Читать книгу How It Flies; or, The Conquest of the Air - Richard Ferris - Страница 10

Table of Contents

Successful types of aeroplanes—Distinguishing features—The Wright biplane—Construction—New type—Five-passenger machine—The Voisin biplane—New racing type—The Curtiss biplane—The Cody biplane—The Sommer biplane—The Baldwin biplane—New stabilizing plane—The Baddeck No. 2—Self-sustaining radiator—The Herring biplane—Stabilizing fins.

In the many contests for prizes and records, two types of flying machines have won distinctive places for themselves—the biplane and the monoplane. The appearance of other forms has been sporadic, and they have speedily disappeared without accomplishing anything which had not been better done by the two classes named.

This fact, however, should not be construed as proving the futility of all other forms, nor that the ideal flying machine must be of one of these two prominent types. It is to be remembered that record-making and record-breaking is the most serious business in which any machines have so far been engaged; and this, surely, is not the field of usefulness to humanity which the ships of the air may be expected ultimately to occupy. It may yet be proved that, successful as these machines have been in what they have attempted, they are but transition forms leading up to the perfect airship of the future.

The Wright biplane in flight.

The distinguishing feature of the biplane is not alone that it has two main planes, but that they are placed one above the other. The double (or tandem) monoplane also has two main planes, but they are on the same level, one in the rear of the other.

A review of the notable biplanes of the day must begin with the Wright machine, which was not only the first with which flights were made, but also the inspiration and perhaps the pattern of the whole succeeding fleet.