WORLD POWER Progress in Flight

Civil War Balloons –First use by Union, but not very successful –Telegraph sent messages from balloon to ground –Mostly private owners/operators that volunteered services and equipment –First 2 years of war then disbanded due to lack of interest and accidents –South appreciated use, but no resources –No military balloon activity, –England, Germany, Spain, Russia, Italy and Japan had all established programs by 1884 Spanish-American War Balloons 1 balloon in army at start of war Directed artillery fire at the Battle of San Juan PROGRESS IN FLIGHT

PROBLEMS OF FLIGHT Problems Develop lift Build “lighter than air” aircraft Light materials, hot air or hydrogen 1 cubic foot of air weighs roughly 28 grams (~ 1 ounce)...air heated to 180 degrees weighs about 21 grams 1 cubic foot of air in a hot air balloon can lift about 7 grams, that's not much, and this is why hot air balloons are so huge -- to lift 1 pound, you need about 65 cubic feet of hot air (4x4x4) Helium available by 1905, but not used until after 1935 Sustain lift Drop weight Maintain fire Hydrogen

PROBLEMS OF FLIGHT Problems Control flight Up or down to find wind in ~ the right direction Still problem for balloons Problem lasts for almost 100 years 1783 to at least 1885

PROBLEMS OF FLIGHT Dirigibles Shape Changes Dirigibles are rigid and hold their shape…blimps are not rigid and require gas to hold their shape Jean-Baptiste Meusnier French general; suggested shape of football, several compartments and passenger car Henri Giffard Small steam engine w/ propeller on cigar shaped balloon; 1852 Renard and Krebs Electric motor; limited range because of weight and battery life, 1884

Internal Combustion Engine Paul Haenlein German engineer, coal gas from balloon More gas used, less available for lift Non-rigid and Rigid Alberto Santos-Dumont 15 small, blimps w/ gas engines, 1898 Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin Improved for public use Interested during American Civil War Dr. Wolfert applied gasoline engine, 1896 Schwartz, Austrian engineer, constructed rigid airship, 1897 Zeppelin built/flew first rigid airships, 1900 PROBLEMS OF FLIGHT

Heavier-than-Air Flight Internal Combustion Engine Paul Haenlein German engineer, coal gas from balloon More gas used, less available for lift Used ~ 250 cubic feet of gas per hour replaced by air Dr. Karl Wolfert applied gasoline engine, 1896 PROBLEMS OF FLIGHT

Scientific Study George Cayley (1857) Built whirling-arm device to measure force on a lifting surface Built gliders Proposed fixed wings for lift and a separate system to give power Proposed wings in front w/ tail and wings in shallow “V” made it easier to keep wings level in flight Identified “lift”, “drag”, “thrust”, and curved upper surface on wings PROBLEMS OF FLIGHT

Scientific Study Hiram Maxim Built huge airplane weighing 7,000 pounds 360 horsepower steam engine Wing area more than 4,000 sq feet 2 rails, one to support it, other to keep it from rising more than a couple of inches, “test vehicle” Actually flew, but lost control and was damaged Gave up experiments, claiming propulsion and lift were solved problems PROBLEMS OF FLIGHT

Unpowered Flight John Montgomery Invented new glider (1905) that could do sharp dives and turns in 20 minute flight Otto Lilienthal Started gliding school in 1890s Could soar, sometimes reaching heights greater than his starting point PROBLEMS OF FLIGHT

Powered Flight William Henson and John Stringfellow Designed airplane (1842); practical design, 150 ft wingspan, 2 6-bladed propellers, powered by a 25- horsepower engine 10 foot model (1848) w/ superb light weight steam engine, may have flown 120 feet PROBLEMS OF FLIGHT

Powered Flight Dr. Samuel Pierpont Langley First worked on models with rubber bands Constructed (1857) whirling-arm device to measure air pressure against moving surfaces Built planes that flew (1896) 1/2 and 3/4 of mile, steam In 1903, built airplane, but never got it launched, unknown if it would have flown PROBLEMS OF FLIGHT

PROGRESS IN FLIGHT American Developments in Aviation The United States was slow to realize the military significance of aviation. First official recognition was the creation of the Aeronautical Division of the Signal Corps, 1907 (1 officer, 1 enlisted) Then, Aviation Section of the Signal Corps, July 1914 (60 officers, 260 enlisted) The airplane, invented in 1903 by the Wright Brothers, was destined to change established procedures of war

American Developments in Aviation The Wright Brothers Had access to the knowledge about flight gained by others before them However, this knowledge was often wrong Lived at a time when first practical motor (engine) had been developed Possessed a combination of attitudes and aptitudes PROGRESS IN FLIGHT

American Developments in Aviation The Wright Brothers’ First Powered Plane Biplane with a wingspan of 40 feet, 4 inches 21 feet long and 8 feet high 605 pounds Dec, 1903 Kitty Hawk, N.C.

PROGRESS IN FLIGHT American Developments in Aviation Glen Curtiss Light, powerful gasoline motorcycle engines W/ Alexander Graham Bell built several airplanes, first ailerons and first seaplane

PROGRESS IN FLIGHT European Developments in Aviation –Igor Sikorsky Russian born 2 unsuccessful helicopter-like machines, st successful 4-engine airplane, 1913 Fully enclosed cockpit Landing gear Tandem pairs? Separate

PROGRESS IN FLIGHT Worldwide Developments in Aviation By the end of 1911, aviation had grown and spread 353 pilots in France 57 pilots in Britain 46 pilots in Germany 32 pilots in Italy 27 pilots in Belgium The United States ranked sixth in the world with only 26 pilots

Powered Flight Charles Manly 5-cylinder, fixed-radial, water-cooled engine, 52 horsepower, 125 pounds One of most efficient engines up to WWII PROBLEMS OF FLIGHT