Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume III

24 ENGINEERING WONDERS OF THE WORLD. THE CURTISS BIPLANE. This is the smallest of double-decked ma- chines, having but 280 square feet of support- ing surface, and weighing only 550 lbs. Yet it won the Gordon Bennett race at Rheims for the fastest flight of 20 kilometres (in 15 minutes 50| seconds), and took the first prize for the fastest 30 kilometres, and the second for the fastest 10 kilometres. The chief features of this aeroplane—which is of Ameri- can origin—are two superposed single-surfaced main decks, 28f feet long and 4 feet 6 inches wide, 5 feet apart ; a double-decked front elevator (24 square feet) ; a horizontal tail (12 square feet) ; a vertical rear rudder ; a single propeller, 6 feet in diameter ; and two balancing planes situated between, and partly projecting beyond, the tips of the main decks. The planes are flexed by levers operated by movements of the pilot’s body. The elevator and rudder control is practically the same as that used on the Voisin aeroplanes. The decks are covered on the lower surface with rubberized silk, pockets of which enclose the ribs above. An engine of 30 horse-power, weighing, with radiator, about 200 lbs., is used. The Curtiss is essentially a one-man machine, built for speed rather than for lifting capacity. THE CODY BIPLANE. At the opposite end of the scale from the Curtiss is the Cody machine, the heaviest and largest aeroplane yet built, and also distin- guished as being the first successful flier of British construction. The main decks, double surfaced, 52 feet long by 7 feet 6 inches wide, have an area of 775 square feet ; and the front elevators, which also take part of the load, an area of 150 feet. The two vertical ruddefrs are disposed at equal distances fore and aft of the main decks (Fig. 5). The elevator is in two parts, each of which can be moved independently of the other to serve the purpose of balancing planes. Steer- ing is assisted by warping the decks. Both vertical and horizontal rudders are operated by a single steering wheel immediately in front of the pilot. Fig. 5.—DIAGRAM OF THE CODY BIPLANE. An 80 horse-power “E.N.V.” engine drives two propellers mounted between, and near the forward edges of, the main decks. The pro- pellers are peculiar in being wider at the base than at the tips. So large and heavy is the Cody aeroplane —with pilot it weighs about a ton, or half as much again as the Voisin machine—that the decks have been so designed that two end sections, 16 feet long each, can be removed. The girder supporting th© elevator also is detachable, and the rear rudder frame folds back against the body. After many unsuccessful attempts Mr. Cody has at last evolved an efficient machine, cap- able of great speed. It has flown at nearly 50 miles an hour. On September 8 it put up a record for a cross-country flight by covering over 40 miles in the neighbourhood of Aider- shot, not coming to ground until the petrol supply was quite exhausted. At one point an altitude of 600 feet was attained. Coming now to the other main class of flying machines, the Monoplanes, we may pay attention to three types—those known as the Blériot, Antoinette, and the Esnault-Pelterie. In general ^onoP^anes* appearance they have, when viewed from a distance, a decided resemblance to a bird.