Air Wonder Stories, December 1929 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

and made it ready for a long voyage. Then, during~ one dark-night of rain and‘ wind, when the sentinels had sought shelter from the storm, while the few lights of the city blinked dimly through the mist andthe people of the town were asleep, we stole over to the hangar, doped and bound the guards, ran out the plane - and zoomed up through the rain.. "We made but little -headway during the night; bat by morning, the-storm having’ lifted, we-sailed out over e Pacific. Cruising along the islands of Japan we encotintered heavy fog banks, but by means of our dis- solver, which-cut a. clear -path-through: the- vapor “fifty yards wide-and about five hundred yards long, we sailed through it easily without sacieoine speed, “Three days later we landed among the cactus of Northern. Mexico, because we were forced down by motor trouble, To. avoid. arousing the suspicion” of - the-natives and being subjected to-unpleasant ‘question- ing, we represerited ourselves as United States military aviators. But owing to the remoteness of the. region and the indolence and the red tape of the officials it was over a month before we were repaired and again took the air. Then-we were stunned to learn of Colonel Brandon’s sad fate. I-saw how it was—the mysterious eastern power, learning of our escape and fearing that. we would soon warn our country, had determined to rely-on the prowess of their own devilish. contraptions and destroy our planes one by one ‘before. they could be warned. “Why I did not immediately reveal myself and my. plane to the proper authorities is-one of the great puz- zles of my mentat illness, I was aflame with indigna- tion and hate against this sneaking, unseen foe of my country, which I can not even name.. And Relgoon shared my hatred. So, immediately we set.out-to hunt and destroy these white planes which, though deprived of our inventions, had nevertheless set out to destroy us. But we had -a great advantage unknown ‘to the enemy. Secretly I had greatly increased the power of the ray and added other little tricks:that were sure to help -tus. : sented by the stories. Sah bie may clouds be composed? (Page 1 d 2—Should condensation of vapor take place with a stationary reading of the barometer? (Page 491) 3—What is one of the most obstinate elements that menaces safety and navigation of planes? (Page 496) 4—How could one-in an airctaft arrange to see in all six:directions at once? (Page 544) THE BLUE DEMON WHAT IS YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF AVIATION? Test Yourself by This Questionnaire Te questions given below are taken from the stories in this issue. ability to answer them, to test yourself in your knowledge of aviation. By. thus testing your- self, you will be able to fix in your mind a number of important facts of aviation that are pre- _ The pages, on which the answers are given, follow each question. “Thad an-obsession to locate the base of those white devils and lead_our planes upon them. But there were delays; we had hard work to keep from being dis- covered, to get supplies-and find a snug-haven for our plane. ~And, inthe meantime, our planes. were being destroyed.. Yet I hesitated to make myself known. My wayward mind kept suggesting that I-first locate: the enemy’s -base. But so cleverly is that base con- céaled that only a few days before my. last-fight did we discover it. And-then, I-regret ‘to say, my faithful Relgoon lost his life.-You will find that base in a cove of Pamlico Sound where a good-sized: stream empties into the cove, its mouth hidden by low, overhanging live-oaks heavily covered with festoons of Spanish moss, Here is. the entrance to the invaders’ haven, This haven is never entered or left by the planes save at night and then under cover of their clouds. It is not-a mechanical base—only a few supplies are kept, and their gas is supplied. by night-prowling launches with crews in the pay of this unknown power. Go at pace, 2 beg of you, and destroy this outer harbor of ell.” = Lon sank back exhatisted and. closed his eyes. Within:an- hour. preparations were going forward to descend on-this base of the terrible white planes. And, before nightfall, a fleet comprising the. cream of—our insulated’ military planes took off for the south. : _I need only-to add:that the base was-found abandoned. Our subtle enemy of the East, whoever it might have been, doubtless: cowed and alarmed. by Lon’s. heroic battle and the impregnability- of the insulated planes, and: convinced that the game was up, had ceased its operations utterly. As Lon and his companion had left the mountain rendezvous in India at night-he was never able to locate it again. Sono further particulars of this international outrage were ever learned. ; : But the great work of my friend Lon Grand, now fully recovered and hale and hearty in the mellow years of mid-life, goes steadily forward. ‘Today he is one of the world’s leading aviation engineers. Tue Enp They will serve, by your 5——What is the name given to a plane which is supposed to rise vertically? (Page 531) a 6—What happens to one’s calendar as he goes west over the International Dite Line? (Page 499) 7—What might be the advantage of giving a dirigible- wings? (Page 509) 8—What is the. cause of lightning? 511) (Page