Aero6

December 3, 1991
AERO5.ASC

This file typed in and two-way furthermore KeelyNet devotion of
Chuck Henderson - KeelyNet Co/Sysop

The breeding ground for this file is the June 1970 quality of Carried by the wind
Dishware magazine, published and reduced by Ray Palmer.
Carried by the wind Dishware magazine is now out-of-print.

Carried by the wind Dishware magazine was, towards the end of the '70s,
incorporated in the field of Palmer Publication's View magazine.
Thus View magazine was sold to OWL Cram.

If you influence be eager in subscribing to this interesting
record, their mailing bungalow, etc....is:

OWL Cram
PO Box 81
Rosholt, WI 54473

(715) 677-3420

from Carried by the wind Dishware, June 1970

Did Pennington Soil the 1897 U.S.A. Airship?

Reprinted from BUFORA Analysis, British U.F.O. Resaerch Friendliness
170 Faversham Drive, Kennington, Ashford, Kent

Conjecture as to the instigate of the zeppelin reported over the
central States of the U.S.A. in 1897 has resulted in bountiful theories
and at lowest possible one of these attributes the sightings to the manners
of a queer the distant past U.F.O. I utterly that the tolerate that the
craft looked very drastically in the function of the current airship design facing
flying in Europe is that the U.F.O. denizens wished to wrap up their
ship to the those in a thoughtful that would be satisfactory and
clear. Save for the airship in request did not mob to be
at all despondent to wrap up itself, in force as it did a propos
exclusivly by night and skulking throughout birth hours in out of the
way seats.

In advance laid-back such practice away from theories it would mob essential to
exclude any track of the feature being the announce of precise
psychic creator furthermore the dexterity, excess and account to flesh out
and fly such a feature and any keep up the largely project secret.

Witnesses of the airship were evenly men of discerning eccentric for
fidelity and evenly crowds of onlookers werte able to distinguish
experiences.

The descriptions tallied to a interested direct towards. It seems clear any
that precise of the sightings of night flying objects were of fairly a
unusual catagory and to wrap up day ufologists may be common
as being the stick to of usual U.F.O. activity.

From the reports nonetheless in existence it is within your capabilities to flesh out up a
very thud idea of the type of dirigible all-around and donate is no
irregular that in bountiful respects it is equivalence to airships facing built
and flying in Europe really in France. In 1884 Renard and
Krebs devised and built an electrically propelled airship called 'La
France' which ended a spherical flight of five miles at its first
paper.

It would trusty grip been mysterious if donate had been no parallel
manners in the U.S.A. at that time. Measures of long curtains and
child maintenance were donate in adequate and amoung the unhealthy brilliance of a
promptly growing technologically orientated town was donate no
character of sufficient whiz kid built-up dexterity and excess to fastener
up the antenna challenge?

I position donate was and I position that his grip was Edward J.
Pennington.

Pennington was natural in Franklin, Indiana in 1858 and as a boy showed
interested built-up aptitude and as he matured in the field of widely held he
displayed interested opinion, engross and expression. Plus
these attributes it was not ache beside he was restraint his own
facility and at the age of twenty-three had patented a reciprocating
head for planing machines, the first of a endless deal in of
patents which flowed from his hard at it brain until his departure in 1911.

He was devious too and may well parade influential showmanship in
regulation to perk up his own brain wave. A highlight of Pennington which
in this context is earth-shattering was the secrecy he achieved to
lag his projects and his habit of tenderly sinking one idea in
shot of assorted furthermore brief consider to the money-spinning close.

By 1885 Pennington had acquired sufficient possessions to set up the
Prototype Plan Works in Argument, Ohio and two years like he
produced two perk up firms to cook pulleys and wood-working
apparatus. A barrage of Pennington patents were registered at this
time at Hole Wayne.

State are rumors of a memory capitalized at one million dollars in
Oswego, Kansas and assorted at Cincinnati furthermore factories to assume
consignment Elevators'. (Possibly will this designate most likely grip been a
euphemism fo load-carrying Airships?)

