Here is an interesting article from the Auckland Star newspaper dated 6th of January 1900. I wonder if this is the earliest suggestion of armed flying machines and bomber aircraft? I'd love to see a photo or drawing of his design. It would make a great artwork to have two of these bombers swooping in over Ladysmith.
FLYING MACHINES TO THE RESCUE. ARMED "FLYERS" FOR THE RELIEF OF MAFEKING AND LADYSMITH.
The most remarkable suggestion yet made for the relief of Mafeking and Ladysmith is that of Mr John S. Praul, a man well-known in the United States for his efforts to solve the problem of aerial navigation.
Mr Praul has just had built at Baldwin's Locomotive Works, Philadelphia, a new flying machine driven by hot air engines, which has proved itself capable of a lifting power of twice its own weight. The suggestion is that two of these machines should be sent to South Africa by the British Government, and should be in charge of experts supplied by the inventor.
The machines, it is claimed, would restore communication with the isolated towns, and when passing over the enemy's laagers would drop deadly explosives upon them, a quick-firing gun at the same time doing great execution. The machines would fly at such a speed and height that projectiles from Boer guns would either fail to reach them or pass harmlessly behind the winged death-dealers. This is certainly the most novel scheme yet formulated for the relief of the beleaguered towns. Mr Praul, at any rate, is confident it would work with the best results.
The machine is an exact cylinder to within a very short distance of its ends, where it tapers to blunt points. The cylinder is 15ft long and 3ft in diameter. Two sets of wings are situated at each end, and are operated by two hot-air engines, one to each set of wings, which make about 400 revolutions a minute. The lower framework, under the cylinder, in which the engineer and pilot work, gives the machine a total height, from working platform to top of cylinder, of 8ft.
The whole of the machine is built of steel and aluminium. It will carry a weight of 2000 pounds. The wings give a forward motion and slightly upward; the influence of the steering vanes turns the forward to upward or sidewise movement. The front and back wings, while both inclined to give a forward push, move in opposite directions, and are geared through the cylinder, so that they make an equal number of revolutions. The wings do not go round at an even speed, but have a beat like that of a bird's wing. The circle they describe is divided into two parts, one-quarter and three-quarters, the smaller one being directly above the centre. Such is the "flyer" which it is suggested should be sent out for service with the British troops in South Africa. When our war balloons went up there some of the natives stood in open-mouthed wonderment at the sight; but what would the untutored savage think of a flying machine?
SOURCE:
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bi ... --0flyer--
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