Evening star., 1909-06-20
GROWING INTO SHAPE
Assembling the Parts of.
Wrights' AeropIane.
MAY BE READY WEDNESDAY
Arrival of the Two Brothers Ex-
pected Tomorrow.
TRIAL TO BE MADE THIS WEEK
No Word Received From Herring.
Thought He May Use One of
the Curtiss Machines.

the Curtiss Machines.
At the present rate of progress the
Wright aeroplane at Fort Myer ought TO
he assembled and ready for a preliminary
trial by Wednesday. possibly before The
machine was growing into shape in the
aeroplane shed yesterday and by night
fall the two main planes had been put
together and the big flyer was about
ready for the motor and the fore and aft
rudders.
Inc machine had been carefully made
In the Dayton shops and every piece fit
ted to perfection. but even the taking
down and reassembling of such a big and
delicate machine is no small job, and
the presence of the brothers themselves
VIII probably be needed for the final
touches Il does not differ materially
from that used at the fort last summer
but the whole thing is perhaps a trifte
finer finished. The weight is no less
but Is possibly a little more. for the
NrlghtS say themselves that they have
never sacrificed anything TO Hghtness
and this was true in the extreme of the
llTst machine that they exhibited at Fort
MNef his, as was remarked at the
time, was as little like A supposedly deli
cate flying machine a. could he in, oined
IL was regular ice-wagon construction
comparatively speaking, and did not look
as though it would ever get off the
ground.
The present machine is fully as sub
slahilal-possl6iy little more so-but
seems more highly finished-about the
diference between a piano case and an
ordinary table.
Expected to Be Faster.
Although there has been nothing said
oy either or the brothers about the speed
that is expected from the new machine
II may be suspected that it will be some
What faster than the first one II does
not take much difference in construction
TO make an appreciahl difference in
speed, and the first machine that Oryille
Wright had at Fort Myer was built more
Tor Weight-carrying than for speed The
machine that Wilbur Wright had abroad
was designedly faster than the one at
fort Myer and this was proved in the
records made. In fact, the one here
probably fell a little under the calcuIa-
tlons III regard to speed. There were no
exact measurements taken over a plotted
course. but while the fiat contract speed
was 10 have been forty miles an hour
the nearest calculations on the several
long Nights made was that the aeroplane
was doing only a fraction over thirty
six. Now thirty-six was the minimum
speed at which the machine could have
been accepted, and although It was said
mat the engine was never run 10 its full
capacity, there were new pro,ellers OF a
slightly greater area fitted just before
the last fight which would have naturally
increased the speed. In fact, it was due
to these propellers that the accident oc-
Cured.
Rule as Regards Speed
The experiments Of Maxim and Lang
ley indicate that the speed of plane of
given weight and size driven by the same
power Increases as it approaches a true
plane. BY arching the surface greater
lifting power is given, but the speed is
reduced. Although no exact measure
nents of the machine have been
given out. the planes seem to be OF a lit
tie Halter curve, which would indicate
greater speed with the same engine. The
old machine had a surplus lifting power
of about 4JH pounds with one passenger
up. so that. even with two passengers, a
lltt!e of this surplus could easily be sacri-
ilced TO greater speed. There is a bonus
Of 10 per cent on the purchase price of
$1,000 for every mile attained above the
contract speed OF forty miles an hour. up
to forty-four miles. and the builders
probably intend To get all of this bonus
that is in sight.
1t is not expected there will he any
work done at the fort today. The aero
plane shed will not even be open. But
Wien the brothers arrive. which is ex-
pected tomorrow, they will both take off
their coats and go to work for they are
the best of heir force of mechanics. and
can do more work in twenty-four hours
tEan any three men in their employ.
Nothing Heard From Herring.
There had been nothing heard at the
War Department from A. NJ. Herring of
Na-H- Inr Ain
tractor. up TO the time the office closed
yesterday. Mr.. Herring some time ago
appeared at the War Department person
ally and said that. although he would not
be able to bring his machine to Wash
ington for "A public trial before June 10
owing To pending foreign patents. it was
In such shape that he would certainly be
able to fulfli his contract before July L.
| This was satisfactory enough To the War
Department. and an offer was made to
build him an aer0plane shed and give
him any other facilities he required. He
has since then failed to communicate
with the department. and If The machine
Is brought here now he probably will
have to assemble il in the balloon house
about half a mile from the testing
ground. II is possible. however that he
may q" this and carry the machine up
to the ground himself, for he has assured
til" department that il is the smallest
and lishtest flying machine ever con-
Structed.
Might Use a Curtiss Machine.
There was some thought. since Herring
associated himself with Glen Curtiss al
Hammondsport, that he might use a Cur
tiss machine for his flights at Fort Myer.
This idea was put forth by the people
VINO did not think that Herring ever had
or would have machine of his own
Curtiss has said positively that Herring
has not been building flying machine at
Hammondsport and that whatever he did
would be done on his own responsibility
from New York.
Since that time Mr. Curtiss has sold
one of his machines Of the Junebug type
10 the Aero Club, with headquarters at
Morris Park. and has made some flights
there alone that were credited with being
at the rate of forty-six miles an hour
Whether the machine could carry pas
senger. or would make this speed with
two persons up, is not known but if this
Is the case there would be n official diff
hcultN about CurtiSs coming To the as
sistance Of his business partner and
handing oyer to the government one of
his machines under the Herring contract
This however. is only a possibility and
aas not yet been suggested by either Cur
tiss or Herring.