IN THE AIR.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 10240, 1 September 1909, Page 3

IN THE AIR.

[By Electbic Telegraph—CoPYitionr.] | (Per Pkess Association.) t BIIITISH DISPLAYS. Received August 31, at 9.45 p.m. Paris, August 31. Eiglit of tho aviators at ltheiins offered to attend the projected aviation meeting at Blackpool in October. Bleriot and Latham will compete sit "Wornley iu October. MONEY IN FLYING. Received September 1, at 5.15 a.m. London, August 31. Latham will be. paid £S7SO for an exhibition in Berlin and Bleriot £IO,OOO iorgiving trials in Vienna. The committee, of the Rhcims tournament have £12,000 in hand as the result of the Aviation Week just ended, and have decided to repeat tho fixturo next year.

A KATTANG ATA AEROPLANE.

(Daily Times.)

"Well, I can't show you very much, but I can do one thing: 1 can offer a solution ol' a bit of the airship mystery. 1 began experimenting up here with this thing just about the time that people began to discover airships all over the eountrv."

Mr Annish.nv, of Kaitangata, was the speaker, the Akatore Hills was the place, and the "thing" referred to was a model aeroplane made and patented by 3lr Armishaw himself. Air Armi-s-.'_w's wish that he had an airship lathered the determination that he would make one, and ho lias been hard at work ior the past six months creating, destroying, calculating, and recreating. lie was heavily handicapped by lack of knowledge, of appliances, and of capital. He knew next to nothing of aeronautics, aerostatics, etc., and such scientific teaching of this description as he had received had come direct trom tho pages of the Scientific American. His .tools were a large carving knife, a gimlet, and a pair of scissors ; his material closely woven calico, bamboo, and copper wire. ' His experiments lasted many months, and j'l there was seldom even a suggestion of success lie refused to acknowledge failure, lie. discovered that a long paper cylinder, given tho necessary impetus when balanced at a certain angle, would glide for quite awhile before falling, and he commenced to elaborate the idea. A funnel-like thing was made of calico and stretched on bamboo, and on two sides of it tliero were constructed large wings, measuring llifc from tip to tip. Above, the. funnel was constructed a large square or plaice of calico, while at each end of the machine was the rudder—a very ingenious arrangement all joined up by means of bamboo rods. The wings were so made that they moved readily and automatically when required, the inventor's intention being that they should ensure the stability of the ship and hold her steadily on her course in the event of a heavy gust of wind striking her. The tip of each wing—about a loot square—has been given an action independent of the wings proper, by which the process of steering can be greatly facilitated. The machine was very carefully made with a view to its balance being perfected, and Mr Armisliaw so far succeeded in this that the construction, which weighs just under 141b avoirdupois, will —if there is no wind—remain balanced on a post if tho top of the latter is exactly in the centre of the framework.

Having got thus far, Mr Armishaw proceeded to experiment out in the open country, and in this way utilised all his spare time. His occupation -f a baker made it necessary that lie should commence work at 4 a.m. every day, and this usually allowed him a few hours in the afternoon ; while on moonlight nights he frequently remained out on the hills until midnight, throwing his model over steep inclines, carrying it up, and pitching it down again. As a rule, it fell almost like a log. Occasionally it floated off on an inclined plane, gliding for a few yards ; and sometimes, under very favorable conditions, it would travel some considerable distance—anything up t« two chains. All the time Mr Armishaw was adjusting and altering, and, lie believed, gradually effecting an improvement in his model. He found that the best results were obtained by running, and, touching the aeroplane with finger and thumb, giving it a sufficient push to drive it through the air. That was all that was required. It displayed remarkable buoyancy, and practically balanced itself. When Mr Armishaw began seriously experimenting considerable public interest was shown, and he sometimes worked before a large audience. At almost the same time people began to talk ol' strange airships and mysterious lights, which were, first noticed quite near to where. Mr Armishaw was conducting his experiments. 'Not unreasonably Mr Armishaw concludes that he originated the airship mystery.

in view of the fact that aerial navigation has during the past 12 months made such gigantic strides, and that thousands of skilled inventors all over tlii- world are to-day striving to construct, a satisfactory airship, it is difficult to say what is the value of Mi Arinixhaw's model. It is minus a propeller or any kind of motive power, and until it is fitted with propellers it is impossible to say whether it will fly or not. The inventor has shown exceptional cleverness in the construction of the machine, and he lias employed in it one or two devices that

must, in any circumstances, prove useful. He has given it quite an extraordinary perfection of balance —shown by the' fact that when tho thing is thrown over a cliff upside down it immediately rights itself—and much buoyancy. But to he of any commercial

value a flying machine must fly, must carry, must lie able to hold its 'own in windstorms, and must be capable of remaining stationary in the air—or, at least, of sinking very slowly to the caith. Mr Armishaw has only just started on a work which, if ho is to succeed, may mean years of application. But he, has shown that lie has energy, resourcefulness, and inventive talent, and the surprising success that has attended his initial efforts should encourage him to try for bigger things. He intends, if possible, to obtain a small engine, and fit it to a really large aeroplane modelled on the present construction, and he is confident that lie will be able to fly.