New-York tribune., 1920-09-12

A CERTAIN wild duck which
~ q short time ago wabbled
N in unstable fight across the
reaches Of Long Island may
be the direct means OF bringing TO
America the most treasured trophy
in the world Of aeronauticss
From this ungainly bird there
has been born q new idea in air
plane design, which has been incor-
porated in one of the three Ameri-
can machines entered in the Gordon
Bennett international airplane race,
which will be held in France Sep
tember 27.
Aeronautical experts will tell you
that no average speed below 200
miles an hour will stand a chance
in the classical event of aviation,
which is to be held this year for
the first time since 1918. How, then.
can bird so ungraceful and slow
as duck have such q deciding in
Auence on the design Of airplanes
capable Of such terrific speed?
A Secret Revealed
The answer to this has hitherto
been secret which shrouded an
epic Of careful, painstaking expert
ment and American scientific genius
that will be unfo.ded in this story.
Before proceeding with the post
mortem history Of the Long Island
duck, however, an outline Of the
conditions that precede the Gordon
Bennett race this year will empha-
size the Importance of the influence
welded by this humble bird.
The Gordon Bennett trophy has
exerted upon aviation the same
stimulating effect that the Wander
bils Cup did on the automobile in
its Infancy. It was first competed
for n 1909, and then each succeed
Ing year until 1913. The rapid de-
vesopnsent Of design is emphasized
by the fact that the competing ma
chimes Increased their speed from
the original forty-six miles an hour
10 l2S>59 miles an hour in the latter
years, Then came the World War,
and aero1autical development took
a v-,ov-n
200 Miles the Minimum
From the very moment that the
Federation Aeronautique Interna-
tionale-the international body con-
trolling the cup@decided to renew
the contest this year, every nation in
Europe, with the exception of Ger
many, Russia and a few of the
smaller countries, bent it's efforts to
producing super airplane to COM
pete for the trophy. All of them
are maintaining the utmost secrecy
about their plans. One thing, and
one thing only, will they permit to be
announced, and that is their par
ticular entry will make at least two
hundred miles an hour average
speed.
The United States is privileged,
together with France, England and
Italy, to enter three different ma
chimes. The three American entries
have already been allotted and ac-
eepted by the Federation Aero
nautique Internationale, as follows:
United States Army Air Service,
Verville- Packard special; Dayton
Wright special, Aero Club of Texas,
through S. E. J. Cox; Curtiss Ar
row special.
1t was while designing the latter
machine that the scientists and en-
gineers of the Curtiss laboratory
made the discovery for which the
humble duck is responsible, and
which may bring victory to their
design.
In order to carry out an expert
ment, DR.. J. G. Coffin, scientific ad-
wiser. had a Long Island wild duck
stuffed by taxidermist in the atti-
sude Of natural flight. When COM
pieted the bird was placed in the
experimental wind tunnel at the Gar
Den City laboratory Of the Curtiss or
ganhation. It Immediately assumed
Its natural position of fight, and
certain observations were made un-
der this condition.
Not Like 81 Real Bird
Next, an exact model Of the bird
was constructed in wood, so that it
was Of the identical measurements
and weight Of the original bird. This
was finished with the high polish
usually put on woodwork. The
model was then placed in the wind
tunnel. and TO the astonishment of
Dr. Coffin and his assistants it