Air Stories, April 1936 — page 62: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

AIR STORIES only just in time. The Wasp is to be towed out on a pontoon right away. Come and meet the designer—dear old boy, deaf as a post and blind as a bat. But some brain! Professor,’’ he raised his voice to a roar, ‘‘ may I introduce two officers from ‘ Uproarious’?... Lieutenant James, Flying Officer Spald- ing—Professor Julius Wondermere.”’ The professor, attracted by Duncan’s booming voice, turned and bowed towards the commander. Duncan tried to remedy the mistake. ‘‘ Here’s James,”’ he yelled, ‘‘ Lieutenant James.’’ James grasped the professor’s hand. ‘‘ Honoured to meet you, sir,’’ he screamed, taking his cue from Duncan. Professor Julius Wondermere beamed. ‘‘]’ve no brain for wireless.’’ James’ voice filled the huge hangar with sound, and came echoing back from the lofty roof and distant walls. ‘Don’t be afraid to speak up,’’ whis- pered the professor. ‘‘ I’ve become hard of hearing these last few years.’’ Pat Spalding’s mouth quivered. ‘* Speak up, man,’’ he echoed. ‘‘Shut up, worm !’’ snapped’ James viciously, and braced himself for further effort. ‘‘ I’ve always understood ...I say, I’ve always understood that it was impossible to transmit power by wireless. How is it that a heavy aero- plane can be thrown about in the air by this means ? ”’ ‘‘Ah. I see that you do not under- stand the underlying principle, young man.’’ The professor was warming to his favourite subject. ‘‘ Have you your note-book with you ? ”’ Spalding, convulsed with mirth, turned round to hide his face. He pro- duced a note-book and thrust it into James’ unwilling hands. The professor beamed approval, and continued : ‘‘I do not transmit power, except in minute quantity. The primary power needed to operate the aeroplane’s controls is supplied by compressed air from a cylinder by way of tubes. That part of the business is not my affair.’’ He paused to allow James to make notes. James shot a murderous glance at Pat, and opened the book. ‘‘ The air is admitted to each tube as required by a mechanical valve. Some power is naturally needed to operate these valves, and this is supplied by electric current furnished by batteries— generators would cause interference, and so cannot be used.’’ Again he paused, and again James scribbled. ‘Now, this electric current has to be controlled and directed, and that is my particular province. The principle is not unlike that of the thermionic valve, with which you will be familiar. But there is a fundamental difference which I will try to explain .. .’’ HE professor’s discourse was inter- rupted at this point by Duncan, who insisted that time was short, and that the process of getting the Wasp out to ‘*Uproarious ’’ must begin without delay. Wondermere was sorry. He would have enjoyed a three-hour dissertation on his pet subject. ‘‘Where’s that driver of yours?’’ Duncan asked, in sudden irritation. ‘‘ Tell him to get this car out of the way. He’d no right to leave it in front of the hangar !’’ The men were then standing in the brilliant sunshine in front of the hangar, and he peered into the comparatively dark interior as he spoke. ‘‘T’ll find him, sir,’’ said James, confidently, and trotted off. But for the moment Ravati had completely dis- appeared. ‘‘Get that car out of the way, you men.’’ ‘« Aye, aye, sir.’’ ‘‘And get this ’plane down to the slipway. Don’t rush at it there. Keep her moving steadily ... and, hi! you, see that that driver’s found immediately and escorted to the gates.’’ ‘* Where the dickens is he ? ’’ Spalding asked James. ‘‘Darned if I know. Bit fishy, if you ask me—with those new submarines under construction. Still, I can’t see what he can hope to discover. Probably just gone to call on one of his pals here and’ll be bacix any minute. Hope so, anyway.’’ 348 COnniclooo SJ (Cl QO)