| Gallaudet hydroplane | |
|---|---|
| Role | |
| National origin | United States of America |
| Manufacturer | Gallaudet Aircraft Corporation |
| Designer | Edson Fessenden Gallaudet, H.A. Lewis[1] |
The Gallaudet Hydroplane, aka Gallaudet Wing-Warping Kite aka Hydro-Bike is an early aircraft employing the use of wing-warping for roll control.[2]
Contents |
The Gallaudet Hydroplane was built in Norwich, Connecticut by Edson Fessenden Gallaudet. The principle of wing-warping was independently applied on this kite/aircraft/glider several years before the Wright Brothers applied it to thier Wright Flyer. (along with Jean-Marie LeBris, John Montgomery, Clement Ader, D.D. Wells, and Hugo Mattullath).[3] The Wright's later applied for the patent on wing-warping, which led to the widespread use of the aileron control method to avoid the Wright's airplane patents. Gallaudet generically employed the name hydroplane to many of his future seaplane designs. In 1908, Gallaudet would form the Gallaudet Engineering Company, (later the Gallaudet Aircraft Coroporation). Later hydroplane models were built for the United States Navy.[4]
The 1897 Galludet Hydroplane glider featured twin floats a central pryramidal support frame, Flexible wooden wing ribs (employing wing warping) with fabric covering.[5][6]
In 1913, Gallaudet filed U.S. Patent# 1,214,536 for the Hydroplane. The single place open cockpit aircraft featured most of the engine enclosed in the fuselage. The fuselage tapers upward to the rear with a small attached rudder. A single landing wheel protrudes partialy from the center of the fuselage for ground landings.[7]
The Gallaudet Hydroplane was on display at the East Hall of the Arts and Industries Building of the Smithsoinan Musuem.[8]
Test flights for later hyrdoplanes built for U.S. Navy acceptance were performed at Gales Ferry, Connecticut in 1916..[9]
Data from Smithsonian
General characteristics
Performance
|
||||||||||||||