Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1909-06-10
PLAN OF NEW A|RSHIP
Washington Man Building Unique
Type of Machine.
HAS GAS BAGS AND PLANES.

@. w. Byron's Aerial Craft Is Combina-
tion of Aerodrome and Dirisible Bal
Filler of Future and Could Destroy
Big Fleet.
George West Byron of Washington
Is building an airship which will be a
combination of an aerodrome and dir
igible balloon and which will be total
ly different from anything heretofore
constructed either in the Unites States
or in Europe. Mr.. Byron has obtained
patents on his aerial craft and believes
it will revolutionize navigation of the
air.
This latest ship of the clouds con-
sists of two superimposed planes, each
forty feet wide and seventy-five feet
long, constructed of aluminium tubing.
strengthened with manganese bronze
and vandium steel, the strongest posi-
bic construction. The extraordinary
feature Of these planes is that the up
per one consists of five dat connected
gas bags inclosed in rigid aluminium
envelope and the lower plane of seven
similar gas bags, also inclosed in a
rigid fiat envelope. The planes are
seven feet apart. This construction
gives an air supporting surface SINH
lar to the planes in the Wright ma
chine and with the gas bags has the
additional buoyancy of a dirigible or u
free balloon. Suspended from the low
er plane by n strong steel wire net.
work is the car of the airship. This is
Slightly smaller IN area than one of
the planes.
In the car is located the engine that
will drive the ship. A motor of twen-
ty-dve horsepower will be used, which
will develop a speed of more than
forty miles an hour. A bicycle frame
work, with four wheels, is attached to
the bottom Of the car. The ship will
rest on this when It is on the ground.
One of the ingenious features of this
| framework is that the wheels fold up
automatically when the vessel Is in
! the air
| The prOpellers-two in front and two
behind-are placed at the least point
Of resistance In the car, the engine be-
| ing located amidships. The cabin will
act as ballast to preserve the equi.
| librium, so that the airship will be sta
bic even in strong wind. The whole
machine will weigh when completed
only 800 pounds. and it will have a
lifting capacity of nearly 1000 pounds
more than its weight. the inventor
! claims
Mr. Byron believes this type Of air
ship will be the aerial craft OF the fu-
! ture, combining as it does the advan-
| tages of n true heavier than air ma
chine and the buoyancy and lifting
capacity of a dirigible balloon. With
this type accidents such as cost the
life Of Lieutenant Selfridge in the
wreck of the Wright machine last
summer at Fort Myer would be impos.
sible.
The inventor in speaking of his ma
chine said:
IAN airship of this type, carrying
( 900 pounds Of tubing filed with high
explosives and n crew of four men
! COulu uSSlIuN the ldTSeSl DdllteSulp
fleet In few hours. 1t could do It
with perfect safety. for the ship would
be practically indestructible, even If ii
were hit many times with shells fred
from forts or from the battleships.
This type OF airship is bound to be the
one in universal use In few years"
1t is stated that several Washington
capitalists have investigated Byron's
| plans and have advanced considerable
sums for the construction of the air
ship.
Mr.. Byrcn is unable to say just when
the craft will be completed, but when
| it is fl tshed trials probably will be
held D ar Washington, and If it comes
up tc the expectations Of those inter-
ested the United States government
will be given the opportunity of pur-
chasing it and the patents under which
1t is constructed.-Wa Washington Post