The sun., 1917-09-09
Upper DECK pAN-R- ARPLANE RUNWAY TNRplANe pxeoFF.

outrange the rifles carried by the
biggest Of hostile U-boats.
And finally. the prope!ling engines
must be such as would furnish the de-
sired power economically.
For air service. Mr.. Bogert de-
termined upon flying force OF three
scaplanes, each OF which should have
radius OF action of from FIVE to six
hours when travelling at the rate Of
eighty miles an hour, and provided
with an armament of rapid fire guns
and supply OF bombs suitable for at
lacking submarines either at tho sur
face or when running submerged at
depths admitting OF detection. Three
seaplanes would make II possible to
maintain the scouting service con-
tinually. the second machine leaving
the ship at the predetermined interval
before the return Of the FIRST one and
the third scaplane constituting q re-
serve.
Night or day. when the weather was
not too stormy to permit n Night and
return to the mother ship. the scout
ing would be maintained without in
tcrription, especially when approach
ing the estahlishcd danger zones. Tho
critic naturally asks. knowing some OF
the difficulties with which the navy
| has had 10 contend in launching air
craft from floating and moving bases.
How does Mr. Bogert make 1t possible
to get his flying machines of into the
air and then have them return to the
ship without exposing them to the
hnr ftrl <.f
does this by making the uppermost
deck OF his mother ship one long. un-
broken runway, we'll nigh from stern
to bow. SO that tho seaplane can ac-
quire a sustaining speed which will
lift II clear OF the vessel by the time
1t has mounted the incline which
terminates at the forward end Of the
chart house, q short distance back
| from the stem.
! Mr.. Bogert goes a step further In
making sure OF tho attainment of the
desired velocity. 10 this end he would
! install two broad endless belts. each
having a fore and aft length Of 10C
feet and set parallel, so that they would
wheels with which his seaplanes would
be fitted. The speed Of these belts. al.
tered to suit the circumstances of the
moment, would be great enough to give
in that interval Of 100 feet much
| higher acceleration than 1t would bt
possible for the propellers Of tho air.
craft to effect unaided.
This could not be done II tho landins
wheels were free to slip backward
therefore the wheels would automati
cally lock, like the coaster feature o.
the bicycle pedals, and the rubber tire.
of the wheels and the moving heltinl
would grip one another and provid,
the positive hold desired. Immediately
tho wheels would be released ant
would turn freely as the seaplan,
climbed the takeor gradient. So mucl
for the launching platform which tn,
ship would represent
Provision for Planes Return.
Now comes the still more diff,cul
question of a safe return to the decl
Of the vessel Tho fore ana aft run
way Is nifty feet wide and tho vesse
$50 feet long as tho design stands to
day. A fifty foot path is admitted,
ample where the machines are handle,
by skilled pilots, but a nifty foot tract
on the ground and deck Of that widti
on a rolling ship are two very differen
things to negotiate.
Mr.. Bogert realises this. and in or
der to provide a contact surface tha
the landing wheels will take at widel.
different angles of heel on the part o
the mother ship. he plans that tn