The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-07-06

1900 successful ones may b seem
! Sefuee many years, according to
5 d. Albert r. Zahm, asrouautical
j e1pert for the navy. Had there
! - : need for the helicopter dur
j ~ ~ war. be said. any OF several
tySes could have been perfected,
i Z which working models have bsen
sNown.
d.. zahm is an expert on design
sad construction of all manner Of
sAyiig machines. For years he has
Saopiied his time to perfection OF
5 III sirplane, and II well qualified
" pass upon the capabilities Of
3any.
Much interest has been shown Of
! hte In reports Of successful ma
sehines Of the hclicopter type being
perfected. in both Germany and
I England. However, while some
Nights have been made, none Of any
4 consequence are reported by 4
tmachine equipped with horizontal
spFopellers or revolving planes, de-
SIGNED to rise vertically from 4 con-
llfined space and descend on the
1 0me. ~.
. That the helicopter is possible.
tDr. Zahm said, is proved by the
\ German machine. which, rising sew
ersl times to moderate heights, has
( carried observers, remained almost
stationary while IN air, and de-
scended in safety. The machine.
However, has made no extended
flight, such As would prove Its de-
fpendability, but was tethered to
the ground by a mooring rope. At
times, when the motors failed. the
machine dropped and the passen-
gers saved themselves only by
sleaping with parachutes.
The experiments are continuing,
however, with the purpose Of per-
ffecting q motor which can be de
pended upon to maintain the ma
chine without sudden failure, the
scientist explained, for, as socn as
the engine stops, the machine can
not glide to the ground as does an
airplane, but drops vertically. In
. proper descent the propellers
should be whirled slowly to ease
( the landing.
4 Basis Of Hopes.
' Present hopes OF attaining sue
cessfnl vertical flight rest mainl!
upon the endeavors of Emil Der
s liner, Washington inventor, who's
experiments with the helicoptel
have extended over a long time,
and Of Louis Brennan, of London
whose newest machine is reported
,sas nearing completion. He ii
q working to win the fifty thousand
pound prize offered by the British
air ministry for successful flight.
) The helieoptors upon which mos,
(. consist mainly Of two or more pro-
! pellori screws mounted horizontall,
\ on a vertical shaft, bearing en-
| gines, fuel and passengers. Equa
! numbers of propeller blades mus
) revolve in opposite directions tina,
: the body Of the machine may mo-
spin like top. The motors, tank.
\ and body have been mounted ir
various positions, but the German
machine has q sort Of pulpit cal
mounted at the top Of the shat
over the propellors for the opera
tors.
i Whether or not this type Of ma
chine is brought to actual use, Dr.
Zahm stated, at least two othel
TYPES of planes that may nv. ver.
tically have been offered to TIL
government. This fact is not wide.
Fly known.
Working Model
z One of these, OF which DR.. Zahm
observed experiments with work.
ing model, was almost identical
with the present type of plane, ex.
cept that, mounted behind the body
we're two sets Of. air vanes, =, in
groups, tilted ct an adjustable an.
gle, like those of Venetian blinds
When the power was turned on
10 said. the wash" of the ali
sream from the propellors, push.
sns against these groups of vanes
caused the model to rise gently
vertically. The model was held In
lmid-air by the action, and when the
power diminished it returned gent.
y to earth. A full size machine oil
Me type, he said. would be equipped
WIN engines of immense power, In
,ofder to furnish sufficient air pres.
sure. and when driven to a suffi-
Icient altitude, the vanes would be
% adjusted that horizontal motion
you'd result. The plane could
,aen lily i. the usual manner, final
v using the vanes again to descend
Army Type.
Inc other type offered to the
y, he said, was Of the present
Wy plan, equipped with three pro
reuofs, two placed far out toward
ue wing ends. and with vertical
.auoers and alierons similar to
uose In use. The quicker liftins
xower was to be gained by having
l1s wash OF the central propeller
-" upon elevators on the tail oil
lsae BODY, while the side propellors
YOU'D wash against the special all
lefons on the wing tips. 4
~nen In the air, DR.. Zahm CON
saueo, this machine could maneu-
t exactly as does the ordinary
snne. cut figures and do stunts, .
a'de being able to rest motionless
Az any desired position-vefflcal
~ nose up. II need be.
me best feature, he said, is that
iUM planes Of the new type are en-
y feasible and can be CON
Sesure at any time. In fact, sev-
s. european inventors and manu-
ssseurers are patenting designs Of
- second type. notably the French
49,; ~ bleriot, one Of the pioneers of
studied BY Experts.
- efts Tor the government stud.