Monday, February 18, 2008

Latest Type of Flying Machine (1901)


The May 10, 1901 Lincoln Evening News (Lincoln, NE) ran this illustration of "the latest type of flying machine."
A model of the very latest form of flying machine, shown in the accompanying illustration, is now on exhibition and has proved quite successful, being perfectly dirigible and easily controlled. As a flying machine of this type costs only $10,000, it is possible that wealthy Americans will soon be flying about in private aerial cars as tehy now speed over the county in their automobiles. "Own your own flying machine" will probably be the advice of dealers in "aerials" in the very near future.

This machine is the invention of M. Gaudron, a Frenchman, who claims that in this perfected "aerial torpedo boat" 100 feet long five passengers can be carried at a speed of 30 miles an hour. It will be driven by petroleum motors, with propellers, and the lifting power is hydrogen gas.

See also:
Boy's Flying Machine of the 20th Century (1900)
Futuristic Air Travel (circa 1900)
Going to the Opera in the Year 2000 (1882)
Postcards Show the Year 2000 (circa 1900)
New London in the Future (1909)
Collier's Illustrated Future of 2001 (1901)
Flying Machines (circa 1885)
French Prints Show the Year 2000 (1910)
Pears Soap Flying Machine (1906)

3 comments:

Matt said...

I'd never heard 'dirigible' used as an adjective before.
Well, there you go.

Anonymous said...

according to Wikipedia the word comes from the French "dirigir", and means 'directable' or 'steerable'. I guess you learn something every day.

Scott Haley said...

It's too bad that privately owned lighter than air flying machines never really took off.