Breguet's Pre-1914 Challenge #118

[Varese2002]

Breguet's Pre-1914 Challenge #118

It is difficult to choose a new subject for the Breguet Pre-1914 Challenge, there are so many of them that is it almost work to choose wisely But this is the victim I choose, hope you like this one.



The scoreboard at the start of Challenge #118 is:

20.70 Rbailey
16.20 Varese2002
12.60 aerohydro
12.20 Aquilius
7.30 matte_kudasai
6.70 richard B
6.00 Cruze
6.00 Flamingo
6.00 YavorD
5.70 Rod_Filan
5.50 Airarticles
**************
(those above this section must wait 12 hours before answering,
those below - and everyone else - may answer immediately)
**************
3.00 Lodzermensch
3.00 joegertler
2.00 berman
2.00 sobrien
2.00 Doc
1.10 Froggy
1.00 paolomiana
0.40 Wind In The Wires

Breguet's Pre-1914 Aircraft Challenge

The rules of engagement:

1. The thread title must be "Breguet's Pre-1914 ID Challenge #......".
2. The score board, link and rules must be copied to the beginning of each thread, so that we know where we are. The score board and the correct answer to the challenge must also be placed at end of each thread.
3. The flying object must have been dreamt up before 1914 (no limit backwards in time ....).
4. There are no limits to the flying object for the pre-1914 series. There is no ruling that it must be flown, or completely built.
5. Machines which exist only as 'paper', that is absolutely no material has been cut to construct it, are excluded from this ID Challenge
6. The picture / drawing must show as much of the flying object as possible, but views showing the machine 'incomplete' are possible (with discretion).
7. Challenges which depict a machine already earlier presented are disqualified.
8. If there is any doubt as to the eligibility of a flying object for the challenge details should be PM'd to Breguet BEFORE the object is submitted.
9. Once someone has got 5 correct answers under their belt they belong to the ROYALTY. Once they belong to the ROYALTY they must wait 12hrs after the posting of the new challenge before they can post an answer.
10. To be eligible for correct ID an answer must include at least one characteristic of the aircraft that helped in its identification.
11. The first person to ID the challenge correctly gets to post the next challenge. If this can not be done for any reason Breguet himself will post the next challenge.
12. If a ROYALTY gives the correct answer too early, the challenge is over, he gets no point but has to post the next one. In lieu of the fact that the "novices" have in effect been "cheated" of their "exclusive" time that next post should be a relatively easy one. Anyone repeating the correct answer at the right time gets neither a point nor the right to post the next challenge.
13. The final arbitrator in relation to questions about the rules will be Breguet.

[berman]

This is the Hydro-Bike built by Edson Fessenden Gallaudet in 1898. This kite was built to test wing warping controlled by a system of gears and rods. The wingspan was 11 and 1/2 feet. The length just over eight feet. The original is currently on dispaly at the Early Flight Gallery in the National Air and Space Museum.

[Varese2002]

You are completely right, although I think the name of the machine was contemporary 'only' Kite [designed and built of course by Edson Gallaudet]. I want to check some facts on the machine and write somewhat about this quite revolutionary machine. The point is yours. As you never publish new challenges I will in due time bring in Challenge #119. Give me a few hours to check a few things.

Cheers

Kees

[Varese2002]

Edson Gallaudet developed his Kite in 1898 to test his ideas for a wing-warping mechanism he had devised. Later he wanted to build a full-size man carrying machine, which was never built.
Gallaudet - an engineer (PhD) and then woking as a physics instructor in Yale - had followed the literature on aviation carefully and invented as one of the first the idea of wing-warping as a means for lateral control. His device worked with shafts and bevel gears, in the end warping the upper and lower wing.
Interesting that in 1898 he thought of making it a water based machine, designing two pontons to hold the machine on the water (very early flotation I think).
Contrary to most articles the Kite was tested. Testing was done once behind a rowboat, when the wind came up the kite rose but quickly fell off onto one wing, hitting the water with little damage.
No more testing and flying was done as the Yale University disapproved of Gallaudet doing flight tests.
No patent was filed for his invention.

It is how history went, Gallaudet could have made flying possible, but he was urged to stop his experiments. Later Gallaudet became quite famous as an aircraft designer, but he could have been as famous as the Wright brothers are now.

The picture of the challenge depicts the machine photographed in 1921 when it was donated by Gallaudet to the Smithsonian Institution. It was in storage till 1976, when it was restored, now hanging in the quite crowded department of early flying.

Back to business

Correct answer

Edsel Gallaudet Kite of 1898

The scoreboard at the end of Challenge #118 is:

20.70 Rbailey
16.20 Varese2002
12.60 aerohydro
12.20 Aquilius
7.30 matte_kudasai
6.70 richard B
6.00 Cruze
6.00 Flamingo
6.00 YavorD
5.70 Rod_Filan
5.50 Airarticles
**************
(those above this section must wait 12 hours before answering,
those below - and everyone else - may answer immediately)
**************
3.00 berman
3.00 Lodzermensch
3.00 joegertler
2.00 sobrien
2.00 Doc
1.10 Froggy
1.00 paolomiana
0.40 Wind In The Wires

Challenge #119 goes to Varese2002

Cheers

Kees