With wings that fold back over the body like those of a gigantic beetle, a curious, insect-like appearance is presented by the new French airplane illustrated herewith. Moreover, differentiating it from the host of freak folding contrivances that have preceded it, the present machine, the de Margay-Mooney monoplane, is the first with folding wings that has actually flown.
As is shown in the illustrations, the principle of construction is simplicity itself, each wing being pivoted, at its point of attachment to the body, to a vertical pillar that, besides constituting
a hinge also serves as a mast or strut, from which the bracing wires to the wings are strung.
A wheel alongside the driver's seat controls the wing positions, and by revolving this wheel the change is effected from wings fully spread to the closed position over the body. In
In both positions, there is provision for securely locking the wings in place a point Of particular importance in the flight position.
No attempt is made to allow for swinging the wings during flight, the novel design having for its sole purpose the more compact stowing of wings while the machine is on the ground, to facilitate storage, and also to allow the vehicle to be run along narrow roads or across other than clear fields, in search of suitable ascending areas. This land travel can be accomplished either by towing, as with a horse or automobile or by the thrust of the airplane propeller, the latter ordinarily permitting it to proceed under its own power, in the manner of the not altogether uncommon "wind Steering on the ground is a wagon." effected by the wheels of the alighting gear, which are made movable, and connected up to steering gear, with this particular purpose in view. The machine is propelled by a revolving motor, of a well-known type, and except for its single unique feature is quite conventional in design, as is sufficiently proved by the fact that it has accomplished numbers of successful flights at the French flying fields. The wings, for example, are controlled by warping in the usual manner, and the tail has much in common with both the Nieuport and the "fan-tailed" Blériot. The running gear rather suggests that of the Bréguet, which is similarly steerable on the ground, and the fuselage is a characteristic four-
bar, tapered box girder,
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