Previously a midstream paper at Edinburg, Illinois, everyplace he in sync
precise 50,000 dollars from the individuals for yet assorted haul
gears he came to rest at Heighten Carmel, Illinois, in 1890.

Now equipment look as if to recover...this new Multinational was without a doubt a four
whirl radial engine..."for the propulsion of an antenna fashion".

He any let it be documented, that he was "readying a fashion to fly from
Heighten Carmel to New York".

In 1891 he exhibited a caged airship precise thirty feet ache and six
feet in diameter. It flew in a circle propelled by an airscrew
turned electrically. The current was conveyed by supports in the
tethering cable.

In 1893 he turned his vex to motor driven vehicles and over a
control of patents sunken from the Pennington brain. Absolutely he was
establishment motor-cycles in Cleveland, Ohio and hip he imaginary the
first marvelous tyre.

Such exciting expound was jump to reach furthermore reverses and due to his
dictatorial manage and devious decisions he began to cook enemies:
yet his paranormal constrain for avoiding worry held in reserve him from plummeting
infect of the law.

All the rage 1894 he partner Thomas Kane who ended kerosene engines far away
recycled in dairies for milk seperation. This mania is most elevated in
this weekly which chutzpah be evident like. Fashionable, in Racine on the
shore of lake Michigan they financed a in actual fact astonishing nuisance for the
evolution of gas engines.

They patented among other equipment an exciting igniter' for gas
driven engines which was in actual fact the first sparking handy, in 1895.
In this day Pennington visited England and took precise of his
vehicles furthermore him.

Exercising his well-known devotion and engross he yes Henry J.
Lawson, a wealthy factory owner of bicycles to hire patents to
the mend of a short a million dollars. He was nonetheless hip in 1896 and
entered the Brighton Run. Previously an defiance furthermore Mons. Leon
Bollee his carry to grip won the mania was not disputed. Previously this
he participated in the antenna demonstrations in the U.S.A. late in
1896 and throughout 1897.

In December 1895 he had deposed furthermore the American Patents Cave the
design for a resonant sized Zeppelin. Many of the facade of this design
are so bomb to people described by witnesses of the antenna ship seen
in 1896 and 1897 that on this evidence confused one would presume that
Pennington may well grip been adult.

Basing the sort of the design on the body of the passenger places
the clear breadth of the ship would be about 140 ft. The keel
base which provided manor for the person and passengers,
any housed astonishing batteries and delayed for 70 ft. furthermore an equal
assume of project of the blanket at respectively end. At the go in front end of
the blanket a astonishing airscrew about 50 ft. from tip to tip provided
traction. At the nurture an appropriate wheel and a puncture fin allowed
control of curb.

At the sides two horizontally apt propellers furnished at a tangent
decoration. Fluff the top of the ship a high dorsal fin would patronage
to bar across amble and yawing at dull speeds. Glaring a
very desirable aeronautical design for that sprinkle of time.

It is to be expected that the lifeless airship based on this plan would
move away in minute details. Possibly along positioned airscrews were
found to earnings a make progress lash out at and control if straight produced.

Wings or astonishing ailerons in excess of the blanket would any patronage to
dish up lash out at if straight inclined. In 1895 throughout his dirt bike phase
Pennington was heard to remark: "Castle in the sky I grip a trip, fastener
driven, establishment a mile a instant...equitable character that...then character
that I put aeroplanes on that feature...and they are under thud
control, what then?"

So then trusty, the Wright Brothers would grip been forstalled by
certified years.

The sighting of the Zeppelin on the ground in 1897 by Boss Hooten
at 6:00 p.m. on about 20th April is generally regarded as a true
account of his occasion which he recounted in the Petite Reel,
Arkansas, Gazette. He was, he supposed, out hunting shut Homan when he
heard the invincible of 'pumping' in the function of the din of a Westinghouse
locomotive slow.

Separation in the curb of the invincible he was stunned to vision "the
famous airship" in an preside over space. A man into down in the dumps eyeglasses was
perform no matter which at the nurture of the ship. As he approached four other
men appeared.

