Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume III

16 ENGINEERING WONDERS OF THE WORLD. double-decked “ gliders,” modelled on the lines laid down by Lilienthal and Chanute ; the laws of balance were explored ; the efficiency of curves with regard to lift and drift ex- amined ; and a large number of glides were made, the longest being over 600 feet long, and lasting 26 seconds. The glider used for this particular flight had a supporting area of machine were given an area about de able that of the preceding glider. The best performance put up diring the year was half a mile in just under a minute at a speed of about 30 miles per hour. The lift obtained approximated to 60 lbs. per horse-power developed by the engine. The next year the Wrights shifted the scene COUNT LAMBERT ON A WRIGHT AEROPLANE. {Photo, Illustrations Bureau.) 312 square feet, a span of 35 feet, and a weight of 117 lbs. In 1903 the brothers considered that they had collected sufficient data to justify the application of a petrol motor to a new glider specially built. The engine, built by them- selves, had four cylinders of 4-inch bore and stroke, weighed 250 lbs., and developed 12 horse-power at 1,000 revolutions per minute. To support the extra weight, the decks of this (1,408) of operations from the neighbourhood of Chesapeake Bay—where the prevailing winds had been particularly favour- . . „ .... . , An Engine able for gliding experiments— fitted to their home at Dayton, in Ohio, and proceeded to build a second machine. With this—driven by a 17 horse-power engine —they made many flights, the record for the year being rather more than 3 miles in 5 minutes 17 seconds, at a speed of 34 miles