New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-07-16
Curtiss and Porte Decide
on Final Model for
Transatlantic Filler.
SEA SLED TYPE FOR
BOTTOM OF BOAT
Now Hull To Be BuiIt at Once
with Overall Length OF 37l2
Feet and 7 Foot Beam.

iiammordTDort. y. /. July Io'
flor three weeks Of experimenting the
proper surface, for raising the Rod
man WanamaHcr transatlantic flying
boat America from the water have been
decided upon. The hull will be OF Tie
sea sled type end the bottom OF the
boa. will have the appearance Of an in
vortod y. A. The boat gains speed on
the water IT lift5 on two runners. wn'le
the snacc between them IS filled WITT
air. which helps 20 raise the load.
Tho first trial Of the new apparatus
was made to-day about noon. and at'er
thirty minutes of work on the water
both Lieutenant Porte and Glenn -
Curtiss announced that they telt theN
had solved tho problem that mas oech
bothcrinC a dozen experts for week.
The machine planned over the surface
Of Lake Kcuka at about twenty miles
an hour. not half Of the aValIaol"
power being used. This feature was
entirely satisfactory 20 the aviator =
hut the false bottom which had DC"
hastily built was crude and himsy ana
much snrav was thrown up. drenchinE
both motors and propeller blades.
was decided 10 round off the corners o.
Tho nlaninr surfaces and try again.
Af,or five hours work the machine wa
taken out again about p. m. and rs
performance with useful load or l'1Oo
mounds proved that the sea sled ldca
was correct.
Porte in High Spirits.
/ As he stepped ashore following the
last trial Lieutenant Porte wore a
broad smile. He came jauntily up re
beach and his first words were: -" Q
have got the blooming riddle worker
out" ~
Curtiss. too. was in high spirits as
was Lieutenant John II. Towers. VINO
had been observing the tests. ne laIr
that several boards had been ripped on
the fragile temporary bottom OF the
boat did not dampen the enthusiasm
! that pervaded the air. No one VINO 81"
tho trials doubted for moment tnat
the end Of experimenting was AT hanu'
The behavior OF the machine was TO-
tally different from what 1t had oeeh
on any previous occasion.
Instead Of ploughing the water ana
raising with apparent dihculty' .'e
stuck her nose into the AR steadl! =
and il was only matter OF SECONDS
when the auxiliary pontoons az tnc
tips Of. the wings were clear or tIe
water. A few more seconds and the
whole machine was skmming the lake.
perfectly balanced on her tiny step
At the close Of an impromptu recep-
tion held on the beach by Curtiss. Porto
and william y. Cash, Mr. anamaker' 5
representative, Mr.. Cash announced
that arrangements would be made TO
start for Newfoundland on August J.
Bv that time the boat will be ready :or
shipment.
Curtiss's Official Statement.
Glenn II. Curtiss and Lieutenant
Porte called together their board OF
strategy" as soon as the America had
been pulled ashore and then gave or,
the following statement:
eve are convinced by tho trials or
the new planning surfaces that whe1
thcv have been properly constructed
and finished they will lift from the
water any load we may require Tor the
fight across the ocean.
"And so we have determined TO con-
s.ruct a new hull for the machine,
built on the lines along which these
experiments have been conducted.
Work on this will begin at once: Also
we shall reinforce the false bottom
now in the machine and seal Il up with
canvas to make it water tight. THIS
will take three days or more.
next week. while the new hull IS
being built. we shall make various
tests with the temporary device in or
der TO familiarize ourselves with the
action Of the machine thus equipped.
When the new hull is completed The
beam of the boat will be 7 feet instead
or 4 and the length over all will be
37i2 feet, an increase Of 3i2 feet over
the present length
"All Of US are satisfied that we have
solved the main problem. and now we
shall build the boat that has been
evolved by our experiments"
Lieutenant Porte left for New YORK
tonight. He was accompanied by Nj.
Cash and will spend several days res
ing and preparing for his fight. He
VIZ probably return to Hammondsport
on Monday.