Driven to fly like so many enthusiasts following the flights of
the Wright brothers and others, Elmer, George and John Underwood
of Stettler, Alberta set to work inventing a machine of their
own.
The result was unique: a craft with elliptically shaped
wings. The Flying Wing was composed of long strips of fir
and wire that were covered with cloth. Above the wing was a
large fin, with a rudder at the back and an elevator attached to
the tail. Under the large wing was a platform where the pilot
sat. Motorcycle wheels were placed under the platform and
bicycle wheels placed on each wing to hold it steady for
take-offs and landings. The platform also contained a place to
house the motorcycle motor… once they were able to afford one.
In the meantime, the Underwoods displayed their creation at
Stettler’s exhibition in July 1907, and tested the machine on
their farm. Tying the aircraft to a fencepost, the brothers
placed sacks of wheat on the platform to replicate the weight of
a pilot, and launched the plane like a kite. The test went well,
and for the next trial, John took the place of the wheat to
"fly" the machine for 15 minutes. Their enterprise was then put
away until the next year, when the Underwoods finally obtained
their coveted motorcycle engine.
Attached to the front of the wing was a large bamboo and
canvas propeller, powered by the motorcycle motor.
Unfortunately, the brothers found that the engine was too small
to get the craft airborne, so they hitched the plane to the
fence post once again, using it like a kite, until the Flying
Wing was destroyed one day by high winds. Their effort was
eventually abandoned, since they lacked the resources to
continue.
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