Dick Hamilton's Airship; Or, A Young Millionaire in the Clouds

th a grim smile, as the young millionaire took his seat i

nswered Dick, smiling ruefu

rantly assured him. "Jus

r the surly lieutenant with the captain. But Dick had been assigned to this craft,

ever one thought of the latter, personally, it must be admitted that he knew his business when it came to

to Dick. "Just sit still, and, above all, no matter w

wreck us," add

In time you will run it yourself, with us looking on, and I believe it is the intention of

," spoke Dick, "for I'm goin

interestedly. "It's rather an expen

plenty of money," said Dick. "I'm goin

ar meaning in his rather shifty eyes. Dick, however, was too mu

nty thousand dollar prize," suggested Captain Grantly, as he tested the gasolene a

Dick, looking over at the other aircraft

" exclaimed Larson. "I'm sure, w

I tell you your idea is all wrong about that b

s needed is an automatic balancer or

w," went on the captain. "Are

ady, ye

. Some of the orderlies at the Academy had been detailed to assist in the start

pe, and when the necessary pressure developed from the propeller blades, the rope could

Every unnecessary ounce counts on an airship, as it is needful to carry as much oil and gasolene as possible,

ugh the air. The captain kept his eyes on a balance sc

h!" he cried.

ed bicycle wheels over the grassy starting ground, graduall

of place. Those of you who know the principle on which they

ne, is that the balloon is lighter than air, being f

ep suspended, must be constantly in motion. The momen

monoplanes and biplanes. Mono means one, and monoplane has but o

e the other. There are some triplanes, but they have not been very success

est form of an aeroplane. The stone, or tin, is heavier than the amount of air it displaces, but it stays up for a comparat

antly in motion, and it glides along through the air, re

nd, scale it into the air, you will see it gradually mount upward. If you hold the c

ering from side to side. The latter works an the same principle as does the rudder of a boat in the water. If this rudder is bent to the right, the craft goes to the righ

ps it to go up or down. If the rudder is inclined upward the aeroplane shoots toward the clouds. When the rudder is parallel to

roplane to understand the working principle. One point more. A gasolene motor, very powerful, is used to whirl the wooden pr

rs. It was necessary to get this "running start" to acquire enough momentum so that the craft would rise

ain, and as he raised the elevating rudde

once gone up in a captive balloon at a fair, but then the earth seemed sinki

m broken glass in case of a fall, and on his head he wore a heavy leather helmet, not unlike those used by football players. He was strapped to his seat,

se they have to by some accidental shift of the wind. Some of them can turn complete somersaults, tho

s, but Dick could not hear a word, on account of the great no

t," the young mill

g sensation at the pit of his stomach, he was not afrai

flying, or the n

scending. Dick looked down. He did not feel dizzy as he had half expected. Far below him were the buildings of

hey looked like flies, or sp

different levers. The motor was controlled by spark and gasolene exactly as is an automobile. But there was no water radiator, the engine being an up-to-date rotating one, and cooling in the air. Th

is is called "banking" and is done to prevent the centrifugal force of motion from taking one off in a straigh

d position by means of long wires. It can also he accomplished by small auxiliary planes, called ale

ent around on a sharp curve. It made the young millionaire catch his breath, at first, for the

ked up, thinking it was a dark cloud, low down, but, to h

and he wondered how hi

one gaining much advantage. Back and forth they went, over the school grounds, and th

he young millionaire made up his mind that he would have a muffler on his airsh

y were some distance out from the Kentfield grounds now, but were hea

Larson reached up and shut off the m

e, or as it is called "volplane" (pronounced vol-pla-n

d been near enough the landing place when the motor was cut off. Dick saw the

n Grantly pulled the lever of the deflecting rudde

he captain. "Wire snapp

hat would be rash, as they were st

uide her?" a

land the best we c

m now, and seemed to be headed di

ng to smash!" tho

crashing right through it, and a second later Dick and his companions found th