The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-31
. 40
GREAT EXHIBITION
| OF AERIAL CRAFT.
Shows Tremendous Strides Made
by Germany in Conquer
ing Air
|'7o AERO CLUBS IN NATION
Emperor Offers $4,000 Prize for.
Construction Of Best
Motor.
ITO AERO CLUBS IN NATION
ny KARI. II. Won wEIGANp.

ny KARL n. Won WEIGAND.
(Speciai Cable to The Times Diapatch)
Berlin, March 30.-The tremendous
strides made by Germany in conquer!nr
the air are forcefully shown BY the Ma.
tionnl General Exhibition or Aerial
Crafts. which is being neld ut the Der-
lin Geological Gardens. Prince Henry.
of Prussia. who has qualified as an
acroplnne pilot, formally opened the
e%hibition. which viii continue until
April II.
run sized aeroplanes and models OF
dirigible balloons Of every description
are on exhibition. There is an arnaz
ing variety Of aeroplanc and airship
motors propcllers, gas generators.
models of hangers tents ana balloon
sheds, From the wicker basket OF
the old time spherical balloon 10 the.
handsome mahogany ana rose wood ill.,
ished passenger cabin OF one of the big
Heppciins, with the elegantly upholstei-
cd seats, seems almost Us Tar u cry in
Il lew short years as from the hrstt
train to the present Pullman
Comfort and artistic design arc begin
ming TO enter into the construction OF
the aerial crafts. This particularly la
inc case Of nonoplanes on exhibition.
me quot and passenger, or passengers,
for some OF them arc built for three.
no longer ride astrdc nr what had the
appearance of "A rail" The up to date
plane" OF the mono" type has e.
beautifully finished body. which Is as
comfortable as an automobile
y glance into the car shows that
the development of scientific accessor-
les Tor aerial navigation, has kept step
with tho progress and improvements In
motors, propellcrs and thermometers,
| wind gauges and altitude Instruments
ASIDE from these, aerial map routes,
signaling devices, special Photographic
apparatus, and every conceivable con-
trivancc in connection with trave,msl
| III the air, are on exhibition. TO add
! to the exhibition one OF the huge aerial
cruisers OF the Zeppelin fleet. and semi
| rigid Parscval, have been cruising over
! the city daily for several days, carry
Ing fun passenger lists, between Rer-
| lin and Johnnnisthal
| Germany will have the inilitary SUI
premacy in the air tha, she ndmittc1-
| ly has on land. and which England nus
! and will keep on sea- is the prediction
made by we'll known army officer
! There are now about $50 acror!anes
IN Germany lT2 licensed acrnplane
| oiots :, large percentage OF which are
army officers, and a little over 1000
aviation pupils, who arc ut present be-,
| nS trained by competent Instructors
! y hen thirty volunteers were recently
called for IN the army sor aviation as
sisnments, over 900 applications wcro
| He'd IN idea OF the Intense interest
| u aviation apd alrshi y in Germany,
may hc gained from the tact that there
are 10 aero clubs witi a total mem
ocrship that runs into The thousands.
There are twenty ode factories build
.uS aeroplanes ana airships a44.g.
| Aside from the rapidly growing
I! 1nuadrons OF the Cavalry of the Air,i.t
IS ;tc aerupianes have been dubbed.
iicrmany has the largest and most
successful fleet of airshlps OF tho
zeppelin and Parseyai types in THE
world.
There arc twcnty-cish; in service
now for military. commercial ana pleas
| nre purposes. all Of them available To
tie government If wanted. Five of the
| military Xeppelns and i'arsevuls have
their stations In the tortrcsscs along
The Franco German frontier
! Development OF the Zcppelir
cruisers for military purposes. has.
heen an attempt 10 place light armo.
: plate around the motor cabins and
most vulnerable parts. The two last
aerial cruisers accepted by the gov
crnmcnt also arc being lifted with
light automatic machine guns Ms Il
the number of acroplan.s possessed by
the army for military purposes no en-
act information can be obtained. ,u
Following tho exhibition In Berlin,
twenty other shows win be held in
various cities in Germany during The
year to stimulate interest in aviation
and ncronautics. As a result OF the
Empcrora OFFER of a prize of SIS, 0o0
Tor the construction Of the best motor
Tor aerial crafts during the year.
scores OF Inventors arc at work ana
there is keen competition between tire
motor manufacturers. tiss