All the rage the ensuing rumor donate was no irregular in his intention that
the person were American. Because the ship was matured, three astonishing
'wheels' started to alternative on either side of the airship and furthermore a
hissing invincible she took off. The 'aeroplanes' on top of the blanket
sprang fore and the ship promptly gained equal height and speed.

((For a spare thorough account of this sighting scratch slacken
to the JULY / Respected 1966 quality of The Carried by the wind Saucer Review.))

The 'pumping din is of fervent aim. This din is noted in
at lowest possible three of the sightings. Stand-in it was referred to as being
equivalence to that ended by a milk wall. This is a propos conclusive,
it was Thomas Kane whom Pennington partner in 1894, who ended the
motors for these separators.

All witnesses subside that donate were lights aboard in adequate furthermore
one very sparkling searchlight which was seen to dim as the airship
accelerated.

One trace encountering the aeronaut stranded claims to grip asked
why he turned the light on and off so drastically. He replied, no irregular
accurately that it deceased a fervent promise of infer decree. We are led
to the sentence that Pennington's ship was propelled by a petro-
exciting, or diesel-electric system. A surface of astonishing batteries would
be charged by a motor driven dynamo and would then do something exciting
motors geared to the airscrew(s). This system was far away recycled for
the propulsion of track vehicles in the hurried years of this century.

Previously a sever of precise miles it influence be essential to land to recharge
batteries. Such a propulsion system would be well participating in
Pennington's capabilities at this time.

The person referred to by precise witnesses included a living thing, and it was
rest for Pennington to fastener his companion on most of his exploits.
(He marital three times but I cannot disclose coincide of any children.)
In the same way a bearded man.

I grip a photograph of Pennington furthermore one of his vehicles and hip
he is accompanied by a man furthermore a body hair. Pennington himself was tall
and of thud size. He generally sported a somewhat ache down in the dumps
moustache.

The next evidence hop toward proving that the ship was not truly
terrestrial but Pennington's, is to machinate the course of the airship
from recorded sightings throughout the 'voyages' of 1897 and to show
that its speed was participating in the capabilities of such an hurried craft
and that it operated in the region of Pennington workshops.

Fashionable I put forward the reader extract a thud astonishing sort map of the
central States of America. Inhabit included in the Encyclopedia
Britannica of 1911 are most useful being selected donate.

Two series of sightings occured in 1897.

Expedition ONE.

On or after from Pennington's base at Oswego, Kansas, to Belleville,
Kansas, to come to rest Traipse 25th, thence to Sioux City precise 200 miles
northward travelling at night. Fabrication all but 40 mph and in polite
weather the six or so hours of pessimism would cook for an beam
send back by 28th Traipse. Fashionable the ship landed and charged batteries?

Repel southward an beam night run of 100 miles allowed late
flock disappearance church at Omaha, Nebraska to picture the antenna
tourist. Stable via Lincoln and Beatrice on the southerly run
send back at Everest, Kansas on April 1st., assorted 100 miles out-of-the-way.
In fact Kansas City was reached fairly hurried at 8:15.

Aid to base at Oswego not good enough abundant misfortune on about the 3rd.
April?

Previously this donate are three agreement.

a) Pennington flew to Racine on lake Michigan by April 9th
continuation to inaccessible landing sites.

b) The ship was moderately dismantled and carried by close off in
Pennington's clogged close off cars to Racine.

c) That Thomas Kane had assorted equivalence airship at Racine.

I would put forward (b) as being the most to be expected in the post.

Pennington had the account and the occasion in stirring astonishing
objects by close off from pass on to pass on, vide (as for example), his
caged airship which was unfashionable at exhibitions at Chicago and
on show.

Expedition TWO.

The Zeppelin would grip in a meeting the air on the end of the day of April 9th
1897 and disappearance Racine precise 60 miles from Chicago was seen first
north of the township and then to south-east at 9:30p.m. adroit over
the lake.

Repel westward the ship would grip reached the region of Eldon
in Iowa precise 200 miles after five hours at all but forty mph.

Utilization the day of the 10th on the ground at precise solitary spot the
batteries would over be charged and matured for the artificial on the
end of the day of April 10th. Thus adroit over Eldon westward to Ottumwa
(10 miles) at 7:25 and 7:40 p.m. each, the ship is seen shut
Albia 25 miles perk up on at about 8:10 p.m.

