Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-09-05

air machine, the first that had ever
been built, since the nearest approach
at that time to such a flying machine,
was an ingenious invention Of the
Frenchman, Penaud, who flew a pa-
per toy, propelled by means of rub
ber bands, for ten seconds.
Secretary Long undertook to build
larger and more practical machine,
not simply for proving the theories
upon which he had been working,
but because he said 1t was impossible
to learn more about the principles
of flight without studying the first
of his steam-driven models but 1t
was four years before successful
flight was accomplished. The rcob-
lem was difficult and discouraging
especially for one who had only a
, casual knowledge Of steam engineer
ing. There was ample literature on
the subject, but there might as well
have been none for all the assistance
it gave with steam engines rated
light at 500 pounds to the horsepow-
er. What Mr.. Langley needed was
Just about one-hundredth of that
weight. Seeing no other way he set
about building an engine himself,
although practical engineers told him
1t was impossible, and he eventually
procured one weighing only twen-
ty-three ounces, which with the
whole power. plant, burner, boiler
and fuel, weighed seven pounds and
produced one and a quarter horse
power. Success at last attended his
efforts but only after a tremendous
loss Of time and energy. Ten or twen-
ty boilers and as manv blast-lamps
were made and discarded before he
secured a combination that would
keep up a pressure Of 120 to $50
pounds Of steam for the time desir-
ed And in the meantime he had
built and thrown aside five machines
before he succeeded in making one
enough to fly. Even after the COM
pletion Of the whole machine he had
to stop until some method Of a
launching apparatus was constructed
which held the machine on an over
head truck until ready to fly. when.
by means Of springs, 1t was shot out
into the air over the water. The ex-
detrimental ground was a small creek
off the Potomac river. near Widewa-
ter, Va.
At the end of four years incessant
labor, on May 6, 1896, the first OF
these models flew. It was a model Of
a
of thirteen feet and total weight Of
thirty pounds. The first flight was OF
q minute and twenty seconds dura-
ton. while the machine covered a
distance Of 5000 feet, although in
subsequent flights this distance was
increased to three-uuarters OF a mile
at speed of about thirty miles per
hour No attempt at flight was made
in high winds. but in a wind Of
twelve miles an hour, the model flew
well. circled and rose to height or
it's own mechanism. Thus after pc
riod of nine years of study and ex-
periment the theory Of mechanical
flight was successfully demonstrated
and demonstrated as Mr.. Langley
said in the only satisfactory way, by
a machine really flying.
The government became Interested
in Mr.. Langley's work early In 1895,
recognizing the possibility for the
use of such a machine In time of war.
Through the board OF ordnance and
fortification. President Mckinley ask
ed Secretary Langley to build man.
tary agreed to try, and coming reluc-
tantly from his scientific pursuits, he
commenced the work under an ap-
propriation from the government. un-
foreseen obstacles were encountered
as had been the case in the construc-
ton of the model machine. Gasoline
had been substituted for steam as
more practical motor power. and Sec
retary Langley then at the age of
60. found 1t necessary to delve in the
study Of gasoline engine construction.
He had no desire to build gasoline
engine himself, but after searching In
t. ty-ry md N
rope for an engine-builder who could
make him an engine averaging In
weight only ten pounds per horse
power. he was forced to undertake its
construction in the Smithsonian
shops
The finished engine. which was
designed and constructed by Mr..
Charles M. Manley, an engineer as
sisting Mr.. Langley, was a five-cylin-
der one, producing fifty-two actual
horsepower, and weighing with radi-
ators, batteries, and twenty pounds of
cooling water. only 207 pounds per
horsepower. The memoir gives the
details Of construction of this engine.
which even the builder Of modern
gasoline engines could study with
great advantage.
Nearly every one Is familiar with
made with the man-carrying ma
chine. Early in October, 1903, the
aeroplane was completed and was
tried out at the testing grounds at
Whitewater, Va, Professor Langley
insisting that the flight be made over
the water in order to afford protec-
ton to the aviator in landing, or In
the event of an accident. Although
several tests had been made previous
ly on the launching apparatus, there
was some undiscovered flaw, and the
the water directly from the launch
ing ways before it got fairly into the
air. At the time of the launching the
engine was running smoothly, but as
the machine started down the ways,
the aviator in his car felt sudden
retardation. due to the fact that one
Of the wings came in contact with a
part of the projecting launching ap-
paratus. and although the aviator,
Mr.. Manley, attempted to adjust the
balance of the machine with the rud-
der, the aeroplane tipped downward
and plunged into the river before he
could secure control.
Following its recovery and repair.
almost identical events occurred in
connection with the second launch
ing. about two months later. AS be-
fore, it was conceded by all who saw
the flight that the machine would un-
doubtedly have flown had 1t not been
for the defective launching appara-
tuS.
Nearly all modern aviators who
are familiar with the type and con-
struction of the Langley machine
readily accord to the pioneer in the
science Of aeronautics that his first
heavier-than-air machine would un-
questionably have flown. and would
fly today. if fairly launched. The
Smithsonian authorities, however,
have decided that the machine will
never be experimental with again.
but will be preserved as a monument
to the scientist who conducted these
original Investigations.
The Langley memoir on Mechani-
cal Flight. which forms publication
194S of the Smithsonian Contribu-
tions of knowledge, Is in two parts;
the first by Professor Langley. him.
self, dealing with the preliminary
work, and experiments up to the first