Giant Plane Lifts 41 Tons

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 34, 10 February 1939, Page 5

Giant Plane Lifts 41 Tons

! SEATTLE—America held claim to •the commercial transport load-lift record after 41 tons of metal, men, and ballast flew here at better than 15G miles an hour. The Boeing (lipper, undergoing trial tests, carried its rated capacity of 82,500 pounds gracefully off the surface of Lake Washington on September II and still had reserve power, Eddie Allen, chief test pilot, said. The run needed by the clipper was “phenomenally” short, Mr Allen said. Despite lack of wind and choppy water, I which aid hydroplanes in take-offs, the flying boat performed up to specifications. I Flight tests were conducted between 5,000 and 8.000 feet. Pilot Allen shuttled the ship between Everett and Tacoma, Wash., for nearly three hours. The clipper weighs 47,500 pounds. The crew of 10 and water and lead ballast brought her gross weight up to 82,500 pounds for an all-time American load lift mark. Only twice in I’ aviation history has a greater mass weight taken the air. The Dornier DO-X and the Russian Maxim Gorky (plane had greater total lift, but neither was a commercial transport. Bags of lead shot were carried to different points in the Clipper to check its performance with centres of gravity shifted. Mr Allen said the 41-ton giant handled perfectly under all conditions. The pilot pointed out that the load lift demonstrated the size of the ship. Its gross weight of 82,500 pounds is, more than treble the 24,000-pound gross weight of the United Airlines Mainliners, next largest commercial planes, and the 35,000-pound useful load of the clipper more than quadruples the 8,000pound useful load of the Mainliners. Further tests are. scheduled through the week. Tactful The film actor and his wife were seat* ed in a secluded corner of their club. • The wife had a tongue like a shrew, and ’was berating her husband in no uncertain terms. ’ Unnoticed by her, a party of acquaintances approached within earshot, •just as she delivered herself: “You mean skunk! Of all the snakes I think you’re the worst! You're just a cheap skate! ” | Noticing the people who had just arrived, the husband, who deserves a .medal for tact, said, “Quite right, dear. And what else did you say to him?” On The Wrong Track A young actor, obliged to make up as an old man, drew a great number of dark lines all over his face. While he was adding still more the manager walked in, studied his face for some minutes, and asked, “What art you supposed to be playing—Claphaia ’Junction? ”