TO SKIM THE ATLANTIC.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3231, 30 May 1911, Page 7

TO SKIM THE ATLANTIC.

GERMAN INVENTOR’S IDEAL.

COMBINATION BOAT AND AEROPLANE. 1

Fritz GraAvert, the inventor of the curious hybrid machine, which acts as motor car, mo,tor boat, and aeroplane, and for short distances at any rate seems efficient in al these functions, proposes shortly to cross the Atlantic “en ■plane.” It is true he has given up his original idea of motoring from the Berlin flying ground to utilising liis hybrid to cross the North Sea and finally after motoring across England starting out on a flight fo America from Liverpobl. Still he believes that, liis ucav “marine aeroplane” will enable liim to reach the coast of America in three days. Of course experts mock at- that idea, but at any rate GraAvert is determined to see what actu-lally does happen. He lias gone doAvn to Kiel to experiment Avith his plane on behalf of the German admiralty. The peculiarity of the new system is that the body of the aeroplane is constructed like a boat- and that a simple aparatus enables GraAvert to fold down the Avings of the plane just at the, moment he alights on the AVater. This is necessary to aA r oid capsizing. The “hull’ is of aluminium and has Avater and airtight compartments. German admiralty experts attach extremely little importance to the transAtlantic scheme, but they are busy trying out several patents of marine aeroplanes, all of which have the features of the folding Avings _ and the boatshaped frame. The idea is that the aeroplanes should accompany a “parent ship, start from, her deck and after carrying out their mission return to the, ship and settle on the Avater under shelter of the ship’s side, Avhence-they AAmuld be lifted on board by derricks Tins avoids the necessity of having to alight actually on the deck.