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With the arrival of autumn and an increase in inclemshyent northern weather the fly-in activity begins to grind to a halt signaling the close of another very successful season With the exception of a few winter fly-ins in the southern states (Sun n Fun Cactus Fly- In etc) this breathing spell wi ll permit us to repair and restore our old birds so that they will again be in top shape by the time that next years fly -in season starts Most of us enjoy flying so much that we really need this enforced maintenance period If we didnt have it we would figshyuratively fly the fabr ic right off our poor old birds so its nice to know that even our o ld airplanes are included in natures master plan and have their place in the overall scheme of things

Although we have not seen any actual totals we believe that th is past season was probabl y the busiest in aviation history Besides all of the regularly scheduled fly-ins there were a who le series of addit ional aviation events honoring the 50th anniversary of Lindbergh s New York to Paris flight Also the EAAs Spirit of St Louis replica by its reinactment of Lindberghs good will tour aro und th e United States has sparked many more aviation ac tivities on the local level over the past severa l months

Not all statistics for the biggest or th e most are necessarily the best The EAA convention was the wetshy

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test in history with extensive periods of IFR wea th er hampering operations However the participants at th e

d k h h d d Ievent seeme to ta e t e weat er In stn e an not et It dim in ish th eir enjoyment of av iation As we make our plans for next yea rs eve nts we can only hope that the sun will shin e down brightly on our efforts

For many months now each copy of The Vintage

Ai rplane has contained two new mem be rsh ip app Ii ca tio n blanks inserted between the pages a total of fourteen so

far this year Please remove these applications from the ~AA AntLqU-Cl~middot~DiViS~ 0 WFaresmiddot 1e

magazine when you receive it and keep them in a handy place so that you can give them to your friends who are interested in older aircraft Also please take them along with you to your local EAA chapter meetings or to your local flying club and give them to your fellow members who show an in terest Your local fixed base operator might like to have a few on hand too If each of you will sign up just one new member between now and the end of this year we shall be ab le to increase the size ot The Vintage Airplane This increase will give us the necessary space to print monthly features such as type club news calendar of future events etc on a regular basis as well as provide your editor with more space for feature articles The end result is a bigger and better magazine for you so please make the effort to sign up at least that one new member

Speaking of new members your Division experienced a six percent growth in membership during the EAA convention and signed up more new members than either of the other two EAA divisions We sincerely thank our headquarters staff chairmen Kate Morgan and Donna Bartlett and our exhibit booth chairmen Alicia Smith and Jackie House as well as all of their vo lun teer workers for this fine achievement

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Associate Editor

Editorial Staff

Editor AI Kelch

Associate Editor

Assistant Editor Lois Kelch

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Directors

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THE V INTAGE AIRPLANE is owned exclusively by Antique Classic Aircraft I nc and is published monthly at Hales Corners Wisconsin 53130 Second class Postage paid at Hales Corners Post Office Hales Corners Wisconsin 53130 and addition al mailing offices Membersh ip rates for Antique ClaSSic A ircra ft Inc at $1400 per 12 month period of w hich $1000 is for the publicat io n o f THE V INTAGE AIRPLANE Membership is op en to all w ho are interested in aviat ion

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE

ANTIQUE CLASSIC DIVISION

of THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION

PO Box 229 Hales Corners Wis 53130

OCTOBER 1977 VOLUME 5 NUMBER 10

Restorers Corner 1 Johnson Bros Monoplane 3 An I nterview with Harry J oh nson _ 6 Life Story of Lou Johnson 12 Vintage Album 13 The First Johnson Airplane 18 The Amazing Ross 23

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PICTURE BOX ON THE COVER (Back Cover)

Photo of the 43 wing span JohnshyModel of the Johnson Brothers airshyplane presented to the Smithshy son model as it appears in the Air sonian (Before Covering) Photo by amp Space Museum Photo by Dr Dr Paul Garber Paul Garber Curator Emeritus

Copyright copy 1977 Antique Classic Aircraft Inc All Rights Reserved

2

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By AI Kelch Editor

The Johnson brothers airplane flown successfully just a few years after the Wright brothers first flight was apparently one of many built in the UsA about that time All the World Aircraft for 1919 states that no less than 2000 people in the UsA had built flying machines but that most of them were home made copies of standard designs Most of them being copies of the Wright brothers biplane The percentage that was successful was no doubt very few

The Johnson brothers airplane was a great advance in the state of the art but was never blessed by commercial success It would be interesting to know how many good designs met the same fate If Terre Haute Indiana which then had a population of 65000 could have two successful designers in 1911 namely The Johnsons and Gus Riggs airp lanes there must be hundreds of similar stories in the entire country The tragedy is that people who know about them are rapidly passing from the

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BUILDERS OF T HE FIRST SUCCESSFUL AMERICAN MONOPLANE

scene and if the stories of these accomplishments arent recorded soon they will be lost forever

While rummaging through Dale Crites collection of memorabilia he called my attention to an Argosy Magshyazine for September 1961 which carried an extensive article on the Johnson brothers airplane I read it with complete fascination and started immediately prospectshying for further information to make up the complete story and research the efforts of the J ohnsons I soon

3

struck two mother load sources - o ne through a chance look in Weldon Ropps scrap book I found a picture of the Johnson airplane which I publi shed on the back cover of Vintage Airplane in June 1976 On asking Weldon where he acquired the picture he advised that Mr Johnson was a relative and that hi s son Harry Ropp had inherited from the Johnson brothers quite a collecshytion of material on this early effort Also through the publication of an article entitled One Mans Family in Vintage Airplane October 1976 issue I became acquaintshyed with Deward Peterson who lives in Terre Haute I ndiana The subject of the J ohnsons came up and he was very fa miliar with the story since the Johnso ns lived in Terre Haute at the time they built the ai rplane He offered to research at the source for me and has done an excell ent job Credit for this art icle goes equally to Harry Ropp and Deward Peterson my contr ibution being to ed it it down from the volumes of material and separate the fact from fiction Much of the material is original hand written notes of Louis Johnson the or igshyinal manuscript of the Argosy article vo lumes of newsshypaper clippings besides a manuscript furnished by Mr Peterson researched from microfilm copies of all the Terre Haute papers with some assistance by his son -in shylaw My regret is that we couldnt publish the whole package but it would fill many volumes of our magshyazine I wil l attempt to give you a capsule of the story and then we will reprint several of the documents from that era which will help to fill in the fantastic exciteshyment that these brothers caused in Terre Haute

To start with the early lethargy of our country was well known in the way that the public reacted or rather did not react to the flight of the Wright brothers It took a trip to Europe and a presentation to the more romantic Frenchmen to cause excitement which spilled over to this country and finally got the ball rolling That was the first time that the French were involved - the second being with Lindberghs flight to Paris They were considerab ly ahead of us in their aeronautical effo rts havi ng so whole heartedly accepted the airplane In this country scattered efforts were made in many small towns and it is hard to tell how many good things were left to whither on the vine and never be accepted by the aviation industry

The effort of the Johnson broth ers is a class ic in that they were at least 10 years ahead of their day in the complete effort and would have no doubt stolen a great deal of the thunder had th eir effort come to the publics

notice Probab ly the first significant thing is that they had developed an engine as early as 1900 which was far ahead of any engine of its time The pictures will verify the fineness of thi s piece of machinery Its performance was unbelievable for that day While others were fooling with make shift machinery the J ohnsons developed the four cylinder V type engine water cooled with a magnifshyicent weight to horsepower ratio (65 Ib s-65 hp) and unbelievabl e reliability The workmanship and the engineering on the engine is startling even today The engine was not only a four cylinder V engine it was a four cylinder two cycle engine with a very successful patented valving arrangement The engine developed acco rding to their figures 65 hp but its probably like the 90 horse OX5 On todays scale it would be considershyably better Many updates on the engi ne were mad e and its proving ground was on boats of the day which it pull ed very successfully Th e final completion of the aeronautical V type motor to quote Mr Johnson was completed in 1909 the same year that t hey made their first air plane The straight forward type of thinkers that they were is ev id ent in the following quotation from Mr Johnsons notes In our development we never tinkered with anyth ing I nstead we prepared designs and worked out the problems with many drawings and mathematical calcu lations in a precision manner Through our ca lcul ashytions we decided the monoplane would be much more efficient than the biplane that everyone was building because of the less head resistance than the two planes and all the necessary wires ana structures between the planes Mind you they had already developed a very successful engine now they were going about it in the same methodical manner to develop an airplane

To quote the Argosy article if the world had noticed them at the time the name Johnson would have been emblazoned in aviation history Lou Harry and Julius Johnson of Terre Haute Indiana designed their plane in ways that nobody else not even the Wright brothers or Glenn Curtiss or Bleriot had ever conce ived Where these immortals had used wood the Johnsons used alushyminum nickel and steel and a long slender fuse lage that could have been the prototype of the monocoque fuseshylaged planes that are flying today Like Bleriot they saw the basic correctness of the aerodynamics of a monoshyplane They worked out a tricycle landing gear at a time when American planes landed o n sk ids I t was very nearshyly the same sort of landing gear you see today

(There is much discussion about there being or not

being a steerabl e nose wheel I refrain from mak ing the statement that there was but invite you to take a good look at the pictures showing the hinged front wheel and the steering horns and make up your own mind)

Beside the tricycle gear the rear wh eels were on hori zo ntal V struts with verticle spring loaded tubular members very similar to oleos the later airplanes in the 20s and ea rly 30s used Now add to this the fact that th ey had a brake to slow it up after landing a control arrangement that is entirely conventional today consistshying of a steering wheel operating the wing warping which when moved fo rward and aft operated the elevashytors and a rudd er bar to activate the rudders all this at a time when planes had barely co me out of the prone pilot stage operating the ailerons with the body and skids for landing gear

In look ing at the pictures you will note that the main fuselage tubes which are some 201 in diameter have cooling fin s along their length Again in their inimitable manner they used the actual fuselage tubes as the rashydiator in order to cut down frontal area an idea that was re-enacted in mil itary planes of the early 30s with fushyselage side radiators etc Now add to this a complete forward section of all welded tube with not a single piece of wood visib le a monocoque tubular boom fushyselage extending rearward from the tubular fuselage area to support the tail this being braced with a minimal number of cables and again at a time when bamboo poles were being used to hold the tail on If you will notice in the pictures all metal on the tail section is highly polished all work on the tube is done in a very workmanlike manner that would put todays airplane companies to shame The method of affixing the wings to the fuselage was to butt them into shallow welded stee l pockets held there entirely by the wire bracing structure a feature that has cropped up many ti mes in later years This allowed the wings more freedom in warping which was used for control The spars themshyse lv es did not twist due to not being rigid ly con nected at the butt end s By looking at the cover picture of the model yo u realize the extensive use of metal throughout the airpl ane the outside edge th at forms the wings being completely tubular and all of the empennage surfaces being welded aluminum tube The onl y ev idence of wood in the whole airplane can be found in the propeller and the actual rib sections which have metal caps to strengthen them

4

The design features of the airplane are as follows Wing spread 36 All over length 34 Weight empty 738 Ibs

The fuselage was made of steel the total tail unit Imade of aluminum The fuselage consisted mainly of I three large steel tubes rigidly assembled together by 1 brazing in cross tubes to form a bridge structure and fastenings for all the parts that were attached Two upper tubes were spaced apart to take the 900 V type engine in a forward tractor position providing space beshyhind the motor for gasoline tank and pilots seat thus being the first plane to use metal tubular construction throughout the fuselage and tail unit The tail unit of the fuselage was a large tapered aluminum tube with reshy-enforcing structures throughout including reinforcemiddot ment at the large end with metal brackets to fit in the ends of the three steel fuselage tubes forming a rigid attachment (detachable for shipping)

The four cylinder V type motor was a 5 bore and 4 stroke developing approximately 65 hp The motor was water cooled the water being pumped by a water pump through the three large main tubes of the fuselage which bull had cooling fins attached The cooling was efficient and afforded very little frontal area as a radiator would on any other airplane

Quoting Mr Johnson learning to fly when the plane was completed confronted us with the risk of a smashmiddot up We were vampy cautious about it and went about it much as you would learn to walk Stage one I started installed I could hold it down close to the ground and ground work on a small field by doing considerable make short jumps and finally could make long curves ground running to get well acquainted with the operatmiddot banking successfully I soon left the field and returned ing of the motor the controls etc keeping all 3 wheels without a mishap and felt very elated about the whole on the ground at all times Stage 2 I planned to lift the thing I made many flights around Terre Haute and plane off the ground and then right down but instead of contracted many exhibitions away from Terre Haute that the machine jumped up about 50 in the air with Stage 4 I taught a student to fly by the same method I the end of the field close and high wires ahead I shut used and he was successful in flying the machine and did the motor off by the switch made a rough landing very well Stage 5 I took on a young fellow named Ross bouncing up about 30 and down just in time to avoid a L Smith who learned to fly in a very short time and smashmiddotup There was no damage to the plane which provo was very good He successfully carried out all our exhibimiddot ed its strergth This was an error due to our eagerness to tions and contracts without mishaps Later he was a cishysee it fly We had only a switch down on the control vilian flight instructor in the first World War For three column but had not yet installed a push button on the years he flew exh ibitions for us wheel I tried it again with the same results so we Mr Johnson in some notes written in the late 1950s decided to place a push button on the wheel in the states that Tom Beldon for some time urged us to get in hands of the operator (blip switch in later jargon) We touch with the Smithsonian I nstitution about our early then took the plane to a large enough field for longer development work on the monoplane and he finally ju mps Stage 3 on a larger field and the push button connected us with his friend Dr Paul Garber resulting in

considerable correspondence with Dr Garber who was at the time head curator of the Smithsonian The 3 Johnson brothers decided at their yearly reunion to take on the task of reconstructing their plans and buildshying a scale model to be placed in the Smithsonian The original plane having been sent to the scrap yard after approximately four years of existence and the prints having been thrown away it was a momentous task to reconstruct from pictures and scattered notes the exact dimensions and reconstruct the airplane They had to work through much of the original engineering to do this feat The model is complete down to miniature spark plugs carburetor and all parts in exact scale The beautishyful model stands as a monument to their supreme skill to the last At the time of the presentation to the Smithsoshynian Harry Johnson and his wife were present at a ceremony at which time Dr Garber interviewed him and with much foresight taped the interview Transcript of that tape follows giving much insight to their work

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5

Smithsonian Pp6s6otatioo

By Dr Paul E Garber (Curator Emeritus)

A TAPED INTERVIEW WITH HARRY JOHNSON AT THE TIME OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE

MODEL PICTURED AT RIGHT

July 22 1959 - This is Paul E Garber Head Curator National Air Museum recording an interview with Harry Johnson who with his brothers Louis Johnson and Julius Johnson constructed an airplane in 1911 an improveshyment on an airplane which they constructed in 1909 As I arrived in our Aircraft Building Shop I found Mr Johnson and Mr Shaw discussing this beautiful model which Mr Johnson is assembling they are now putting the wooden figure of a man into the cockpit but acshytually there is no cockpit strictly speaking because the man sits upon a band of canvas There is no safety belt Mr Johnson explains that the hands of th is figure were carved separately so that they could be fitted around the wheel which controls the airplane

Mr Shaw Do you notice how the magneto is operatshyed by a lever on the steering wheel and how cleverly it is contrived so that the lever actually operates the magneto in this model Mr Johnson has explained that the pilot would hold that lever over in retard until the engine gets going

Mr Garber No safety belt I see Did you ever fly this one yourself

Mr Johnson No No Lou did it and then the fellow that we taught to fly but I never flew as a pilot Lou flew th is for a whole year but it cost a lot of money to teach a fellow to fly At that time we were interested in the development and sa le of Marine engines and there were some persons who thought we shouldnt waste our

I found Mr Johnson and Mr Shaw discussing this beautiful model which Mr Johnson is assembling This model currently on display at the Air amp Space Museum has a 43 wing span

time on airplanes We had to make money so we finally gave up the airp1ane and went to Marine engines

Mr Garber You carved your own propeller too didnt you

Mr Johnson Yes I made that myself I carved the one on the model and I carved the one on the airplane

Mr Garber What wood was in the original mahogany

Mr Johnson No spruce and walnut But I made this one of maple and mahogany because they are of a simshyilar color I wanted to put more strength in the propeller on th is small model

Mr Garber Where did you get your basic idea for this airplane Was it from seeing another airplane or reading books or magazines

Mr Johnson We made one like this before you know but we didnt have very good ideas then We made that in 1909 We wNent trying to copy any existing airplane There werent any around at that time that I knew of but I remember a man named Benoist and another named Bleriot I think he crossed the English Channel and I did see some pictures of that but thats all the part I can remember having seen

Mr Garber These wings are much like those Bleriot designed and used

Mr Johnson The shape of them Mr Garber Yes and Bleriot used wing warping like

you do here Mr Johnson The Wright Brothers used warping too

All of their airplanes were something like this but the same principle of wing warping was not new with this one here we knew

Mr Garber Now for your steering control you have a rudder bar there for your feet and that moves the vershytical rudder on a vertical axis Were those controls crossshyed over that is when you pushed your right foot did you turn to the right or was it as in a sled or bicycle that when you pushed the left end you turned to the right

Mr Johnson We made it like a childs wagon Mr Garber Yes thac IS quite logical and I have often

wondered why others didnt make the rudder bars move the same way I remember that it was awkward for me to learn to move the rudder bar in a different manner than I had been accustomed to on a sled and bicycle

Mr Johnson We preferred to turn the bar the way we were going

Mr Garber Now for warping you turned the wheel itself turning it as in an automobile and I guess that as you pulled down on the right side you would raise the trai ling edge of the right wing

6

Mr Johnson When you pulled down on the right side you raised the left wing of the airplane upward and the right side went down

Mr Garber Then if you were making a right turn you would push your left foot forward and that would bring your right foot back a bit then at the same time you would pull down on the right side of the wheel and that would raise the left wing upward so that you would bank to the right

Mr Johnson Thats right Mr Garber That is instinctive and logical and then

to control the elevators the pilot would pull the whole wheel assembly to him and that would cause the airplane to climb

Mr Johnson Yes that would make the tail end of the airplane lower than the front end and set at such an angle that it would lift

Mr Garber Now thats the controls and they cershytainly are understandable I see that you have a brake here you have a long metal sleeve there by the pilots right leg There is a handle on that rod in that sleeve and as the pilot pulls up on the handle a wire at the bottom end of that rod pulls up the front end of a drag bar the other end of which digs into the ground and acts as a brake

Mr Johnson The drag on the ground slows the airshyplane after landing

Mr Garber That is certainly an early use of a brake You dont have the front wheel of your three-wheeled landing gear steerable do you Was steering on the ground just by using the rudder of the airplane itself

Mr Johnson It rolled on all three wheels but there was light weight on the front wheel that made it easier to lower the tail section of the airplane and lift the airplane off the ground

Mr Garber That takes care of the controls Of course you pushed the wheel assembly forward in order to descend Now lets discuss the wings Did you have metal spars for them(

Mr Johnson No those were of wood and so were the ribs There wasnt much metal in the wings

Mr Garber Where did you get your wing section from That is the curvature of the wing Did you get that out of a book Did you just think that a curved wing was a good idea or was it from looking at some bird maybe

Mr Johnson I dont recall seeing any curved wings before We just made the structure as light as possible

and also to have strength that required the bridge strucmiddot ture as I call it The cross pieces or ribs were made like bridge crosses and the spars were the same way They have longitudinal sections separated by upright sticks between them

Mr Garber Then the wing section was not some particular shape that you were copying from some book You realized apparently that you had to have curved wings but where did you get that idea from Why arent these wings flat like a kite

Mr Johnson I think we must have gotten th at idea from somewhere maybe from some picture but I dont even recall the magazines that were out at that time

Mr Garber There was Aeronautics put out by Ernest J ones and from time to time he would publish what he called structural aids

Mr Johnson We might have gotten something from those magazines

Mr Garber Do you remember a book called Vemiddot hicles of the Air by Lougheed It came out about 1909 and had drawings of a number of airplanes of that time

Mr Johnson No I dont remember that one Mr Garber Then apparently your information came

from a few photographs and magazines that you might have seen and in that way you learned something about what others were doing But there is so much original work in this that it doesnt look as though you copied it from anyone except the shape of the wing The tail section is something like that which was on the Antoinmiddot ette airplane of that day and I think there was a Bristol which had a similar tail group

Mr Johnson Wasnt Antoinette a man who tried to race an airplane across the Straits of Dover

Mr Garber Antoinette was the name of the airplane the pilot was Hubert Latham

Mr Johnson Had a square-end wing didnt he Mr Garber Yes we have a model of that one here in

our Early Bird Case The internal structure of your wing then was made from built up spars and built up ribs each having a sort of a bridge truss shape is that it

Mr Johnson Yes thats right Mr Garber The covering was what kind of cloth was

it muslin Mr Johnson No it was rubberized linen Mr Garber Was that a commercial product or did

you make it up yourself Mr Johnson We bought it that way

Mr Garber There was a Goodyear cloth which was rubberized and then there was a material called Penashycloth which was put out by the Pennsylvania Rubber Company so there were availabl e at that tim e some fabrics th at were impregnated

Mr Johnson It might have been an experimental cloth

Mr Garber So then you put it on with the warp and woof running at right angles spanwise and chordwise parallel with the spars The Wright brothers put theirs on diagonally so as to get som e additional bracing from the fabric but apparently you put yours on straight across

Mr Johnson Thats right And then we put rib strips on like you see here to keep the fabric from tearing where the tacks are and we also had rib stays inside which were wires to keep the wing from being bent backward diagonally

Mr Garber That takes care of the wing and the controls now lets consider the construction of the fushyselage and landing gear In the fuselage you used steel tubing Did you braze it or was welding in use that early

Mr Johnson No we had to braze it Mr Garber Langley used brazing on his aerodromes

The landing gear of your airplane I see is something like that used by Glenn Curtiss so although you may have copied the Bleriot wing you did not copy the chassis from that airplane This longitudinal boom which constitutes the principle member of the fuselage aft of the pilot is very unusual I had once seen a somewhat similar structure in a Smith Monoplane but apparently this idea was original with you

Mr Johnson With us it was just a means of carrying the elevator and rudder far back

Mr Garber I notice you dont have any long guys or stays extending from the front of the fuselage out diagonally to the entering edge of the wing to serve as a preventer for any tendency to backsweep nor do you have any stays extending from the trailing edge of the wing back to the tailboom Apparently you have all the stiffness that you need there in the tailboom itself and you have told me that you made that out of pieces of sheet metal that you formed into conically-tapering tubes and then riveted th em together but in the model here you have turned the boom out of a piece of alushyminum rod This is certainly beautifully done

Mr Johnson That cooling system is interesting Mr Garber Yes I thought we ought to take up next

7

the engine

Mr Shaw I think he was one of the first to develop that method of coo ling

Mr Garber The Antoinette used surface cooling ~

along the fuselage You have no drag at a ll for your radiator In most airplanes the radiator was placed up front and was of a square shape I t created more drag than any th ing else

Mr Johnson Thats right Mr Garber This engine here you tell me is based on

those that you had been making for use in boats This is a four-cylinder shape with the cylinders arranged like two vees staggered with one another What was the bore and stroke

Mr Johnson The bore was five inches and the stroke was four inches It was two cycle

Mr Garber Those little spark plugs on this model are certainly well made did you use a Mea magneto

Mr Johnson No it was a Bosch magneto Mr Garber Then I guess the distributor was on the

magneto itself Did you use dry cells for starting the engine

Mr Johnson No we didnt need that Turning the propeller would start the engine all right

Mr Garber Did you use any booster Mr Johnson No we didnt need it Mr Garber Where is the carburetor Mr Johnson We had a pipe here for carrying the

gasoline through a needle valve Thats the needle valve there where we would adjust the gasoline while the engine was running and get the maximum speed out of it the right mixture There was no throttle on the engine It was a one-speed engine and to start it we would prime the engine put gasoline through the exhaust opening here and turn the propeller to start and when the engine starts the aviator pulls on this little valve control here the one here by his right knee and opens up to allow the gasoline to run through the screen and with the engine running we adjust this lever here and then that can stay that way I t usually stayed that way for a long time and to control the engine he has a push button on the steering wheel which grounds the magneto to kill the spark and he just cuts the engine in and out for control as when coming in for a landing on the ground It had no throttle on it and it works very well that way and we had the advantage of not needing any throttle And then when the engine is running the aviamiddot tor only has to fly the airplane

johnson Aero Engine 2 cycle - V 4 - water cooled 65 lb =65 HP

Mr Garber Then you didnt move the spark lever back and forth in order to control the speed of the engine

Mr Johnson No we never did that Mr Garber With the rotary engines there was a

button on the top of the control stick called a blurp button which was depressed to cut out the ignition for the engine Sometimes when it would be cut in and out the pilot would get a face full of castor oil What kind of oil do you use in your engine

Mr Johnson We used a good boat oil like we had used in Marine engines but I cant think of the make of oil we used at that time

Mr Garber Now in this tank here which is even with the entering edge of the wing this triangularmiddotsectioned tank - does it include an oil tank Did you mix the oil with the gasoline

