Fig. 87 shows the general design of the A-
shaped gliding plane or aeroplane. This is composed
of main frame pieces A, A, running fore
and aft, joined at their rear ends by a cross bar
B, the ends of which project out slightly beyond
their juncture with the side bars A, A. These
projecting ends have holes drilled therein to receive
the shafts a, a, of the propeller D, D.
A main plane E is mounted transversely across
this frame at its rear end, while at its forward
end is a small plane, called the elevator. The
pointed end of the frame has on each side a turnbuckle
G, for the purpose of winding up the shaft,
and thus twisting the propeller, although this is
usually dispensed with, and the propeller itself
is turned to give sufficient twist to the rubber for
this purpose.
THE POWER FOR MODEL AEROPLANES.--One end
of the rubber is attached to the hook of the shaft
C, and the other end to the hook or to the turnbuckle
G, if it should be so equipped.
The rubbers are twisted in opposite directions,
to correspond with the twist of the propeller
blades, and when the propellers are permitted to
turn, their grip on the air will cause the model to
shoot forwardly, until the rubbers are untwisted,
when the machine will gradually glide to the
ground.
MAKING THE PROPELLER.--These should have
the pitch uniform on both ends, and a simple
little device can be made to hold the twisted blade
after it has been steamed and bent. Birch and
holly are good woods for the blades. The strips
should be made thin and then boiled, or, what is
better still, should be placed in a deep pan, and
held on a grid above the water, so they will be
thoroughly steamed.
They are then taken out and bent by hand, or
secured between a form specially prepared for
the purpose. The device shown in Fig. 88 shows
a base board which has in the center a pair of
parallel pins A, A, slightly separated from each
other.
_Fig. 88. Making the Propeller._
At each end of the base board is a pair of holes
C, D, drilled in at an angle, the angles being the
pitch desired for the ends of the propeller. In
one of these holes a pin E is placed, so the pins
at the opposite ends project in different directions,
and the tips of the propeller are held
against the ends of these pins, while the middle
of the propeller is held between the parallel pins
A, A.
The two holes, at the two angles at the ends of
the board, are for the purpose of making right
and left hand propellers, as it is desirable to use
two propellers with the A-shaped model. Two
propellers with the deltoid model are not so necessary.
After the twist is made and the blade properly
secured in position it should be allowed to thoroughly
dry, and afterwards, if it is coated with
shellac, will not untwist, as it is the changing
character of the atmosphere which usually causes
the twisted strips to change their positions.
Shellac prevents the moist atmosphere from affecting
them.
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