The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-10-09
Iowa Man Expects to Make His Eel
low Citizens Stretch Their
Necks in Ten
Days.
HIS SECOND MACHINE
Sold the First One and Now Has a
Better One About Completed
and Ready to
Launch.

A. J. Cronkhite Of Cedar Rapids is
an aeroplane enthusiast who threat
ems to put Iowa on the aviation map
with the flying machine which he is
building. The Gazette speaks of his
invention as follows:
Cedar Rapids is soon to become a
flying machine city and citizens who
have never before seen these giant
birds sailing through the air will be
given an opportunity to crafty their
curiosity right at home. For the past
nineteen months A ]. Cror-Shite has
been devoting his spare time to the
work of devising and manufacturing
a flying machine and is now about
ready to reap the results Of his
laoors
That the machine will be success
is no question with Mr.. Cronkhite as
he has constructed one rather crude
machine and taken fight that was
in every way success and with the
finer work that he has put on his
new machine it is going to be sure
enough flyer With the first machine
Mr.. Cronkhite few from the Chand-
Ter field on the west side to Bever
park and return. landing within ten
feet of his starting position, in six
teen minutes. Although this machine
was not as neatly finished as the one
he now has 1t found purchaser at
once and Mr.. Cronkhite began con
81 ,cfi ~ ;pfA lc
to give a tree demonstration in this
city within the next month.
Light Wing" is the name of his
monoplane and its cognomen Is thor
oughly demonstrated in its appear
ance. When equipped the machine
will not exceed $50 pounds in weight.
and minus the engine, a gasoline tank
and propelling blades, can be lifted
with one hand The entire length is
218A inches. and the length from tip
to tip of the wings Is 300 inches,
while the distance across the wings
is S88 inches. From the base to the
top where the wings are supported is
q distance of 47ss inches, and the
frame tapers to but little more than
a foot at the rudder The front rest
of the machine IS two specially made
bicycle wheels with six inch hubs
and placed about three feet apart,
while near the RULER Is a strong
wooden-hubbed wheel with solid rub
Der tire.
The construction of the machine is
of the finest quality ash, entirely free
from knots that might tend to weak
en-. with the exception of the support
bar which is OF hollow steel, and the
front wing and engine braces which
are No. 30 brass piping and re-enforc
ed at the connections WIN 1s guage
copper
1t is between the main support and
the backbone. or support of the wings
that the rider has his seat which is
of leather and fastened TO the lower
portions of the main frame. At the
bottom of the main support are two
stirrups for the feet, while at the
right and left is the rudder wheel
and lever for guiding the monoplane
At the riders back is a contrivance
to work the wings of the fving ma.
chine to equalize its balance should
il at any time get one sided and is
attached to him so it can be worked
by him by leaning to either the right
or left
The rudder of the monpplane is
unique continuance and can be oper
ated in any desired direction. The
altitude frame is several feet in Length
while the direction regulator is onl,
four and both are covered with wover
rnbleached muslin. full width, as arr
the wings The rudder is operated
by means of small wire ropes, one