New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-20
New Fleet Will Ply Land,
Air or Sea with Facility

| N. Y. Glenn Curtiss got moro satisfactory
results last winter at San Diego. Cal
Pontoons were placed under the frames or
his biplanes. and with such device Ely,
one OF his avators. few from the United
States steamer Birmingham and angnted
upon the water I'm Hampton Roads. And
McCurdy. another Curtiss aviator. used tho
pontoon device when he few from Key
West. hoping TO reach Havana.
One Of the Curtiss machines in the navy's
new flying academy is OF this simple pom
! toon type. and you can identify IT by the
two long cigar-shaped cylinders or shset
metal braced just under the bottom frame
about four feet beyond each aviator. In
other pictures is seen the later machine,
fitted with the "hydroplane" long. shall
low. fat-bottomed boat. closed in entirely
on top and made thoroughly airught'
looks Ike a sneak-box, drawn under tne
aviator's seat Attached 20 II are wheels
which are lowered when the machine
mounts It's launching track 70 run on and
or which are raised when the hydroplane
is In the water.
In the views showing the fun breadth OK
the Triad you will notice a black cylinder
depending from the tip Of each bottom
wing, and slanting diagonally backward 70
ward the water While the new hydro
plane affords the Triad its chief ouoyancy'
these thanking pontoons preserve It's eaui-
librium. and they are slanted 10 lessen ths
/ friction against the water. Attached 70
the bottom point OF each is little hydro
plane OF wood. about three Inches vide
and a quarter OF an inch thick THESE
/ slender blades merely skim the water
/ throwing up foam while the Triad is quo
/ ing over a smooth surface But waen
| there IL some sea on the PORTIONS plough
deeper into the waves. The Trtads front
elevator"-the central plane at the await
or's feet-is lower than in the Curtiss land
machines.
! The pontoon machine can fy from land'
skim the water. and alight upon the SUI
! face. but cannot then raise itself into the
air But the Triad can glide from the
water into the sky as deity as she can
rise from shore
As , feature for amusement resorts the
hvdro-aeroplane will be popular. said cap
tain Chambers The Triad can skim over
the water al a speed Of afty miles an hour
without leaving the surface and she can
make $50 miles without stopping.
That is going some, In other WORDS
vour hvdro-aero-nautical scout could sAm
from New York 70 the end Of Long Island
sound in three hours without taxing MS
bvdro-nlane Off the water, and no vessel in
| world could catch him Should one Of the
! fastest motor boats follow him, he would
cut into shoal water and either evade his
pllrsuer or send her ashore. or, II nos
Tile boat came at him head-on, he would
simDlv rise into the air and pass safely
over her head In three hours ne could
also glide down the Delaware, from Tren-
ton 70 the sea- or from the easternmost
end of Lake Ontario clear over 70 Niagara
Falls. or. again. from Cleveland across
lake Erie 70 Detroit and considerably
further still.
can YOU weather rough water skim
ming that way?'' I asked Captain Cham
bers
"C'Irtiss lately skinned through the surf
IN a tvo-foot sea-" he replied. There
would be no difficulty about landing such
machine in any moderate sea, bur as yet
va would not attempt 70 rise from very
rough water. although in swell we can
adapt the movements Of our machine 20
INFORM 70 the action OF the water.
"Our varships carrying machines Ike
the Triad will find them a great convenience
for the daily exercise Of the crews while
anchored in a smooth harbor. A hydro
seroplane can be put into the water "a
s,mplv as a ships boat, and the men can
he instructed in flying, JUST as upon shore
"Can you go as fast IN the air with mo
.hvdroplane attachment as without II?
The hydroplane OF course. offers more
resistance and robs the machine OF about
FIVE miles an hour So 10 ger no the same
speed we had 70 put in more powerful
motor But the hydroplane does not ham
I -or o,,r aftftrIda a lot ~