Читать книгу How It Flies; or, The Conquest of the Air - Richard Ferris - Страница 12

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While the Wrights were busily engaged in developing their biplane in America, a group of enthusiasts in France were experimenting with gliders of various types, towing them with high speed automobiles along the roads, or with swift motor-boats upon the Seine. As an outcome of these experiments, in which they bore an active part, the Voisin brothers began building the biplanes which have made them famous.

As compared with the Wright machine, the Voisin aeroplane is of much heavier construction. It weighs 1,100 pounds. The main planes have a lateral spread of 37 feet 9 inches, and a breadth of 7 feet, giving a combined area of 540 square feet, the same as that of the Wright machine. The lower main plane is divided at the centre to allow the introduction of a trussed girder framework which carries the motor and propeller, the pilot’s seat, the controlling mechanism, and the running gear below; and it is extended forward to support the elevator. This is much lower than in the Wright machine, being nearly on the level of the lower plane. It is a single surface, divided at the centre, half being placed on each side of the girder. It has a combined area of 42 square feet, about half of that of the Wright elevator, and it is only 4 feet from the front edge of the main planes, instead of 10 feet as in the Wright machine. A framework nearly square in section, and about 25 feet long, extends to the rear, and supports a cellular, or box-like, tail, which forms a case in which is the rudder surface for steering to right or to left.