BUTTERFLY AEROPLANE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2628, 9 October 1909, Page 3 (Supplement)

BUTTERFLY AEROPLANE.

NIGHT TRIALS WITH NEW AMERI CAN MACHINE.

NEW YORK, Aug. 9. Not only is the pre-eminence of the Wright Brothers threatened by M. Sommer in ‘France, but rival machines are coining to the front in the United State's. They have not yet undergone the test of official scrutiny, but the claims put forward by there who say they have seen them in action are extremely ambitious. Chief among the claimants is the Stewart-Brownell combination, which is situated near Minneapolis. The partnership consists of a retired railroad engineer and a fanner, who is said to be a mechanical genius. They have been preparing for a long time what they call a “butterfly aeroplane,” and within the past few days they have made night flights which have satisfied experienced aeronauts that the invention is indeed worthy of attention. The inventors believe they can still further perfect their machine before coming into public rivalry with other aeronauts, so for the present every effort is being made to keep the flights a secret. One of the aeronauts sleeps m the workshop where the aeroplane is kept every night, and a guard is on duty constantly, so that their ideas may not be stolen .

An eye-witness of one of the flights states that the engine is the- product of twelve year?’ work of Mr Stewart, and there are numerous other improvements on previous models, as the result of twenty-five years’ study of aeronautics by Mr Brownell.

Ibe aeroplane requires no running wheels or other aid beyond the engine power to effect a start. The weight is also said to be no more than a third of that of the Wrights’ machine. /