Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-16
REX SMITHS B|PLAM
FLIES At COLLEGE PARK
Successful Tests of Machine
Made In Presence of Group
of Spectators.

ReXfOrd Smith OF this city made eight
cen successful flights in his new aero
plane at College Park, Nd, yesterday
afternoon.
Mr.. Smith is the first Washingtonian
who has designed an aeroplane and made
successful flight. Others have left the
ground in their machines for short dis
tances. but the aeroplanes have invari-
ably been smashed when they landed.
Mr.. Smiths success comes after q year
Of hard work on his machine, which
closely resembles the Farman biplane
The maximum fight yesterday was for
a hundred yards at an altitude Of six
feet. No attempt was made to make
longer flights, though Mr.. Smith says
that he could have done so without diff
Guilty. 1t was the first time that he had
tried out the machine. and he desired 10
see that every part was In perfect work
ing condition before essaying longer
flights. The ability Of the machine to hy
was demonstrated beyond peradventure
The speed attained yesterday was about
twenty-eight miles an hour. The biplane
carries a 1O0-horsepower engine, but II
was throttled down to about half power
yesterday. Mr.. Smith estimates that the
maximum speed of his biplane, when he
uses all his power, will be sixty miles an
hour.
If the weather continues favorable Mr..
Smith will continue his trials and Will
perfect any points in the machine which
may seem to need Improvement.
Arose Like Bird.
When ali was in readiness for the first
trial yesterday Mr.. Smith started his
powerful engine for preliminary test to
see how much power he could count on.
The big propeller whizzed through the
air and the aeroplape tugged vtciously at
it's moorings, showing that the engine
was generating plenty Of power. When
the aviator gave the word to let her go,
the aeroplane ran swiftly over the grass
for short space, and then rose into the
air as gracefully as a bird.
The aviator descended after snort
flight and then again and again he tried
out the aeroplane, sometimes with MINI
self as an operator and others WIN
Fritz Fox and Anthony Janus. who have
aided him in putting the big biplane to-
gether. Not until eighteen separate
flights had been made did Mr.. Smith take
the machine back to the house In which
he keeps it at College Park.
The Smith machine looks like the FAR
man biplane, but 1t has not front control,
which makes it resemble also the new
type Of the Wright machine. The lat
teral balance Is maintained by ailerons,
like the Curtiss machines. The total mt
ing surface OF the Smltn DlpI0Ile Is OOV
square feet. It Is designed to carry an
operator and two passengers.
Spectators Enthusiastic.
Mr.. Smith has the utmost confidence In
the future Of his biplane, and believes
that he will be able to compete success
fully with other American and with for
eign makes. The small group Of helpers
and residents Of College Park who wit
messed the flights yesterday we're enthu-
siastic in their praise Of the machine and
the daring aviator.
Rex Smith is we'll known in Washing
ton as the man who introduced bicycle
polo here. and who made a. reputation
for daring by riding bicycle down the
steps of the Capitol building. For q
long time he has been interested in
aeronautics. and he has experimental
with models and other machines.
His new machine is a beautiful expo
sition Of the mechanical art. It stands
higher of the ground than the Farman
biplane in which Claude Grahame- White
few over the city from Benning to the
State, War and Navy Department, and
has q great stretch of white planes.
There was six-mile breeze blowing
during the trial flights Yesterday, but it
had no ill effect upon the maneuvering
OF the biplane, and Mr.. Smith believes
that he can maintain perfect control of
the machine even in a strong wind.