Fig. 24. [↑]
Fig. 25. [↑]
The tailless continues to be the most popular of all the kites. No matter how artistic, how representative, how curious, or how mechanical the new kites may be, the tailless is the first and last out every season. It flies in a very light breeze, and is so steady in the air. There are several kinds of tailless, but the two stick Eddy Kite seems to be the winner. These kites are made from five inches to thirty feet in height. This kite, Figs. [8] and [22], has two sticks of equal length, the vertical stick is called the spine, and should be straight, while the bow is placed about one-fifth the distance down from the top of the spine. This bow stick is bent backward by inserting a brace stick as shown by [Fig. 23]. The advantage of a removable brace stick will be recognized when a person tries to carry several kites to a field at one time. If the brace stick is out, the kites lie flat and do not injure each other, so that twenty-five or more might be carried by one person, but if the kite is bowed, there may be great difficulty in carrying two or three. Most boys bow about three inches for a three-foot kite. See [Chapter 1] for the stringing of this kite.
The tailless kites are nearly all constructed so as to have a keel projecting out to the front. In order that the keel may be of more service, the covering is not stretched tight, but is left loose. Perhaps an inch along each side would be allowed for bagging or pocketing. See Chapter I on covering. If the covering is drawn tight, the kite will dodge and will probably dive to destruction.
Fig. 26. [↑]