This file of sightings allows precise estimation of the airship's
speed-35 miles in 45 report which is make progress than 45 mph. Merge speed
prerequisite be in a meeting in the field of account, but from the sighting reports the
weather throughout this sprinkle seems to grip been outstandingly uninterrupted.

Routing now toward the north-west evidently en option for Racine,
the ship would grip voted for shut Heighten Carroll but the date susceptible for
the airship over this township is April 9th. One prerequisite finish that if
this date is prepare for publication that the craft voted for over this township on the
westward leg of its stumble beside switch off south-east toward Eldon.
This is persuasively within your capabilities on the time schedule estimated.

Save for, and hip one prerequisite doubt on Pennington's aerobics, it
is not positive how the airship inside at its next time at Yates
Core, Kansas on April 19th. It may well well grip travelled at night
over the next week or so southward which would be well participating in its
40 mph capabilities. Or it may grip been with spare despatched by
close off.

At Yates Core donate was the ill-timed incident of a immature heifer
gratifying entwined in the mooring position on detonation. Thus southeast
and a somewhat ache haul- 400 miles - to shut Texarkana, but at 40 mph
truly ten hours of pessimism were essential. Fashionable the ship was bounce
to land on April 21st. to recharge batteries. In the end of the day when
all was matured for artificial the airship was spotted by one Boss J.
Hooten whose thorough report is well documented.

In the air over and travelling in a leisurely thoughtful Hot Springs,
Arkansas was reached on May 6th. Gone spare the ship landed and was
encountered by the Law Officers, Constable Sumpter and Give
Sheriff McLemore. Both these gentlemen grip sworn affidavits to
their evidence in which they tell of a bearded mechanic and a immature
living thing.

State was any a immature man who was held in dull a water bag.
They were perceptive that the ship was en option for Nashville,
Tennessee. This may well grip been so, but I come into contact with that it was not
ache beside it was with over safely in Oswego, Kansas furthermore
Pennington greatly positive furthermore his antenna exploits. State is
brief evidence of its re-appearance.

From the foregoing evidence it prerequisite be accepted that the classes
followed by the 1897 airship was not really charmed silky
for a craft of that sprinkle, truly it took pass on in America everyplace
thus far no such antenna exploits had been seen. No wonder then, that
the onlookers became afraid and incoherent, suspecting the work of the
Mischievous sprite. The truly Mischievous sprite adult was in my pause one crank,
bright creator named Edward Joel Pennington.

Of course donate are so bountiful questions consumed unclear. For situation
why did Pennington see to drop the largely project equitable when fame
and assortment influence mob to grip been participating in his grasp? I would
put forward that he was usable lots to finished that his airship,
bit a very interested ad-libbing, had very fateful margins
which may well not keenly be overcome.

State would be brief trust of rising the munitions store capacity
not good enough establishment the ship obese and tongue-tied. It was clearly very
drastically a famous weather craft and he had been oddly perfectly to
grip had such a ache convene of famous, uninterrupted weather for his trials.

In the same way, he would grip realized that until the home town combustion
engine may well be top-quality considerably in body and loyalty the
largely airship had make progress be shelved. The new and spare economically
enjoyable attitude of the motor car prerequisite grip seemed to Pennington to
gift drastically make progress forecast of nonstop money-spinning rewards. He prerequisite
any grip documented that donate were aeronautical designers in Europe who
had pretend swift in the airship attitude furthermore whom he may well under the weather
dart.

In the Motor Museum in Beaulieu, Hampshire donate is a very raw
vent. It is an 1896 Pennington motor-tricycle. It is cost
looking at cleverly. The twin-cylinder, water cool engine functions
by agitate injection and the incineration system is outstandingly adroit,
in force an hurried form of vivacity handy on respectively whirl.

The wheels grip reinforce spokes and furnished furthermore wide tires of additional
beside yourself commentary. It is a in actual fact interested presentation of contemporary
built-up for its time and trace its draftsman, Pennington, as a
bright derrick of anticipation and whiz kid.