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with quiet persistence Bleriot kept to his task； and succeeded in evolving
the famous Antoinette monoplane； which more closely resembles a bird
than does any other form of air…craft。
In the illustration of the Bleriot monoplane here given you will notice
that there is one main plane； consisting of a pair of highly…cambered wings；
hence the name 〃MONOplane〃。 At the rear of the machine there is a much
smaller plane； which is slightly cambered； this is the elevating plane； and
it can be tilted up or down in order to raise or lower the machine。
Remember that the elevating plane of a biplane is to the front of the
machine and in the monoplane at the rear。 The small； upright plane G is
the rudder； and is used for steering the machine to the right or left。 The
long narrow body or framework of the monoplaneis known as the
FUSELAGE。
By a close study of the illustration； and the description which
accompanies it； you will understand how the machine is driven。 The main
plane is twisted； or warped； when banking； much in the same way that the
Wright biplane is warped。
Far greater speed can be obtained from the monoplane than from the
biplane； chiefly because in the former machine there is much less
resistance to the air。 Both height and speed records stand to the credit of
the monoplane。
The enormous difference in the speeds of monoplanes and biplanes
can be best seen at a race meeting at some aerodrome。 Thus at Hendon；
when a speed handicap is in progress； the slow biplanes have a start of one
or two laps over the rapid little monoplanes in a six…lap contest； and it is
most amusing to see the latter dart under； or over； the more cumbersome
biplane。 Recently however； much faster biplanes have been built； and they
bid fair to rival the swiftest monoplanes in speed。
There is； however； one serious drawback to the use of the monoplane：
it is far more dangerous to the pilot than is the biplane。 Most of the fatal
accidents in aviation have been caused through mishaps to monoplanes or
their engines； and chiefly for this reason the biplane has to a large extent
supplanted the monoplane in warfare。 The biplane； too； is better adapted
for observation work； which is； after all； the chief use of air…craft。
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In a later chapter some account will be givcn of the three types of
aeroplane which the war has evolvedthe general…purposes machine； the
single…seater 〃fighter〃； and those big bomb…droppers； the British Handley
Page and the German Gotha。
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THE MASTERY OF THE AIR
CHAPTER XXIX Henri Farman and the Voisin
Biplane
The coming of the motor engine made events move rapidly in the
world of aviation。 About the year 1906 people's attention was drawn to
France； where Santos Dumont was carrying out the wonderful experiments
which we have already described。 Then came Henri Farman； who piloted
the famous biplane built by the Voisin brothers in 1907； an aeroplane
destined to bring world…wide renown to its clever constructors and its
equally clever and daring pilot。
There were notable points of distinction between the Voisin biplane
and that built by the Wrights。 The latter； as we have seen； had two
propellers； the former only one。 The launching skids of the Wright biplane
gave place to wheels on Farman's machine。 One great advantage； however；
possessed by the early Wright biplane over its French rivals； was in its
greater general efficiency。 The power of the engine was only about one…
half of the power required in certain of the French designs。 This was
chiefly due to the use of the launching rail； for it needed much greater
motor power to make a machine rise from the ground by its own motor
engine than when it received a starting lift from a falling weight。 Even in
our modern aeroplanes less engine power is required to drive the craft
through the air than to start from the ground。
Farman achieved great fame through his early flights； and； on 13th
January； 1908； at the flying ground at Issy； in France； he won the prize of
L2000； offered by MM。 Deutsch and Archdeacon to the first aviator who
flew a circular kilometre。 In July of the same year he won another
substantial prize given by a French engineer； M。 Armengaud； to the first
pilot who remained aloft for a quarter of an hour。
Probably an even greater performance was the cross…country flight
made by Farman about three months later。 In the flight he passed over hills；
valleys； rivers； villages； and woods on his journey from Chalons to
Rheims； which he accomplished in twenty minutes。
In the early models of the Voisin machine there were fitted between
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THE MASTERY OF THE AIR
the two main planes a number of vertical planes； as shown clearly in the
illustration facing p。 160。 It was thought that these planes would increase
the stability of the machine； independent of the skill of the operator； and in
calm weather they were highly effective。 Their great drawback； however；
was that when a strong side wind caught them the machine was blown out
of its course。
Subsequently Farman considerably modified the early…type Voisin
biplane； as shown by the illustration facing p。 160。 The vertical planes
were dispensed with； and thus the idea of automatic stability was
abandoned。
But an even greater distinction between the Farman biplane and that
designed by the Wrights was in the adoption of a system of small movable
planes； called AILERONS； fixed at extremities of the main planes； instead
of the warping controls which we have already described。 The ailerons；
which are adapted to many of our modern aeroplanes； are really balancing
flaps； actuated by a control lever at the right side of the pilot's seat； and the
principle on which they are worked is very similar to that employed in the
warp system of lateral stability。
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