Mr Johnson Yes we did mix oil in the gasoline tank here and there was no other oiler on it

Mr Garber Now what is this header on top of the top of the gasoline tank

Mr Johnson We called it the steam dome at that time It collected the water as it came hot from the engine and the steam collected in this It has the steam escape here just as you have in the automobile at the top of your radiator and here is an overflow tube the same

8

as in an automobile so that the water and steam could escape down here The water was in there only about 23 full

Mr Garber Oh yes you are speaking of this small tube that comes out of the front center and bends around to go down toward the left side and I guess this top opening is where you put the water in

Mr Johnson Yes thats right The water starts to flow here from the water pump which is at the back of the crank shaft From there the water is carried from these tubes here and up into here and enters the water jacket here on the left side along this tube of the fushyselage and goes right and left and then circulates through the four water jackets and then comes out here into this hose and then through that hose and then enters into the steam dome

Mr Garber Oh yes I see that it flows out from these tubes just behind the aviators seat where one bends to the right and the other bends to the left and then the water flows into the center unit and then is piped into the longitudinals It comes out of that tube just in front of the foot bar and then it goes from there to the pump That is a complete circulation which continues all the time that the engine is running The air-cooling flanges are fastened to the longitudinal tubes to increase their radiating surfaces Those longitudinal tubes are not only the structural members for the fuselage but also being hollow provide pipes through which the water flows so that it can be cooled before re-entering the engine and these flanges increase that cooling

Mr Johnson Those flanges were soldered on to the tube to improve the heat conductivity The air stream helped to cool the water This system worked very well

Mr Garber It almost looks like you would have had more cooling surface than you required but that is certainly better than not having enough Now we have covered the construction of the wings engine fuselage tail group and under-carriage Next how about flying it You say that the center of gravity is located just about in a line forward of the rear wheels of this three-wheeled landing gear

Mr Johnson Yes and the center of pressure was about 13 back from the front of the wing

Mr Garber Then your center of pressure was forshyward of your center of gravity and your center of thrust was in a straight line from the propeller shaft back through this long telescoping boom to the tail group That is a good distribution of forces With the engine

started could you hold the airplane back with the brake I mean this brake here that is pushed into the ground when you pull up on this handle Or do you have to have someone to hold the airplane back for you while you were revving up the engine

Mr Johnson We had around 250 pounds of thrust measuring it with a spring balance and a rope tied to a tree Sometimes we would tie the airplane to the tree until the engine was running up or sometimes we had some men to hold it back A man on each wheel here at the back could hold it We have a picture of two men doing that but most of the time we used a rope tying it to a fence or a tree but out in the field sometimes when there wasnt anything to tie it to we would use men to hold it back and that gave them quite a lot of work to do too

Mr Garber Did you have a slip knot in the rope which the pilot could release or did you have someone on the ground to let the rope 100se7

Mr Johnson A fellow on the ground would do that The pilot has to use a step ladder in order to get into the seat

Mr Garber I see and so with th e pilot at the controls and the engine running the airplane would be released either by cutting or untying the rope or by having the men let go so then the airplane would roll along the ground and when it gained sufficient speed the pilot would pull back on this wheel column thus depressing the tail inclining the airplane upward and up he would go Did you ever measure the rate of climb or the extreme altitude

Mr Johnson No we did not have any way of measshyuring it We probably could have arranged a way but we didnt do that I imagine that the speed at which we took off was about 30 miles an hour We would find that out by an automobile running along side of it while the man in the car would watch his speedometer

Mr Garber How fast was the airplane flying as it came in for a landing

Mr Johnson I guess that speed was about 35 miles per hour maybe just a little faster then what it took off at We could slow it down by this push button which would cut the engine in and out I n the air the speed was about 50 or 60 miles an hour straight and level without a tail wind but at that time we had no way of measuring it That is just our guess We never tried for altitude sometimes we would say it was up about a mile high but we just said that The airplane would look pretty small if

Steering yolk is conventional - it straddles the main lower tube of the fuselage Forward is down back is up turning the wheel creates a normal bank Note the rudder bar at bottom of photo with leather loops to hold fliers feet

it was as much as a mile high up We have some pictures of it way up high and it looked pretty small It could have been a half a mile high but that is just a guess after all We had no way of measuring how high we were but Lou always said that it felt mighty high

Mr Garber Well now Mr Johnson you have been very obliging and patient to answer all of these quesshytions We have discussed this airplane along the same method that I used in the Navy when I was teaching recognition of enemy airplanes We have also considered

9

the structure and performance but I wish that I could hear from you some anecdotes of the times when you and your brothers were building and flying this airplane You have told me that th is was constructed as an improvement over the one you and your brothers made in 1909 May I suggest that Mrs Johnson and you might have lunch with me We can continue our conversation there

Mr Shaw While you two are at lunch Ill glue these hands together around this wheel

Mr Garber Thanks Win Well be back before long (Later) Mr Garber Now we are back from lunch It was

particularly enjoyable to have Mrs Johnson with us During lunch we spoke further about the airplane Mr Johnson said that there were two things which inshyfluenced their discontinued operations of the airplane and their further interest in aeronautics One factor was a cyclone which demolished their factory and another factor was their hope to get a contract for some airplane engines from Russia That was after the beginning of World War I in Europe 1914 The Johnson airplane had conti nued in flight through 1913 and during that year the brothers were thinking of developing a more powershyful engine The engine as shown in this model had 4 cylinders but the brothers intended to develop the type with 6 8 and possibly 12 cylinders The Russians became interested in the most powerful Johnson engine and the Johnson Brothers invested a great deal of money and effort into the development of the 8 and 12 cylinder engines The Russian government was rather unsettled at that time and it seemed difficult for the agents of that nation to make up their mind When the Johnson Brothers learned that the Russians preferred a 12 cylshyinder engine they decided that it should be of the 4 cycle type but the brothers could not obtain a magneto of sufficient power and reliability to use in the ignition system Had the Russian government ordered the 8 cylshyinder engines in quantity or had the brothers been able to get an experimental contract for development of the 12 cylinder engines and been able to produce a protoshytype that was satisfactory the Johnson Brothers might well have gone into the business of manufacturing airshyplane engines and developing more advanced examples of their airplanes But not receiving such encouragement the brothers decided to concentrate on Marine engi nes Also there were some financiers who were considering investing money in the Johnson Company The investors

believed that aviation was an unstable field and they would not agree to put their money into the Johnson Brothers enterprise when the state of aeronautics was so indefinite and considered to be unreliable Moreover there was the thought on the part of these investors that if any of the Johnson Brothers were injured in the course of their flying that their company would thereby be deprived these services thus reducing or even closing the operations of the Marine engine plant So those three factors the severe damage to their plant by the tornashydo the loss of the Russian contract and the attitude of investors caused the brothers to give up airplanes and airplane engines and concentrate on Marine engines For a while the brothers made a small gasoline-engined unit which was attached to a bicycle and called the Johnson motor wheel (I remember that these were sometimes built into 4-wheel wagons and used by boys for transportation around the neighborhood A friend of mine had one about 1916 which he and I would freshyquently go from my home which was then near the Naval Observatory all the way over to my friends familys summer home in Virginia) After that the brothers got into the making of outboard motors they being the first ones to use a rope for starting the engine Now of course Johnson outboard motors are famous and the company itself is very substantial Mr Louis Johnson and Mr Harry Johnson are retired from their business and Clarence is continuing it Julius Johnson I was told had withdrawn his investment several years ago into another line Clarence was the youngest of a family of 7 children but at the time when the airplane was being made and flown he was too young to participate other than by lighting bonfires so that the pilot could land the airplane when evening was coming on At present time one of the five brothers and one of the two sisters have passed away Mr Johnson is there anything that we havent covered in our discussion here in the shop or at lunch

Mr Johnson How about the springs on the landing gear You notice that they extend upward at an angle from their lower connection near the rear wheels Those springs were very useful when we were rolling over rough ground and then when we landed these springs would stretch upward so that the skid would touch the ground and help to slow us down for landing

Mr Garber I see that you have made miniature springs here and that they operate the same as in the original airplane

Mr Johnson Yes I have put it all in there exactly as it was nearly 50 years ago

Mr Garber I notice that you have some heavy springs up here in the horizontal section of the control cables where they connect to the cables coming off of the control wheel They look like whiffletree springs What were they used for

Mr Johnson Well when the aviator pulled his control wheel back it would tend to shorten this cable here but the springs were so arranged as to take up that extra play and similarly permitted the connections to elongate when the aviator pushed the wheel forward That would keep the chain from coming loose on these sprockets over which the length of chain passed Thus the spring would expand or contract to compensate for the over-all differences in the lengths of the connections to the elevators Now for take-down purposes we could take the wings off and lay them alongside of the body when we were going down the road or moving it from one place to another One end of the wings would rest on this pin here and the other end on this cross bar while the trailing edge would lay against the upper strucshyture of the fuselage We would tie the wings in place and then we could pull the whole machine along acountry road behind a horse-drawn wagon and then bring it into a field where we could take off One of the fields that we used had a bluff there and we would usually take off from the top of the bluff

Mr Garber About dimensions you have told me that the scale of this model is 1 1 O That is 110 size every part being 110 that of the original A decimal scale

Mr Johnson Yes that is right the wing span was 36 feet and the length was 34 feet That was measured from the front of the front wheel to the extreme rear over-all The propeller was 8 feet in diameter and the width of the wing was 8 feet

Mr Garber Do you remember the pitch of the propeller

Mr Johnson Yes that was 4Y2 feet The revolutions per minute were about 1200 on the ground but I dont know how fast the engine turned up when the airplane was in the air In the air it must have been more than on the ground We had no indicator on the machine howshyever Here is another thing I had not mentioned The cables extending from the rear spar connections on the right side of the wing to the corresponding fittings on the left side would pass over the pullies on top of these upright cabane braces here and in that way they would

10

move span wise from side to side when the wing was warped

Mr Garber You told me during lunch that in all of the flights with this airplane there had never been any serious crack-ups You said a few minor damages had occurred that were easily repaired and that the airplane was flown until 1913

Mr Johnson Yes right up to the winter of 1913 but not over into 1914

Mr Garber Was there any change in the design during that period

Mr Johnson No this model shows how it was at the beginning and how it was al l the time we were flying it I dont recall any changes that were made all that time except these flanges here on these longitudinal fuselage pipes At first we didnt have them on and then we added them in order to help make the engine run cooler They were on in 1911 however so we must have put them on rather soon after we built it On the model I have made them out ofrsheet brass but on the airplane they are made of copper and were of L-shaped section On the model it was quite a problem to figure out how to make them but first I ran the brass through a set of gears so as to form these parts that expand up and then I made a tool for pinching those U-shaped parts flat That formed the shape that would fit around the pipe Then I soldered them together soldering the joint on the unerneath line of the tubing on this model but in the original airplane we soldered each piece on separately

Mr Garber That is certainly a wonderful story and I marvel not only at your ingen io us craftsmanship in constructing the original but also in the exquisite jewelshylike precision and beauty with which you made this miniature reproduction Is this to be accessioned as a gift from all three brothers

Mr Johnson Yes thats right from all three of us We are very honored to have it here in the National Air Museum

Mr Garber Well I assure you Mr Johnson and I assure your brothers that we ourselves are honored to accept it from you and to display it I know that our visitors will be thrilled by the excellence of this beautiful model Those brothers are yourself Louis whom I met and Julius who I have not had the pleasure of meeting yet

Mr Johnson Thats right that is Louis J Johnson Harry L Johnson and Julius M Johnson

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Mr Garber The correspondence clearly indicates that th is is being given by the three brothers to the National Air Museum At the time when I had the pleasure of seeing Mr Louis Johnson he mentioned also a trophy and said that would be available and I assured him that we will be pleased to have it I will contact Mr Beldon about that May I confirm the address please

Mr Johnson Yes Louis J Johnson is now at Drumshymond Island Michigan Julius M Johnson is at Meadow Court Hotel Bradenton Florida and after Mrs Johnson and I return from a little trip we are taking we will be back home at R R-1 Culver I ndiana We will stop off at

Washington as we turn back toward home after we visit some friends up North

Mr Garber Thank you again Mr Johnson and Mrs Johnson we are further indebted to your husband for bringing you I hope that you have enjoyed your visit to the Museum We will proceed to put this beautiful model on exhibition so that we and our visitors can enjoy it Again and always our sincere appreciation to you Letters of acknowledgment will be sent to you and to your brothers and we are very grateful to you pershysonal[y for assembling the model here and informing us aboutit~

11

~ife Story of

Lou JOHNSON Pioneer Airplane Manufacshy

turer and Aviator Developer

of the Vee Type Motor and

Modern Outboard Engine

As Recorded in an Interview

By Dorothy Jefferson

Konold

Especially for MoToR BoatinG March 1927

Lou Johnson grinned cheerfully as he answered my questions concerning his initial flight Lou is the eldest and the leader of those four red-headed Johnson brothshyers who designed constructed and flew the first successshyful American monoplane in Terre Haute Indiana eightshyeen years ago and who have taken many remarkable steps in the perfection of V-type motors

Kind of funny he sa id with that quiet reticent humor which is so much a part of his personality When that machine was ready to go up I had not the remotest

(Continued on page 15)

Louis johnson makes first stccessful flight with johnson Aeroplane

12

Vintage Upper Left Note the brass steam condenser (tea kettle) just behind the engine In front of the condenser is the ignition system Large box was magneto and selective cylinder control later substituted for blip switch

Lower Left The johnson Motor wheel served the Company for a period of time - after aeroplanes and before outboards As a child I rememshyber a johnson motor wheel powered buckboard (a bicycle wheeled contrivance about twice the size of a childs wagon accommodating two passengers)

13

Album

Upper Right A good shot of the east side of the engine with Louis Johnsons wife at the controls The propeller was made of alternate strips of spruce and walnut

Lower Right This engine could enhance my living room anytime Everything the Johnshyson brothers did was done to perfection Imagine what a 72 cylinder 2 cycle engine could have done for an aeroplane shytoo bad they were never successfully applied

14

idea how to fly Had to learn that at the same time I was testing out the plane Quite different nowadays learning all the principles in an aviation school and then having a perfectly good standardized thoroughly inspected plane delivered into your hands In the old days you had to keep your wits about you all right You never knew what might happen next Ill never forget the first time I went fifty feet off the ground It was lots more of a surprise to me than it was to the spectators

We were sitting in the cheerful home-like living room where Mr johnson does most of his reading and much of his designing A log fire snapped on the hearth and the atmosphere suggested such peace and retirement that it was almost impossible to see in the modest kindly man who sat before me that rugged grimly determined Hoosier lad who never allowed a class-mate to pass him in school who dreamed fantastic things with his boyish brain and carried them out with his amazingly skillful boyish hands who permitted no failure even heavensent destruction in the form of a tornado that completely wiped out his entire motor plant in a few hours to come between him and his goal and who has accepted success with an unconscious grace known to few At forty-five Louis james johnson occupies an enviable position in the engineering world yet one has only to converse with him a few moments to be certain he feels that only a very small portion of his work has been accompl ished

And what he admits of success he attributes in no great measure to his own ability He tells you gravely of two paramount influences in his youth and insists that a boy given these could not have failed

The first influence as you may have guessed was his home life

Meeting Mr johnsons parents as they are today it is not difficult to understand the reverence that is accordshyed them by all of their five children Father johnson at eighty-four has the keen clear eye of a man of sixty His most prized possession is a motor wheel presented to him when his sons were manufacturing them and he rides daily During the war he was called by the govshyernment to take over an important task in an ammunishytion factory for though he had been long in idleness his ability as an expert tool dresser was well known and they were unable to find skill in younger men that matched his Coming from Denmark when he was nine he went at a very early age into a machine shop reaching the place where he could gauge steel by his senses as accurately as other men ga uged it by instruments And

from the first hi s so ns were benefited by an interest and cooperation which very few fathers know how to give

We always had our own tools and work-benches Lou explained Father indulged us in these things as wealthier men indulge their children in expens ive toys We were encouraged to try our hand at any sort of construction that appealed to us And father was always there to advise and assist No task even the building of a sled was regarded as trivial We were taught to put sincere effort into everything and to finish whatever we began

Mother johnson quietly sitting softly rocking speaks in a low almost awed tone of her boys and you know at once what her part in their story has been

When Lou was only twelve she says he decided he wanted a new sled We couldnt afford to buy him the kind he selected so he took an axe and went out into the woods and cut down a tree He worked at it until he had his lumber ready Then he sat down and drew a design We didnt think he could carry it out he was such a little fellow but first thing we knew he had someshything that looked like a real sled The only trouble was with the runners Finally he took the rim off an old buggy wheel pounded it down flat and fastened it to his wooden runners Father got him some red and black

1paint and I want to tell you he had a sled to be proud of I have it in my attic now and you couldnt buy a A better one shy

The second influence you cannot guess It was the Wabash river When the johnson boys were still youngsters the

family moved from Effingham Illinois to Terre Haute I ndiana All of the boys Lou Harry julius Clarence and Arthur (the latter being the one who lost his life some years ago in a factory accident) were enchanted with the river

Our Danish blood Lou smiles quietly It seemed to them that life would not be worth living until they owned a boat

Make it their parents encouraged So the boat was begun and before the summer ended

it was an admitted success But another summer came and brought new ambitions Lou johnson and Nell Cockerham johnson

Louis and Harry wearied of rowing each other about It is rumored that she flew the johnson airshyone day and began to dream plane The family doubts that she did

If we had a motor - Pictures of her in the plane may have been We couldnt afford to buy one - responsible for the rumor (See page 74) We could race neverything

15

Gee how fast d you suppose we co uld go They approached their father and mother Make it said the parents fi nall y with less enthushy

siasm than they were wont to show Gasoline motors were strange toys in those times

But the moto r slowl y assembled proved the env y of all their small assoc iates It was t he two-horse power inboard type a quaint ancestor for the outboard of today but it chall enged and defeated many a marine moto r of prouder origin

The influence of the Wabash shyHigh School was completed with so exce ll ent a

record in mathematics that Terre Hau te professors still speak of Lo us asto nishing ab ility in that line and the yo ung inventor for he was now recognized as that sought hi s fathers consent to engage in marin e motor man ufacture

As usua l hi s parents nodd ed approval They had a lways wished their boys to be in business for t hemshyselves a nd there was money ready for a sma ll factory

Here it is interesting to make a note on the progress of Louis Jo hnsons education No more schooling yet systematic stud y never neglected in the press of any c irc umstances whatever More mathematics a keener interest in everything pertaining to the mechanical sciences engineeri ng co urses Constant reading evshyid enced today by the books that surround him in his home

A few years of this marine work and then the brain that dreamed and the hands that were ever ready to carry out those dreams united in a burni ng desire to drive something far more romantic than river boats with a gaso line engine

He wanted a sled and made o ne He wanted a laun ch and he made o ne He wanted an airplane and he made one It was Americas first triumph with a monopl ane

No o ne probab ly will ever know just what those broth ers suffered in the way of ridicule disappointment a nd discourage ment in the first period of their struggle with th e unknown air monster But they drove ahead undaunted and fi nally something that resembled an ominous bird of prey was hatched

Not only the Indiana town in whi ch it was bo rn thought thi s creation a fantastic f ledgling Looking over Mr Johnso ns scrap-book one comes to hi ghl y amusing comments by the press in various parts of the country Wright and Curtiss were experimenting at the same time of course but air asce nsion was still regarded in the light

of so rcery Working fever ishly day and night and with th e

utmost secrecy the Johnso n brothers of Terre Haute India na are said to be toiling and scheming to put together a huge bird-like machine which is slated either to fulf ill their fo ndest hopes or prove their bitterest disappointment says a cl ipping of September 26 1909

Desp ite the Jo hnsons effo rts at secrecy spectators began to throng the camp in the old reservoir bed ear ly Saturday afte rnoon and later automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place of the Flyer All the far mers took the afternoo n off to view the mach ine news of which had leaked out in spite of the covered e ntra nce to the farm where the try-out is to be held

This a li tt le later in the Terre Haute Tribune Mr Joh nson ch uckl es soft ly as he reviews these

notices The betting ran high at those fi rst ex hibitions he

says Bets ran about two to one that wed not get off the gro und People a lways paid to see the machine too One day in Hill sboro Illino is we took in 2500 gate admissio ns of twenty-five cents each

Gasoline of course was regarded with much fear and the greatest caution used Before the engine was started a crier ran down the f ield warning spectators of the imminent danger and forbidd ing them to smoke

But the queer creature t hat the Johnson brothers had labored w ith was now winning wagers for those who had faith in it The press spoke of a f light as a lift and fo ll owi ng a discouragingly ra iny sum mer when muddy fields delayed the tests for weeks we read

After a period of experiment covering some time the Jo hnson brothers made a successful lift at their camp Sunday evening The machine was started on the aershyd ro me track from which it was run down the field in an effort which finally succeeded in raising it clear of the ea rth Severa l times the craft raised for d istances of from fifteen to twenty feet though th e height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time

Among the things that the history of tomorrow will carry will be the invention and construction of the first successful American monoplane It will recount the years of unaided struggle by those red-headed Johnson bro thers in Terre Haute I ndiana who brought out of a chaos of thought the most wonderful th ing up to the year 1912 in the way of an aero engine mounted on a steel flyer that really flew

The original motor was mounted on a wooden fra me the wings were of silk and the position of the flyer was perilous The improved monoplane boasted a steel frame stronger win gs and the aviator was pl aced above and behind the machinery eliminating the danger of being crushed by the engine in a fall

This successful ai rplane had a spread of 36 feet a length of 34 feet 260 square feet of plane surface and weighed 750 pou nd s I t had a speed of better than sixty mil es an hour and was driven by a V-type motor which was in the nature of a revolution

Then came the Johnson School of Aviation Now that there were pl anes to fly there must be

av iators to fly them But while many young men took a keen interest in the sport fro m the sidelines most of them were sti ll decided ly earthbo und However there were two immediate ap plicants and Ross L Smith who trained one hundred and fifty men during t he war was Lou Johnsons first pupil Frank Schutt was the other and to him befell the thrill of crashing to ground from a height of 1500 ft and landing unhurt His acc ident was caused by a shortage of gas as were many other similar catastrophies of the time

But there is a more perso na l note to be sounded in connection with Mr Johnsons f lights Something other than motors and his aviatio n schoo l engrossed him Th ere was a charming young person in the hood and dust coat supposed to represent the ideal sport costume of the day always ready to assay the clouds with him Up to now spectators had gazed in obvious ad miratio n at the mother who bade her son such a brave god-speed when he started upo n those fearsome uncharted voyshyages Her gallant bearing unfa ilingly caused a little ripple of com ment But now anoth er woman stood at her side eq ually anxious yet equally hero ic It was whispered that Miss Ne ll Cockerham also of Terre Haute had often been up in the machine with Mr Johnson and that she evidently took a keen interest in monoplanes shy

The story is briefly told in two headlin es from the local paper

DISCOVERED- PRETTY MISS WHO FLEW IS I NTERESTED IN BIRD MAN THEN AVIATOR JOHNSON UP IN AIR- MISSED TRAIN ONWEDDING DAY

A new partnership was formed for it is evident to everyone who contacts the Johnsons in either a business or a social way that theirs had proven a very successful marriage and that Mrs Johnsons intere st has been

16

manifested in every phase of the inventors work But the influence of the Wabash shyFlying was all very well Mr Johnson admitted when

questioned concerning his return to motor-boat building but the call of his first love was too strong to ignore for long Of course during these remarkable three years he had never ceased to manufacture the Johnson marine motor but following his marriage he devoted himself intensively to the development of several ideas he had held in embryo while he sought the conquest of the clouds

Soon the Johnson brothers were offering twenty models of marine motors Racing motors ranged from single cylinder to twelve cylinder type One of these held therecord in the 320 in class for four years

But the fates having accorded this much in justice to the originality persistency and energy of the Johnson family evidently decreed that the number thirteen must cast an ominous influence upon the new industry The tornado of 1913 is well remembered by all who lived in the vicinity of Terre Haute at that time but to none perhaps was it more devastating

Lou and I had been in the theatre while the storm was at its worst said Mrs Johnson when we had come to this part of the narration And Lou spoke of the satisfaction of being in a nice new brick factory We went home and knew nothing of the damage that had been wrought until the following morning Then when the men reported for work they saw a pile of wreckage that would have sickened any heart The highest portion of the plant left standing was a bit of the brick wall three feet above the ground

W ea ker men wou Id have broken perhaps but apparently Lou and his brothers bowed to the will of the gods and accepted their loss calmly I n humbler quarters but with no lessening of spirit they designed something new in the manner of a racing craft

In 1914 Johsons most famous boat Black Demon III entered a special match race against some of the fastest boats in the country on Lake Michigan Disturbshyer I V of Ch icago took first honors but Black Demon was a close second out-classing a number of favorites It was a recognized triumph for the V-type motor which had been exhibited in Chicago a few months before and was causing much comment Black Demon III was a 23-footer powered with two 12-cylinder high speed marine motors each having 180 horse-power

