LEARNING FROM FISH

Hawera Star, Volume L, 25 October 1930, Page 9

LEARNING FROM FISH

A COMPARISON of Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh’s famous monoplane, the Lockheed Sirius, in -which he recently made his transcontinental re-cord-breaking flight, to a certain type of flying fish called the “herocypselus” yields an amazing similarity between the man-made flying machine’ and the winged aquatic creature- This striking likeness was pointed .out in a recent meeting at the American Museum, of Natural History in New York City, by C. M. Bredei, of the New York Aquarium.

“The herocypselus type of fish has but two wings and a streamlined body built with an evident view toward speed,” Mr Breder told thei fish experts. “These may be compared directly with corresponding fuselage types of modern aeroplanes. There are two highly specialised types of oceanic flying fish. One type may be, compared to a monoplane, with a pair of long, marrow main wings and both lateral, and vertical rudders further back. The other type may be compared to. a very advanced biplane with the under-wings staggered far back. “These fishes are essentially gliders and resemble .a: powerful ’plane about as closely as do the more evident sailplanes. Considering these fishes from the standpoint of aerodynamics, they may bo ■ discussed in the terminology ordinarily applied to the present-day '.aeroplane. No modern aerodynamical engineer would think of placing the elevating planes anterior to the main supporting planes, as was first done, on the perfectly sound grounds of safety, and. no flying animal that we know of ever developed -such a sensitive but unstable arrangement-.’ ’

Travellers en route to Catalina Island, which is twenty-five miles offshore from Southern California, are often treated to the novel sight of “flocks” of flying fish, native to those

waters. They are usually eighteen inches Jong and weigh around two and a-hnlf pounds.

Aviators’ Problems Solved Here

Equipped with gossamer wings much like those of a biplane, and a tail that acts in the same capacity as the '“elevator” on a plane, the flying fish is able to catapult over the sea for a distance of thirty yards and more- and at such terrific speed that when it collides with the side of ar boat, it dashes itself t o dea tli.

Very few of all the so-called, flying fish are true gliders, according to Dr. Ernest. Bade in- “Science and Invention.” The majority hurl themselves out of the water and then employ their comparatively large and .well developed pectoral fins as gliding surfaces.

The organs of flight, or, better, gliding, are far more perfect and more highly developed in the salt-water fish. The large pectoral fins of these animals when extended horizontally, produce a very good gliding surface, and in- the flying fish the peculiarly formed tail fins also aid in its flight. The tail fins of all fishes -act like propellers in driving or “sculling” the creature through the water. Flying fish represent an incomplete aeroplane and the lower, somewhat lengthened tail fin may be considered •as acting like a. propeller when the fin is partially submerged. Then, too, the flying fish take advantage of rising air currents produced- at the crest of the waves. They cover considerable distances in the air, and- flights of approximately 600 feet have been observed. The jump from the water is aided bv a lively fluttering movement. The fish beat their pectoral fins when they reach the crest of their flight. Then the gliding membrane is stretched horizontally or slightly upward and the fish glides gently, downward. And so, watching and studying during centuries of restless activity, the brain of man has attempted to solve the problem of building a flying machine which would carry him at- will into the dizzy heights of the air just as a boat is- carried upon the ocean.