AIRSHIP ON EXHIBITION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2934, 8 June 1910, Page 11

AIRSHIP ON EXHIBITION.

A DUNEDIN INVENTION. One of the most interesting- things on exhibition at the show is a beavier-than-air monoplane, which is the result of seven years' hard work by a young Musselburgh inventor, Mr J. H. Gill. With this new machine (which' is, in general appearance, like the monoplane with which most' readers'of illustrated newspapers' are familiar) Mr Gill intends to" make a trial flight next week, and later, to compete for the £IO,OOO prize offered by the Commonwealth Government, and also to enter in any • other aerial locomotion competitions that are open to him. And with this end in view he is constructing four monoplanes similar to the one now exhibited. Mr Gill's airship somewhat resembles the Bleriot type, but it carries four patents which are not in use on any other flying machine in the world. The first of these is an ~air. sac under the body of the machine, wbich is filled from the exhaust of the engine. Oine purpose of this is to form a float sbould the monoplane fall into the sea, and a cushion to protect the aviator) should it drop .suddenly to earth, though this latter contingency is rendered practically impossible by the two other patents. But the inflated sac is not only a precauiomary measure ; it is also a help to buoyancy, since it will lift 701 b of the total weight of the machine. That weight, by the way, is but 4601 b, though it is 36ft long and 31ft from wing to wing. The second patent has an object similar to the first, and is one for which long and unsuccessful search has been made by aviators. The problem was to be able instantly to cheek the dip of a monoplane should the engine fail suddenly. Tightly rolled on the margins of the wing frames of Mr Gill's monoplane are cloth blinds, and in case of a sudden failure of the engine the pilot has only to touch a lever, and in the same instant 190 square feet of cloth cover the frame of the wings, and not only prevent a sudden drop, but also prevent a capsize, acting, in fact, as lateral | supports like these on the Samoan canoes. The third patent is a curved frame, also fitted with cloth blinds, which, when stretched across the frame (as they can be in a second when the aviator presses a pedal with his foot), prevent the monoplane j from taking a header. This patent is 1 termed, a- curvative elevator, and is fcha}

only thing of its kind on any aerial machine.

The aviator steers by means of a triangular rudder in the bows, but in case a right-angle turn is desired, he can accomplish this by means of two appilances known as arenoids, which are fitted en the extreme end of the wings. By means of these Mr Gill claims that he can run broadside on to the wind, and not head only to the wind, or with the wind, as is compulsory with other monoplanes. The engine is a model of bulldess power. It is only 14in long and 18in high, and generates 25-30 h.p. A marine engine of cnesxitih the power would occupy twice the space, and weigh twice as much. Mr Gill has apparently overcome many difficulties that have not previously been successfully met by aviators. His models have been very suec-essful, and quite recently, when he tried his present machine, it at once rose buoyantly from the ground. No flight was taken, as the inventor wished to take no flight in view of his intention to exhibit the monoplane. But he has every confidence in its ability to fly, and it certainly has a most business-like appear-

ance. It is fitted with four light pneumatiotyred wheels, and Mr Gill claims that it i can, with almost equal facility, fly in Jhe : air, float on the water, or run on the road. I It is causing much interest among patrons I of the show, and is well worth a visit.