Ever casting about for new transportation methods

Black Demon III was a 23 footer powered with two 2 cycle 72 cylinder high speed marine motors each having 780 horsepower

the red-headed Johnson boys now wondered whether a bicycle driven by their motor would compare favorably with types already on the market Apparently it did for in 1917 the Johnson Motor Wheel Company was a going business with an output of 10000 machines a year and the slogan - SIXTY MILES FOR TEN CENTS was familiar to many of us

Warren Ripple Chicago financier was especially interested in this new venture and through his influence the factory was moved to South Bend in the early part of 1918

In eight years the growth of the Johnson Motor Company has furnished South Benders with an inshyexhaustible subject of conversation First it wasshy

Did you hear about those Johnson people Theyve taken over the od Bottling plant next to them

Then Have you heard the latest about Johnson Theyve

leased that whole block of stores on Lincoln Way and put their offices over there

On and on it went this amazing growth Soon a vacated portion of a large underwear mill across the river was commandeered neighboring houses sheds buildings of any type whatever were given over to the manufacshyture and housing of Johnson motors It was said that one must carry a road map to complete a tour of the plant

The wheel had gone into the discard but there was

never a lull in activities The out-board marine motor had quietly taken the place of the motor-driven bicycle - and Lou Johnson was back again doing homage to his first love

Strange influence-On the Banks of the Wabash - tho now of course it was the St Joe river that knew his experiments

Mr Johnsons smile changed as he finished the little resume of his work and walking to the fire-place framed by the well-filled bookcases looked thoughtfully into the flames for a few seconds

Of course it is only a beginning he said This is the age of mechanical development and no one can foretell the progress that will be made in the next ten years even though one may feel it coming Naturally the thing that interests me most and always has is the improvement of water transportation Better boats fastshyer boats-

He paused and the smile was again in his eyes America is only beginning to enjoy water sports

presume we Johnsons have that in the blood And suddenly I saw him as he is a tall Danishshy

American captain commanding in spite of his reticence who began his voyage about three decades ago on a childishly constructed raft in the Wabash river and has been coming fearless of current and snag upstream ever since ~

17

Wednesday August 3 1910

JOHNSONS PREPARE TEST AIRPLANE - machine stands ready after more than a years work for its initial flight - brothers guard secret of place of first trial Airshyship has as original feature V type 2 cycle engine built for strength and lightness

Harry Louis and Julius Johnson the Johnson Brothshyers who have been at work for more than a year manufacturing an aeroplane at their shop 717 N 10th St have at last completed the machine and will leave Friday for a place in the open country near Terre Haute

to make the first attempt at flying it Thus far the Johnson Brothers have kept the location

of the place where they will try to fly the machine an entire secret It is desired to have no crowd about to bother while the machine is being tried

Everything was completed Wednesday with the exception of putting the parts together The machine which weighs 650 pounds complete will be shipped knocked down to the scene of the first attempted flight The propeller which is over 10 in length the wings seat and balances will not be attached until the scene of

try-out has been reached Wednesday morning the airplane stood in the big

building erected especially for the purpose of building it at the rear of the Johnson home on North 10th St It is 36 in length and measures the same exactly from tip to tip in width Every part of it has been manufactured by the three young men while they at the same time carried on their occupation of gasoline and marine engine manufacturing It was begun just a little less than a year ago

The wings which are to extend on either side from

18

the front of the machine measure 16 Yz x 8 and are made of light waterproof canvas stretched over stout framework The engine is a V type 2 cycle engine the only one of its kind to have ever been made

There are V type engines said Mr Johnson but they are 4 cycle The 2 cycle engines have previously been built straight causing increased weight Everything about the machine has been built for speed and lightmiddot ness

Two 7 gallon gasoline tanks will furnish the propellmiddot ing power for the machine It is expected it will take a day and a half to set the machine up after its been shipped to the place where it will be tested

- ~ shy

Saturday August 6 1910

LOCAL AVIATORS MAKE READY FOR FIRST TRIAL JOHNSON BROTHERS MOVE AIRPLANE TO FIELD NEAR BLACKHAWK AND SET UP MACHINE FOR TESTmiddot everything was hustle and bustle at the Johnson brothers aero camp a few miles from Blackmiddot hawk Saturday where the three young men manufacmiddot turers of engines and incidentally builders of an airplane were engaged in putting together their airplane preparmiddot atory for a trial flight One of the busiest of the workers was Clarence Johnson a 12 year old brother who showed himself a handy man about the place Owing to the fact that due to their hurried move from Terre Haute with their machine Friday the Johnson brothers left behind some necessary blocks and braces and the flight that was scheduled for Saturday will be postponed until some time Sunday The strange man by the name of Zakarius supposed to be from Indianapolis and well versed in aviation was with the three brothers Saturday as they worked on their machine which was enclosed in a 40 tent to shut out the view from the spectators Another important personage at the scene was Dr Dupui of Riley who was on hand in case a flight should be made to see to the injuries of the aviator in case he should meet with an accident

The tryout grounds are admirally situated in the center of a 100 acre farm in the reservoir of the old Wabash and Erie Canal There is a wide stretch of clear country without any woodland within its radius of two miles It is believed the airplane will be assembled and ready for a trial late Saturday afternoon but it is not thought a flight will be attempted before Sunday

- Ii _ ~ ~

Sunday August 7 1910

JOHNSON BROTHERS PREPARE FOR INITIAL TEST OF BIG AIRPLANE CONFIDENCE PERmiddot MEATESCAMP AS TIME FOR TRY-OUT NEARSmiddot the first flight if flight is to be of the Johnson airship now resting in all readiness for its try-out at its camp at southeast of Terre Haute will come at about noon today and the result of a year s work and effort to build a successful airplane will be determined

In spite of the Johnson effort at secrecy spectators began to throng to the camp in the old reservoir bed early Saturday afternoon and later in the evening automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place The farmers also took Saturday evening off to take advantage of the opportunity to see the machine and the men

A heavy steel roller was brought to the scene Satshyurday evening and the Johnsons will layout the course early Sunday morning on which the aviators who drive the machine in the preliminary try-outs will score down for a start The meadow as it stands is rough and trouble was feared when the wheels of the flyer were started over the ground before the machine raised into the air

Just who would be the first man to steer the machine on its initial effort the Johnsons refused to state but the crowd of sightseers who have been watching the progress of the work at the camp picked the man who they believe will be in the seat when the airplane raises first It is William Zachow the stranger from Racine Wisconsin who arrived in this city just in time to take an active part in completing preparations for the try-out Zachow refused to give out his name but the above is the name he registered under at the Philbeck Hotel Gossip has it that the Wisconsin man is an experienced aviator and it is on this fact that the spectators base their belief that he will be the one to drive the machine when it is tried out

There is no spirit of speculation in the air about the Johnson camp but in plain businesslike manner the men are carrying forth the work which is to determine whether or not Terre Haute has produced a parallel to the Wright Brothers There were several men on the ground Saturday afternoon who professed some knowlshyedge of mechanics All the men who have seen the machine since it has been brought near enough to completion for an idea to be formed as to its efficiency has had nothing but praise for the thoroughness with which it has been finished and experienced mechanics say that from a mechanical standpoint the machine looks good

An experienced mechanic who examined the machine Saturday stated that the V type 2 cycle engine a

distinctive feature of the new machine is especially adapted for the use on airplanes The Johnson brothers claim the distinction of having made the first engine of this type and mechanics say that it is the coming engine for use on aerial machines

The Johnsons themselves though they do not talk much have all confidence in their creation The men have had years of experience in the manufacture of all kinds of engines and in addition have put in considershyable time in research work on the subject of airplanes and other flying machines They have been close students to the methods of the Wright Brothers

Ii- _ ~

Monday August 8 1910

MAKER LAYS PLANS TO PILOT AIRPLANE ON INITIAL FLIGHTmiddot with the airplane removed from the tent in which it has been housed and the engine of the plane in perfect running order the Johnson brothers were expected Monday at noon to make an attempted flight at any time

The field located near Blackhawk south of the city where the first trial will take place is in perfect condishytion for the flight The only thing that may cause a delay of the flight is the lightness of the wheels which support the airplane on the ground at the start It was feared Monday that heavier wheels would be necessary In case this is decided on the trial of the machine will not take place for a day or so One of the Johson boys will pilot the machine on its initial attempted flight This was definitely announced Monday It was thought at first that William Zachow who was present at the aviation camp would pilot the machine but it has developed that the stranger is a salesman for an airplane supply comshypany He is said to be thoroughly fa miliar with the mechanism of airplanes however and has been of great value in getting the machine ready for flight

A test of the engine was made Monday morning it developed 40 HP Confidence was expressed by the Johnsons that the engine could develop 20 HP additional if necessary

- ~~

Saturday August 13 1910

WEAK SPRINGS POSTPONE JOHNSONS TRIAL OF FLIGHT CROWDS GATHERED AT AVIATION

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FIELD TO AGAIN LEARN THAT MACHINES TEST MUST AGAIN BE DELAYED - the Johnson brothers made no attempt to fly this afternoon It is reported that they would make their initial attempt to scale the clouds today A crowd followed in the wake of the rumor and by 200 this afternoon many people swarmshyed down from the meadow

When the Johnson machine was wheeled out at 2 00 it was found by the inventors that an important set of springs were too weak These will be strengthened and it is probable that the apparatus will not be taken out of the tent again until Tuesday of the coming week

Two of the brothers hurried to Terre Haute this aftershynoon as soon as the defect in the machine was discovshyered They will return to the camp Sunday and begin adjustment

_ F A ~~

Sunday August 141910

BROTHER AVIATORS DELAY DEMONSTRATION AGAIN PART OF MACHINE USED IN MAKING LANDING GETS OUT OF ORDER SECOND TIME shythough delayed again in their preparation for the initial flight of the first airplane ever manufactured in Terre Haute the Johnson boys Louis Julius and Harry went to work to remedy the defect which made necessary the postponement of their flight for the second time The defects which they are now forced to repair causes no despair in the Johnson boys or lessens their faith that the machine will fly after they are completed

We have encountered no difficulty whatever as yet which would in any way interfere with the successful flight of the machine said one of the boys Saturday The trouble is only in the wheels and supporting spring those parts of the machine which are used to make a landing on and the defect is not curious in any way though it does take some time to make the necessary changes

The intention of the trio was to fly Saturday and the day was ideal but it was decided at the last minute that the chances of flying and making a safe landing would involve too great a risk

Louis the eldest of the Johnson brothers said to a Tribune representative Saturday I am sorry that we could not fly today In the first place the weather is ideal and in the second place when the statement that we have been halted again appears in print a great many people will believe that the machine is a failure As for us we are certain as we have been all along that the airplane will fly

Ii ~~

Monday August 15 1910

JOHNSON PROMISES TO MAKE AIRPLANE TRIP WEDNESDAY BROTHERS OCCUPY ENTIRE DAY REPAIRING CARRYING TRUCK OF HEAVIER THAN AIR MACHINE - the work of getting ready the remodeled parts of the carrying truck for the airplane occupied the day of the Johnson boys at their work shop on 10th Street on Monday The men expect to have their work completed and will take their remodshyeled parts to the camp near Blackhawk Tuesday eveshyning

Louis Johnson said Monday that they expect to have everything in readiness for the trial by Wednesday One man has been left at the camp while the others came to their home in Terre Haute over Sunday

qp tt ~~

Friday August 19 1910

JOHNSONS WAIT WEATHER FOR FIRST TEST OF FLYER HUGE MONOPLANE GIVES EVERY EVshyIDENCE OF BEING FULLY CAPABLE OF NAVshyIGATING THE AIR - the initial flight of the Johnson monoplane was scheduled to take place Friday aftershynoon but a strong wind swept over the field here and made the test impossible The huge flyer waits serenely for the first chance to take to the air having been thoroughly tested on the ground

Friday afternoon the monoplane was staked to the ground headed into the wind and the engine turned on for the purpose of determining her power Under full speed the flyer acquired the full strength of the helpers to keep her from leaping upward At half speed the power developed was not sufficient to convince the builders that the test would be a success in the wind as it is their desire to fly first under half power leaving the remainder for reserve while in the air

After the test of the engine Louis Johnson expressed himself as being unsatisfied with the condition of the engine and propeller

E ~~

Saturday August 201910

JOHNSON SHIP REFUSES TO QUIT TERRA FIRMA ENGINE FAILS TO DEVELOP SUFFICIENT SPEED

TO LIFT MACHINE INTO AIR - the Johnson brothers have made half a dozen attempts to fly the monoplane upon which they have worked for so many months and in none have they succeeded in getting the big machine into the air

Three times Friday they turned the big propeller under high speed and freed the machine from all restraints At a rate of about 12 mph it tore down a rough field only to be stopped at the limit of the course without having raised from the ground Three of these efforts were made before and three after alterations had been made to the propeller Saturday morning the Johnshysons were not disheartened or discouraged they had come to the realization that they were not as far advancshyed in the building of the machine as they had thought Their attention was turned to alterations that were expected to have a decided affect on the plane and also to the grounds upon which they were flying The aviashytion camp is located on exceedingly poor grounds It is rough and full of ruts and so soft that the tired wheels sink to 1 to 3 in it when the machine is started _Those who have watched the attempts to fly are of the opinion that the nature of the grounds is largely responsible for the failures as it is impossible to start the machine at a pace that will make it rise Whether the Johnsons will move or prepare a smoother runway is a question that has not yet been determined The three efforts to fly Saturday morning were made early while the sun was rising and the wind was low A fairly steady breeze from the south made it necessary to drive the machine up a slight grade into the wind but this was not sufficiently a factor to which to attribute a failure to rise The monoshyplane failed to fly simply because it did not have enough power to raise it from the ground There is no speed indicator in the camp and it is impossible to tell at what rate the propeller is revolved but several have estimated it at about 900 rpm 1500 rpm is considered necessary for success and the Johnsons may have to make radical changes in the propeller before making the desired speed_

Saturday evening before a large crowd they started the engine three times and raced down the field with Louis Johnson in the machine The first was probably the best of all the trials The monoplane attained a good rate of speed but it did not leave the ground The buildshyers decided the trouble was due to the size of the propelshyler and they cut it down several inches The result was the engine operated faster and more smoothly but it was by no means as speedy as necessary and the test made established that more alterations were necessary espicially if attempts to fly are from the present locashytions

20

~ t_F ~~

Sunday August 211910

FOUR DEVOTEES OF AERONAUTICS MAINTAIN CHEERFULNESS IN FACE OF PARTIAL DISshyAPPOINTMENT WAITING FOR CALM JOHNSONS ADVANCE IN CONQUERING AIR SIX TRIALS OF MONOPLANE PROVE MANY THEORIES CORRECT BUT BRING PARTIAL DISAPPOINTMENT LOW SPEED PROPELLER PROVES TOO WEAK TO RAISE WEIGHT DIFFICULTIES AT FIELD AND APPLICAshyTION OF MOTORS ENERGY PRESENT PROBLEMS THAT MUST YIELD BEFORE PERSEVERENCE - Sunshyday the Johnson brothers who are now so earnestly engaged in the attempt to fly a monoplane in the old canal basin near Blackhawk are going to demonstrate that they can build a high power low speed motor fully adapted to the needs of the aviator

Just now they are encountering difficulties that would discourage many with a patience that means success they are working under handicaps that appear as insurmountable but must give way before their detershymination

Saturday morning the last of six attempts to make their machine leave terra firma failed and they went back to their tent disappointed after two weeks of the hardest kind of labor In spite of the cheerful attitude they assumed there was an air of disappointment all around the camp and even the jokes of the jolly party did not dispel it

The disappointment lay not so much in the fact that the machine failed to leave the ground in its trials as in the evidence that higher speed would be necessary for the proper operation of the motor It is the object of the Johnsons to develop a motor that will run a monoplane without the terrific speed common to those in use If they succeed in securing one of this type they have a fortune at their command They do not desire to construct an airplane merely for the purpose of flying If they did they could easily obtain the pattern of the Wright brothers machine or other machines and build accordingly or they could purchase a machine at less cost and trouble than they have encountered But having as their object the development of a low speed motor the failure of the one now in use to do the work expected was disappointing Although it whirled the propeller at a speed that astonished the spectators it was not operated at a rate of which it is capable but at a rate very much lower and which the builders hope would be sufficient for its purpose

Consequently when the speed attained by the motor in the first trials Friday proved insufficient one of the hopes of the Johnsons was dashed

Reluctantly they cut down the size of the propeller knowing that every inch shaved from it would increase the speed of the engine Two inches all around were sacrificed in the desire to raise the skybird and the result was a perceptible increase in the number of revolushytions and consequently a steadier engine Some consolashyLIon was offered by the fact that even with the reduced propeller there was little vibration noticeable about the machine

Late Friday night the airplane was run out of its tent and the motor started The effect was extraordinary and the hopes of the Johnsons that they had accomplished their purpose ran high Saturday morning early the fourth attempt to fly and the first with the reduced propeller was made

Whether the alterations had any effect on the raising power of the motor was difficult to determine because of the conditions under which the trial was made A steady breeze from the south made it necessary to start the machine from the north end of the field at the foot of the small incline and on ground that was wet and soft The machine behaved no better than before bllt whether it was due to the propeller the grade or the soft ground was a question the Johnsons were not ready to answer To eliminate the grade is almost impossible To wait for a more favorable wind is nerve racking yet the Johnsons will have to do all of these things before making sure that they have the propeller rightly proporshytioned for the task

Whatever may be determined regarding the propeller it remains that the Johnsons have demonstrated an engine that is remarkable for its power and speed combined with its steadiness and construction The motor is of the 2 cycle type 4 cylinders This means that an explosion occurs in each cylinder just twice as often as in the more common 4 cycle 4 cylinder type More power is the result and 75 hp is the indication This is accomplished by combining the Johnson patent valve with cylinders set at an angle of 1800 and big carburetors The patent valve is one on which the men have worked for a long time and they have shown by it a method of allowing more gas to enter the cylinders withshyout increasing the size of the valve a point of corisidershyable value in construction Then they have obtained a motor that will run at great speed and create so little vibration that it scarcely causes a tremor in the light wooden frame of the airship All in all the motor has conducted itself in a manner that is deemed most satisfactory It is applying it to the airplane that has

proven the puzzle and that is the very point the Johnshysons are seeking

The Johnson monoplane will fly because it is constructed on the proper principles for flight That it has not been successfully launched as yet is due to two things - the experience in designing and operating of the men in control of it and the unfavorable conditions under which the trials have been made Both of these points will be overcome in time While they are eliminatshying the unfavorable conditions they are learning from experience the points they have overlooked in designing and they are learning rapidly how to operate it

The story of the construction of the Johnson monoshyplane is one of hard work and persistent effort The Johllsons have had no teacher in the art They have studied much observed a great deal and gathered from experience a great deal more than the average man will ever know about airplanes No one realizes more than they that there is a great deal more to be learned That is why after months of work they took their machine to the Blackhawk basin It was two weeks ago today that they arrived there and since that time they have fought mosquitos malaria and rain in a most credible effort to work out the theories they have formed It is not a pleasant task but one that requires thought constant experiment and careful reasoning They are not particshyularly interested in what the public thinks about their work They want to apply the Johnson motor to aeroshynautics

As one enters the aviation field he is greeted by a sign that reads Welcome - Outside the Tent The sign is expressive of the attitude of the Johnson boys They are willing that anyone watch them at work free about giving information when asked but they promise nothing and consequently are not responsible for the disappointment of the many who have come to see them fly and have left without that satisfaction

Julius Johnson expressed their attitude well when he said while waiting for a wind to subside we have waited a year to get to this point with the machine and we can afford to wait another day rather than run the chances of breaking up the airplane

Last weeks activity at the camp became intensive Thursday morning when the machine was run out of its protection for the first time the frame buckled This was immediately repaired and trials of the engine and frame made that evening Friday three unsuccessful attempts to raise the machine were made and Saturday with an altered propeller three more efforts brought no better success

When the last visitor departed from the aviation field Thursday night the Johnsons rested content with their

21

preparations for a flight on the early morning air Time work until as the crowd left the field Thursday night noon for further tests to be made solely on the ability of and again the builders had been disappointed in not they saw the end of the last bit of preparation for an air the machine to lift It is expected that the trial will1ake having it ready for flight at the time agreed upon Little test place about an hour before sunset No effort at flightweaknesses that could not be foreseen became apparent While it has been disappointing to visit the aviation will be made at this time the test being confined to when the machine was started across the rough field had field and fail to witness an attempt to fly the chagrin of determining the buoyancy of the machine its balance yielded one by one to careful attention and ingenuity the Johnson brothers and Pearl Conover has been and general fitness for flight Every nut and bolt on the unwieldly looking skybird had greater Living in a single big tent pitched in a malaria been inspected and found in first class condition The breeding district pestered by insects and blistered with rt _ alterations made necessary by faulty calculations as to the heat they have put up with all kinds of inconvenshy ~~ weight and pressure on the running gear were completed iences since leaving Terre Haute and every hours delay and the new woodwork covered with a preserving paint In the center of the structure the light but powerful engine shown in polished brilliancy Just in front of it the big propeller built of many pieces and smoothed to a surface like glass was perfect to the last detail A sliver that had been knocked from it was replaced with cement and its bearing was as true as science could make it Stretching away on each side for 16 were ribbed wings on which so much depends each without a flaw or scratch At their tips hung the balancing planes so delicately fitted that the slightest movement of the operator was reflected by a changed position To the eye the machine was perfect and the builders who worked so patiently at last were satisfied it was ready for its initial trip

It now appeared that nothing stood in the way of a thorough demonstration but the Johnson brothers were doomed to meet another disappointment Under its power for the first time Louis Johnson drove the airship down the field from the tent in which it had been housed Three of the four cylinders were in operation yet it was evident that the Johnson motor was suffishyciently powerful for the purposes of the craft At speed that hurried those who accompanied it the aircraft ran along over the rough ground with little or no vibration from the motor and a steadiness that spelled success Four men hung to it with their weight keeping it from mounting the air while the driver accustomed himself to the situation and watched the engine and the plane

This was the final test of the monoplane before it was entrusted to the element for which it was constructed This test fully demonstrated that the care bestowed upon its construction was not misplaced There was not a flaw noticeable in any of its moving parts There was nothing about its action that indicated a single weakness But one thing marred the success of this test and Thursshyday night saw that one point corrected The long body or frame that extends from the plane to the rudder on the tail was not sufficiently strong to stand the strain of alighting from a height as was shown in its action during this test Immediately the builders prepared to strengthshyen it and all day Thursday they worked on this one part rebracing and adding to the solidity of this frame

has been bitter to them Malaria sent Clarence Johnson the youngest of the camp back to the city unfit to be about Mr Conover succumbed to it one day but was able to throw off the attack The Johnson brothers have all felt the effect of life in the camp and as Louis Johnshyson expressed it Are dead anxious to get to doing something

- shy~~ Monday October 10 1910 MONOPLANE JUSTIFIES EFFORTS OF JOHNSONS AIRCRAFT GOES INTO AIR SEVERAL TIMES AT TESTS MADE SUNDAY- after many weeks of quite work at their camp on the old reservoir prairie 3 miles east of Blackhawk in an effort to perfect the airplane which when first tried out was found to be lacking in a few particulars Louis Harry and Julius Johnson the inventors and builders of the Johnson Bros airplane succeeded in making several lifts with the aircraft at tests made Sunday evening Three tests were made and it was on the third one that the machine lifted from the ground Several times the craft raised for distances of from 15 to 20 Though the height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time this fact was rather to lack in certain details than because the airplane could not raise higher

The craft exhibited a wonderful buoyancy for the test and tended to leave the ground at all times higher than it was allowed to However necessity for certain corrections was manifested before a flight could be safely made and to avoid possible wrecking of the machine it was held down at all times

An assistant of the Johnson boys in their efforts toward perfecting the machine stated Monday that an idea of buoyancy of the machine could be gained from the fact that when starting on the soft dirt just previous to the test that it would leave no track in the soft dirt but that when being brought back for a second test it would plow back into the soil for a depth of 6

Preparations were almost completed Monday after-

Tuesday October II 1910 JOHNSON GIVES EXPRESSION TO SATISFACTION WITH PLANE TEST CONTINUED TO OCCUpy TIME OF BROTHERS AT AVIATION FIELD - Louis Johnson the elder of the Johnson brothers builders of the Johnson Monoplane spent Tuesday in Terre Haute looking after business matters The other two brothers Julius and Harry are at the aviation field making a few required minor changes in the mechanism preparatory to attempting a flight Wednesday or Thursday

Louis will return to the field Tuesday evening to be ready to sit at the wheel of the machine in the initial attempt at flight

We have gone far enough now to see through to the end and we now know that the theory which we have been working is the right one We will fly within a few days possible Wednesday or Thursday The changes now being made are only minor adjustments which were seen to be necessary in our tests as to the lifting power of the machine

-shy~~ Editors Note

The brothers apparently abandoned the attempts to make the 1910 airplane fly shortly after this in October 1910 and started work on an improved design which was successful in the summer of 1911 Between the end of October and the middle of July 1911 they built an entirely new airplane but used the same power plant that had been used in the 1910 version The new airplane was radically different in design using basically a metal framework cloth covered wings and cloth covered tail surfaces which were supported on a single aluminum boom It had a tricycle gear as contrasted with the conventional gear in the 1910 plane It had wing-warping in place of the moveable surfaces at the tips of the wings steerable nose wheel and brakes and many other engineering refinements~

