LANGLEY’S GASOLENE MODEL.
(Courtesy Smithsonian Institution.)
LANGLEY’S TWO SURFACE GASOLENE MODEL.
(Courtesy Smithsonian Institution.)
“This, however, was by no means the length of its flight. I estimated from the diameter of the curve described, from the number of turns of the propellers, as given by the automatic counter, after due allowance for slip, and from other measures, that the actual length of flight on each occasion was slightly over 3,000 feet. It is at least safe to say that each exceeded half an English mile.
“From the time and distance, it will be noticed that the velocity was between 20 and 25 miles an hour, in a course which was constantly taking it ‘up hill.’ I may add that on a previous occasion, I have seen a far higher velocity attained by the same aërodrome when its course was horizontal.
“I have no desire to enter into detail further than I have done, but I can not but add that it seems to me that no one who was present on this interesting occasion, could have failed to recognize that the practicability of mechanical flight had been demonstrated.”
In passing it may be added that in 1899 this model was again flown successfully, having superposed surfaces; for its inventor all along recognized the structural advantage of the bridge trussing in biplanes. If he preferred the monoplane, or single-tier arrangement, it was because the best flights were obtained with such models.
Many persons now thought that Langley would do well to rest on his laurels, leaving to others the “commercial and practical development” of his ideas. But he had caught the aëronautic fever. Like many another poor son of fancy, he was haunted by magnificent dreams. Now, perhaps, was stirring in his mind that vision of his childhood when he lay on his back in the New England pasture and “watched a hawk soaring far up in the blue, and sailing for a long time without any motion of its wings, as though it needed no work to sustain it, but was kept up there by some miracle.” Mr. Andrew D. White declares that Professor Langley was a poet by nature. Whatever the dominant impulse, he followed his “aërodrome” like one possessed. It was the all engrossing pursuit of the latter years of his life, entailing how much vexation, toil and unjust censure!
In 1898 the Board of Ordinance and Fortification, after carefully studying the flights of 1896, appropriated $50,000 to enable Professor Langley to build a one-man flyer. He first tested a gasoline driven aëroplane having one fourth the linear dimensions of the man-carrying one. In external appearance this model resembled the steam “aërodrome,” described above, but was considerably larger. It spread 66 square feet of surface, weighed 58 pounds, and developed 2½ to 3 horse power. When ready for the test, August 8, 1903, this beautiful white-winged creature was taken to the middle of the Potomac, 40 miles below Washington, mounted on the launching ways, swiveled into the eye of the wind and shot forth like a stone from a catapult, her engine and propellers humming merrily.