96/164
[ stop the slideshow ]

Sea-plane to carry a crew of seven

Sea-plane to carry a crew of seven.jpg Sopwith Military BiplaneThumbnailsBomb-releasing mechanismSopwith Military BiplaneThumbnailsBomb-releasing mechanismSopwith Military BiplaneThumbnailsBomb-releasing mechanismSopwith Military BiplaneThumbnailsBomb-releasing mechanismSopwith Military BiplaneThumbnailsBomb-releasing mechanismSopwith Military BiplaneThumbnailsBomb-releasing mechanism

A coastal sea-plane, as now planned, is a craft having, say, two engines, each devolving 120 h.p., with a wing span of some 80 feet, and an accommodation in its hull for three men—the pilot, a combatant with a machine-gun, and an observer with an installation of wireless. But types are changing constantly, and the tendency is to build larger craft. A machine weighing a couple of tons is shown, and a novelty in regard to it is that it has wheels upon either side of its boat-shaped car, upon which it can move on land, and which fold upward when it rests upon the water.

A. Hull upon which the machine floats when in the sea
B.B.B. Wheels upon which it may move when on land, and which fold upward when it is on the water
C. Pilot’s controlling wheel
D.D. Main sustaining planes
E. Four-bladed propeller driven by chain-gearing from engine within the hull.