The leader-enterprise. [volume] (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1912-1915, 1912-10-08
HAS FLYING AUT0s|
Motor Car With Wings Is Latest
in French Capital.
Successful Experiments Have Been
Made With Machines That Combine
tia Principles of the Automo-
bile and the Aeroplane.

Paris-Paris is gossiping over the
latest type of motor car-one with
wings M. Bertrand de Lesseps re-
Gently drove some distance from the
capital in a machine thus equipped.
M Filippi is another searcher in the
same field, who has been even more
successful. Filippi based his trials on
the principle of the birds wing and
aimed at producing propeller which
should realize the same effect as the
beat of birds wings in the air. The
propeller evolved is not screw, but
a bride of wood, broader and thicker
in the center than at the extremlrles,
one of which tapers off nearly to
point. The other Is comparatively
wide, locking like a wing, concave on
one side and convex on the other.
Furthermore, both ends are curved
backward, forming an obtuse angle.
The whole is Enclosed in cage and
measures only about 55 inches In dla-
meter, not projecting beyond the
gauge of the car In any direction. The
maximum speed is 1900 revolutions
a minute. This air propelling system
enables the constructor to dispense
with the most delicate and compl1-
Gated parts of the machinery at pres
ent employed-no more gear boxes are
required, as q change In the num-
Der of rotations is substituted for
change OF gear, while progress back
ward is obtained by reversing the
movement of the wing. This backward
rotation also serves as powerful
brake when going downhill, and does
away with "diffsrentials' and back
bridges.
In travelling the friction ID reduced
to a minimum, and the car seems
hardly to touch the ground, raising
NO appreciabls dust, and consequently
infieting but slight wear and tear on
the tires, while the comfort Of the
passengers Is improved. In general
appearance the car used recently re-
sembled an ordinary torpedo type, but
the rear part forms an extension.
from which projects the axle carrying
the wing. The 40 horsepower motor
Is Ia front, and connects with the
wing by transmission chains. There
Ia no other mechanism, and the wheels
all run free like the 'front.' wheels Of an
ordinary automobile. One lever only
il used to start, and move forward
or backward, by reserving the rota-
tion of the wing, and there is one
pedal by which ex tpa brake power is
put on.
The whole car weighs about 1920
pounds, or, with it's three passengers
and the necessary equipment. about
1000 pounds. A start was made about
o'clock in the morning, in the pres
ence of several spectators, and after
showing off its capabilities in various
preliminary mansuverS the car went
of ON its journey Of 300-odd miles
amidst cheers. The travellers sent
kilograms reporting progress from diff
ferent points on the way, and arrived
safely at Lyons. The future trade in
terests involved in this experience
may prove of immense Importance,
and the new type of Wing may turn
out superior to the screws 80 COM
monty used In the aereplane. In the
trials made by M. Filippi with a view
to Anding the best shape for the wing
the present model gave 70 per cent.
of power, which is at least 10 per
cent. more than has yet been pro
duced by the best known screw pr0pel-
Ter of the usual type.