Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-09-29

for the following reasons:
% Special machines must be
constructed for that purpose.
(2) Extraordinary ayiators, as
well as extraordinary navigators
will have to be deYelped for the
purpose and not enough men OF this
caliber can be found to pilot the
thousands OF machines across the
Atlantic that are necessary To do
any practical good during the period
OF this war,
(D The percentage OF losses in
a number Of machine9 attempting To
make tho nonstop trip across the
Atlantic would be extremely heavy
during the next year or two.
90 Pursuit machines, photo and
reconnaissance machines artillery
fire control machines, infantry lia-
son machines, and day bombing
machines, the five types which are
needed in the greatest number I'm
France and such as we are now
building In this country by the
thousands could not make the non
stop trip across at all.
However, while the non stop
flight acros the Atlantic cannot be
utilized to such advantage for the
transportation OF airplanes 10 Eu-
rope during the period OF this war,
on the other hand | have worked
out a plan whereby any sort OF an
airplane that can fly at all can make
the trip across the Atlantic in safe
ty piloted by any aviator who has
passed through the aviation train
ing school.
Can Bc UuliLcd.
My plan Is simple and can be put
into operation within three or four
months from the time work begins
on IT. 1t Is nothing more nor less
than setting a number OF floats in
direct line Between the United
States and France upon which the
airplane can land and be replenished
with gasoline and oil and repairs II
necessary while making its trip
across.
The floats can either be built OF
wood. steel, or concrete and will be
nothing more nor less in shape than
the hulls Of ocean going steamships.
They will be kept in their position
OF latitude and longitude by their
own power. or with tugs IL neces-
sary.
These floats will be set at distan-
ces OF approximately twenty-five
miles apart. so that the pilot will
at all times be within easy reach
OF a landing station. The aviator
will never be more than twelve and
one-half miles away from his base,
and from an altitude OF eight thou
sand feet he could glide TO either the
float he had left behind or the float
that was next in front OF him in
case his engine stopped running.
Furthermore, on a clear day and
from a high altitude he would be
able to see several OF these floats
both ahead OF him as we'll as behind
him, and there would be no chance
whatsoever OF him losing his way.
In foggy weather or in bad weather
OF course, he would not fly at all
or course An Airplane crossing
the Atlantic would not have to stop
at every float, some airplanes would
fly over twenty floats before having
10 land for fuel. while others would
only pass over ten floats or so, but
all OF the floats could be used in
order TO transport great numbers
Of machines across Gs one machine
would stop at one float, while an
other machine would stop at an
other. In this manner IL Is possib BILE
TO send across the Atlantic in suita-
able weather more than one thousand
airplanes each day.
BY my system each station can
accommodate an airplane landing
at five minute intervals. This il
done by dropping the airplane into
the hold OF the float through an
elevator at one end, and then NOV
Ing II backward to the other end Of
IA hA alA fgr
will take 1t TO the deck all ready to
shoot off again after having re-
ceived a new supply OF gasoline, and
oil, as we'll AS having made any ne
cessary repairs. The hold OF the
float is to be used for supplies, spare
parts. a repair shop, as well AS a din
ing room. sleeping apartments, rec
reation rooms, and 50 forth for the
aviator.
These floats will be protected from
the torpedoes of lurking submarines
by surrounding net work, and they
will also carry heavy enough guns
TO outrange any guns which subma-
rines carry.
There will be no difficulty what
soever in landing airplanes on floats
$50 to 500 feet long. In fact, / have
worked out a system whereby l can
stop the speediest airplane made
within less than 800 feet and most
OF the planes will be stopped with
ing 100 feet runaway Ii will no
doubt be remembered that on Janu-
airy IS, 1913. Eugene Ely landed upon
and flew from the deck OF the crui-
ser Pennsylvania anchored in the San
Francisco bay At that time, Ely
used ascrude device TO slow up his
machine, and landed in less than
100 feet OF running surface. have
worked out a much more efficient
slowing up method than that which
Ely adopted.
l estimate that before this war is
won, We will have to send across the
Atlantic ocean anywhere from 20O,-
900 TO 100000 airplanes In order
to transport such a tremendous
number OF machines it will be neces-
Sary therefore, to send them across
by the plan / have outlined.
When taking into consideration
that once the float system is laid
down that unlimited numbers OF
airplanes can be shipped across that
way, then II will be understood that
the cost OF shipping each machine
will be but a fraction OF the cost
of shipping 1t across in the holds OF
steamships. Furthermore, 1t will
allow the steamships to use that
space for other material needed at
the front. and 1t will also afford
our graduate aviators an opportunity
to gain some much needed flying
experience as well as transporting
themselves by their own airplanes
instead OF taking up space and time
by the steamship route.
Furthermore. by my plan We can
a lt,s a.