Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-05
MAKES TRIAL FLIGHT
Baldwin DirigibIe in the Air a
Few Busy Minutes.
UNDER PERFECT CONTROL
Makes Twelve Miles an Hour With
Its Engine Loafing.
PLANES PROVE A BIT SMALL
Big Crowd, Including Roy Knaben-
shue, Once Baldwin's Pupil,
Cheers Navigators.
UNDER PERFECT CONTROL
PLANES PROVE A BIT SMALL

The new military dirigible built by Capt.
Thomas 8. Baldwin for the United States
Army made a ten-minute preliminary
flight at Fort Myer yesterday afternoon
In the presence of about a thousand in
terested spectators. Capt. Baldwin did
the plotting and Glen H. Curtiss. who built
the light twenty five-horse power motor,
handled 1t during the trial. Both ex-
pressed themselves as pleased with the
behavior of the air craft. Capt. Baldwin
remarking to the crowd at large. as he
landed, that 1t worked better than any
new dirigible he had ever handled.
The flight was made about $50 o'clock
under ideal weather conditions, the light
wind blowing not being sufficient to
bother the dirigible. Capt. Baldwin asked
the crowd to stand back, and with a num-
Der of Signal Corps men holding on the
the body of the cars he and Curtiss STEP
ped in.
"Let Her Coz and Up She Went.
LET her co." Baldwin then cried, and
with the propeller revolving at moderate
speed the airship rose slowly to a height
of about fifty feet and headed over Ar
lington cemetery.
AS Mr.. Curtiss increased the speed of
the motor and kept the ship ascending by
means of the planes. Capt Baldwin
brought il about head-up agans, the
wind. A semicircle was described to the
south and then the ship was brought COM
pletely around SO that it faced north.
moving with the wind. Passing directly
steered the craft in another complete cir
Gle and then. by means of the planes,
headed earthward where the waiting SOL
diers grabbed the drag rope and brought
the dirigible to the ground within thirty
feet OF the starting point. 1t is estimated
that the dfrigible made about twelve miles
an hour with the engine running at some
what reduced speed.
Yesterdays trial was largely for the pur-
pose of testing the planes that make the
first time that Capt Baldwin had sailed
in dirigible on which these were used.
Ordinarily he points the nose of his air
ship up or down by shifting his own
weight. but the specifications under which
this balloon was constructed for the army
prohibit this method. Today the planes
will be extended SO as to give them more
surface, and the aviator thinks that with
this addition they will do the work re-
quired.
Planes Not Large Enough.
The only difficulty encountered in yes
terday's brief flight was with these planes
and that lasted only moment
AS the machine was brought up against
the wind for the last time before landing,
Mr.. Curtiss turned the planes so that
the balloon would move in the direction
OF the earth. but. as is usual when the
gas bag Is brought up 10 face the wind,
IT started upward instead of downward
However, the effect of the planes was
noted Il moment later. when the airship
glided down gracefully toward the earth
To the rigging of the craft several flags
wera attached. One was the flag of the
Aero Club OF America. OF which Capt
Baldwin and Mr.. Curtiss are members.
Another was the American flag which
Capt. Baldwin uses i'm all his lights
while the third was that used on Walter
Wellmans dirigible on its first fight.
Both Aviators Pleased.
Capt. Baldwin expressed himself as
highly pleased in every way. Il am sat
isfied that we can meet all the require
ments imposed by the government" he
said. II had no trouble in bringing her
back to the starting point
Mr.. Curtiss also was enthusiastic and
expressed great satisfaction. He was es-
pecially interested in the manipulation
Of the planes. which were largely an ex-
pertinent.
Il couldn't hear your directions on &C.