New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-07
Baldwin First to Respond
TO Government Demand
for Dirigibles.
SENDS BIG MODEL
FOR EXPERT TESTS
Veteran Airman Says Zeppellns
Can Be Out-Zeppelined by
American Craft.

that. a slx-foot scale model has been
made and will be taken 70 Washington
next week for series OF tests IN Vhe
aerodynamical laboratory OF the Sm''n-
sonian Institution.
The new craft. as devised by Cap
tain Baldwin, will be 1877 feet long ana
/ 2s feet in diameter. Besides It's own
weight, H. will be capable Of carrying
seven men and more than half ton
+ Of explosive. Also II will be equipped
with wireless apparatus.
/ When the determination Of the Navy
Department TO purchase two diugibles
was made public last month in the col
umns Of The Tribune. 1t was believed
by the majority OF aerOnautical experts
+ that the craft would be built IN Europe
and sold 20 the United States through
brokers mere. nj.
AS matter Of fact. Captain Marx
Bristol. in his letter calling for specl-
hcations and bids. wrote:'
THE manufacturers IN this country
have not had the experience, nor nave
they now the facilities for the manu-
iacture Of such airships. IL is very de-
sirable for the navy 10 have manuiac0-
urers in this country capable or con-
structing any aircraft required
Builders keenly Interested.
Captain Bristol's letter containing
the news Of the governments intention
took the American aircraft builders by
surprise. Tn to that time the authorl-
ties had spurued the diriglble idea. ana
little had been done by manufacturers
IN the line Of experiments with such
craft.
Nevertheless. tho keen interest in the
proposition and the determination OF
American manufacturers TO build up
new industry here is evident Inc
Tribune learned yesterday that A. Leo
stevens mas been asked by no fewer
thar four concerns TO bid on dirlglDle
envelopes to compete for the navy or
der
CAPTAIN Baldwin IS the drst to COM
plete his plans and build model. He
has already built nine dirigibles OF
much smaller dimensions and has
studied the construction Of every type
IA use abroad.
In connection with the above. II Is
interesting TO note that one OF the air
,hips built By Captain Baldwin was
furnished the United States govern
mcnt for observation purposes and was
built in the early days before the Yep
Deins had forged 10 the front / ne
machine in question was one Of the
frst to be constructed in this country.
and was built Just after A. Leo Stevens
had produced a dirigible al the time
when Santos Dumont brought his craft
here from France.
Captain Baldwin has submitted an
exhaustive report 10 the United States
military authorities. following three
months spent in Europe this year, and
that is thought 10 have Influenced the
people at Washington.
Will BE Non-Rigid Type.
The name Of the new type will be
BIO. and while II is not a copy Of
any foreign type, the envelope resem-
bles that OF a Parseval and the car that
o. the Zodiac type. IL will be non
rigid, and the principal load will be
carried at the centre of gravity. This
will permit the dropping Of any guam
tity of explosive without affecting the
balance OF the ship.
The plans call for two motors 81
about 60-horsepower each and four pro-
pellers. One set Of blades will be for
ward and the other aft. There will be
room for one man IN each OF the motor
cockpits and five more men can be ac-
commodated IN the main cockpit. where
observations can be taken and missiles
released.
A large vertical rudder and hori-
zontal cfeyating planes furnish ample
means Of controlling the ship. Hydro
gen gas will be used 10 give the ascen-
l.. 81 1
not be ascertained until after the
model tests. Captain Baldwin said that
it would not be far from fifty miles an
hour. Enough fuel can be carried for
six-hour trip under full load
81 believe that the BIO will an
swer the requirements of the Navy De-
partment," Captain Baldwin told &
Tribune reporter last night. If it will
not. such notifications as are neces-
sary will be made. There is no reason
why we cannot build just as good
Girigibles here rs can be had in Eu-
rope.
"A number OF others are working on
plans for the airships, and there is no
question but that suitable type will
be evolved in the United States. After
We have made some tests at Washing
ton ! shall be prepared to say just
what my machine will do.
Can Get Material Here.
"Subjecting the model to various
pressures in the wind tunnel At the
laboratory will determine exactly what
the head resistance will be on the full
size machine.
The most difficult problem 10 solve
IS that of obtaining the right kind Of
"a hrfc HarpfOfnrN most gf this
terial has been imported from France
But domestic manufacturers have been
experimenting, and the samples sub
mitted 70 me by FIVE concerns have
convinced me that suitable grade OF
rubberized cloth can be manufactured
here. The amount necessary for my
craft Is 400 yards
THE power of dirigibles in war will
be demonstrated in Europe before long.
unless | am greatly mistaken. Nobody
outside German officialdom knows eX-
actly what the Zeppelns can do. Not
one of them has been sent against
hostile city as yet; only Parsevals and
Kansas have been used. | firmly be-
lieve that the Zeppelins are being re-
served for some great, decisive stroke
possibly an assault on London.
cold, foggy days 90 TO make ideal
Zeppelin weather. and / think the
Germans have been waiting for it be-
fore risking their powerful air craft
/ rode in three Zeppelns last spring
and marvelled az their steadiness and
ease of control"
Voters Favor Half Holidays.
Boston, Nov. 6.--Returns from the