The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-08-21

Buds motor wasn't powerful enough 10
lift fat folks. He took the akinny oncs
and willard accommodated the stout ones
in the big 90 horse-po~or plane. Alto
gether they carried about twenty pas
sengcy without the slightest mishap.
| An the nedgling aviators came back TO
! earth with pretty much the same descrip-
/ ton Of their sensations While the ma
/ chine was gathering power on the ground
| the speed seemed terrific, faster than q
racing automobile. but after the planes
caught the air and lifted u was more like
: floating softly over ground that raced
{ back At tremendous speed. Even az the
humble height OF 300 feet there was
curious sensation Of isolation, as n the
aviator was moving easily IN world that
belonged to him alone. a. II the people
away on and down were like 30 many
trees.
, by that time everybody who had ac-
CeSs TO the infield was wondering what the
spruce young Lieutenant in khaki who
carried a Springfield ride was up to.
lie explained that his name was Jacob
b. Fickel. second Lieutenant Twenty
ninth Infantry. stationed AZ Governors
Island. and that he had volunteered To
study the uaes Of an Aeroplane from the
standpoint OF sharpAhOoter. Lieut..
Fickel has won several medals IN army
rife matches and 10 good for a bullseye
up 20 loo yards Curtiss said he would
be- tickled TO take him up and let him hang
away. 80 the Lieutenant rugged mp a
pastsbnard target two feet in diameter
and pinned IL down fat on the turf about
on"-third % the distance from the south
end Of the infield. As Curtiss lifted his
hiplane the Lieutenant swung the rine
up 80 that he could jam the butt against
his shoulder the second he came near the
target. The machine was travelling AT
n fifty mile an hour clip when Ficke
pulled the trigger. hut gust Of wind
struck the aeroplane just a. he started
TO fire and Curtiss had TO jockey with an
aileron to steady the craft. The accident
spoiled Fickel's aim and the bullet struck
into the ground about three feet from the
target
However. the Lieutenant said he was
perfectly satisfied that sharpshootine
from an aerop Lane was entirely practic;,
able. He was convinced that he could
get n sure sight on any object. paTticu-
larly II the machine was flying high. and
he was willing 20 bet new uniform that
he could puncture a man three times out
81 FIVE tries He had notion that the big
usefulness Of aeroplanes for military
purposes will be a. scout carriers.
Put an expert moving picture photog-
raphcr in one Of them, give him a steady
aviator and he will bring back view
81 the country. perhaps Of the encamp-
ment or position OF hostile troops that
would be Of inestimable value TO a com
mAnder. said Lieut. Fickel.
Curtiss. McCirdy and Mars played
tag with each other after Fckers rife
practice. Curtiss Using 70 100 feet.
Mars shooting out over F1atbush and
McCurdy toward the ocean. They
rounded in front Of the grand stand 50
that the stockholders could get q near view.
and perhaps that they themselves might
get their ears tickled with handclappinR
Aviators like a kind word a. well as other
folks
A. $50 C,Irtiss ordered all Ave machines
lined up at the north end OF the field '
n" made dat~~ with his young men Tn 4
meet them in the air and then gave the sig .
nal Up went Mars. with Me- urdy trailing
after Then Curtiss winged up and
Willard set sail after him. Ely was tn.
hfth. For two minutes the five held
the air. then Mars dropped. leaving Fly.
CIrtls-. McCurdy and Willard willard
left the racetrack and fiev out TO the
northwest He went go far that you could
only -ee him vaguely in the gathering
dusk. and you couldn't hear his motor
at all Mc,'urdy vas cutting figure eights .
over Sh."pshead Bay and Ely had In
ont 70 s~e how the Oriental Hotel looked .
from the top side Curtiss stayed closer
to home tut ne found higher air levels .
than any Of his pupils lie few IN great .
spirll- until he was over .ooo feet above
the grass
Then IN. birds mad" for home vii
ard turned about and speeded in from
the northwest. CurtiSs looped looy after
loop, killing time until the kids got on
their schedule Ely wheeled back from
th. oCean and Mc,1irdy came spinning
back from the southwest The four
hoy erred for few moments over the four
corners Of the field. then slid down. Ely.
McCurly Willard and Curtiss all to-
ge her IN the dead centre - the infeld
and not an inch 81 varnish nick ~.
After that stunt there vas nothing tn
do bat go home Passenger carving
would have s~~med tire-ome. a. bore
som. IA r'ibbering at a Sightseeing auto
mobile Anyway II was getting dark
and the lusty mosquitoes - Sheepshead
were having the moon
To-day will he the final day ~ the
meet Harmon will make flights with
Curtiss and the Curtiss birdlinRs