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Barber, H. (Horatio), 1875-1964

"The Aeroplane Speaks"

''
``Discipline is it?'' complains the Under-carriage, as
its wheels roll swiftly over the rather rough ground. ``I'm
bump getting it; and bump, bump, all I want, bang, bump,
rattle, too!'' But, as the Lift increases with the Speed,
the complaints of the Under-carriage are stilled, and then,
the friendly Lift becoming greater than the Weight, the
Aeroplane swiftly and easily takes to the air.
Below is left the Earth with all its bumps and troubles.
Up into the clean clear Air moves with incredible speed
and steadiness this triumph of the Designer, the result of
how much mental effort, imagination, trials and errors,
failures and successes, and many a life lost in high
endeavour.
Now is the mighty voice of the Engine heard as he turns
the Propeller nine hundred times a minute. Now does the
Thrust fight the Drift for all it's worth, and the Air Speed
Indicator gasps with delight, ``One hundred miles an hour!''
And now does the burden of work fall upon the Lift and
Drift Wires, and they scream to the Turnbuckles whose
business it is to hold them in tension, ``This is the limit!
the Limit! THE LIMIT! Release us, if only a quarter
turn.'' But the Turnbuckles are locked too fast to turn
their eyes or utter a word. Only the Locking Wires thus:
``Ha! ha! the Rigger knew his job. He knew the trick, and
there's no release here.'' For an expert rigger will always
use the locking wire in such a way as to oppose the slightest
tendency of the turnbuckle to unscrew.


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