of the en-
sine prevented making a longer flight
which he had planned for yesterday
The aeroplane has lifted itself three
and four feet above the ground without
gliding start, which in itself is q
revolutionary development in aeronau-
tics. When the power was shut off and
the propeller stopped, instead of drop
ping to earth it came down gently from
Il height of four feet without Earring
The machine or the engineer, j. Ii.
Klassen, who was at the wheel
On one OF the short flights Mr.. klas-
sen operated the steering device, and
the acroplaue responded in a manner
most gratifying to the inventor. 1t
went forward from right to left, as the
operator directed but maintained its
stability throughout the flight, thus
showing the efficiency of the steering
apparatus.
J. II. Klassen, Mr.. Zerbes assistant
sat in the seat of the aeroplane in its
trial flights, and Nh. Zerbe, with Edgar
Smith, who is also associated with him,
ran by the sides to hold it down. The
full power which the eight cylinder en-
CINE is capable of furnishing was not
developed at any time. The trials were
made in front of the airship room at
Bimini baths, and is the space is linn
tied no attempt was made to make
flight of more than forty or fifty feet.
Satisfied Ideas Are Practical
These flights, however, are sufficient
to prove to the inventor that his ideas
VII work out practically. AS soon as
he can secure q nickel steel crankshaft,
which is being made for him. Mr.. Zerbe
viii make a trial at q greater height.
Since he placed the engine in the ma
chine he has proceeded cautiously in
order to test all parts. In doing so he
shattered a propeller and sheared off
several screws and bolts, showing the
great force which has been developed.
Where defects of this sort have been
shown the broken parts have been re-
placed with more substantial ones. Mr..
Zerbe will make a steel propeller which
he believes will be strong enough to
withstand the strain to which it must
be subjected.
The Zerbe aeroplane is so revolution
airy a conception that Mr.. Zerbe has
found plenty of skeptics to tell him he
never can make 1t lift itself from the
arth. as he has planned. All other
eroplanes, with two exceptions still to
tried, have depended upon a cata-
\ lit o. another force apart from the
achne to start them gliding into the
> The Zerbe airship would not be
considered a success by its inventor
4 siless it could be made to depart en-
rely on the principle of bird flight.
dr Zerbe apparently has succeeded in
demonstrating that his revolutionary
ideas are not merely theory.
I'VE have proved that the machine
Is practical" he said yesterday. Il did
want to take it out for a longer dis
lance, but perhaps it is fortunate the
nishaps we have had came when they
did. There was a clearly perceptible
old break in the crankshaft, and if we
had not detected 1t when we did we
mi hit have found it in a way more
dangerous to ourselves.
But we have seen the aeroplaneI
actually off the ground and it has
demonstrated all that we have claimed
for It. The fact that it did not tip
when steered to the right or left Is evil
dence of it's stability. We will go at it
again as quickly as I can get a new
CrankSlaft."