Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-06
THO DIRIGlBLE PITCHED
Like a Fishing Smack in a Noun
famous Sea.
BIG PLANES WILL FIX THIS
Weak Shaft Prevents Speed Trial
Aviators Believe Craft Will Earn
Government Bonus.


earth with his dirigible balloon on the Fort
warming-up spin. preparatory to the Of
fetal trial that will occur probably
the end of this week. The ship proved
even handler than she had on her
first flight, and this without any change
except a slight readjustment of ballast
and the substitution Of new engine
shaft.
The weak point in the previous trial was
the long shaft that connects the engine
with the propeller. 1t was owing to sus-
picion of this piece of tubing that the en-
CINE was not "let OUT on the first day,
and even yesterday the motor was not
speeded above 400 revolutions There has
been a new shaft ordered from Ham
mondsport, however and this ought to be
here and put in position by tomorrow.
With this change the engine can safely
make its normal of $50 revolutions. and
Capt. Baldwin feels no doubt that she will
exceed all the contract requirements.
While 1t was impossible yesterday to
time the ship. owing to the fact that she
made no straightaway run. it was esti-
mated that her speed against the wind
was fully twenty miles an hour There
was a breeze of between three and seven
miles blowing, according to the anemome-
ter. in front of the balloon tent, so there
is little doubt that in the official trials the
airship will prove fast enough to earn all
the bonus allowed under the contract.
Pitched in Air Sea.
At 500. after the balloon had been re-
balanced. in accordance with the condi-
tons encountered the day before, the
start was made. but when 500 feet had
been covered Mr.. Curtiss stopped the
motor. 1t having been found that the gas
bag was not taut. So the balloon was
landed and the bag was made taut by
pumping air into the balloonet.
Everything being in readiness. another
ascension was made at $40 o'clock. AS
Mr. Curtiss increased the speed of the
propeller the airship. in the face of a
seven-mile wind. pitched forward like an
ocean liner. Several times the spectators
of 30 degrees, at times almost standing
on its pointed nose. 1t was then that the
utility Of the planes was demonstrated.
Planes Work Pretty Well.
When the ship plunged downward Mr..
Curtiss turned the planes in the opposite
direction. and the effect was quickly ap-
first in America to be controlled entirely
by mechanical means. In the past the
dirigible balloon operator in this country
has maintained the balance by swayins
his body forward and backward on the
framework.
Making various evolutions with and
against the wind. the airship was brought
down within a hundred feet of the tent in
which it is housed. eight minutes after
leaving the ground. Mr.. Curtiss esti-
mated that the speed was fifteen miles
an hour. twenty miles going with the
wind and ten miles going against it.
The object of yesterdays short flight
was to allow the navigators to become
further acquainted with the behavior of
the airship. to further test the planes
point Of balance.
Mr.. Curtis was enthusiastic over the ac-
ton of the planes. They worked just
like an acceptance he said. After l
which I can control both the motor and
the planes. and after the tips are added to
the rudder. they will be easier to control u
Some of the Fraternity.
Among those who witnessed the flight
were Capt. William w. Kimball. who will
make an official report to the Navy De-
partment; Brig. Gen. James Allen, chief
signal officer Mai. c. A. Devol of the gen.
eral staff Prof. Samuel A. King of PhiIa-
delphia, who made a balloon fight re-
Gently. although he is over eighty years
old; Roy Knabenshue and Augustus Post
secretary of the Aero Club of America.
An addition of about 20 per cent in area
will be made to the ascension planes to-
day. and it is thought that the control
will be much easier. Another flight will
be made this afternoon between ) and z
but no attempt at speeding will be made
until the new engine shaft is installed.
Roy knabenshue, who is one of Bald
wins first pupils. was one of the most en-
thusiastic witnesses OF the trials Moth
ing doing in the racing line against that
boat" he said with a laugh. "At the same
time Capt. Baldwin has been working ou,
the details of a ship that, without being
much larger. will have considerably
greater speed and better control The
only trouble Is that there is nobody in
the airship game to race against. and the
government, which is just starting in the
dirigible balloon business, is not offerinR
speed bonuses big enough to warrant the
additional expense involved in the con-
struction.
Capt. Tom Is Distressed.
Capt. Baldwin was genuinely distressed
at the news of the loss Of Count Zeppe-
Inns airship. 1T will put back the devel-
opment of the art two years at least" he
said in speaking of the accident Count
Zeppelin was a man ahead of his time
His big ship was the father of all air
ships. but in the present state of knowl-
edge such sizes he attempted will have
to be led up to gradually.
1T is a great misfortune to all of us
in the business. however, that such a
thing should happen. / tell you what
Roy" he said. turning to Knabenshue
poor as We are. we could we'll afford to
put up thousand dollars apiece to help
make good the loss"
Capt. Baldwin does not believe that the
Zeppelin ship was struck by lightning
while in the air, though that seems to
be the generally accepted version of the
accident. Il do not believe, he said that
balloon can be struck by lightning un-
less there is a rope or something else out
touching the earth for ground l know
that l have been up in the heaviest sort
of thunderstormS and was up in one for
two hours, some years ago when 1t look
ed as though you could reach out and
tear off chunks OF the bolts for souvenirs
But / did not feel nervous because
think II is physically impossible to be
struck without ground.
THE nearest case that l know of wa
the Italian observation balloon that wa!
supposed TO have been struck by light
ming about two years ago. In that cas-,
there was a rope connected with tn,
ground. for the balloon was a captive
know that in the Aero Club we collected
all the data on the subject we could get
and there was never any satisfactor,
proof that the accident was caused b.
lightning rather than by some othV
trouble The operator was killed, ant
nobody who was in the car was left I,
tell the story
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