TO SKIM THE ATLANTIC.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 330, 17 June 1911, Page 10

TO SKIM THE ATLANTIC.

Fritz Cnwart, the inventor of tho curious hybrid machine, which acts as motor-car, motor-boat, and aeroplane, and For short distances at any rate seems efficient in all these functions, proposes shortly to cross the Atlantic "en plane." ft is true he has given up his original idea of motoring from the Berlin (lying ground to utilising his hybrid to cross the Xorth Sea, and finally,'after motoring across England, staring out on a flight to America from Liverpool. Still he believes that his now "marine aeroplane'' will enable him to reach the coast of America in three days.

Of course experts mock at that idea, but at any rale flrawert is determined to see what actually does happen. He has gone down lo Kiel to experiment with 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 apparatus enables flrawert to fold down the wings of the plane just at the moment he alights on the water. This is necessary o avoid capsizing. Tlie "hull" is of aluminium, and has water aid airtight compartments. Herman admiralty experts attach extremely little importance to the transAllanfie scheme, but they are busily trying out several patents on marine areoplancs. all of which have the features of the folding wings and the boat-shaped frame. The idea, is (hat; (he aeroplanes should accompany a "parent ship," start from her deck and, after carrying out their mission, return to the ship and s-Kle on the water under suelter of the slip's -i,le. whence they would be lifted on board by derricks. This avoids the necessity of having to alight actually on the deck.