22

Ross Smith had never seen an airplane and was attractshyed to one ofthe public displays of the Johnson monoplane the practice being a charge of 25cent to see it in the tent to help alleviate the costs The plane had barely flown and excitement was running high Ross evidently took one look at it and said thats for me Its hard to guess how he convinced the Johnsons that he should take a hand at it however it is very possible that he was the only one with enough nerve and the J ohnsons had spent a great deal of theirs A bird in the hand at this point was probably welcome According to the records the

motor was started and Ross ran the plane up and down the field for some half hour experimenting with the controls learning how to use the throttle steering the airplane accelerating until it was light Evidently Ross had figured play ti me was over and the description states suddenly the plane shot forward and then rose graceshyfully into the air His very first flight lasted for 30 minutes and he thrilled the onlookers as he flew back and forth over the field (I nstructors take note - how many students would you turn loose in a better machine of today with 30 minutes of instruction)

Barely two days atter Rosss first flight he launched into the professional flying ranks in a big way He immeshydiately received an offer from his home town of Mattoon Illinois to engage in some demonstration flights and was paid for three flights at $50000 per flight Airplanes were so rare in these days that people paid to look at them and in most cases such flights were initiated by promotors seeking a quick fortune You would believe that flying such an airplane was enough of a daredevil stunt but not for our friend Ross He managed to concoct stunts that even from this distance

23

in time seem absolutely ridiculous Daredevil is too mild a word One of his next exploits was an engagement to fly the monoplane during a 10 day Chautauqua Now for you youngsters youll have to run to the dictionary however Ill save you the effort The name Chautauqua originated in New York where some wise promoter startshyed an educational summer camp Families took their vacations very similar to those going to Oshkosh for the week long fly-in lived in tents in a large tent community that attracted as many as 50000 people during its run This particular Chautauqua that contracted for Rosss services with the Johnson airplane was at Merom Bluff Indiana a high point on the Wabash River The bluff was in Sullivan County and stood 150 above the river on one side while the opposite side fell to flat farm land going away from the river in a flat plain Th is particular Chautauqua was obviously one of great importance for the midwest and attractions included William Jennings Bryan Senator Robert LaFollette William Howard Taft former President of the United States Vice President Thomas R Marshall a gal named Maude Ballington Booth discussing prison reform John Temple Graves a noted orator of the time and Jeanette Rankin the first American Congresswoman The Chautauqua encomshypassed every subject from religion to suffrage child care and anything at all that would interest the family

To spice this particular Chautauqua Ross came up with the idea of building a 250 wooden platform with its far end hanging over the bluff on the river side The intent was to fly the airplane from this platform and fly it he did for many performances Descriptions of the flight states that the airplane labored uphill gained speed and disappeared from the end of the platform in what must have been a free fall until it gained flying speed leveling out some safe distance above the river then circling back over the Chautauqua area like a peacock preening its feathers It must have been a supreme thrill for all to witness There was no possible way to land at the Chautauqua area so Ross would cross the river to the Illinois side and land on a road at the ferry The plane would then be disassembled hauled back across the river pulled back up the winding road to the bluff for its next days operation

I n the eyes of the Chautauqua attendance Ross was no doubt walking mighty tall despite his slight stature It was quite common practice for the Johnson airplane to be engaged for fairs etc at which time it generally flew off the racetrack Evidently by this time a standard stunt

This monoplane piloted by Ross Smith flew off the Merom Bluff daily August 22-37 7973 during the Chautauqua

This was the view from the Merom Bluff The picture is deceiving for it was 750 down to the water Note the Ferry cars and buggies waiting to cross and climb the winding road up the bluff This is the view Ross Smith had as he literally dove his plane off the platform without adequate flying speed The result was a near free fall with flying speed gained in time to narrowly miss striking the water below The flight was enacted daily to please the crowd

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-

Ross Smith preparing for an exhibition flight Note man with ladder at right below wing It was a tall gear and a long climb to mount this machine

had been for the airplane to race a car on the track Dirt track races being part of almost every fair there was always someone present willing to race At one such event it states that Speed in the air and on land thrills thousands Aviator Ross L Smith and Speed King Wild Bob Burman held first place in the hearts of sensation lovers for the wild thrills they gave the thousands at the fairgrounds on Sunday Taking off from the track Ross flew around the track circled the infield and landed directly in front of thegrandstand amid the applause of thousands As an additional build up to the race Burman took Ross for a ride in his 300 hp Blitzen Benz and proceeded to smash the world record for a mile on a half mile dirt track breaking his own former record His

speed was just over 60 mph but this meant that 80 mph must have been his speed on the straight away On the first lap he gave Ross a thrill by hitting the turn too fast and almost losing control in a skid Evidently Ross did not appreciate the ride for when Burman said he would go up with him in his plane Ross calmly said that if he did he would get pushed out Burman of course immeshydiately changed his mind Evidently this was the last of Burmans summer appearances and he was going to spend his time readying himself for the 500 mile motor speedway event He had held the lead the previous year until his machine caught fire and burned while he was many laps ahead

As to the race between the airplane and the car the

airplane invariably won all events in spite of the fact that the cars appeared to be going faster Speed in the air does not seem to be speed compared to a roaring monster of an auto spewing exhaust and throwing large clods of dirt as it rounds every corner Smith evidently thrilled the crowd with a simple thing that today would be called a touch and go Newspaper emotes over the fact that even the French exhibition flyers had not done such a thing stating that Ross had no trouble at all in thrilling the crowd In another engagement it states that Ross L Smith will pilot the Johnson brothers monshyoplane during the Corn Week Show sponsored by the Rotary Club of Terre Haute The big thrill of this event was to be a flight down Wabash Avenue between the

25

buildings just above the street car wires It was stated it would be the first time in history that an aviator would attempt such a dangerous feat The plane was to be brought down until the wheels barely cleared the wires then proceed west down the street to the Court House where the plan was to circle the big dome I n a flair of penmanship the author writes it will be unusual for a businessman to see the wings of an airplane almost brushing the windows of his building He further states the trip will be a dangerous one but the aviator and the builders of the machine have such faith in the monshyoplane that they believe that both will stand the test

I n a later account where Smith was engaged to fly an exhibition over Elsworth he decided to give them a new thrill and go for altitude With much circling he reached dizzying height of 2000 where he passed through a cloud bank that confused him for a short time On recovering from the confusion he found himself at 1000 (he invented vertigo no dOUbt)

In still another account it states the Johnson monshyoplane gave one of the best exh ib itions of the art of flying it has been our pleasure to witness There were no death defying stunts just plain flying

The monoplane took off on the back stretch of the race track and for 30 minutes circled dived swooped and turned running up and down the valley for several miles It states the limited space in which he had to land caused him some trouble He had failed to make the first descent (made a go-around - probably the first) When finally on the ground Aviator Ross stated it was the hardest day to fly on he had ever experienced as the air seemed dead and no breeze whatsoever was stirring Density altitude)

About the year 1913 Ross was running out of tricks the bag was getting empty so he decided to scoop them all He announced that he would like to fly the Atlantic and from all records it appears that he was the first to have such serious ideas He was at least 19 years ahead of his time He proposed to fly the flimsy Johnson airplane across the Atlantic alone - a statement that makes Lindshyberghs remarks an echo of the past He approached the Navy Department and asked them to place 10 battleshysh ips at intervals of 300 miles apart figuring that th is would be the maximum load of gasoline possible to carry The Navy of course refused considering the flight across the Atlantic as only a hair brained scheme The Government was not very interested in flying at this time and their decision was certainly not a surprise

~

Evening flights from the field were customary

Ross did not remain silent on this issue and at a later time stated in print when the Atlantic is crossed it will be by a flying boat and not a dirigible

In reading the history of these days all of the emshyphasis on long range travel was transfered to the gas bag History proved Ross to be 100 right and the Navys NC4s were the first to fly across

To further add hues of color to his career Ross was perhaps the first American aviator to get an offer from a foreign government and probably one of the first conceptions of military aviation was born President Huerta of Mexico offered him a high ranking position in the Mexican Army if he would organize an air force for them Ross immediately declined Poncho Villa who was then the bad boy of Mexico and conducting what we would call today Guerilla attack tried to make Ross a better offer of $2000 a month in gold to do the same thing for his side Ross declined that too Time proved how wise he was in declining this offer for one of his best friends was killed - not while he was flying but by Villas own men Four of Rosss friends had decided to fly for Villa but when weeks went by and they received no pay they drew straws to see who would confront Villa with the facts Mickey McGuire (the wild Irish Rose of the skies) was unlucky enough to get the job and foolish enough to make the attempt He faced the illiterate General in his tent and asked for the money

The General promptly whipped out a 45 caliper pistol and shot McGuire through the heart In revenge the remaining three proceeded to burn Villas airplanes saving one to make their escape in They successfully flew that one back to the United States

This was not Rosss last encounter with Army life As World War I came along there were but 50 flyers availshyable for instructors in the US He was one that formed the nucleus of the great Flying Corps This group was called on to also perform test pilot functions and in their vernacular did nose dives tail spins and no doubt were the first creators of aerobatic flying in this country This was no doubt a cup of tea for our adventuresome Mr Ross captivated the services and the record that he established was remarkable General Andrews commenshyded Ross with a citation ending it with a comment Seven years without a serious mishap Ross lived a long and successful life and became very well known in Wash ington and for years was Public Relations Manager for the Hot Shopps a food chain in the East He lived a full life and died on February 19 1959 For an advenshyturesome person who lead such a colorful life and seemingly knew no fear he must have also been blessed with skill and a great amount of common sense In the Hot Shopps Company magazine from which some of this material was gleaned they coined an epitaph for him stating simply An amazing man ~

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By AI Kelch Editor

The Johnson brothers airplane flown successfully just a few years after the Wright brothers first flight was apparently one of many built in the UsA about that time All the World Aircraft for 1919 states that no less than 2000 people in the UsA had built flying machines but that most of them were home made copies of standard designs Most of them being copies of the Wright brothers biplane The percentage that was successful was no doubt very few

The Johnson brothers airplane was a great advance in the state of the art but was never blessed by commercial success It would be interesting to know how many good designs met the same fate If Terre Haute Indiana which then had a population of 65000 could have two successful designers in 1911 namely The Johnsons and Gus Riggs airp lanes there must be hundreds of similar stories in the entire country The tragedy is that people who know about them are rapidly passing from the

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BUILDERS OF T HE FIRST SUCCESSFUL AMERICAN MONOPLANE

scene and if the stories of these accomplishments arent recorded soon they will be lost forever

While rummaging through Dale Crites collection of memorabilia he called my attention to an Argosy Magshyazine for September 1961 which carried an extensive article on the Johnson brothers airplane I read it with complete fascination and started immediately prospectshying for further information to make up the complete story and research the efforts of the J ohnsons I soon

3

struck two mother load sources - o ne through a chance look in Weldon Ropps scrap book I found a picture of the Johnson airplane which I publi shed on the back cover of Vintage Airplane in June 1976 On asking Weldon where he acquired the picture he advised that Mr Johnson was a relative and that hi s son Harry Ropp had inherited from the Johnson brothers quite a collecshytion of material on this early effort Also through the publication of an article entitled One Mans Family in Vintage Airplane October 1976 issue I became acquaintshyed with Deward Peterson who lives in Terre Haute I ndiana The subject of the J ohnsons came up and he was very fa miliar with the story since the Johnso ns lived in Terre Haute at the time they built the ai rplane He offered to research at the source for me and has done an excell ent job Credit for this art icle goes equally to Harry Ropp and Deward Peterson my contr ibution being to ed it it down from the volumes of material and separate the fact from fiction Much of the material is original hand written notes of Louis Johnson the or igshyinal manuscript of the Argosy article vo lumes of newsshypaper clippings besides a manuscript furnished by Mr Peterson researched from microfilm copies of all the Terre Haute papers with some assistance by his son -in shylaw My regret is that we couldnt publish the whole package but it would fill many volumes of our magshyazine I wil l attempt to give you a capsule of the story and then we will reprint several of the documents from that era which will help to fill in the fantastic exciteshyment that these brothers caused in Terre Haute

To start with the early lethargy of our country was well known in the way that the public reacted or rather did not react to the flight of the Wright brothers It took a trip to Europe and a presentation to the more romantic Frenchmen to cause excitement which spilled over to this country and finally got the ball rolling That was the first time that the French were involved - the second being with Lindberghs flight to Paris They were considerab ly ahead of us in their aeronautical effo rts havi ng so whole heartedly accepted the airplane In this country scattered efforts were made in many small towns and it is hard to tell how many good things were left to whither on the vine and never be accepted by the aviation industry

The effort of the Johnson broth ers is a class ic in that they were at least 10 years ahead of their day in the complete effort and would have no doubt stolen a great deal of the thunder had th eir effort come to the publics

notice Probab ly the first significant thing is that they had developed an engine as early as 1900 which was far ahead of any engine of its time The pictures will verify the fineness of thi s piece of machinery Its performance was unbelievable for that day While others were fooling with make shift machinery the J ohnsons developed the four cylinder V type engine water cooled with a magnifshyicent weight to horsepower ratio (65 Ib s-65 hp) and unbelievabl e reliability The workmanship and the engineering on the engine is startling even today The engine was not only a four cylinder V engine it was a four cylinder two cycle engine with a very successful patented valving arrangement The engine developed acco rding to their figures 65 hp but its probably like the 90 horse OX5 On todays scale it would be considershyably better Many updates on the engi ne were mad e and its proving ground was on boats of the day which it pull ed very successfully Th e final completion of the aeronautical V type motor to quote Mr Johnson was completed in 1909 the same year that t hey made their first air plane The straight forward type of thinkers that they were is ev id ent in the following quotation from Mr Johnsons notes In our development we never tinkered with anyth ing I nstead we prepared designs and worked out the problems with many drawings and mathematical calcu lations in a precision manner Through our ca lcul ashytions we decided the monoplane would be much more efficient than the biplane that everyone was building because of the less head resistance than the two planes and all the necessary wires ana structures between the planes Mind you they had already developed a very successful engine now they were going about it in the same methodical manner to develop an airplane

To quote the Argosy article if the world had noticed them at the time the name Johnson would have been emblazoned in aviation history Lou Harry and Julius Johnson of Terre Haute Indiana designed their plane in ways that nobody else not even the Wright brothers or Glenn Curtiss or Bleriot had ever conce ived Where these immortals had used wood the Johnsons used alushyminum nickel and steel and a long slender fuse lage that could have been the prototype of the monocoque fuseshylaged planes that are flying today Like Bleriot they saw the basic correctness of the aerodynamics of a monoshyplane They worked out a tricycle landing gear at a time when American planes landed o n sk ids I t was very nearshyly the same sort of landing gear you see today

(There is much discussion about there being or not

being a steerabl e nose wheel I refrain from mak ing the statement that there was but invite you to take a good look at the pictures showing the hinged front wheel and the steering horns and make up your own mind)

Beside the tricycle gear the rear wh eels were on hori zo ntal V struts with verticle spring loaded tubular members very similar to oleos the later airplanes in the 20s and ea rly 30s used Now add to this the fact that th ey had a brake to slow it up after landing a control arrangement that is entirely conventional today consistshying of a steering wheel operating the wing warping which when moved fo rward and aft operated the elevashytors and a rudd er bar to activate the rudders all this at a time when planes had barely co me out of the prone pilot stage operating the ailerons with the body and skids for landing gear

In look ing at the pictures you will note that the main fuselage tubes which are some 201 in diameter have cooling fin s along their length Again in their inimitable manner they used the actual fuselage tubes as the rashydiator in order to cut down frontal area an idea that was re-enacted in mil itary planes of the early 30s with fushyselage side radiators etc Now add to this a complete forward section of all welded tube with not a single piece of wood visib le a monocoque tubular boom fushyselage extending rearward from the tubular fuselage area to support the tail this being braced with a minimal number of cables and again at a time when bamboo poles were being used to hold the tail on If you will notice in the pictures all metal on the tail section is highly polished all work on the tube is done in a very workmanlike manner that would put todays airplane companies to shame The method of affixing the wings to the fuselage was to butt them into shallow welded stee l pockets held there entirely by the wire bracing structure a feature that has cropped up many ti mes in later years This allowed the wings more freedom in warping which was used for control The spars themshyse lv es did not twist due to not being rigid ly con nected at the butt end s By looking at the cover picture of the model yo u realize the extensive use of metal throughout the airpl ane the outside edge th at forms the wings being completely tubular and all of the empennage surfaces being welded aluminum tube The onl y ev idence of wood in the whole airplane can be found in the propeller and the actual rib sections which have metal caps to strengthen them

4

The design features of the airplane are as follows Wing spread 36 All over length 34 Weight empty 738 Ibs

The fuselage was made of steel the total tail unit Imade of aluminum The fuselage consisted mainly of I three large steel tubes rigidly assembled together by 1 brazing in cross tubes to form a bridge structure and fastenings for all the parts that were attached Two upper tubes were spaced apart to take the 900 V type engine in a forward tractor position providing space beshyhind the motor for gasoline tank and pilots seat thus being the first plane to use metal tubular construction throughout the fuselage and tail unit The tail unit of the fuselage was a large tapered aluminum tube with reshy-enforcing structures throughout including reinforcemiddot ment at the large end with metal brackets to fit in the ends of the three steel fuselage tubes forming a rigid attachment (detachable for shipping)

The four cylinder V type motor was a 5 bore and 4 stroke developing approximately 65 hp The motor was water cooled the water being pumped by a water pump through the three large main tubes of the fuselage which bull had cooling fins attached The cooling was efficient and afforded very little frontal area as a radiator would on any other airplane

Quoting Mr Johnson learning to fly when the plane was completed confronted us with the risk of a smashmiddot up We were vampy cautious about it and went about it much as you would learn to walk Stage one I started installed I could hold it down close to the ground and ground work on a small field by doing considerable make short jumps and finally could make long curves ground running to get well acquainted with the operatmiddot banking successfully I soon left the field and returned ing of the motor the controls etc keeping all 3 wheels without a mishap and felt very elated about the whole on the ground at all times Stage 2 I planned to lift the thing I made many flights around Terre Haute and plane off the ground and then right down but instead of contracted many exhibitions away from Terre Haute that the machine jumped up about 50 in the air with Stage 4 I taught a student to fly by the same method I the end of the field close and high wires ahead I shut used and he was successful in flying the machine and did the motor off by the switch made a rough landing very well Stage 5 I took on a young fellow named Ross bouncing up about 30 and down just in time to avoid a L Smith who learned to fly in a very short time and smashmiddotup There was no damage to the plane which provo was very good He successfully carried out all our exhibimiddot ed its strergth This was an error due to our eagerness to tions and contracts without mishaps Later he was a cishysee it fly We had only a switch down on the control vilian flight instructor in the first World War For three column but had not yet installed a push button on the years he flew exh ibitions for us wheel I tried it again with the same results so we Mr Johnson in some notes written in the late 1950s decided to place a push button on the wheel in the states that Tom Beldon for some time urged us to get in hands of the operator (blip switch in later jargon) We touch with the Smithsonian I nstitution about our early then took the plane to a large enough field for longer development work on the monoplane and he finally ju mps Stage 3 on a larger field and the push button connected us with his friend Dr Paul Garber resulting in

considerable correspondence with Dr Garber who was at the time head curator of the Smithsonian The 3 Johnson brothers decided at their yearly reunion to take on the task of reconstructing their plans and buildshying a scale model to be placed in the Smithsonian The original plane having been sent to the scrap yard after approximately four years of existence and the prints having been thrown away it was a momentous task to reconstruct from pictures and scattered notes the exact dimensions and reconstruct the airplane They had to work through much of the original engineering to do this feat The model is complete down to miniature spark plugs carburetor and all parts in exact scale The beautishyful model stands as a monument to their supreme skill to the last At the time of the presentation to the Smithsoshynian Harry Johnson and his wife were present at a ceremony at which time Dr Garber interviewed him and with much foresight taped the interview Transcript of that tape follows giving much insight to their work

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5

Smithsonian Pp6s6otatioo

By Dr Paul E Garber (Curator Emeritus)

A TAPED INTERVIEW WITH HARRY JOHNSON AT THE TIME OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE

MODEL PICTURED AT RIGHT

July 22 1959 - This is Paul E Garber Head Curator National Air Museum recording an interview with Harry Johnson who with his brothers Louis Johnson and Julius Johnson constructed an airplane in 1911 an improveshyment on an airplane which they constructed in 1909 As I arrived in our Aircraft Building Shop I found Mr Johnson and Mr Shaw discussing this beautiful model which Mr Johnson is assembling they are now putting the wooden figure of a man into the cockpit but acshytually there is no cockpit strictly speaking because the man sits upon a band of canvas There is no safety belt Mr Johnson explains that the hands of th is figure were carved separately so that they could be fitted around the wheel which controls the airplane

Mr Shaw Do you notice how the magneto is operatshyed by a lever on the steering wheel and how cleverly it is contrived so that the lever actually operates the magneto in this model Mr Johnson has explained that the pilot would hold that lever over in retard until the engine gets going

Mr Garber No safety belt I see Did you ever fly this one yourself

Mr Johnson No No Lou did it and then the fellow that we taught to fly but I never flew as a pilot Lou flew th is for a whole year but it cost a lot of money to teach a fellow to fly At that time we were interested in the development and sa le of Marine engines and there were some persons who thought we shouldnt waste our

I found Mr Johnson and Mr Shaw discussing this beautiful model which Mr Johnson is assembling This model currently on display at the Air amp Space Museum has a 43 wing span

time on airplanes We had to make money so we finally gave up the airp1ane and went to Marine engines

Mr Garber You carved your own propeller too didnt you

Mr Johnson Yes I made that myself I carved the one on the model and I carved the one on the airplane

Mr Garber What wood was in the original mahogany

Mr Johnson No spruce and walnut But I made this one of maple and mahogany because they are of a simshyilar color I wanted to put more strength in the propeller on th is small model

Mr Garber Where did you get your basic idea for this airplane Was it from seeing another airplane or reading books or magazines

Mr Johnson We made one like this before you know but we didnt have very good ideas then We made that in 1909 We wNent trying to copy any existing airplane There werent any around at that time that I knew of but I remember a man named Benoist and another named Bleriot I think he crossed the English Channel and I did see some pictures of that but thats all the part I can remember having seen

Mr Garber These wings are much like those Bleriot designed and used

Mr Johnson The shape of them Mr Garber Yes and Bleriot used wing warping like

you do here Mr Johnson The Wright Brothers used warping too

All of their airplanes were something like this but the same principle of wing warping was not new with this one here we knew

Mr Garber Now for your steering control you have a rudder bar there for your feet and that moves the vershytical rudder on a vertical axis Were those controls crossshyed over that is when you pushed your right foot did you turn to the right or was it as in a sled or bicycle that when you pushed the left end you turned to the right

Mr Johnson We made it like a childs wagon Mr Garber Yes thac IS quite logical and I have often

wondered why others didnt make the rudder bars move the same way I remember that it was awkward for me to learn to move the rudder bar in a different manner than I had been accustomed to on a sled and bicycle

Mr Johnson We preferred to turn the bar the way we were going

Mr Garber Now for warping you turned the wheel itself turning it as in an automobile and I guess that as you pulled down on the right side you would raise the trai ling edge of the right wing

6

Mr Johnson When you pulled down on the right side you raised the left wing of the airplane upward and the right side went down

Mr Garber Then if you were making a right turn you would push your left foot forward and that would bring your right foot back a bit then at the same time you would pull down on the right side of the wheel and that would raise the left wing upward so that you would bank to the right

Mr Johnson Thats right Mr Garber That is instinctive and logical and then

to control the elevators the pilot would pull the whole wheel assembly to him and that would cause the airplane to climb

Mr Johnson Yes that would make the tail end of the airplane lower than the front end and set at such an angle that it would lift

Mr Garber Now thats the controls and they cershytainly are understandable I see that you have a brake here you have a long metal sleeve there by the pilots right leg There is a handle on that rod in that sleeve and as the pilot pulls up on the handle a wire at the bottom end of that rod pulls up the front end of a drag bar the other end of which digs into the ground and acts as a brake

Mr Johnson The drag on the ground slows the airshyplane after landing

Mr Garber That is certainly an early use of a brake You dont have the front wheel of your three-wheeled landing gear steerable do you Was steering on the ground just by using the rudder of the airplane itself

Mr Johnson It rolled on all three wheels but there was light weight on the front wheel that made it easier to lower the tail section of the airplane and lift the airplane off the ground

Mr Garber That takes care of the controls Of course you pushed the wheel assembly forward in order to descend Now lets discuss the wings Did you have metal spars for them(

Mr Johnson No those were of wood and so were the ribs There wasnt much metal in the wings

Mr Garber Where did you get your wing section from That is the curvature of the wing Did you get that out of a book Did you just think that a curved wing was a good idea or was it from looking at some bird maybe

Mr Johnson I dont recall seeing any curved wings before We just made the structure as light as possible

and also to have strength that required the bridge strucmiddot ture as I call it The cross pieces or ribs were made like bridge crosses and the spars were the same way They have longitudinal sections separated by upright sticks between them

