Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-06
MILITARY AERONAUIICS

Arrangements have been made by
Capt. H. w. Slotterbeck by which the
signal corps will have the use and care
of the two new balloons which Dick
Ferris proposes to build this winter.
This will enable the aeronautical squad
to get practical experience in balloon
work and tactics. Mr.. Ferris is now
negotiating for the balloons. but may
have them built in Los Angeles by Roy
Knabenshue, who will return here
about November 1. If they are con-
structed here the men in the signal
corps who are following aeronautics
will have practical work in balloon
making. The two balloons will be of
the standard racing size, n, 900 cubic
feet. and will be of the best material
obtainable throughout.
United States signal corps men have
cleared away trees and brush on the
new army flying grounds at College
Park, Md. Wilbur Wright will have
three pupils in the school of instrua-
tion-Lieutenants Lahm. Foulois and
Humphries. The latter, who is the new
recruit, is from the corps of engineers.
"The aeronautic board is flooded with
applications from all over the world
from men seeking to sell aeronautic
devices of every kind, character and
description" said Mayor George o.
Squier, head of the board. eve have
had to prepare a regular form of letter
which expresses in the politest terms
we can muster our regrets that until
congress makes some provision for fur
ther research and experimentation we
will not be in a position to buy any
machines"
Capt ]. r. M. Taylor of the Four
teenth infantry, u. s. A, contributed
an article on aerial military possibill-
ties to the latest number of the United
States Infantry Association Journal
The volunteer balloon corps to be at
tached to the national guard of Massa-
chusetts will have two sections, pilots
and meteorological. The first will in
clude practically all the leading bal
loonists of the state and the members
at the start will be Charles ]. Glldden,
the "Jap-a-Lac" millionaire; Harold
T. Pierpont, N. H. Arnold, William H.
Van SIeet, DIR, w! J. Randall and Sid
will have such prominent men as Prof.
William H. Pickering, Prof. David
Todd, Prof H. II. Clayton and Prof.
Lawrence Rotch.
Lieut. James E. Ware, signal corps,
U. S. A, will make a balloon ascension
from Fort Omaha next month with
Charles J. >Glidden and Prof H. H.
Clayton of the Blue Hill observatory
and attempt to reach Massachusetts,.
Hydrogen gas will be used in bal
loon of SO, 900 cubic feet capacity.
United States aeroplane No. T. is
the official army designation of the BIZ
plane purchased from the Wright
brothers.
The new army aviation field at Col
lege Park, Md, is seven miles from
Washington. 1t contains 100 acres. has
straightway of half a mile and a cir
cular sweep of over 5000 feet. The pub
lie will be permitted to witness the
flights without passes.
The German army has a complete
manual on aeronautics, with tables of
great Importance. This manual IS
guarded with the greatest secrecy, and
only a limited number of officers can
possess it. The Zeppelin experiments,
particularly those with the use of
rapid-flre guns, are recorded fully and
are considered of Importance in the
training of German officers for future
aerial warfare
Owing to the failure of congress 20
make an appropriation for army aero
nautics, publications of reports on the
aeroplane trials and other aeronautical
subjects are not even available for the
national guard of the country.
Major George o. Squier is contribute
ing an important series of papers on
1.-THE Present Status of Military Aero
nautics'' to Fly, the Philadelphia mag
azine.
The new aeronautical detachment of
the signal corps, Missouri national
guard, at st. Louis is to have available
for use and drill both balloons and
aeroplanes. through the courtesy of
members of the Aero Club of st. Louis.