How It Flies; or, The Conquest of the Air / The Story of Man's Endeavors to Fly and of the Inventions by Which He Has Succeeded

by Richard Ferris

THE CODY BIPLANE.

The Cody biplane has the distinction of being the first successful British aeroplane. It was designed and flown by Captain S. F. Cody, at one time an American, but for some years an officer in the British army.

It is the largest and heaviest of all the biplanes, weighing about 1,800 lbs., more than three times the weight of the Curtiss machine. Its main planes are 52 feet in lateral spread, and 7 feet 6 inches in width, and are set 9 feet apart. The combined area of these sustaining surfaces is 770 square feet. The upper plane is arched, so that the ends of the main planes are slightly closer together than at the centre.

The elevator is in two parts placed end to end, about 12 feet in front of the main planes. They have a combined area of 150 square feet. Between them and above them is a small rudder for steering to right or left in conjunction with the large rudder at the rear of the machine. The latter has an area of 40 square feet.

There are two small balancing planes, set one at each end of the main planes, their centres on the rear corner struts, so that they project beyond the tips of the planes and behind their rear lines.

The Cody biplane in flight. Captain Cody has both hands raised above his head, showing the automatic stability of his machine.

The biplane is controlled by a lever rod having a wheel at the end. Turning the wheel moves the rudders; pushing or pulling the wheel works the elevator; moving the wheel from side to side moves the balancing planes.

There are two propellers, set one on each side of the engine, and well forward between the main planes. They are of wood, of the two-bladed type, 7 feet in diameter. They are geared down to make 600 revolutions per minute. The motor has 8 cylinders and develops 80 horse-power at 1,200 revolutions per minute.

The machine is mounted on a wheeled running gear, two wheels under the front edge of the main planes and one a short distance forward in the centre. There is also a small wheel at each extreme end of the lower main plane.

The Cody biplane has frequently carried a passenger, besides the pilot, and is credited with a speed of 38 miles per hour.

The first aeroplane flights ever made in England were by Captain Cody on this biplane, January 2, 1909.