Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-29
SEE THE HEL|OCOPTER!
This Weird Machine Invented
by Wilbur R. KimbaIl.
HAS "a BIG PROPELLERS
Air Craft Built in Garage at Lin
den, N. J.
ALL NOW READY FOR A TRIAL
Will Leave the Ground at Slower
Speed Than Wright Aeroplane,
Thus Making for Safety.

One of the latest aeronauts to appear on
the scene with a heliocopter flying ma
chine is Wilbur r. kimball of New York,
who announces that he is about ready to
make a trial flight with his machine at
Morris Park race track.
The heliocopter Is q type of machine
that depends for it's flight on a horizontal
propeller, or series of them. that lift the
machine off the ground. Forward motion
is impaired by tipping the propeller shaft.
Kimball says that he has spent $4,000 on
his machine, and he knows it will fly
with man on board, although it has not
done so yet. He has large series of pro-
pellers, twenty-fOur in all, driven by a
single fifty-horsepower engine. There
are rear rudders and ascensional planes
to give lateral and longitudinal motion.
Strange Looking Machine, This.
The motor for the Kimball machine
works at the rate of 900 revolutions
a minute. 1t is not stated how much
this is reduced in transmitting the power
The large number of propellers makes the
machine essentially different in appear
ance from that of de Luytens. the Ger
man experimenter who has been expert
menting successfully with two large pro-
PETERS working at low speed.
Kimball says he gained his ideas for the
helicopter while flying kites in Prospect
Park for Prof. Alexander Graham Bell.
Statement by Inventor.
81 became convinced then" says KIM
ball, that 1t was only question Of me-
chanics and exact figuring to make aerial
navigation reality. Our aim then was to
discover a kite that would make progress
against the wind. We found they had
lifting capacity and that all that would
be necessary to assure aerial navigation
would be to add motors and propellers.
which would make the kites or machines
move at the will OF the operator. This
really seemed too simple, so / set about
to do away with the kites and the pro-
pellers entirely. even. to lift with.
Il constructed the helicopter in a gar
age in Linden, n. J.. two mechanics work.
ing under my direction. 1t occasioned so
much curiosity there that 1 stationed two
big dogs in the yard to discourage would
be investigators. The machine was
brought from Linden in sections. Now
nothing is left to be done but little tin
kering before my first flight and 1 will
be glad of the opportunity to demonstrate
the machines worth.
'One Of it's greatest features is that it
will get off the ground at slower speed
than the aeroplane. While it may not go
straight up. it will rise gradually, giving
the operator chance to see that every
thing Is working properly before attain
ing a height. The Wright brothers ma
chimes require speed Of twenty-six miles
an hour before they will leave the ground.
There's a Forward Pull.
'The axis Of the helicopter's propellers
is not vertical slope. but a slight angle,
which tends to pull 1t forward. The ope-
rator after the start either throws his
weight back little or turns the ruddey
and the machine lifts.
Il am confident the helicopter will rise
TO any height desired. and will make q
speed equal to that of any aeroplane hut
all shall attempt at first will be short
Nights, close to the ground. They will
prove the value of the helcopter."