Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-12-19
NEW ARPLANE
FLIES LIKE BAT
Developed by Peter Cooper
Hewitt For War, 1t May Win
Michelin Prize

New York. The latest Michelin
prize OF 100000. offered through the
Aero Club de France, may be won
shortly by an American Peter Cooper
Hewitt happens to have demonstra-
tion machine already constructed
which he claims will do the things
the Michelins require--and more. Not
only will it rise straight up into the
air without a preliminary run along
the ground and then move forward.
and finally when landing descend into
4 30-foot square, but it will execute
maneuvers as well that are much
more unusual, almost sensational.
For instance, said Mr. Hewitt,
when it is running forward through
the air it may be reversed and driven
backward witout reversing the en-
gine or turning about. Furthermore,
the machine may be made to drop or
to jump with the suddenness of a
flying bat. In fact, il compares in
flight with the present planes he con-
tinued. as a bat in flight compares
with a duck. A duck can travel only
in a smooth line and change its direc-
tion in swinging curve; whereas,
twilight. this machine can make sud
der halts. retreats, drops or jumps.
These unusual movements. Mr..
Hewitt explained, are made possible
by having propeller which may be
pointed in any direction. To rise
straight up the propeller shaft is
turned until it points up and down
and brings the propeller overhead so
that the bull of the blades is applied
entirely to lifting. There is no side
wise motion during the ascent.
1t Also Has Speed
once in the air the propeller shaft
is inclined forward and the plane Is
drawn ahead at n speed which is
equal, Mr. Hewitt 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 to rear and applying the pull
uninterruptedly, but in the opposite
direction. Furthermore, at any time
during the flight the direction Of the
propeller may be varied and the ma
chine may pull itself upward or may
drop. adding it's own propelled thrust
downward to the pull of gravitation.
These eccentric movements in flight
said MIR. Hewitt. We're part of the
original object of his research, for
their usefulness in aerial combat dur
ing the war. The machine was Il de-
fence design, undertaken for the War
Department, and il was to demon
s'Intc il practically that MIR. Hewitt
built the demonstration plane, com
pictely enginCd and equipped for
flight. which he now possesses.
At a demonstration which took
place before a committee of aviation
experts of the General STAFF shortly
before the armistice a complete test
OF the machine was made on an avia-
tion scale TO determine lifting power,
balance. etc, and the experts pro-
nounCcd it marvel
Can Use His Design
You may announce il for me-" he
said with a smile, that if any one
feels a sporting inclination TO go af-
ter the prize and is willing to support
the cost of construction l will let him
use my design, and he viii be sure
TO win"
The successful attempts to rise
Vertically with a HEAVIER than air ma
cline and attempts to alight on small
'stunts" requiring extraord mary skill
and great daring With Il machine Of
the type that Mr.. Hewitt has devel-
opcd, he says, it would be an elcmen-
tary operation to rise from a house
top and TO make a landing on one.
I would even be possible to remain
stationary in the air alongside a
building at a desired floor level and
to step off on to a balcony or into a
window, he says.