Mr Garber Then the wing section was not some particular shape that you were copying from some book You realized apparently that you had to have curved wings but where did you get that idea from Why arent these wings flat like a kite

Mr Johnson I think we must have gotten th at idea from somewhere maybe from some picture but I dont even recall the magazines that were out at that time

Mr Garber There was Aeronautics put out by Ernest J ones and from time to time he would publish what he called structural aids

Mr Johnson We might have gotten something from those magazines

Mr Garber Do you remember a book called Vemiddot hicles of the Air by Lougheed It came out about 1909 and had drawings of a number of airplanes of that time

Mr Johnson No I dont remember that one Mr Garber Then apparently your information came

from a few photographs and magazines that you might have seen and in that way you learned something about what others were doing But there is so much original work in this that it doesnt look as though you copied it from anyone except the shape of the wing The tail section is something like that which was on the Antoinmiddot ette airplane of that day and I think there was a Bristol which had a similar tail group

Mr Johnson Wasnt Antoinette a man who tried to race an airplane across the Straits of Dover

Mr Garber Antoinette was the name of the airplane the pilot was Hubert Latham

Mr Johnson Had a square-end wing didnt he Mr Garber Yes we have a model of that one here in

our Early Bird Case The internal structure of your wing then was made from built up spars and built up ribs each having a sort of a bridge truss shape is that it

Mr Johnson Yes thats right Mr Garber The covering was what kind of cloth was

it muslin Mr Johnson No it was rubberized linen Mr Garber Was that a commercial product or did

you make it up yourself Mr Johnson We bought it that way

Mr Garber There was a Goodyear cloth which was rubberized and then there was a material called Penashycloth which was put out by the Pennsylvania Rubber Company so there were availabl e at that tim e some fabrics th at were impregnated

Mr Johnson It might have been an experimental cloth

Mr Garber So then you put it on with the warp and woof running at right angles spanwise and chordwise parallel with the spars The Wright brothers put theirs on diagonally so as to get som e additional bracing from the fabric but apparently you put yours on straight across

Mr Johnson Thats right And then we put rib strips on like you see here to keep the fabric from tearing where the tacks are and we also had rib stays inside which were wires to keep the wing from being bent backward diagonally

Mr Garber That takes care of the wing and the controls now lets consider the construction of the fushyselage and landing gear In the fuselage you used steel tubing Did you braze it or was welding in use that early

Mr Johnson No we had to braze it Mr Garber Langley used brazing on his aerodromes

The landing gear of your airplane I see is something like that used by Glenn Curtiss so although you may have copied the Bleriot wing you did not copy the chassis from that airplane This longitudinal boom which constitutes the principle member of the fuselage aft of the pilot is very unusual I had once seen a somewhat similar structure in a Smith Monoplane but apparently this idea was original with you

Mr Johnson With us it was just a means of carrying the elevator and rudder far back

Mr Garber I notice you dont have any long guys or stays extending from the front of the fuselage out diagonally to the entering edge of the wing to serve as a preventer for any tendency to backsweep nor do you have any stays extending from the trailing edge of the wing back to the tailboom Apparently you have all the stiffness that you need there in the tailboom itself and you have told me that you made that out of pieces of sheet metal that you formed into conically-tapering tubes and then riveted th em together but in the model here you have turned the boom out of a piece of alushyminum rod This is certainly beautifully done

Mr Johnson That cooling system is interesting Mr Garber Yes I thought we ought to take up next

7

the engine

Mr Shaw I think he was one of the first to develop that method of coo ling

Mr Garber The Antoinette used surface cooling ~

along the fuselage You have no drag at a ll for your radiator In most airplanes the radiator was placed up front and was of a square shape I t created more drag than any th ing else

Mr Johnson Thats right Mr Garber This engine here you tell me is based on

those that you had been making for use in boats This is a four-cylinder shape with the cylinders arranged like two vees staggered with one another What was the bore and stroke

Mr Johnson The bore was five inches and the stroke was four inches It was two cycle

Mr Garber Those little spark plugs on this model are certainly well made did you use a Mea magneto

Mr Johnson No it was a Bosch magneto Mr Garber Then I guess the distributor was on the

magneto itself Did you use dry cells for starting the engine

Mr Johnson No we didnt need that Turning the propeller would start the engine all right

Mr Garber Did you use any booster Mr Johnson No we didnt need it Mr Garber Where is the carburetor Mr Johnson We had a pipe here for carrying the

gasoline through a needle valve Thats the needle valve there where we would adjust the gasoline while the engine was running and get the maximum speed out of it the right mixture There was no throttle on the engine It was a one-speed engine and to start it we would prime the engine put gasoline through the exhaust opening here and turn the propeller to start and when the engine starts the aviator pulls on this little valve control here the one here by his right knee and opens up to allow the gasoline to run through the screen and with the engine running we adjust this lever here and then that can stay that way I t usually stayed that way for a long time and to control the engine he has a push button on the steering wheel which grounds the magneto to kill the spark and he just cuts the engine in and out for control as when coming in for a landing on the ground It had no throttle on it and it works very well that way and we had the advantage of not needing any throttle And then when the engine is running the aviamiddot tor only has to fly the airplane

johnson Aero Engine 2 cycle - V 4 - water cooled 65 lb =65 HP

Mr Garber Then you didnt move the spark lever back and forth in order to control the speed of the engine

Mr Johnson No we never did that Mr Garber With the rotary engines there was a

button on the top of the control stick called a blurp button which was depressed to cut out the ignition for the engine Sometimes when it would be cut in and out the pilot would get a face full of castor oil What kind of oil do you use in your engine

Mr Johnson We used a good boat oil like we had used in Marine engines but I cant think of the make of oil we used at that time

Mr Garber Now in this tank here which is even with the entering edge of the wing this triangularmiddotsectioned tank - does it include an oil tank Did you mix the oil with the gasoline

Mr Johnson Yes we did mix oil in the gasoline tank here and there was no other oiler on it

Mr Garber Now what is this header on top of the top of the gasoline tank

Mr Johnson We called it the steam dome at that time It collected the water as it came hot from the engine and the steam collected in this It has the steam escape here just as you have in the automobile at the top of your radiator and here is an overflow tube the same

8

as in an automobile so that the water and steam could escape down here The water was in there only about 23 full

Mr Garber Oh yes you are speaking of this small tube that comes out of the front center and bends around to go down toward the left side and I guess this top opening is where you put the water in

Mr Johnson Yes thats right The water starts to flow here from the water pump which is at the back of the crank shaft From there the water is carried from these tubes here and up into here and enters the water jacket here on the left side along this tube of the fushyselage and goes right and left and then circulates through the four water jackets and then comes out here into this hose and then through that hose and then enters into the steam dome

Mr Garber Oh yes I see that it flows out from these tubes just behind the aviators seat where one bends to the right and the other bends to the left and then the water flows into the center unit and then is piped into the longitudinals It comes out of that tube just in front of the foot bar and then it goes from there to the pump That is a complete circulation which continues all the time that the engine is running The air-cooling flanges are fastened to the longitudinal tubes to increase their radiating surfaces Those longitudinal tubes are not only the structural members for the fuselage but also being hollow provide pipes through which the water flows so that it can be cooled before re-entering the engine and these flanges increase that cooling

Mr Johnson Those flanges were soldered on to the tube to improve the heat conductivity The air stream helped to cool the water This system worked very well

Mr Garber It almost looks like you would have had more cooling surface than you required but that is certainly better than not having enough Now we have covered the construction of the wings engine fuselage tail group and under-carriage Next how about flying it You say that the center of gravity is located just about in a line forward of the rear wheels of this three-wheeled landing gear

Mr Johnson Yes and the center of pressure was about 13 back from the front of the wing

Mr Garber Then your center of pressure was forshyward of your center of gravity and your center of thrust was in a straight line from the propeller shaft back through this long telescoping boom to the tail group That is a good distribution of forces With the engine

started could you hold the airplane back with the brake I mean this brake here that is pushed into the ground when you pull up on this handle Or do you have to have someone to hold the airplane back for you while you were revving up the engine

Mr Johnson We had around 250 pounds of thrust measuring it with a spring balance and a rope tied to a tree Sometimes we would tie the airplane to the tree until the engine was running up or sometimes we had some men to hold it back A man on each wheel here at the back could hold it We have a picture of two men doing that but most of the time we used a rope tying it to a fence or a tree but out in the field sometimes when there wasnt anything to tie it to we would use men to hold it back and that gave them quite a lot of work to do too

Mr Garber Did you have a slip knot in the rope which the pilot could release or did you have someone on the ground to let the rope 100se7

Mr Johnson A fellow on the ground would do that The pilot has to use a step ladder in order to get into the seat

Mr Garber I see and so with th e pilot at the controls and the engine running the airplane would be released either by cutting or untying the rope or by having the men let go so then the airplane would roll along the ground and when it gained sufficient speed the pilot would pull back on this wheel column thus depressing the tail inclining the airplane upward and up he would go Did you ever measure the rate of climb or the extreme altitude

Mr Johnson No we did not have any way of measshyuring it We probably could have arranged a way but we didnt do that I imagine that the speed at which we took off was about 30 miles an hour We would find that out by an automobile running along side of it while the man in the car would watch his speedometer

Mr Garber How fast was the airplane flying as it came in for a landing

Mr Johnson I guess that speed was about 35 miles per hour maybe just a little faster then what it took off at We could slow it down by this push button which would cut the engine in and out I n the air the speed was about 50 or 60 miles an hour straight and level without a tail wind but at that time we had no way of measuring it That is just our guess We never tried for altitude sometimes we would say it was up about a mile high but we just said that The airplane would look pretty small if

Steering yolk is conventional - it straddles the main lower tube of the fuselage Forward is down back is up turning the wheel creates a normal bank Note the rudder bar at bottom of photo with leather loops to hold fliers feet

it was as much as a mile high up We have some pictures of it way up high and it looked pretty small It could have been a half a mile high but that is just a guess after all We had no way of measuring how high we were but Lou always said that it felt mighty high

Mr Garber Well now Mr Johnson you have been very obliging and patient to answer all of these quesshytions We have discussed this airplane along the same method that I used in the Navy when I was teaching recognition of enemy airplanes We have also considered

9

the structure and performance but I wish that I could hear from you some anecdotes of the times when you and your brothers were building and flying this airplane You have told me that th is was constructed as an improvement over the one you and your brothers made in 1909 May I suggest that Mrs Johnson and you might have lunch with me We can continue our conversation there

Mr Shaw While you two are at lunch Ill glue these hands together around this wheel

Mr Garber Thanks Win Well be back before long (Later) Mr Garber Now we are back from lunch It was

particularly enjoyable to have Mrs Johnson with us During lunch we spoke further about the airplane Mr Johnson said that there were two things which inshyfluenced their discontinued operations of the airplane and their further interest in aeronautics One factor was a cyclone which demolished their factory and another factor was their hope to get a contract for some airplane engines from Russia That was after the beginning of World War I in Europe 1914 The Johnson airplane had conti nued in flight through 1913 and during that year the brothers were thinking of developing a more powershyful engine The engine as shown in this model had 4 cylinders but the brothers intended to develop the type with 6 8 and possibly 12 cylinders The Russians became interested in the most powerful Johnson engine and the Johnson Brothers invested a great deal of money and effort into the development of the 8 and 12 cylinder engines The Russian government was rather unsettled at that time and it seemed difficult for the agents of that nation to make up their mind When the Johnson Brothers learned that the Russians preferred a 12 cylshyinder engine they decided that it should be of the 4 cycle type but the brothers could not obtain a magneto of sufficient power and reliability to use in the ignition system Had the Russian government ordered the 8 cylshyinder engines in quantity or had the brothers been able to get an experimental contract for development of the 12 cylinder engines and been able to produce a protoshytype that was satisfactory the Johnson Brothers might well have gone into the business of manufacturing airshyplane engines and developing more advanced examples of their airplanes But not receiving such encouragement the brothers decided to concentrate on Marine engi nes Also there were some financiers who were considering investing money in the Johnson Company The investors

believed that aviation was an unstable field and they would not agree to put their money into the Johnson Brothers enterprise when the state of aeronautics was so indefinite and considered to be unreliable Moreover there was the thought on the part of these investors that if any of the Johnson Brothers were injured in the course of their flying that their company would thereby be deprived these services thus reducing or even closing the operations of the Marine engine plant So those three factors the severe damage to their plant by the tornashydo the loss of the Russian contract and the attitude of investors caused the brothers to give up airplanes and airplane engines and concentrate on Marine engines For a while the brothers made a small gasoline-engined unit which was attached to a bicycle and called the Johnson motor wheel (I remember that these were sometimes built into 4-wheel wagons and used by boys for transportation around the neighborhood A friend of mine had one about 1916 which he and I would freshyquently go from my home which was then near the Naval Observatory all the way over to my friends familys summer home in Virginia) After that the brothers got into the making of outboard motors they being the first ones to use a rope for starting the engine Now of course Johnson outboard motors are famous and the company itself is very substantial Mr Louis Johnson and Mr Harry Johnson are retired from their business and Clarence is continuing it Julius Johnson I was told had withdrawn his investment several years ago into another line Clarence was the youngest of a family of 7 children but at the time when the airplane was being made and flown he was too young to participate other than by lighting bonfires so that the pilot could land the airplane when evening was coming on At present time one of the five brothers and one of the two sisters have passed away Mr Johnson is there anything that we havent covered in our discussion here in the shop or at lunch

Mr Johnson How about the springs on the landing gear You notice that they extend upward at an angle from their lower connection near the rear wheels Those springs were very useful when we were rolling over rough ground and then when we landed these springs would stretch upward so that the skid would touch the ground and help to slow us down for landing

Mr Garber I see that you have made miniature springs here and that they operate the same as in the original airplane

Mr Johnson Yes I have put it all in there exactly as it was nearly 50 years ago

Mr Garber I notice that you have some heavy springs up here in the horizontal section of the control cables where they connect to the cables coming off of the control wheel They look like whiffletree springs What were they used for

Mr Johnson Well when the aviator pulled his control wheel back it would tend to shorten this cable here but the springs were so arranged as to take up that extra play and similarly permitted the connections to elongate when the aviator pushed the wheel forward That would keep the chain from coming loose on these sprockets over which the length of chain passed Thus the spring would expand or contract to compensate for the over-all differences in the lengths of the connections to the elevators Now for take-down purposes we could take the wings off and lay them alongside of the body when we were going down the road or moving it from one place to another One end of the wings would rest on this pin here and the other end on this cross bar while the trailing edge would lay against the upper strucshyture of the fuselage We would tie the wings in place and then we could pull the whole machine along acountry road behind a horse-drawn wagon and then bring it into a field where we could take off One of the fields that we used had a bluff there and we would usually take off from the top of the bluff

Mr Garber About dimensions you have told me that the scale of this model is 1 1 O That is 110 size every part being 110 that of the original A decimal scale

Mr Johnson Yes that is right the wing span was 36 feet and the length was 34 feet That was measured from the front of the front wheel to the extreme rear over-all The propeller was 8 feet in diameter and the width of the wing was 8 feet

Mr Garber Do you remember the pitch of the propeller

Mr Johnson Yes that was 4Y2 feet The revolutions per minute were about 1200 on the ground but I dont know how fast the engine turned up when the airplane was in the air In the air it must have been more than on the ground We had no indicator on the machine howshyever Here is another thing I had not mentioned The cables extending from the rear spar connections on the right side of the wing to the corresponding fittings on the left side would pass over the pullies on top of these upright cabane braces here and in that way they would

10

move span wise from side to side when the wing was warped

Mr Garber You told me during lunch that in all of the flights with this airplane there had never been any serious crack-ups You said a few minor damages had occurred that were easily repaired and that the airplane was flown until 1913

Mr Johnson Yes right up to the winter of 1913 but not over into 1914

Mr Garber Was there any change in the design during that period

Mr Johnson No this model shows how it was at the beginning and how it was al l the time we were flying it I dont recall any changes that were made all that time except these flanges here on these longitudinal fuselage pipes At first we didnt have them on and then we added them in order to help make the engine run cooler They were on in 1911 however so we must have put them on rather soon after we built it On the model I have made them out ofrsheet brass but on the airplane they are made of copper and were of L-shaped section On the model it was quite a problem to figure out how to make them but first I ran the brass through a set of gears so as to form these parts that expand up and then I made a tool for pinching those U-shaped parts flat That formed the shape that would fit around the pipe Then I soldered them together soldering the joint on the unerneath line of the tubing on this model but in the original airplane we soldered each piece on separately

Mr Garber That is certainly a wonderful story and I marvel not only at your ingen io us craftsmanship in constructing the original but also in the exquisite jewelshylike precision and beauty with which you made this miniature reproduction Is this to be accessioned as a gift from all three brothers

Mr Johnson Yes thats right from all three of us We are very honored to have it here in the National Air Museum

Mr Garber Well I assure you Mr Johnson and I assure your brothers that we ourselves are honored to accept it from you and to display it I know that our visitors will be thrilled by the excellence of this beautiful model Those brothers are yourself Louis whom I met and Julius who I have not had the pleasure of meeting yet

Mr Johnson Thats right that is Louis J Johnson Harry L Johnson and Julius M Johnson

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Mr Garber The correspondence clearly indicates that th is is being given by the three brothers to the National Air Museum At the time when I had the pleasure of seeing Mr Louis Johnson he mentioned also a trophy and said that would be available and I assured him that we will be pleased to have it I will contact Mr Beldon about that May I confirm the address please

Mr Johnson Yes Louis J Johnson is now at Drumshymond Island Michigan Julius M Johnson is at Meadow Court Hotel Bradenton Florida and after Mrs Johnson and I return from a little trip we are taking we will be back home at R R-1 Culver I ndiana We will stop off at

Washington as we turn back toward home after we visit some friends up North

Mr Garber Thank you again Mr Johnson and Mrs Johnson we are further indebted to your husband for bringing you I hope that you have enjoyed your visit to the Museum We will proceed to put this beautiful model on exhibition so that we and our visitors can enjoy it Again and always our sincere appreciation to you Letters of acknowledgment will be sent to you and to your brothers and we are very grateful to you pershysonal[y for assembling the model here and informing us aboutit~

11

~ife Story of

Lou JOHNSON Pioneer Airplane Manufacshy

turer and Aviator Developer

of the Vee Type Motor and

Modern Outboard Engine

As Recorded in an Interview

By Dorothy Jefferson

Konold

Especially for MoToR BoatinG March 1927

Lou Johnson grinned cheerfully as he answered my questions concerning his initial flight Lou is the eldest and the leader of those four red-headed Johnson brothshyers who designed constructed and flew the first successshyful American monoplane in Terre Haute Indiana eightshyeen years ago and who have taken many remarkable steps in the perfection of V-type motors

Kind of funny he sa id with that quiet reticent humor which is so much a part of his personality When that machine was ready to go up I had not the remotest

(Continued on page 15)

Louis johnson makes first stccessful flight with johnson Aeroplane

12

Vintage Upper Left Note the brass steam condenser (tea kettle) just behind the engine In front of the condenser is the ignition system Large box was magneto and selective cylinder control later substituted for blip switch

Lower Left The johnson Motor wheel served the Company for a period of time - after aeroplanes and before outboards As a child I rememshyber a johnson motor wheel powered buckboard (a bicycle wheeled contrivance about twice the size of a childs wagon accommodating two passengers)

13

Album

Upper Right A good shot of the east side of the engine with Louis Johnsons wife at the controls The propeller was made of alternate strips of spruce and walnut

Lower Right This engine could enhance my living room anytime Everything the Johnshyson brothers did was done to perfection Imagine what a 72 cylinder 2 cycle engine could have done for an aeroplane shytoo bad they were never successfully applied

14

idea how to fly Had to learn that at the same time I was testing out the plane Quite different nowadays learning all the principles in an aviation school and then having a perfectly good standardized thoroughly inspected plane delivered into your hands In the old days you had to keep your wits about you all right You never knew what might happen next Ill never forget the first time I went fifty feet off the ground It was lots more of a surprise to me than it was to the spectators

We were sitting in the cheerful home-like living room where Mr johnson does most of his reading and much of his designing A log fire snapped on the hearth and the atmosphere suggested such peace and retirement that it was almost impossible to see in the modest kindly man who sat before me that rugged grimly determined Hoosier lad who never allowed a class-mate to pass him in school who dreamed fantastic things with his boyish brain and carried them out with his amazingly skillful boyish hands who permitted no failure even heavensent destruction in the form of a tornado that completely wiped out his entire motor plant in a few hours to come between him and his goal and who has accepted success with an unconscious grace known to few At forty-five Louis james johnson occupies an enviable position in the engineering world yet one has only to converse with him a few moments to be certain he feels that only a very small portion of his work has been accompl ished

And what he admits of success he attributes in no great measure to his own ability He tells you gravely of two paramount influences in his youth and insists that a boy given these could not have failed

The first influence as you may have guessed was his home life

Meeting Mr johnsons parents as they are today it is not difficult to understand the reverence that is accordshyed them by all of their five children Father johnson at eighty-four has the keen clear eye of a man of sixty His most prized possession is a motor wheel presented to him when his sons were manufacturing them and he rides daily During the war he was called by the govshyernment to take over an important task in an ammunishytion factory for though he had been long in idleness his ability as an expert tool dresser was well known and they were unable to find skill in younger men that matched his Coming from Denmark when he was nine he went at a very early age into a machine shop reaching the place where he could gauge steel by his senses as accurately as other men ga uged it by instruments And

from the first hi s so ns were benefited by an interest and cooperation which very few fathers know how to give

We always had our own tools and work-benches Lou explained Father indulged us in these things as wealthier men indulge their children in expens ive toys We were encouraged to try our hand at any sort of construction that appealed to us And father was always there to advise and assist No task even the building of a sled was regarded as trivial We were taught to put sincere effort into everything and to finish whatever we began

Mother johnson quietly sitting softly rocking speaks in a low almost awed tone of her boys and you know at once what her part in their story has been

When Lou was only twelve she says he decided he wanted a new sled We couldnt afford to buy him the kind he selected so he took an axe and went out into the woods and cut down a tree He worked at it until he had his lumber ready Then he sat down and drew a design We didnt think he could carry it out he was such a little fellow but first thing we knew he had someshything that looked like a real sled The only trouble was with the runners Finally he took the rim off an old buggy wheel pounded it down flat and fastened it to his wooden runners Father got him some red and black

1paint and I want to tell you he had a sled to be proud of I have it in my attic now and you couldnt buy a A better one shy

The second influence you cannot guess It was the Wabash river When the johnson boys were still youngsters the

family moved from Effingham Illinois to Terre Haute I ndiana All of the boys Lou Harry julius Clarence and Arthur (the latter being the one who lost his life some years ago in a factory accident) were enchanted with the river

Our Danish blood Lou smiles quietly It seemed to them that life would not be worth living until they owned a boat

Make it their parents encouraged So the boat was begun and before the summer ended

it was an admitted success But another summer came and brought new ambitions Lou johnson and Nell Cockerham johnson

Louis and Harry wearied of rowing each other about It is rumored that she flew the johnson airshyone day and began to dream plane The family doubts that she did

If we had a motor - Pictures of her in the plane may have been We couldnt afford to buy one - responsible for the rumor (See page 74) We could race neverything

15

Gee how fast d you suppose we co uld go They approached their father and mother Make it said the parents fi nall y with less enthushy

siasm than they were wont to show Gasoline motors were strange toys in those times

But the moto r slowl y assembled proved the env y of all their small assoc iates It was t he two-horse power inboard type a quaint ancestor for the outboard of today but it chall enged and defeated many a marine moto r of prouder origin

The influence of the Wabash shyHigh School was completed with so exce ll ent a

record in mathematics that Terre Hau te professors still speak of Lo us asto nishing ab ility in that line and the yo ung inventor for he was now recognized as that sought hi s fathers consent to engage in marin e motor man ufacture

As usua l hi s parents nodd ed approval They had a lways wished their boys to be in business for t hemshyselves a nd there was money ready for a sma ll factory

Here it is interesting to make a note on the progress of Louis Jo hnsons education No more schooling yet systematic stud y never neglected in the press of any c irc umstances whatever More mathematics a keener interest in everything pertaining to the mechanical sciences engineeri ng co urses Constant reading evshyid enced today by the books that surround him in his home

A few years of this marine work and then the brain that dreamed and the hands that were ever ready to carry out those dreams united in a burni ng desire to drive something far more romantic than river boats with a gaso line engine

He wanted a sled and made o ne He wanted a laun ch and he made o ne He wanted an airplane and he made one It was Americas first triumph with a monopl ane

No o ne probab ly will ever know just what those broth ers suffered in the way of ridicule disappointment a nd discourage ment in the first period of their struggle with th e unknown air monster But they drove ahead undaunted and fi nally something that resembled an ominous bird of prey was hatched

