The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-16
AMERICAS SEA SLED
BOTTOM Is SUCCESS
Efficient Water Planning SIR.
face Found After Twelfth
Experiment.
ENDS WEEKS OF FAILrBE
Curtiss and Porte Happy After
Test on Transatlantic
Flying Boat.

HAMMoNDsPoRT, ~ Y, July 49, To
Wanamaler transatlantic flying boa,
America SKINNED along the surface o,
Lake Keuka this afternoon. her creir.,
throttled down TO twenty miles an hou,
The new sea sled bottom. the twelfth *.
pertinent conducted here for the last ibr.a
weeks to get the America TO waturp,gro
seemed to be n success.
Lieut.. Porte and VIII Cash, Mr. War,.
makers representative were so satisfied
with the test that they left for Ncv
York tonight. where Lieut.. Porto will
take a short vacation until n more sub.
stantial sea sled bottom is built AZ TIA
Curtiss factory. Then ne will return for
what the experts believe will he the Anal
test.
IL was decided to-day that the America
will not be shipped to Newfoundland IN.
I'll August /. and several bets that sh.
would be ready on that date were laid a,
even money.
~ believe we are on me right track
at last" Lieut.. Porte said tonight. IN.
friction with the temporary bottom was
enormous, but believe this type OF no,
tom will do the trick
81 am satisfied from tho experiment.
made today" said Glenn Curtiss the IN.
ventor that the America with this form
OF hull construction will lift her trans
atlantic load"
The America carried 1000 pounds Of
useful load. little moro than half her
transatlantic load. In the trial this after
noon. The great weight on tho tempo
rary structure which had been added "a
her hull to get waterplaning efficiency
tore away five bottom boards before ths
trials were completed.
~ htllfdfNT
sea sled bottom. which IL OF the inverted
"V" type. is to get II strong enough N
withstand the enormous pressure n.
fact that America watcrplaned at twenty
miles an hour though the watorplar'ng
speed OF an ordinary flying boat ia thirty.
five miles. shows the extraordinary "nlc'-
ency of the inverted ''V' bottom.
The temporary structure on the boat
will be torn away tonight and workn"n
at the Curtiss plant viii begin anothsr
temporary false bottom Of the sea s'of
type This will he three inches narrower
on each side than the one used TODAY.
will not extend quite SO far aft. will have
side boards and will b. covered with can.
vas to prevent friction. When this Is buzz
tho Am, RIGA will he tried with her nv
load II she wnterplanes with the load 80
Mr.. Curtiss and Lieut.. Porte are convinced
she will she will he taken to the fact'rv.
where the hull VIII he rcConstruc''l -
conform to the new type bottom.
with the now bottom tho length ~ 'he
America will he. 37i, feet over all and N'r
beam will bc feet Her present
mensons are "a feet over all length and
( feet beam.
When the America was tried this mo-"
ing she planed beautifully on the wa'c-
but her new bottom was not curved ~
enough In front and spray few back o"''
her pilot house through her engines IN
propcllcrs slight inward curve Va
made in the forward end Of the false ho
tom and this difficulty was rcmedi"d
one Of the new Olmstcad propcfers We
damaged by the spray SO that II 0I'
/ taken to tho factory for repairs. tn
/ high speed at which the propclcrs D. .
particles Of water had the same efec' a'
7 though each drop Of water was lead
shot The drops cut into the covering and
roughcnod thu surface.
For the first time in weeks Lieut. PORE
wore real smile when he WAS carried
| from the America on the back IF 2 wNr'
| man in a bathing suit after tho trial We
whlsted and hummod to himself IN ~
/ way back to the village.
/ T am very greatly pleased ho s7'4
/ we are going to come out all right
! II will take three or four days 10 PIT
/ the next temporary sea sled bottom IN 'Ne
| America and then Lieut. Porte Will -.
turn from New York to give her another
I trial II is probable that Lieut. Port.
( MIR. Curtiss, George Hallett viii Cash
and the Aero Club Of America officials VIII
sail for Newfoundland from Now York
on August l.