The San Francisco call., 1910-04-23


aerodrome (former COW pasture) by
the balloon garage (former cowshed).
This gathering was most important,
being the second meet Of the Prairie
Vile aero club Perhaps you read
about It's first meet, when the great
and disastrous race for the William
trophy occurred. Several months had
passed since then, and the aerial knowi-
edge OF the club had increased at
marvellous rate. thanks to Frank will
liams untiring efforts.
Frank found the boys to be such apt
pupils that every one of the dozen mem
bers had been able to construct a more
or less correctly built model biplane,
and when Frank was at last ready to
hold the second meet every contestants
entry was the heavier than air type of
Z flying machine. This was wonderful
advance, considering that at the first
meet nothing more scientific than hot
air tissue paper balloons were flown.
The members of the club were greatly
pleased and rather mystified to now
learn that this time fine prize was to
be awarded the winner of the great
aerial steeplechase."
rs 1t another cup?" whats the
aerial steeplechase?" and a score of
other questions interrupted the speaker.
No. 1t isn't a cup; it's made out of
paSteboard," answered Frank laughing
as he saw the looks OF disappointment
that followed his last remark. But it's
something worth having-so well worth
1T that I'm going to compete, too. It's
grandstand seat with a round trip
ticket to the aviation meet in the city
next month; so you see, it's pasteboard
tirkpfS'
the aviation meet had been advertised
all over the state-the big foreign and
American flyers" such as Paulhan and
Curtiss were going to be there Three
more cheers were given in honor of Ned
Wilson when Frank announced him as
the generous donor of the prize. Ned
Wilson was the son of Prairie county's
richest citizen.
The aerial steeplechase is to be the
grand climax of the elimination trials"
Frank continued. There are just IL
of us entered, or six pairs. This means
six races for the first elimination, each
4 pair having a race by itself. The six
losers are then out of 1T and the six
winners are then made into three pairs.
Then the semifinal eliminations are
run of, leaving the three winners of
this race to run off the final. which
will be the great aerial steeplechase.
I'll explain that later"
Fortunately the weather was perfect,
it being warm, clear Saturday after
noon in late spring. with hardly
breath OF air stirring. Frank and the
other II contestants drew lots as the
fairest way to pair off at the start. All
types OF machines were entered--Wright
model biplanes, with two propellers:
Curtiss biplanes, with one propeller. and
various kinds of monoplanes, mostly of
the Bleriot type. were pitted against
each other for the first elimination
trio IAJ Il co. Jt..,
rubber band motors described more than
once in connection with Franks past
exploits.
Franks airship, the Blue Streak. was
fine Wright model, the largest he had
ever built. It's body from rudder to
front adjusting planes was Sc inches
and the two main planes were 3 feet
wide. Thus it presented large area
of canvas" being made of tough, light
blue silk. vanished to stiffen it. The
Blue Streak was superior in every way
to any machine he had yet built. How
ever, he felt by no means sure of win
ming. Jim Spencer, who won the Will
liams trophy, had become such an en-
/ thusiast that Frank had to admit his
ability when he examined the splendid
monoplane model Jim produced. Jims
elder brother had helped him and Frank
had nothing to do with it's construction
The Silver Flash was a beauty! But
Greggy Gordon's biplane, the Flyover
compared very favorably with either Of
the others.
BY the time the elimination races
were ready to start the "aerodrome"
was crowded with Franks schoolmates
from the academy, who rooted hard
for their favorites.
I haven't the space to tell much of
the elimination races. One after an
other the contestants were paired at
the "takeoff," or starting platform,
which Frank had built as a result Of
his observation as a member OF the
Junior Aero club in the city. This con-
sisted of a smooth board platform SO
feet long byi10 wide laid over the turf.
The machines equipped with landfng
wheel supports were set upon this plat