Not only the Indiana town in whi ch it was bo rn thought thi s creation a fantastic f ledgling Looking over Mr Johnso ns scrap-book one comes to hi ghl y amusing comments by the press in various parts of the country Wright and Curtiss were experimenting at the same time of course but air asce nsion was still regarded in the light

of so rcery Working fever ishly day and night and with th e

utmost secrecy the Johnso n brothers of Terre Haute India na are said to be toiling and scheming to put together a huge bird-like machine which is slated either to fulf ill their fo ndest hopes or prove their bitterest disappointment says a cl ipping of September 26 1909

Desp ite the Jo hnsons effo rts at secrecy spectators began to throng the camp in the old reservoir bed ear ly Saturday afte rnoon and later automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place of the Flyer All the far mers took the afternoo n off to view the mach ine news of which had leaked out in spite of the covered e ntra nce to the farm where the try-out is to be held

This a li tt le later in the Terre Haute Tribune Mr Joh nson ch uckl es soft ly as he reviews these

notices The betting ran high at those fi rst ex hibitions he

says Bets ran about two to one that wed not get off the gro und People a lways paid to see the machine too One day in Hill sboro Illino is we took in 2500 gate admissio ns of twenty-five cents each

Gasoline of course was regarded with much fear and the greatest caution used Before the engine was started a crier ran down the f ield warning spectators of the imminent danger and forbidd ing them to smoke

But the queer creature t hat the Johnson brothers had labored w ith was now winning wagers for those who had faith in it The press spoke of a f light as a lift and fo ll owi ng a discouragingly ra iny sum mer when muddy fields delayed the tests for weeks we read

After a period of experiment covering some time the Jo hnson brothers made a successful lift at their camp Sunday evening The machine was started on the aershyd ro me track from which it was run down the field in an effort which finally succeeded in raising it clear of the ea rth Severa l times the craft raised for d istances of from fifteen to twenty feet though th e height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time

Among the things that the history of tomorrow will carry will be the invention and construction of the first successful American monoplane It will recount the years of unaided struggle by those red-headed Johnson bro thers in Terre Haute I ndiana who brought out of a chaos of thought the most wonderful th ing up to the year 1912 in the way of an aero engine mounted on a steel flyer that really flew

The original motor was mounted on a wooden fra me the wings were of silk and the position of the flyer was perilous The improved monoplane boasted a steel frame stronger win gs and the aviator was pl aced above and behind the machinery eliminating the danger of being crushed by the engine in a fall

This successful ai rplane had a spread of 36 feet a length of 34 feet 260 square feet of plane surface and weighed 750 pou nd s I t had a speed of better than sixty mil es an hour and was driven by a V-type motor which was in the nature of a revolution

Then came the Johnson School of Aviation Now that there were pl anes to fly there must be

av iators to fly them But while many young men took a keen interest in the sport fro m the sidelines most of them were sti ll decided ly earthbo und However there were two immediate ap plicants and Ross L Smith who trained one hundred and fifty men during t he war was Lou Johnsons first pupil Frank Schutt was the other and to him befell the thrill of crashing to ground from a height of 1500 ft and landing unhurt His acc ident was caused by a shortage of gas as were many other similar catastrophies of the time

But there is a more perso na l note to be sounded in connection with Mr Johnsons f lights Something other than motors and his aviatio n schoo l engrossed him Th ere was a charming young person in the hood and dust coat supposed to represent the ideal sport costume of the day always ready to assay the clouds with him Up to now spectators had gazed in obvious ad miratio n at the mother who bade her son such a brave god-speed when he started upo n those fearsome uncharted voyshyages Her gallant bearing unfa ilingly caused a little ripple of com ment But now anoth er woman stood at her side eq ually anxious yet equally hero ic It was whispered that Miss Ne ll Cockerham also of Terre Haute had often been up in the machine with Mr Johnson and that she evidently took a keen interest in monoplanes shy

The story is briefly told in two headlin es from the local paper

DISCOVERED- PRETTY MISS WHO FLEW IS I NTERESTED IN BIRD MAN THEN AVIATOR JOHNSON UP IN AIR- MISSED TRAIN ONWEDDING DAY

A new partnership was formed for it is evident to everyone who contacts the Johnsons in either a business or a social way that theirs had proven a very successful marriage and that Mrs Johnsons intere st has been

16

manifested in every phase of the inventors work But the influence of the Wabash shyFlying was all very well Mr Johnson admitted when

questioned concerning his return to motor-boat building but the call of his first love was too strong to ignore for long Of course during these remarkable three years he had never ceased to manufacture the Johnson marine motor but following his marriage he devoted himself intensively to the development of several ideas he had held in embryo while he sought the conquest of the clouds

Soon the Johnson brothers were offering twenty models of marine motors Racing motors ranged from single cylinder to twelve cylinder type One of these held therecord in the 320 in class for four years

But the fates having accorded this much in justice to the originality persistency and energy of the Johnson family evidently decreed that the number thirteen must cast an ominous influence upon the new industry The tornado of 1913 is well remembered by all who lived in the vicinity of Terre Haute at that time but to none perhaps was it more devastating

Lou and I had been in the theatre while the storm was at its worst said Mrs Johnson when we had come to this part of the narration And Lou spoke of the satisfaction of being in a nice new brick factory We went home and knew nothing of the damage that had been wrought until the following morning Then when the men reported for work they saw a pile of wreckage that would have sickened any heart The highest portion of the plant left standing was a bit of the brick wall three feet above the ground

W ea ker men wou Id have broken perhaps but apparently Lou and his brothers bowed to the will of the gods and accepted their loss calmly I n humbler quarters but with no lessening of spirit they designed something new in the manner of a racing craft

In 1914 Johsons most famous boat Black Demon III entered a special match race against some of the fastest boats in the country on Lake Michigan Disturbshyer I V of Ch icago took first honors but Black Demon was a close second out-classing a number of favorites It was a recognized triumph for the V-type motor which had been exhibited in Chicago a few months before and was causing much comment Black Demon III was a 23-footer powered with two 12-cylinder high speed marine motors each having 180 horse-power

Ever casting about for new transportation methods

Black Demon III was a 23 footer powered with two 2 cycle 72 cylinder high speed marine motors each having 780 horsepower

the red-headed Johnson boys now wondered whether a bicycle driven by their motor would compare favorably with types already on the market Apparently it did for in 1917 the Johnson Motor Wheel Company was a going business with an output of 10000 machines a year and the slogan - SIXTY MILES FOR TEN CENTS was familiar to many of us

Warren Ripple Chicago financier was especially interested in this new venture and through his influence the factory was moved to South Bend in the early part of 1918

In eight years the growth of the Johnson Motor Company has furnished South Benders with an inshyexhaustible subject of conversation First it wasshy

Did you hear about those Johnson people Theyve taken over the od Bottling plant next to them

Then Have you heard the latest about Johnson Theyve

leased that whole block of stores on Lincoln Way and put their offices over there

On and on it went this amazing growth Soon a vacated portion of a large underwear mill across the river was commandeered neighboring houses sheds buildings of any type whatever were given over to the manufacshyture and housing of Johnson motors It was said that one must carry a road map to complete a tour of the plant

The wheel had gone into the discard but there was

never a lull in activities The out-board marine motor had quietly taken the place of the motor-driven bicycle - and Lou Johnson was back again doing homage to his first love

Strange influence-On the Banks of the Wabash - tho now of course it was the St Joe river that knew his experiments

Mr Johnsons smile changed as he finished the little resume of his work and walking to the fire-place framed by the well-filled bookcases looked thoughtfully into the flames for a few seconds

Of course it is only a beginning he said This is the age of mechanical development and no one can foretell the progress that will be made in the next ten years even though one may feel it coming Naturally the thing that interests me most and always has is the improvement of water transportation Better boats fastshyer boats-

He paused and the smile was again in his eyes America is only beginning to enjoy water sports

presume we Johnsons have that in the blood And suddenly I saw him as he is a tall Danishshy

American captain commanding in spite of his reticence who began his voyage about three decades ago on a childishly constructed raft in the Wabash river and has been coming fearless of current and snag upstream ever since ~

17

Wednesday August 3 1910

JOHNSONS PREPARE TEST AIRPLANE - machine stands ready after more than a years work for its initial flight - brothers guard secret of place of first trial Airshyship has as original feature V type 2 cycle engine built for strength and lightness

Harry Louis and Julius Johnson the Johnson Brothshyers who have been at work for more than a year manufacturing an aeroplane at their shop 717 N 10th St have at last completed the machine and will leave Friday for a place in the open country near Terre Haute

to make the first attempt at flying it Thus far the Johnson Brothers have kept the location

of the place where they will try to fly the machine an entire secret It is desired to have no crowd about to bother while the machine is being tried

Everything was completed Wednesday with the exception of putting the parts together The machine which weighs 650 pounds complete will be shipped knocked down to the scene of the first attempted flight The propeller which is over 10 in length the wings seat and balances will not be attached until the scene of

try-out has been reached Wednesday morning the airplane stood in the big

building erected especially for the purpose of building it at the rear of the Johnson home on North 10th St It is 36 in length and measures the same exactly from tip to tip in width Every part of it has been manufactured by the three young men while they at the same time carried on their occupation of gasoline and marine engine manufacturing It was begun just a little less than a year ago

The wings which are to extend on either side from

18

the front of the machine measure 16 Yz x 8 and are made of light waterproof canvas stretched over stout framework The engine is a V type 2 cycle engine the only one of its kind to have ever been made

There are V type engines said Mr Johnson but they are 4 cycle The 2 cycle engines have previously been built straight causing increased weight Everything about the machine has been built for speed and lightmiddot ness

Two 7 gallon gasoline tanks will furnish the propellmiddot ing power for the machine It is expected it will take a day and a half to set the machine up after its been shipped to the place where it will be tested

- ~ shy

Saturday August 6 1910

LOCAL AVIATORS MAKE READY FOR FIRST TRIAL JOHNSON BROTHERS MOVE AIRPLANE TO FIELD NEAR BLACKHAWK AND SET UP MACHINE FOR TESTmiddot everything was hustle and bustle at the Johnson brothers aero camp a few miles from Blackmiddot hawk Saturday where the three young men manufacmiddot turers of engines and incidentally builders of an airplane were engaged in putting together their airplane preparmiddot atory for a trial flight One of the busiest of the workers was Clarence Johnson a 12 year old brother who showed himself a handy man about the place Owing to the fact that due to their hurried move from Terre Haute with their machine Friday the Johnson brothers left behind some necessary blocks and braces and the flight that was scheduled for Saturday will be postponed until some time Sunday The strange man by the name of Zakarius supposed to be from Indianapolis and well versed in aviation was with the three brothers Saturday as they worked on their machine which was enclosed in a 40 tent to shut out the view from the spectators Another important personage at the scene was Dr Dupui of Riley who was on hand in case a flight should be made to see to the injuries of the aviator in case he should meet with an accident

The tryout grounds are admirally situated in the center of a 100 acre farm in the reservoir of the old Wabash and Erie Canal There is a wide stretch of clear country without any woodland within its radius of two miles It is believed the airplane will be assembled and ready for a trial late Saturday afternoon but it is not thought a flight will be attempted before Sunday

- Ii _ ~ ~

Sunday August 7 1910

JOHNSON BROTHERS PREPARE FOR INITIAL TEST OF BIG AIRPLANE CONFIDENCE PERmiddot MEATESCAMP AS TIME FOR TRY-OUT NEARSmiddot the first flight if flight is to be of the Johnson airship now resting in all readiness for its try-out at its camp at southeast of Terre Haute will come at about noon today and the result of a year s work and effort to build a successful airplane will be determined

In spite of the Johnson effort at secrecy spectators began to throng to the camp in the old reservoir bed early Saturday afternoon and later in the evening automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place The farmers also took Saturday evening off to take advantage of the opportunity to see the machine and the men

A heavy steel roller was brought to the scene Satshyurday evening and the Johnsons will layout the course early Sunday morning on which the aviators who drive the machine in the preliminary try-outs will score down for a start The meadow as it stands is rough and trouble was feared when the wheels of the flyer were started over the ground before the machine raised into the air

Just who would be the first man to steer the machine on its initial effort the Johnsons refused to state but the crowd of sightseers who have been watching the progress of the work at the camp picked the man who they believe will be in the seat when the airplane raises first It is William Zachow the stranger from Racine Wisconsin who arrived in this city just in time to take an active part in completing preparations for the try-out Zachow refused to give out his name but the above is the name he registered under at the Philbeck Hotel Gossip has it that the Wisconsin man is an experienced aviator and it is on this fact that the spectators base their belief that he will be the one to drive the machine when it is tried out

There is no spirit of speculation in the air about the Johnson camp but in plain businesslike manner the men are carrying forth the work which is to determine whether or not Terre Haute has produced a parallel to the Wright Brothers There were several men on the ground Saturday afternoon who professed some knowlshyedge of mechanics All the men who have seen the machine since it has been brought near enough to completion for an idea to be formed as to its efficiency has had nothing but praise for the thoroughness with which it has been finished and experienced mechanics say that from a mechanical standpoint the machine looks good

An experienced mechanic who examined the machine Saturday stated that the V type 2 cycle engine a

distinctive feature of the new machine is especially adapted for the use on airplanes The Johnson brothers claim the distinction of having made the first engine of this type and mechanics say that it is the coming engine for use on aerial machines

The Johnsons themselves though they do not talk much have all confidence in their creation The men have had years of experience in the manufacture of all kinds of engines and in addition have put in considershyable time in research work on the subject of airplanes and other flying machines They have been close students to the methods of the Wright Brothers

Ii- _ ~

Monday August 8 1910

MAKER LAYS PLANS TO PILOT AIRPLANE ON INITIAL FLIGHTmiddot with the airplane removed from the tent in which it has been housed and the engine of the plane in perfect running order the Johnson brothers were expected Monday at noon to make an attempted flight at any time

The field located near Blackhawk south of the city where the first trial will take place is in perfect condishytion for the flight The only thing that may cause a delay of the flight is the lightness of the wheels which support the airplane on the ground at the start It was feared Monday that heavier wheels would be necessary In case this is decided on the trial of the machine will not take place for a day or so One of the Johson boys will pilot the machine on its initial attempted flight This was definitely announced Monday It was thought at first that William Zachow who was present at the aviation camp would pilot the machine but it has developed that the stranger is a salesman for an airplane supply comshypany He is said to be thoroughly fa miliar with the mechanism of airplanes however and has been of great value in getting the machine ready for flight

A test of the engine was made Monday morning it developed 40 HP Confidence was expressed by the Johnsons that the engine could develop 20 HP additional if necessary

- ~~

Saturday August 13 1910

WEAK SPRINGS POSTPONE JOHNSONS TRIAL OF FLIGHT CROWDS GATHERED AT AVIATION

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FIELD TO AGAIN LEARN THAT MACHINES TEST MUST AGAIN BE DELAYED - the Johnson brothers made no attempt to fly this afternoon It is reported that they would make their initial attempt to scale the clouds today A crowd followed in the wake of the rumor and by 200 this afternoon many people swarmshyed down from the meadow

When the Johnson machine was wheeled out at 2 00 it was found by the inventors that an important set of springs were too weak These will be strengthened and it is probable that the apparatus will not be taken out of the tent again until Tuesday of the coming week

Two of the brothers hurried to Terre Haute this aftershynoon as soon as the defect in the machine was discovshyered They will return to the camp Sunday and begin adjustment

_ F A ~~

Sunday August 141910

BROTHER AVIATORS DELAY DEMONSTRATION AGAIN PART OF MACHINE USED IN MAKING LANDING GETS OUT OF ORDER SECOND TIME shythough delayed again in their preparation for the initial flight of the first airplane ever manufactured in Terre Haute the Johnson boys Louis Julius and Harry went to work to remedy the defect which made necessary the postponement of their flight for the second time The defects which they are now forced to repair causes no despair in the Johnson boys or lessens their faith that the machine will fly after they are completed

We have encountered no difficulty whatever as yet which would in any way interfere with the successful flight of the machine said one of the boys Saturday The trouble is only in the wheels and supporting spring those parts of the machine which are used to make a landing on and the defect is not curious in any way though it does take some time to make the necessary changes

The intention of the trio was to fly Saturday and the day was ideal but it was decided at the last minute that the chances of flying and making a safe landing would involve too great a risk

Louis the eldest of the Johnson brothers said to a Tribune representative Saturday I am sorry that we could not fly today In the first place the weather is ideal and in the second place when the statement that we have been halted again appears in print a great many people will believe that the machine is a failure As for us we are certain as we have been all along that the airplane will fly

Ii ~~

Monday August 15 1910

JOHNSON PROMISES TO MAKE AIRPLANE TRIP WEDNESDAY BROTHERS OCCUPY ENTIRE DAY REPAIRING CARRYING TRUCK OF HEAVIER THAN AIR MACHINE - the work of getting ready the remodeled parts of the carrying truck for the airplane occupied the day of the Johnson boys at their work shop on 10th Street on Monday The men expect to have their work completed and will take their remodshyeled parts to the camp near Blackhawk Tuesday eveshyning

Louis Johnson said Monday that they expect to have everything in readiness for the trial by Wednesday One man has been left at the camp while the others came to their home in Terre Haute over Sunday

qp tt ~~

Friday August 19 1910

JOHNSONS WAIT WEATHER FOR FIRST TEST OF FLYER HUGE MONOPLANE GIVES EVERY EVshyIDENCE OF BEING FULLY CAPABLE OF NAVshyIGATING THE AIR - the initial flight of the Johnson monoplane was scheduled to take place Friday aftershynoon but a strong wind swept over the field here and made the test impossible The huge flyer waits serenely for the first chance to take to the air having been thoroughly tested on the ground

Friday afternoon the monoplane was staked to the ground headed into the wind and the engine turned on for the purpose of determining her power Under full speed the flyer acquired the full strength of the helpers to keep her from leaping upward At half speed the power developed was not sufficient to convince the builders that the test would be a success in the wind as it is their desire to fly first under half power leaving the remainder for reserve while in the air

After the test of the engine Louis Johnson expressed himself as being unsatisfied with the condition of the engine and propeller

E ~~

Saturday August 201910

JOHNSON SHIP REFUSES TO QUIT TERRA FIRMA ENGINE FAILS TO DEVELOP SUFFICIENT SPEED

TO LIFT MACHINE INTO AIR - the Johnson brothers have made half a dozen attempts to fly the monoplane upon which they have worked for so many months and in none have they succeeded in getting the big machine into the air

Three times Friday they turned the big propeller under high speed and freed the machine from all restraints At a rate of about 12 mph it tore down a rough field only to be stopped at the limit of the course without having raised from the ground Three of these efforts were made before and three after alterations had been made to the propeller Saturday morning the Johnshysons were not disheartened or discouraged they had come to the realization that they were not as far advancshyed in the building of the machine as they had thought Their attention was turned to alterations that were expected to have a decided affect on the plane and also to the grounds upon which they were flying The aviashytion camp is located on exceedingly poor grounds It is rough and full of ruts and so soft that the tired wheels sink to 1 to 3 in it when the machine is started _Those who have watched the attempts to fly are of the opinion that the nature of the grounds is largely responsible for the failures as it is impossible to start the machine at a pace that will make it rise Whether the Johnsons will move or prepare a smoother runway is a question that has not yet been determined The three efforts to fly Saturday morning were made early while the sun was rising and the wind was low A fairly steady breeze from the south made it necessary to drive the machine up a slight grade into the wind but this was not sufficiently a factor to which to attribute a failure to rise The monoshyplane failed to fly simply because it did not have enough power to raise it from the ground There is no speed indicator in the camp and it is impossible to tell at what rate the propeller is revolved but several have estimated it at about 900 rpm 1500 rpm is considered necessary for success and the Johnsons may have to make radical changes in the propeller before making the desired speed_

Saturday evening before a large crowd they started the engine three times and raced down the field with Louis Johnson in the machine The first was probably the best of all the trials The monoplane attained a good rate of speed but it did not leave the ground The buildshyers decided the trouble was due to the size of the propelshyler and they cut it down several inches The result was the engine operated faster and more smoothly but it was by no means as speedy as necessary and the test made established that more alterations were necessary espicially if attempts to fly are from the present locashytions

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~ t_F ~~

Sunday August 211910

FOUR DEVOTEES OF AERONAUTICS MAINTAIN CHEERFULNESS IN FACE OF PARTIAL DISshyAPPOINTMENT WAITING FOR CALM JOHNSONS ADVANCE IN CONQUERING AIR SIX TRIALS OF MONOPLANE PROVE MANY THEORIES CORRECT BUT BRING PARTIAL DISAPPOINTMENT LOW SPEED PROPELLER PROVES TOO WEAK TO RAISE WEIGHT DIFFICULTIES AT FIELD AND APPLICAshyTION OF MOTORS ENERGY PRESENT PROBLEMS THAT MUST YIELD BEFORE PERSEVERENCE - Sunshyday the Johnson brothers who are now so earnestly engaged in the attempt to fly a monoplane in the old canal basin near Blackhawk are going to demonstrate that they can build a high power low speed motor fully adapted to the needs of the aviator

Just now they are encountering difficulties that would discourage many with a patience that means success they are working under handicaps that appear as insurmountable but must give way before their detershymination

Saturday morning the last of six attempts to make their machine leave terra firma failed and they went back to their tent disappointed after two weeks of the hardest kind of labor In spite of the cheerful attitude they assumed there was an air of disappointment all around the camp and even the jokes of the jolly party did not dispel it

The disappointment lay not so much in the fact that the machine failed to leave the ground in its trials as in the evidence that higher speed would be necessary for the proper operation of the motor It is the object of the Johnsons to develop a motor that will run a monoplane without the terrific speed common to those in use If they succeed in securing one of this type they have a fortune at their command They do not desire to construct an airplane merely for the purpose of flying If they did they could easily obtain the pattern of the Wright brothers machine or other machines and build accordingly or they could purchase a machine at less cost and trouble than they have encountered But having as their object the development of a low speed motor the failure of the one now in use to do the work expected was disappointing Although it whirled the propeller at a speed that astonished the spectators it was not operated at a rate of which it is capable but at a rate very much lower and which the builders hope would be sufficient for its purpose

Consequently when the speed attained by the motor in the first trials Friday proved insufficient one of the hopes of the Johnsons was dashed

Reluctantly they cut down the size of the propeller knowing that every inch shaved from it would increase the speed of the engine Two inches all around were sacrificed in the desire to raise the skybird and the result was a perceptible increase in the number of revolushytions and consequently a steadier engine Some consolashyLIon was offered by the fact that even with the reduced propeller there was little vibration noticeable about the machine

Late Friday night the airplane was run out of its tent and the motor started The effect was extraordinary and the hopes of the Johnsons that they had accomplished their purpose ran high Saturday morning early the fourth attempt to fly and the first with the reduced propeller was made

Whether the alterations had any effect on the raising power of the motor was difficult to determine because of the conditions under which the trial was made A steady breeze from the south made it necessary to start the machine from the north end of the field at the foot of the small incline and on ground that was wet and soft The machine behaved no better than before bllt whether it was due to the propeller the grade or the soft ground was a question the Johnsons were not ready to answer To eliminate the grade is almost impossible To wait for a more favorable wind is nerve racking yet the Johnsons will have to do all of these things before making sure that they have the propeller rightly proporshytioned for the task

Whatever may be determined regarding the propeller it remains that the Johnsons have demonstrated an engine that is remarkable for its power and speed combined with its steadiness and construction The motor is of the 2 cycle type 4 cylinders This means that an explosion occurs in each cylinder just twice as often as in the more common 4 cycle 4 cylinder type More power is the result and 75 hp is the indication This is accomplished by combining the Johnson patent valve with cylinders set at an angle of 1800 and big carburetors The patent valve is one on which the men have worked for a long time and they have shown by it a method of allowing more gas to enter the cylinders withshyout increasing the size of the valve a point of corisidershyable value in construction Then they have obtained a motor that will run at great speed and create so little vibration that it scarcely causes a tremor in the light wooden frame of the airship All in all the motor has conducted itself in a manner that is deemed most satisfactory It is applying it to the airplane that has

proven the puzzle and that is the very point the Johnshysons are seeking

The Johnson monoplane will fly because it is constructed on the proper principles for flight That it has not been successfully launched as yet is due to two things - the experience in designing and operating of the men in control of it and the unfavorable conditions under which the trials have been made Both of these points will be overcome in time While they are eliminatshying the unfavorable conditions they are learning from experience the points they have overlooked in designing and they are learning rapidly how to operate it

The story of the construction of the Johnson monoshyplane is one of hard work and persistent effort The Johllsons have had no teacher in the art They have studied much observed a great deal and gathered from experience a great deal more than the average man will ever know about airplanes No one realizes more than they that there is a great deal more to be learned That is why after months of work they took their machine to the Blackhawk basin It was two weeks ago today that they arrived there and since that time they have fought mosquitos malaria and rain in a most credible effort to work out the theories they have formed It is not a pleasant task but one that requires thought constant experiment and careful reasoning They are not particshyularly interested in what the public thinks about their work They want to apply the Johnson motor to aeroshynautics

As one enters the aviation field he is greeted by a sign that reads Welcome - Outside the Tent The sign is expressive of the attitude of the Johnson boys They are willing that anyone watch them at work free about giving information when asked but they promise nothing and consequently are not responsible for the disappointment of the many who have come to see them fly and have left without that satisfaction

