Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-12-31
FLIES JUST LIKE A BAT,
AIRSH|P MAKER SAYS
Rises Stroight Up; Jumps, Reverses
and is Very Fast, Inventor
Explains.

New Yo4k, Dec .30-The latest Michclin
prize Of 800 900, offered through the
Aero Club dc France, may be won shortly
by an American Peter Cooper Hewitt
happens to have demonstration ma
chine already constructed which he claims
Will do the things the Michelins require
and more Not only will If rise straight
up INTO the air without preliminary rim
along the ground and then move forward
and finally when landing descend into
a 30-foot square, but lt will execute
maneuvers as we'll that are much more
unusual, almost sensational
For instance, said Mr. Hewitt, when
1t is running forward through the air
1t may be reversed and driven backward
without reversing the engine or turning
about. Furthermore, the machine may
he made to drop or 70 Jump with the
suddenncss oi flying bat In fact, it
compares IN fight with the present planes,
he continued rs a bat III flight compares
with duck duck can travel only
in a smooth line and change IFS direction
IN a swinging curve; whereas, like a bat
chasing a butterfly IN the twilight this
machine can make sudden halts, retreats,
drops or jumps
These unusual movements, Mr. Hewitt
SAt'21AtiNNAs ah1 AAaahkiG bV5S4DAt ~ 1aFD4k
q propeller which may be pointed IN any
direction. To rise straight up the pro-
pelier shaft is turned until it points up
and down and brings the propeller over
head, 80 that the pull OF the blades IS
applied entirely 10 lifting There IS no
sIdeN7se motion during the ascent
Once IN the air the propeller shaft Is
inclined forward and. the plane is drawn
ahead at a speed which is equal Mr. Hcw-
lit claims, to the speed Of any of the fast
planes now IN use. This speed may be
reversed quite simply by shifting the
propeller from forward 10 rear and apply
ing the pull uunterruptedly, but III the
opposite direction Furthermore, 1T any
time during the flight the direction OF the
propeller MAY be varied and the machine
may pull itself upward or may drop.
adding Is own propeller thrust downward
10 tie pull OF gravitation
These eccentric movements III flight,
said Mr. Hewitt. were part of the original
object of his research, for their usefulness
IN aerial combat during the war The
machine was a defense design, under
taken for the War Department. aud 1t
was 10 demonstrate it practically that
Mr.. Hewitt built the demonstration
plane completely engined and equipped
for fight, which he now possesses.
At a demonstration which took place
before u committee of aviation experts
of the general staff shortly before the
armistice d complete test of the machine
was made on an aviation scale to deter
mine lifting power, balance. etc, aud the
pronounced il a marvel
You may announce ii fer me, he
said with a smile, that il anyone feels
sporting inclination to go after the prize
and is willing 10 support the cost Of con-
structiOn | viii let him Use my design and
he will be sure to win.
The successful attempts To rise YER
tically with q heavier-than-afr machine
and attempts to alight on small spaces,
such as house tops, have been stunts
requiring extraordinary skill and great
daring With a machine of the type that
Mr. Hewitt has developed, he says, it
would be an elementary operation to rise
from housctop and To make landing
On one. II would even be possible to
remain stationary IN the air alongside a
building at a desired floor level and to
step off ON to balcony or into window,
1s GayrS