New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-05
AGREE ON TERMS
IN AIRCRAFT TRADE
Wright and Connecticut
Companies Ready to
Sign Contracts.
NEW HAVEN CONCERN
HAS AMPLE BACKING
Captaiu Baldwin Plans to Install
New Aerial Guns In Air
Fighters.

All uneaslness regarding a possible
hitch In the signing Of the contract be-
tween the Wright Company and the
Connecticut Aircraft Company. OF New
Haven. vanished yesterday. when the in
tentIon OF the New Haven concern to
spend many thousands Of dollars i'm
mediately in the development OF the aero
plane and balloon business became APP
parent.
The first step will be taken when Cap
tain Thomas s. Baldwin, chief con-
structor of the company, sails Thurs
day on the Baltic to inspect aeroplane
and balloon factories in England, France,
Germany and Italy.
Captain Baldwin will make flying
trip and said last night that he hoped
to be back in New York BY June l. In
cdentally. he will purchase two or the
latest type dlrigible balloons and ship
them TO this country by the first steamer
possible He declared that the Connecu-
cut Aircraft Company would turn out
a product second to none in the Euro
pean markets
One of the most interesting matters
that Captain Baldwin is taking up Is the
installation in aeroplanes and dirigiples
Of the Davis non-recoil gun. The gun
is the invention OF Commander Cleland
Davis. Of the United States Navy, and
tests of a 4-inch gun, light enough to De
carried in aeroplanes, were made last
September, near Groton, Mass. Accord
ing to Leonard Bonney, who was pres
ent. the tests were successful.
The method devised to prevent recoil
provides for the discharge from the
breech OF the gun of a quantity @: finely
divided particles, such as iron hlings, the
weight Of which equals that OF the pro-
iectile. This makes II necessary 10 nave
a perfect clearance behind the gun as
well as in front of the muzzle. When
the gun is fred from point high in the
air. the filings scatter and become harm
less 10 those on the ground.
The new gun is the result Of several
years of experimenting by Commander
Davis and is being manufactured by the
Ordnance Development Company. at
Groton, Mass The 4-lnch gun weighs
about 200 pounds and the projectile, thir-
ty-two pounds. 3-inch gun, which is
ready for the market, weighs 40 pounds
and the projectile twenty-four pounds,
Telescope sights combined with speed
and altitude indicators render it possible
to use the new weapons with as great q
degree OF accuracy as can be OBTAINED
in the use OF field pieces.
Captain Baldwin was busy last night
making calculations in regard TO the
mounting of the guns on dirigibles.
Alpheus +. Barnes. secretary OF the
Wright Company, will go TO Dayton TO-
night and is supposed TO be taking the
contracts with him for approval by the
Wright Company.
The most significant feature OF the
Connecticut Aircraft Company's entrance
into the field OF practical aviation Is that
the concern is managed and backed by
substantial business men and that 1t has
steadily acquired patents and manufact-
uring properties.
When asked wherein the company diff
fered from the ordinary conception OF
trust" one of the officers said that the
company was no more OF a trust than
any owner of patent.
I'VE are hardly in that position, either,
he continued. FOR We, ourselves, are pay
ing ROYALTIES to the owner Of the patents.
What we want to do is 10 take the
lid off aeronauucal activities, not 70
clamp It down