Julius Johnson expressed their attitude well when he said while waiting for a wind to subside we have waited a year to get to this point with the machine and we can afford to wait another day rather than run the chances of breaking up the airplane

Last weeks activity at the camp became intensive Thursday morning when the machine was run out of its protection for the first time the frame buckled This was immediately repaired and trials of the engine and frame made that evening Friday three unsuccessful attempts to raise the machine were made and Saturday with an altered propeller three more efforts brought no better success

When the last visitor departed from the aviation field Thursday night the Johnsons rested content with their

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preparations for a flight on the early morning air Time work until as the crowd left the field Thursday night noon for further tests to be made solely on the ability of and again the builders had been disappointed in not they saw the end of the last bit of preparation for an air the machine to lift It is expected that the trial will1ake having it ready for flight at the time agreed upon Little test place about an hour before sunset No effort at flightweaknesses that could not be foreseen became apparent While it has been disappointing to visit the aviation will be made at this time the test being confined to when the machine was started across the rough field had field and fail to witness an attempt to fly the chagrin of determining the buoyancy of the machine its balance yielded one by one to careful attention and ingenuity the Johnson brothers and Pearl Conover has been and general fitness for flight Every nut and bolt on the unwieldly looking skybird had greater Living in a single big tent pitched in a malaria been inspected and found in first class condition The breeding district pestered by insects and blistered with rt _ alterations made necessary by faulty calculations as to the heat they have put up with all kinds of inconvenshy ~~ weight and pressure on the running gear were completed iences since leaving Terre Haute and every hours delay and the new woodwork covered with a preserving paint In the center of the structure the light but powerful engine shown in polished brilliancy Just in front of it the big propeller built of many pieces and smoothed to a surface like glass was perfect to the last detail A sliver that had been knocked from it was replaced with cement and its bearing was as true as science could make it Stretching away on each side for 16 were ribbed wings on which so much depends each without a flaw or scratch At their tips hung the balancing planes so delicately fitted that the slightest movement of the operator was reflected by a changed position To the eye the machine was perfect and the builders who worked so patiently at last were satisfied it was ready for its initial trip

It now appeared that nothing stood in the way of a thorough demonstration but the Johnson brothers were doomed to meet another disappointment Under its power for the first time Louis Johnson drove the airship down the field from the tent in which it had been housed Three of the four cylinders were in operation yet it was evident that the Johnson motor was suffishyciently powerful for the purposes of the craft At speed that hurried those who accompanied it the aircraft ran along over the rough ground with little or no vibration from the motor and a steadiness that spelled success Four men hung to it with their weight keeping it from mounting the air while the driver accustomed himself to the situation and watched the engine and the plane

This was the final test of the monoplane before it was entrusted to the element for which it was constructed This test fully demonstrated that the care bestowed upon its construction was not misplaced There was not a flaw noticeable in any of its moving parts There was nothing about its action that indicated a single weakness But one thing marred the success of this test and Thursshyday night saw that one point corrected The long body or frame that extends from the plane to the rudder on the tail was not sufficiently strong to stand the strain of alighting from a height as was shown in its action during this test Immediately the builders prepared to strengthshyen it and all day Thursday they worked on this one part rebracing and adding to the solidity of this frame

has been bitter to them Malaria sent Clarence Johnson the youngest of the camp back to the city unfit to be about Mr Conover succumbed to it one day but was able to throw off the attack The Johnson brothers have all felt the effect of life in the camp and as Louis Johnshyson expressed it Are dead anxious to get to doing something

- shy~~ Monday October 10 1910 MONOPLANE JUSTIFIES EFFORTS OF JOHNSONS AIRCRAFT GOES INTO AIR SEVERAL TIMES AT TESTS MADE SUNDAY- after many weeks of quite work at their camp on the old reservoir prairie 3 miles east of Blackhawk in an effort to perfect the airplane which when first tried out was found to be lacking in a few particulars Louis Harry and Julius Johnson the inventors and builders of the Johnson Bros airplane succeeded in making several lifts with the aircraft at tests made Sunday evening Three tests were made and it was on the third one that the machine lifted from the ground Several times the craft raised for distances of from 15 to 20 Though the height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time this fact was rather to lack in certain details than because the airplane could not raise higher

The craft exhibited a wonderful buoyancy for the test and tended to leave the ground at all times higher than it was allowed to However necessity for certain corrections was manifested before a flight could be safely made and to avoid possible wrecking of the machine it was held down at all times

An assistant of the Johnson boys in their efforts toward perfecting the machine stated Monday that an idea of buoyancy of the machine could be gained from the fact that when starting on the soft dirt just previous to the test that it would leave no track in the soft dirt but that when being brought back for a second test it would plow back into the soil for a depth of 6

Preparations were almost completed Monday after-

Tuesday October II 1910 JOHNSON GIVES EXPRESSION TO SATISFACTION WITH PLANE TEST CONTINUED TO OCCUpy TIME OF BROTHERS AT AVIATION FIELD - Louis Johnson the elder of the Johnson brothers builders of the Johnson Monoplane spent Tuesday in Terre Haute looking after business matters The other two brothers Julius and Harry are at the aviation field making a few required minor changes in the mechanism preparatory to attempting a flight Wednesday or Thursday

Louis will return to the field Tuesday evening to be ready to sit at the wheel of the machine in the initial attempt at flight

We have gone far enough now to see through to the end and we now know that the theory which we have been working is the right one We will fly within a few days possible Wednesday or Thursday The changes now being made are only minor adjustments which were seen to be necessary in our tests as to the lifting power of the machine

-shy~~ Editors Note

The brothers apparently abandoned the attempts to make the 1910 airplane fly shortly after this in October 1910 and started work on an improved design which was successful in the summer of 1911 Between the end of October and the middle of July 1911 they built an entirely new airplane but used the same power plant that had been used in the 1910 version The new airplane was radically different in design using basically a metal framework cloth covered wings and cloth covered tail surfaces which were supported on a single aluminum boom It had a tricycle gear as contrasted with the conventional gear in the 1910 plane It had wing-warping in place of the moveable surfaces at the tips of the wings steerable nose wheel and brakes and many other engineering refinements~

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Ross Smith had never seen an airplane and was attractshyed to one ofthe public displays of the Johnson monoplane the practice being a charge of 25cent to see it in the tent to help alleviate the costs The plane had barely flown and excitement was running high Ross evidently took one look at it and said thats for me Its hard to guess how he convinced the Johnsons that he should take a hand at it however it is very possible that he was the only one with enough nerve and the J ohnsons had spent a great deal of theirs A bird in the hand at this point was probably welcome According to the records the

motor was started and Ross ran the plane up and down the field for some half hour experimenting with the controls learning how to use the throttle steering the airplane accelerating until it was light Evidently Ross had figured play ti me was over and the description states suddenly the plane shot forward and then rose graceshyfully into the air His very first flight lasted for 30 minutes and he thrilled the onlookers as he flew back and forth over the field (I nstructors take note - how many students would you turn loose in a better machine of today with 30 minutes of instruction)

Barely two days atter Rosss first flight he launched into the professional flying ranks in a big way He immeshydiately received an offer from his home town of Mattoon Illinois to engage in some demonstration flights and was paid for three flights at $50000 per flight Airplanes were so rare in these days that people paid to look at them and in most cases such flights were initiated by promotors seeking a quick fortune You would believe that flying such an airplane was enough of a daredevil stunt but not for our friend Ross He managed to concoct stunts that even from this distance

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in time seem absolutely ridiculous Daredevil is too mild a word One of his next exploits was an engagement to fly the monoplane during a 10 day Chautauqua Now for you youngsters youll have to run to the dictionary however Ill save you the effort The name Chautauqua originated in New York where some wise promoter startshyed an educational summer camp Families took their vacations very similar to those going to Oshkosh for the week long fly-in lived in tents in a large tent community that attracted as many as 50000 people during its run This particular Chautauqua that contracted for Rosss services with the Johnson airplane was at Merom Bluff Indiana a high point on the Wabash River The bluff was in Sullivan County and stood 150 above the river on one side while the opposite side fell to flat farm land going away from the river in a flat plain Th is particular Chautauqua was obviously one of great importance for the midwest and attractions included William Jennings Bryan Senator Robert LaFollette William Howard Taft former President of the United States Vice President Thomas R Marshall a gal named Maude Ballington Booth discussing prison reform John Temple Graves a noted orator of the time and Jeanette Rankin the first American Congresswoman The Chautauqua encomshypassed every subject from religion to suffrage child care and anything at all that would interest the family

To spice this particular Chautauqua Ross came up with the idea of building a 250 wooden platform with its far end hanging over the bluff on the river side The intent was to fly the airplane from this platform and fly it he did for many performances Descriptions of the flight states that the airplane labored uphill gained speed and disappeared from the end of the platform in what must have been a free fall until it gained flying speed leveling out some safe distance above the river then circling back over the Chautauqua area like a peacock preening its feathers It must have been a supreme thrill for all to witness There was no possible way to land at the Chautauqua area so Ross would cross the river to the Illinois side and land on a road at the ferry The plane would then be disassembled hauled back across the river pulled back up the winding road to the bluff for its next days operation

I n the eyes of the Chautauqua attendance Ross was no doubt walking mighty tall despite his slight stature It was quite common practice for the Johnson airplane to be engaged for fairs etc at which time it generally flew off the racetrack Evidently by this time a standard stunt

This monoplane piloted by Ross Smith flew off the Merom Bluff daily August 22-37 7973 during the Chautauqua

This was the view from the Merom Bluff The picture is deceiving for it was 750 down to the water Note the Ferry cars and buggies waiting to cross and climb the winding road up the bluff This is the view Ross Smith had as he literally dove his plane off the platform without adequate flying speed The result was a near free fall with flying speed gained in time to narrowly miss striking the water below The flight was enacted daily to please the crowd

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-

Ross Smith preparing for an exhibition flight Note man with ladder at right below wing It was a tall gear and a long climb to mount this machine

had been for the airplane to race a car on the track Dirt track races being part of almost every fair there was always someone present willing to race At one such event it states that Speed in the air and on land thrills thousands Aviator Ross L Smith and Speed King Wild Bob Burman held first place in the hearts of sensation lovers for the wild thrills they gave the thousands at the fairgrounds on Sunday Taking off from the track Ross flew around the track circled the infield and landed directly in front of thegrandstand amid the applause of thousands As an additional build up to the race Burman took Ross for a ride in his 300 hp Blitzen Benz and proceeded to smash the world record for a mile on a half mile dirt track breaking his own former record His

speed was just over 60 mph but this meant that 80 mph must have been his speed on the straight away On the first lap he gave Ross a thrill by hitting the turn too fast and almost losing control in a skid Evidently Ross did not appreciate the ride for when Burman said he would go up with him in his plane Ross calmly said that if he did he would get pushed out Burman of course immeshydiately changed his mind Evidently this was the last of Burmans summer appearances and he was going to spend his time readying himself for the 500 mile motor speedway event He had held the lead the previous year until his machine caught fire and burned while he was many laps ahead

As to the race between the airplane and the car the

airplane invariably won all events in spite of the fact that the cars appeared to be going faster Speed in the air does not seem to be speed compared to a roaring monster of an auto spewing exhaust and throwing large clods of dirt as it rounds every corner Smith evidently thrilled the crowd with a simple thing that today would be called a touch and go Newspaper emotes over the fact that even the French exhibition flyers had not done such a thing stating that Ross had no trouble at all in thrilling the crowd In another engagement it states that Ross L Smith will pilot the Johnson brothers monshyoplane during the Corn Week Show sponsored by the Rotary Club of Terre Haute The big thrill of this event was to be a flight down Wabash Avenue between the

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buildings just above the street car wires It was stated it would be the first time in history that an aviator would attempt such a dangerous feat The plane was to be brought down until the wheels barely cleared the wires then proceed west down the street to the Court House where the plan was to circle the big dome I n a flair of penmanship the author writes it will be unusual for a businessman to see the wings of an airplane almost brushing the windows of his building He further states the trip will be a dangerous one but the aviator and the builders of the machine have such faith in the monshyoplane that they believe that both will stand the test

I n a later account where Smith was engaged to fly an exhibition over Elsworth he decided to give them a new thrill and go for altitude With much circling he reached dizzying height of 2000 where he passed through a cloud bank that confused him for a short time On recovering from the confusion he found himself at 1000 (he invented vertigo no dOUbt)

In still another account it states the Johnson monshyoplane gave one of the best exh ib itions of the art of flying it has been our pleasure to witness There were no death defying stunts just plain flying

The monoplane took off on the back stretch of the race track and for 30 minutes circled dived swooped and turned running up and down the valley for several miles It states the limited space in which he had to land caused him some trouble He had failed to make the first descent (made a go-around - probably the first) When finally on the ground Aviator Ross stated it was the hardest day to fly on he had ever experienced as the air seemed dead and no breeze whatsoever was stirring Density altitude)

About the year 1913 Ross was running out of tricks the bag was getting empty so he decided to scoop them all He announced that he would like to fly the Atlantic and from all records it appears that he was the first to have such serious ideas He was at least 19 years ahead of his time He proposed to fly the flimsy Johnson airplane across the Atlantic alone - a statement that makes Lindshyberghs remarks an echo of the past He approached the Navy Department and asked them to place 10 battleshysh ips at intervals of 300 miles apart figuring that th is would be the maximum load of gasoline possible to carry The Navy of course refused considering the flight across the Atlantic as only a hair brained scheme The Government was not very interested in flying at this time and their decision was certainly not a surprise

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Evening flights from the field were customary

Ross did not remain silent on this issue and at a later time stated in print when the Atlantic is crossed it will be by a flying boat and not a dirigible

In reading the history of these days all of the emshyphasis on long range travel was transfered to the gas bag History proved Ross to be 100 right and the Navys NC4s were the first to fly across

To further add hues of color to his career Ross was perhaps the first American aviator to get an offer from a foreign government and probably one of the first conceptions of military aviation was born President Huerta of Mexico offered him a high ranking position in the Mexican Army if he would organize an air force for them Ross immediately declined Poncho Villa who was then the bad boy of Mexico and conducting what we would call today Guerilla attack tried to make Ross a better offer of $2000 a month in gold to do the same thing for his side Ross declined that too Time proved how wise he was in declining this offer for one of his best friends was killed - not while he was flying but by Villas own men Four of Rosss friends had decided to fly for Villa but when weeks went by and they received no pay they drew straws to see who would confront Villa with the facts Mickey McGuire (the wild Irish Rose of the skies) was unlucky enough to get the job and foolish enough to make the attempt He faced the illiterate General in his tent and asked for the money

The General promptly whipped out a 45 caliper pistol and shot McGuire through the heart In revenge the remaining three proceeded to burn Villas airplanes saving one to make their escape in They successfully flew that one back to the United States

This was not Rosss last encounter with Army life As World War I came along there were but 50 flyers availshyable for instructors in the US He was one that formed the nucleus of the great Flying Corps This group was called on to also perform test pilot functions and in their vernacular did nose dives tail spins and no doubt were the first creators of aerobatic flying in this country This was no doubt a cup of tea for our adventuresome Mr Ross captivated the services and the record that he established was remarkable General Andrews commenshyded Ross with a citation ending it with a comment Seven years without a serious mishap Ross lived a long and successful life and became very well known in Wash ington and for years was Public Relations Manager for the Hot Shopps a food chain in the East He lived a full life and died on February 19 1959 For an advenshyturesome person who lead such a colorful life and seemingly knew no fear he must have also been blessed with skill and a great amount of common sense In the Hot Shopps Company magazine from which some of this material was gleaned they coined an epitaph for him stating simply An amazing man ~

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struck two mother load sources - o ne through a chance look in Weldon Ropps scrap book I found a picture of the Johnson airplane which I publi shed on the back cover of Vintage Airplane in June 1976 On asking Weldon where he acquired the picture he advised that Mr Johnson was a relative and that hi s son Harry Ropp had inherited from the Johnson brothers quite a collecshytion of material on this early effort Also through the publication of an article entitled One Mans Family in Vintage Airplane October 1976 issue I became acquaintshyed with Deward Peterson who lives in Terre Haute I ndiana The subject of the J ohnsons came up and he was very fa miliar with the story since the Johnso ns lived in Terre Haute at the time they built the ai rplane He offered to research at the source for me and has done an excell ent job Credit for this art icle goes equally to Harry Ropp and Deward Peterson my contr ibution being to ed it it down from the volumes of material and separate the fact from fiction Much of the material is original hand written notes of Louis Johnson the or igshyinal manuscript of the Argosy article vo lumes of newsshypaper clippings besides a manuscript furnished by Mr Peterson researched from microfilm copies of all the Terre Haute papers with some assistance by his son -in shylaw My regret is that we couldnt publish the whole package but it would fill many volumes of our magshyazine I wil l attempt to give you a capsule of the story and then we will reprint several of the documents from that era which will help to fill in the fantastic exciteshyment that these brothers caused in Terre Haute

To start with the early lethargy of our country was well known in the way that the public reacted or rather did not react to the flight of the Wright brothers It took a trip to Europe and a presentation to the more romantic Frenchmen to cause excitement which spilled over to this country and finally got the ball rolling That was the first time that the French were involved - the second being with Lindberghs flight to Paris They were considerab ly ahead of us in their aeronautical effo rts havi ng so whole heartedly accepted the airplane In this country scattered efforts were made in many small towns and it is hard to tell how many good things were left to whither on the vine and never be accepted by the aviation industry

The effort of the Johnson broth ers is a class ic in that they were at least 10 years ahead of their day in the complete effort and would have no doubt stolen a great deal of the thunder had th eir effort come to the publics

notice Probab ly the first significant thing is that they had developed an engine as early as 1900 which was far ahead of any engine of its time The pictures will verify the fineness of thi s piece of machinery Its performance was unbelievable for that day While others were fooling with make shift machinery the J ohnsons developed the four cylinder V type engine water cooled with a magnifshyicent weight to horsepower ratio (65 Ib s-65 hp) and unbelievabl e reliability The workmanship and the engineering on the engine is startling even today The engine was not only a four cylinder V engine it was a four cylinder two cycle engine with a very successful patented valving arrangement The engine developed acco rding to their figures 65 hp but its probably like the 90 horse OX5 On todays scale it would be considershyably better Many updates on the engi ne were mad e and its proving ground was on boats of the day which it pull ed very successfully Th e final completion of the aeronautical V type motor to quote Mr Johnson was completed in 1909 the same year that t hey made their first air plane The straight forward type of thinkers that they were is ev id ent in the following quotation from Mr Johnsons notes In our development we never tinkered with anyth ing I nstead we prepared designs and worked out the problems with many drawings and mathematical calcu lations in a precision manner Through our ca lcul ashytions we decided the monoplane would be much more efficient than the biplane that everyone was building because of the less head resistance than the two planes and all the necessary wires ana structures between the planes Mind you they had already developed a very successful engine now they were going about it in the same methodical manner to develop an airplane

To quote the Argosy article if the world had noticed them at the time the name Johnson would have been emblazoned in aviation history Lou Harry and Julius Johnson of Terre Haute Indiana designed their plane in ways that nobody else not even the Wright brothers or Glenn Curtiss or Bleriot had ever conce ived Where these immortals had used wood the Johnsons used alushyminum nickel and steel and a long slender fuse lage that could have been the prototype of the monocoque fuseshylaged planes that are flying today Like Bleriot they saw the basic correctness of the aerodynamics of a monoshyplane They worked out a tricycle landing gear at a time when American planes landed o n sk ids I t was very nearshyly the same sort of landing gear you see today

(There is much discussion about there being or not

being a steerabl e nose wheel I refrain from mak ing the statement that there was but invite you to take a good look at the pictures showing the hinged front wheel and the steering horns and make up your own mind)

Beside the tricycle gear the rear wh eels were on hori zo ntal V struts with verticle spring loaded tubular members very similar to oleos the later airplanes in the 20s and ea rly 30s used Now add to this the fact that th ey had a brake to slow it up after landing a control arrangement that is entirely conventional today consistshying of a steering wheel operating the wing warping which when moved fo rward and aft operated the elevashytors and a rudd er bar to activate the rudders all this at a time when planes had barely co me out of the prone pilot stage operating the ailerons with the body and skids for landing gear

In look ing at the pictures you will note that the main fuselage tubes which are some 201 in diameter have cooling fin s along their length Again in their inimitable manner they used the actual fuselage tubes as the rashydiator in order to cut down frontal area an idea that was re-enacted in mil itary planes of the early 30s with fushyselage side radiators etc Now add to this a complete forward section of all welded tube with not a single piece of wood visib le a monocoque tubular boom fushyselage extending rearward from the tubular fuselage area to support the tail this being braced with a minimal number of cables and again at a time when bamboo poles were being used to hold the tail on If you will notice in the pictures all metal on the tail section is highly polished all work on the tube is done in a very workmanlike manner that would put todays airplane companies to shame The method of affixing the wings to the fuselage was to butt them into shallow welded stee l pockets held there entirely by the wire bracing structure a feature that has cropped up many ti mes in later years This allowed the wings more freedom in warping which was used for control The spars themshyse lv es did not twist due to not being rigid ly con nected at the butt end s By looking at the cover picture of the model yo u realize the extensive use of metal throughout the airpl ane the outside edge th at forms the wings being completely tubular and all of the empennage surfaces being welded aluminum tube The onl y ev idence of wood in the whole airplane can be found in the propeller and the actual rib sections which have metal caps to strengthen them

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The design features of the airplane are as follows Wing spread 36 All over length 34 Weight empty 738 Ibs

The fuselage was made of steel the total tail unit Imade of aluminum The fuselage consisted mainly of I three large steel tubes rigidly assembled together by 1 brazing in cross tubes to form a bridge structure and fastenings for all the parts that were attached Two upper tubes were spaced apart to take the 900 V type engine in a forward tractor position providing space beshyhind the motor for gasoline tank and pilots seat thus being the first plane to use metal tubular construction throughout the fuselage and tail unit The tail unit of the fuselage was a large tapered aluminum tube with reshy-enforcing structures throughout including reinforcemiddot ment at the large end with metal brackets to fit in the ends of the three steel fuselage tubes forming a rigid attachment (detachable for shipping)

The four cylinder V type motor was a 5 bore and 4 stroke developing approximately 65 hp The motor was water cooled the water being pumped by a water pump through the three large main tubes of the fuselage which bull had cooling fins attached The cooling was efficient and afforded very little frontal area as a radiator would on any other airplane

Quoting Mr Johnson learning to fly when the plane was completed confronted us with the risk of a smashmiddot up We were vampy cautious about it and went about it much as you would learn to walk Stage one I started installed I could hold it down close to the ground and ground work on a small field by doing considerable make short jumps and finally could make long curves ground running to get well acquainted with the operatmiddot banking successfully I soon left the field and returned ing of the motor the controls etc keeping all 3 wheels without a mishap and felt very elated about the whole on the ground at all times Stage 2 I planned to lift the thing I made many flights around Terre Haute and plane off the ground and then right down but instead of contracted many exhibitions away from Terre Haute that the machine jumped up about 50 in the air with Stage 4 I taught a student to fly by the same method I the end of the field close and high wires ahead I shut used and he was successful in flying the machine and did the motor off by the switch made a rough landing very well Stage 5 I took on a young fellow named Ross bouncing up about 30 and down just in time to avoid a L Smith who learned to fly in a very short time and smashmiddotup There was no damage to the plane which provo was very good He successfully carried out all our exhibimiddot ed its strergth This was an error due to our eagerness to tions and contracts without mishaps Later he was a cishysee it fly We had only a switch down on the control vilian flight instructor in the first World War For three column but had not yet installed a push button on the years he flew exh ibitions for us wheel I tried it again with the same results so we Mr Johnson in some notes written in the late 1950s decided to place a push button on the wheel in the states that Tom Beldon for some time urged us to get in hands of the operator (blip switch in later jargon) We touch with the Smithsonian I nstitution about our early then took the plane to a large enough field for longer development work on the monoplane and he finally ju mps Stage 3 on a larger field and the push button connected us with his friend Dr Paul Garber resulting in

considerable correspondence with Dr Garber who was at the time head curator of the Smithsonian The 3 Johnson brothers decided at their yearly reunion to take on the task of reconstructing their plans and buildshying a scale model to be placed in the Smithsonian The original plane having been sent to the scrap yard after approximately four years of existence and the prints having been thrown away it was a momentous task to reconstruct from pictures and scattered notes the exact dimensions and reconstruct the airplane They had to work through much of the original engineering to do this feat The model is complete down to miniature spark plugs carburetor and all parts in exact scale The beautishyful model stands as a monument to their supreme skill to the last At the time of the presentation to the Smithsoshynian Harry Johnson and his wife were present at a ceremony at which time Dr Garber interviewed him and with much foresight taped the interview Transcript of that tape follows giving much insight to their work

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5

Smithsonian Pp6s6otatioo

By Dr Paul E Garber (Curator Emeritus)

