"The monoplane which I am about to describe and illustrate, and which I show in Figs. [50]-[51]-[52], can be easily and cheaply made, and can be guaranteed to fly, after a little experimenting to get the correct balance and angle of the planes. The frame A will first be treated. Get two pieces of yellow or white pine (the lightest and most easily procured wood), cut them to the shape shown, 1 foot 6 inches long, 1⁄2 inch by 13⁄16 inches in the middle, and thickened at the ends to take the screws from the end bars B and C ([Fig. 50]). Take great care to make them exactly alike. The end pieces B and C, which are 21⁄2 inches by 7⁄16 inch by 1⁄4 inch can then be screwed to the side pieces A, and a rectangular frame is the result. Should the screws split the wood in the slightest degree, new pieces must be made, as the plane is sure to get rough usage in falling on the ground a few times.
Photograph by Brown Brothers
Making an Aeroplane Model
"If the Screws Split the Wood in the Slightest Degree, New Pieces Must be Made"
"The planes are also made of yellow pine. They must be exactly equal to one another in weight, one being right handed and the other left. The wood must not be more than 1⁄22 inch thick, and, if possible, even thinner. A large circular chip box will be the best thing from which to make these. Gum a piece of tracing cloth on top of the planes, and allow about 2 inches to overlap at the large ends, to twist and glue round the main frame when fixing. The cloth will fulfil two useful and necessary purposes. It will strengthen the planes and curve them to a very large extent. This curvature is essential to the flight of the machine. A wooden block curved to suit, and inclined at about 5 degrees, is fixed between the back planes and the frame.
"The front or small plane is 8 inches by 3 inches, and made in the same way as the others. It must be adjustable, and is, therefore, mounted on two wooden blocks, 2 inches by 1⁄4 inch by 1⁄2 inch and fastened by means of copper wire which acts as a hinge. Four silk cords are fixed to the movable end of the plane, two being fastened to nails at the rear end of the frame and two to the front, to hold the plane at any desired angle.