Evening star., 1922-05-11
The Terror Of the Air
BY ARTHUR b. REEVE.

One Of The Stars Week End Fiction Series.
Each story complete in three installments.


clans wheeled the aeroplsne out on
the field in front Of the shed, No
one was about.
Now this is the gyroscope." began
Norton. pointing out thing incaeed
in an aluminium sheath. which
or fifteen pounds. You see, the Sy-
roscope is really a nywheel mounted
on gimbals and can turn on any OF
Its axes SO that It can assume any
angle in space. When its at rest like
this you can turn 1t easily. But when
ways in the plane in which 1t was
started rotating"
took hold OF 1t and It did turn
readily in any direction. I could feel
the heavy hywheels inside.
There is a pretty high vacuum MI IN
ton. There's very little friction on
that account. The power to rotate the
f1ywheel Is obtained from this little
dynamo here. run by the gas engine.
which also turns the propellers OF the
aeroplane."
But suppose the engine stops. how
about the gyroscope?" I asked skep-
tically.
1T will go right on for several
minutes. You know, the Brennan
monorail car will stand up some time
after the power is shut of. And ]
will run 1t for some time. too. That's
all been guarded against"
Jaurette cranked the engine, . sew
en-cylinder affair. with the cylinders
sticking out like the spokes Of a
wheel without a rim. The propsllers e.
blades-turned with that strong.
steady, fierce droning buzz that can
be heard a long distance and which
is q thrilling sound to hear. Norton
reached over and attached the little
dynamo. at the same time setting the
gyroscope at its proper angle and
starting 1t.
This is the mechanical brain of
my new flyer" he remarked, patting
the aluminium case lovingly. You
can look in through this little win
dow in the case and see the hywheel
the eyroscops," no shouted to me.
AS placed both hands on the case
Of tho apparently frail little instru-
ment, he added, You remember how
e sssiIy aa1y you moved it just moment
I pressed down with all my might.
Then literally raised myself of my
feet, and my whole weight was on
the gyroscope. That uncanny little
instrument seemed to resent-yes
that's the word. resent-my touch.
ment. too. Far from yielding to me.
1t actually rose on the side I was
pressing down!
The men who were watching me
laughed at the puzsled look on my
face.
took my hands of. and the gyro-
scope leisurely and nonchalantly
went back to its original position.
That's the property we use. ap-
piled to tho rudder and the ailerons
those nat planes between the large
main planes. That gives automatic
Norton. I'm not going to explain
how it is done-it is in the combina-
ton Of the various parts that have
discovered the basic principle. and
I'm not going to talk about 1t til the
Is there. and the court will see 1t. and
I'll prove that Delanne 10 a fraud-a
fraud when he says that my combina-
zion isn't patentable and isn't practi-
cable even at that! The truth is that
and, besides. II he makes it so it in
sringes on mine. Would you like to
take a flight with me?"
1 looked at Kennedy. and a vision
Of the wTecking of the two previous
accidents as tho Star photographer
mind. But Kennedy was too quick
for me-:
No stunts.
We took our seats by Norton. I. at
least. with some misgtving. Gently
the machine rose in tho air. The SEN
sation was delightful. The fresh air
Of the morning came with q singing
rush to my face. Below I could see
the earth sweeping past as IL 1t were
a moving picture film. Above the
continuour roar Of the engine and
propeller. Norton indicated to Ken
nedy the automatic balancing Of the
gyroscope as it bent the ailerons.
Could you fly in this machine with,
out the gyroscope at an?' yelled
Kennedy. The noise was deafening,
conversation almost impossible.
Though sitting side by side he had
to repeat his remark twice to Norton.
Yes "@called back Norton. Reaching
back Of him he pointed out the way
to detach the gyroscope and put q
sort Of brake on 1t that stopped its
revolutions almost instantly. TITS a