A TAPED INTERVIEW WITH HARRY JOHNSON AT THE TIME OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE

MODEL PICTURED AT RIGHT

July 22 1959 - This is Paul E Garber Head Curator National Air Museum recording an interview with Harry Johnson who with his brothers Louis Johnson and Julius Johnson constructed an airplane in 1911 an improveshyment on an airplane which they constructed in 1909 As I arrived in our Aircraft Building Shop I found Mr Johnson and Mr Shaw discussing this beautiful model which Mr Johnson is assembling they are now putting the wooden figure of a man into the cockpit but acshytually there is no cockpit strictly speaking because the man sits upon a band of canvas There is no safety belt Mr Johnson explains that the hands of th is figure were carved separately so that they could be fitted around the wheel which controls the airplane

Mr Shaw Do you notice how the magneto is operatshyed by a lever on the steering wheel and how cleverly it is contrived so that the lever actually operates the magneto in this model Mr Johnson has explained that the pilot would hold that lever over in retard until the engine gets going

Mr Garber No safety belt I see Did you ever fly this one yourself

Mr Johnson No No Lou did it and then the fellow that we taught to fly but I never flew as a pilot Lou flew th is for a whole year but it cost a lot of money to teach a fellow to fly At that time we were interested in the development and sa le of Marine engines and there were some persons who thought we shouldnt waste our

I found Mr Johnson and Mr Shaw discussing this beautiful model which Mr Johnson is assembling This model currently on display at the Air amp Space Museum has a 43 wing span

time on airplanes We had to make money so we finally gave up the airp1ane and went to Marine engines

Mr Garber You carved your own propeller too didnt you

Mr Johnson Yes I made that myself I carved the one on the model and I carved the one on the airplane

Mr Garber What wood was in the original mahogany

Mr Johnson No spruce and walnut But I made this one of maple and mahogany because they are of a simshyilar color I wanted to put more strength in the propeller on th is small model

Mr Garber Where did you get your basic idea for this airplane Was it from seeing another airplane or reading books or magazines

Mr Johnson We made one like this before you know but we didnt have very good ideas then We made that in 1909 We wNent trying to copy any existing airplane There werent any around at that time that I knew of but I remember a man named Benoist and another named Bleriot I think he crossed the English Channel and I did see some pictures of that but thats all the part I can remember having seen

Mr Garber These wings are much like those Bleriot designed and used

Mr Johnson The shape of them Mr Garber Yes and Bleriot used wing warping like

you do here Mr Johnson The Wright Brothers used warping too

All of their airplanes were something like this but the same principle of wing warping was not new with this one here we knew

Mr Garber Now for your steering control you have a rudder bar there for your feet and that moves the vershytical rudder on a vertical axis Were those controls crossshyed over that is when you pushed your right foot did you turn to the right or was it as in a sled or bicycle that when you pushed the left end you turned to the right

Mr Johnson We made it like a childs wagon Mr Garber Yes thac IS quite logical and I have often

wondered why others didnt make the rudder bars move the same way I remember that it was awkward for me to learn to move the rudder bar in a different manner than I had been accustomed to on a sled and bicycle

Mr Johnson We preferred to turn the bar the way we were going

Mr Garber Now for warping you turned the wheel itself turning it as in an automobile and I guess that as you pulled down on the right side you would raise the trai ling edge of the right wing

6

Mr Johnson When you pulled down on the right side you raised the left wing of the airplane upward and the right side went down

Mr Garber Then if you were making a right turn you would push your left foot forward and that would bring your right foot back a bit then at the same time you would pull down on the right side of the wheel and that would raise the left wing upward so that you would bank to the right

Mr Johnson Thats right Mr Garber That is instinctive and logical and then

to control the elevators the pilot would pull the whole wheel assembly to him and that would cause the airplane to climb

Mr Johnson Yes that would make the tail end of the airplane lower than the front end and set at such an angle that it would lift

Mr Garber Now thats the controls and they cershytainly are understandable I see that you have a brake here you have a long metal sleeve there by the pilots right leg There is a handle on that rod in that sleeve and as the pilot pulls up on the handle a wire at the bottom end of that rod pulls up the front end of a drag bar the other end of which digs into the ground and acts as a brake

Mr Johnson The drag on the ground slows the airshyplane after landing

Mr Garber That is certainly an early use of a brake You dont have the front wheel of your three-wheeled landing gear steerable do you Was steering on the ground just by using the rudder of the airplane itself

Mr Johnson It rolled on all three wheels but there was light weight on the front wheel that made it easier to lower the tail section of the airplane and lift the airplane off the ground

Mr Garber That takes care of the controls Of course you pushed the wheel assembly forward in order to descend Now lets discuss the wings Did you have metal spars for them(

Mr Johnson No those were of wood and so were the ribs There wasnt much metal in the wings

Mr Garber Where did you get your wing section from That is the curvature of the wing Did you get that out of a book Did you just think that a curved wing was a good idea or was it from looking at some bird maybe

Mr Johnson I dont recall seeing any curved wings before We just made the structure as light as possible

and also to have strength that required the bridge strucmiddot ture as I call it The cross pieces or ribs were made like bridge crosses and the spars were the same way They have longitudinal sections separated by upright sticks between them

Mr Garber Then the wing section was not some particular shape that you were copying from some book You realized apparently that you had to have curved wings but where did you get that idea from Why arent these wings flat like a kite

Mr Johnson I think we must have gotten th at idea from somewhere maybe from some picture but I dont even recall the magazines that were out at that time

Mr Garber There was Aeronautics put out by Ernest J ones and from time to time he would publish what he called structural aids

Mr Johnson We might have gotten something from those magazines

Mr Garber Do you remember a book called Vemiddot hicles of the Air by Lougheed It came out about 1909 and had drawings of a number of airplanes of that time

Mr Johnson No I dont remember that one Mr Garber Then apparently your information came

from a few photographs and magazines that you might have seen and in that way you learned something about what others were doing But there is so much original work in this that it doesnt look as though you copied it from anyone except the shape of the wing The tail section is something like that which was on the Antoinmiddot ette airplane of that day and I think there was a Bristol which had a similar tail group

Mr Johnson Wasnt Antoinette a man who tried to race an airplane across the Straits of Dover

Mr Garber Antoinette was the name of the airplane the pilot was Hubert Latham

Mr Johnson Had a square-end wing didnt he Mr Garber Yes we have a model of that one here in

our Early Bird Case The internal structure of your wing then was made from built up spars and built up ribs each having a sort of a bridge truss shape is that it

Mr Johnson Yes thats right Mr Garber The covering was what kind of cloth was

it muslin Mr Johnson No it was rubberized linen Mr Garber Was that a commercial product or did

you make it up yourself Mr Johnson We bought it that way

Mr Garber There was a Goodyear cloth which was rubberized and then there was a material called Penashycloth which was put out by the Pennsylvania Rubber Company so there were availabl e at that tim e some fabrics th at were impregnated

Mr Johnson It might have been an experimental cloth

Mr Garber So then you put it on with the warp and woof running at right angles spanwise and chordwise parallel with the spars The Wright brothers put theirs on diagonally so as to get som e additional bracing from the fabric but apparently you put yours on straight across

Mr Johnson Thats right And then we put rib strips on like you see here to keep the fabric from tearing where the tacks are and we also had rib stays inside which were wires to keep the wing from being bent backward diagonally

Mr Garber That takes care of the wing and the controls now lets consider the construction of the fushyselage and landing gear In the fuselage you used steel tubing Did you braze it or was welding in use that early

Mr Johnson No we had to braze it Mr Garber Langley used brazing on his aerodromes

The landing gear of your airplane I see is something like that used by Glenn Curtiss so although you may have copied the Bleriot wing you did not copy the chassis from that airplane This longitudinal boom which constitutes the principle member of the fuselage aft of the pilot is very unusual I had once seen a somewhat similar structure in a Smith Monoplane but apparently this idea was original with you

Mr Johnson With us it was just a means of carrying the elevator and rudder far back

Mr Garber I notice you dont have any long guys or stays extending from the front of the fuselage out diagonally to the entering edge of the wing to serve as a preventer for any tendency to backsweep nor do you have any stays extending from the trailing edge of the wing back to the tailboom Apparently you have all the stiffness that you need there in the tailboom itself and you have told me that you made that out of pieces of sheet metal that you formed into conically-tapering tubes and then riveted th em together but in the model here you have turned the boom out of a piece of alushyminum rod This is certainly beautifully done

Mr Johnson That cooling system is interesting Mr Garber Yes I thought we ought to take up next

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the engine

Mr Shaw I think he was one of the first to develop that method of coo ling

Mr Garber The Antoinette used surface cooling ~

along the fuselage You have no drag at a ll for your radiator In most airplanes the radiator was placed up front and was of a square shape I t created more drag than any th ing else

Mr Johnson Thats right Mr Garber This engine here you tell me is based on

those that you had been making for use in boats This is a four-cylinder shape with the cylinders arranged like two vees staggered with one another What was the bore and stroke

Mr Johnson The bore was five inches and the stroke was four inches It was two cycle

Mr Garber Those little spark plugs on this model are certainly well made did you use a Mea magneto

Mr Johnson No it was a Bosch magneto Mr Garber Then I guess the distributor was on the

magneto itself Did you use dry cells for starting the engine

Mr Johnson No we didnt need that Turning the propeller would start the engine all right

Mr Garber Did you use any booster Mr Johnson No we didnt need it Mr Garber Where is the carburetor Mr Johnson We had a pipe here for carrying the

gasoline through a needle valve Thats the needle valve there where we would adjust the gasoline while the engine was running and get the maximum speed out of it the right mixture There was no throttle on the engine It was a one-speed engine and to start it we would prime the engine put gasoline through the exhaust opening here and turn the propeller to start and when the engine starts the aviator pulls on this little valve control here the one here by his right knee and opens up to allow the gasoline to run through the screen and with the engine running we adjust this lever here and then that can stay that way I t usually stayed that way for a long time and to control the engine he has a push button on the steering wheel which grounds the magneto to kill the spark and he just cuts the engine in and out for control as when coming in for a landing on the ground It had no throttle on it and it works very well that way and we had the advantage of not needing any throttle And then when the engine is running the aviamiddot tor only has to fly the airplane

johnson Aero Engine 2 cycle - V 4 - water cooled 65 lb =65 HP

Mr Garber Then you didnt move the spark lever back and forth in order to control the speed of the engine

Mr Johnson No we never did that Mr Garber With the rotary engines there was a

button on the top of the control stick called a blurp button which was depressed to cut out the ignition for the engine Sometimes when it would be cut in and out the pilot would get a face full of castor oil What kind of oil do you use in your engine

Mr Johnson We used a good boat oil like we had used in Marine engines but I cant think of the make of oil we used at that time

Mr Garber Now in this tank here which is even with the entering edge of the wing this triangularmiddotsectioned tank - does it include an oil tank Did you mix the oil with the gasoline

Mr Johnson Yes we did mix oil in the gasoline tank here and there was no other oiler on it

Mr Garber Now what is this header on top of the top of the gasoline tank

Mr Johnson We called it the steam dome at that time It collected the water as it came hot from the engine and the steam collected in this It has the steam escape here just as you have in the automobile at the top of your radiator and here is an overflow tube the same

8

as in an automobile so that the water and steam could escape down here The water was in there only about 23 full

Mr Garber Oh yes you are speaking of this small tube that comes out of the front center and bends around to go down toward the left side and I guess this top opening is where you put the water in

Mr Johnson Yes thats right The water starts to flow here from the water pump which is at the back of the crank shaft From there the water is carried from these tubes here and up into here and enters the water jacket here on the left side along this tube of the fushyselage and goes right and left and then circulates through the four water jackets and then comes out here into this hose and then through that hose and then enters into the steam dome

Mr Garber Oh yes I see that it flows out from these tubes just behind the aviators seat where one bends to the right and the other bends to the left and then the water flows into the center unit and then is piped into the longitudinals It comes out of that tube just in front of the foot bar and then it goes from there to the pump That is a complete circulation which continues all the time that the engine is running The air-cooling flanges are fastened to the longitudinal tubes to increase their radiating surfaces Those longitudinal tubes are not only the structural members for the fuselage but also being hollow provide pipes through which the water flows so that it can be cooled before re-entering the engine and these flanges increase that cooling

Mr Johnson Those flanges were soldered on to the tube to improve the heat conductivity The air stream helped to cool the water This system worked very well

Mr Garber It almost looks like you would have had more cooling surface than you required but that is certainly better than not having enough Now we have covered the construction of the wings engine fuselage tail group and under-carriage Next how about flying it You say that the center of gravity is located just about in a line forward of the rear wheels of this three-wheeled landing gear

Mr Johnson Yes and the center of pressure was about 13 back from the front of the wing

Mr Garber Then your center of pressure was forshyward of your center of gravity and your center of thrust was in a straight line from the propeller shaft back through this long telescoping boom to the tail group That is a good distribution of forces With the engine

started could you hold the airplane back with the brake I mean this brake here that is pushed into the ground when you pull up on this handle Or do you have to have someone to hold the airplane back for you while you were revving up the engine

Mr Johnson We had around 250 pounds of thrust measuring it with a spring balance and a rope tied to a tree Sometimes we would tie the airplane to the tree until the engine was running up or sometimes we had some men to hold it back A man on each wheel here at the back could hold it We have a picture of two men doing that but most of the time we used a rope tying it to a fence or a tree but out in the field sometimes when there wasnt anything to tie it to we would use men to hold it back and that gave them quite a lot of work to do too

Mr Garber Did you have a slip knot in the rope which the pilot could release or did you have someone on the ground to let the rope 100se7

Mr Johnson A fellow on the ground would do that The pilot has to use a step ladder in order to get into the seat

Mr Garber I see and so with th e pilot at the controls and the engine running the airplane would be released either by cutting or untying the rope or by having the men let go so then the airplane would roll along the ground and when it gained sufficient speed the pilot would pull back on this wheel column thus depressing the tail inclining the airplane upward and up he would go Did you ever measure the rate of climb or the extreme altitude

Mr Johnson No we did not have any way of measshyuring it We probably could have arranged a way but we didnt do that I imagine that the speed at which we took off was about 30 miles an hour We would find that out by an automobile running along side of it while the man in the car would watch his speedometer

Mr Garber How fast was the airplane flying as it came in for a landing

Mr Johnson I guess that speed was about 35 miles per hour maybe just a little faster then what it took off at We could slow it down by this push button which would cut the engine in and out I n the air the speed was about 50 or 60 miles an hour straight and level without a tail wind but at that time we had no way of measuring it That is just our guess We never tried for altitude sometimes we would say it was up about a mile high but we just said that The airplane would look pretty small if

Steering yolk is conventional - it straddles the main lower tube of the fuselage Forward is down back is up turning the wheel creates a normal bank Note the rudder bar at bottom of photo with leather loops to hold fliers feet

it was as much as a mile high up We have some pictures of it way up high and it looked pretty small It could have been a half a mile high but that is just a guess after all We had no way of measuring how high we were but Lou always said that it felt mighty high

Mr Garber Well now Mr Johnson you have been very obliging and patient to answer all of these quesshytions We have discussed this airplane along the same method that I used in the Navy when I was teaching recognition of enemy airplanes We have also considered

9

the structure and performance but I wish that I could hear from you some anecdotes of the times when you and your brothers were building and flying this airplane You have told me that th is was constructed as an improvement over the one you and your brothers made in 1909 May I suggest that Mrs Johnson and you might have lunch with me We can continue our conversation there

Mr Shaw While you two are at lunch Ill glue these hands together around this wheel

Mr Garber Thanks Win Well be back before long (Later) Mr Garber Now we are back from lunch It was

particularly enjoyable to have Mrs Johnson with us During lunch we spoke further about the airplane Mr Johnson said that there were two things which inshyfluenced their discontinued operations of the airplane and their further interest in aeronautics One factor was a cyclone which demolished their factory and another factor was their hope to get a contract for some airplane engines from Russia That was after the beginning of World War I in Europe 1914 The Johnson airplane had conti nued in flight through 1913 and during that year the brothers were thinking of developing a more powershyful engine The engine as shown in this model had 4 cylinders but the brothers intended to develop the type with 6 8 and possibly 12 cylinders The Russians became interested in the most powerful Johnson engine and the Johnson Brothers invested a great deal of money and effort into the development of the 8 and 12 cylinder engines The Russian government was rather unsettled at that time and it seemed difficult for the agents of that nation to make up their mind When the Johnson Brothers learned that the Russians preferred a 12 cylshyinder engine they decided that it should be of the 4 cycle type but the brothers could not obtain a magneto of sufficient power and reliability to use in the ignition system Had the Russian government ordered the 8 cylshyinder engines in quantity or had the brothers been able to get an experimental contract for development of the 12 cylinder engines and been able to produce a protoshytype that was satisfactory the Johnson Brothers might well have gone into the business of manufacturing airshyplane engines and developing more advanced examples of their airplanes But not receiving such encouragement the brothers decided to concentrate on Marine engi nes Also there were some financiers who were considering investing money in the Johnson Company The investors

believed that aviation was an unstable field and they would not agree to put their money into the Johnson Brothers enterprise when the state of aeronautics was so indefinite and considered to be unreliable Moreover there was the thought on the part of these investors that if any of the Johnson Brothers were injured in the course of their flying that their company would thereby be deprived these services thus reducing or even closing the operations of the Marine engine plant So those three factors the severe damage to their plant by the tornashydo the loss of the Russian contract and the attitude of investors caused the brothers to give up airplanes and airplane engines and concentrate on Marine engines For a while the brothers made a small gasoline-engined unit which was attached to a bicycle and called the Johnson motor wheel (I remember that these were sometimes built into 4-wheel wagons and used by boys for transportation around the neighborhood A friend of mine had one about 1916 which he and I would freshyquently go from my home which was then near the Naval Observatory all the way over to my friends familys summer home in Virginia) After that the brothers got into the making of outboard motors they being the first ones to use a rope for starting the engine Now of course Johnson outboard motors are famous and the company itself is very substantial Mr Louis Johnson and Mr Harry Johnson are retired from their business and Clarence is continuing it Julius Johnson I was told had withdrawn his investment several years ago into another line Clarence was the youngest of a family of 7 children but at the time when the airplane was being made and flown he was too young to participate other than by lighting bonfires so that the pilot could land the airplane when evening was coming on At present time one of the five brothers and one of the two sisters have passed away Mr Johnson is there anything that we havent covered in our discussion here in the shop or at lunch

Mr Johnson How about the springs on the landing gear You notice that they extend upward at an angle from their lower connection near the rear wheels Those springs were very useful when we were rolling over rough ground and then when we landed these springs would stretch upward so that the skid would touch the ground and help to slow us down for landing

Mr Garber I see that you have made miniature springs here and that they operate the same as in the original airplane

Mr Johnson Yes I have put it all in there exactly as it was nearly 50 years ago

Mr Garber I notice that you have some heavy springs up here in the horizontal section of the control cables where they connect to the cables coming off of the control wheel They look like whiffletree springs What were they used for

Mr Johnson Well when the aviator pulled his control wheel back it would tend to shorten this cable here but the springs were so arranged as to take up that extra play and similarly permitted the connections to elongate when the aviator pushed the wheel forward That would keep the chain from coming loose on these sprockets over which the length of chain passed Thus the spring would expand or contract to compensate for the over-all differences in the lengths of the connections to the elevators Now for take-down purposes we could take the wings off and lay them alongside of the body when we were going down the road or moving it from one place to another One end of the wings would rest on this pin here and the other end on this cross bar while the trailing edge would lay against the upper strucshyture of the fuselage We would tie the wings in place and then we could pull the whole machine along acountry road behind a horse-drawn wagon and then bring it into a field where we could take off One of the fields that we used had a bluff there and we would usually take off from the top of the bluff

Mr Garber About dimensions you have told me that the scale of this model is 1 1 O That is 110 size every part being 110 that of the original A decimal scale

Mr Johnson Yes that is right the wing span was 36 feet and the length was 34 feet That was measured from the front of the front wheel to the extreme rear over-all The propeller was 8 feet in diameter and the width of the wing was 8 feet

Mr Garber Do you remember the pitch of the propeller

Mr Johnson Yes that was 4Y2 feet The revolutions per minute were about 1200 on the ground but I dont know how fast the engine turned up when the airplane was in the air In the air it must have been more than on the ground We had no indicator on the machine howshyever Here is another thing I had not mentioned The cables extending from the rear spar connections on the right side of the wing to the corresponding fittings on the left side would pass over the pullies on top of these upright cabane braces here and in that way they would

10

move span wise from side to side when the wing was warped

Mr Garber You told me during lunch that in all of the flights with this airplane there had never been any serious crack-ups You said a few minor damages had occurred that were easily repaired and that the airplane was flown until 1913

Mr Johnson Yes right up to the winter of 1913 but not over into 1914

Mr Garber Was there any change in the design during that period

Mr Johnson No this model shows how it was at the beginning and how it was al l the time we were flying it I dont recall any changes that were made all that time except these flanges here on these longitudinal fuselage pipes At first we didnt have them on and then we added them in order to help make the engine run cooler They were on in 1911 however so we must have put them on rather soon after we built it On the model I have made them out ofrsheet brass but on the airplane they are made of copper and were of L-shaped section On the model it was quite a problem to figure out how to make them but first I ran the brass through a set of gears so as to form these parts that expand up and then I made a tool for pinching those U-shaped parts flat That formed the shape that would fit around the pipe Then I soldered them together soldering the joint on the unerneath line of the tubing on this model but in the original airplane we soldered each piece on separately

Mr Garber That is certainly a wonderful story and I marvel not only at your ingen io us craftsmanship in constructing the original but also in the exquisite jewelshylike precision and beauty with which you made this miniature reproduction Is this to be accessioned as a gift from all three brothers

Mr Johnson Yes thats right from all three of us We are very honored to have it here in the National Air Museum

Mr Garber Well I assure you Mr Johnson and I assure your brothers that we ourselves are honored to accept it from you and to display it I know that our visitors will be thrilled by the excellence of this beautiful model Those brothers are yourself Louis whom I met and Julius who I have not had the pleasure of meeting yet

Mr Johnson Thats right that is Louis J Johnson Harry L Johnson and Julius M Johnson

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Mr Garber The correspondence clearly indicates that th is is being given by the three brothers to the National Air Museum At the time when I had the pleasure of seeing Mr Louis Johnson he mentioned also a trophy and said that would be available and I assured him that we will be pleased to have it I will contact Mr Beldon about that May I confirm the address please

Mr Johnson Yes Louis J Johnson is now at Drumshymond Island Michigan Julius M Johnson is at Meadow Court Hotel Bradenton Florida and after Mrs Johnson and I return from a little trip we are taking we will be back home at R R-1 Culver I ndiana We will stop off at

Washington as we turn back toward home after we visit some friends up North

Mr Garber Thank you again Mr Johnson and Mrs Johnson we are further indebted to your husband for bringing you I hope that you have enjoyed your visit to the Museum We will proceed to put this beautiful model on exhibition so that we and our visitors can enjoy it Again and always our sincere appreciation to you Letters of acknowledgment will be sent to you and to your brothers and we are very grateful to you pershysonal[y for assembling the model here and informing us aboutit~

11

~ife Story of

Lou JOHNSON Pioneer Airplane Manufacshy

turer and Aviator Developer

of the Vee Type Motor and

Modern Outboard Engine

As Recorded in an Interview

By Dorothy Jefferson

Konold

Especially for MoToR BoatinG March 1927

Lou Johnson grinned cheerfully as he answered my questions concerning his initial flight Lou is the eldest and the leader of those four red-headed Johnson brothshyers who designed constructed and flew the first successshyful American monoplane in Terre Haute Indiana eightshyeen years ago and who have taken many remarkable steps in the perfection of V-type motors

Kind of funny he sa id with that quiet reticent humor which is so much a part of his personality When that machine was ready to go up I had not the remotest

(Continued on page 15)

Louis johnson makes first stccessful flight with johnson Aeroplane

12

Vintage Upper Left Note the brass steam condenser (tea kettle) just behind the engine In front of the condenser is the ignition system Large box was magneto and selective cylinder control later substituted for blip switch

Lower Left The johnson Motor wheel served the Company for a period of time - after aeroplanes and before outboards As a child I rememshyber a johnson motor wheel powered buckboard (a bicycle wheeled contrivance about twice the size of a childs wagon accommodating two passengers)

13

Album

Upper Right A good shot of the east side of the engine with Louis Johnsons wife at the controls The propeller was made of alternate strips of spruce and walnut

Lower Right This engine could enhance my living room anytime Everything the Johnshyson brothers did was done to perfection Imagine what a 72 cylinder 2 cycle engine could have done for an aeroplane shytoo bad they were never successfully applied

14

idea how to fly Had to learn that at the same time I was testing out the plane Quite different nowadays learning all the principles in an aviation school and then having a perfectly good standardized thoroughly inspected plane delivered into your hands In the old days you had to keep your wits about you all right You never knew what might happen next Ill never forget the first time I went fifty feet off the ground It was lots more of a surprise to me than it was to the spectators

We were sitting in the cheerful home-like living room where Mr johnson does most of his reading and much of his designing A log fire snapped on the hearth and the atmosphere suggested such peace and retirement that it was almost impossible to see in the modest kindly man who sat before me that rugged grimly determined Hoosier lad who never allowed a class-mate to pass him in school who dreamed fantastic things with his boyish brain and carried them out with his amazingly skillful boyish hands who permitted no failure even heavensent destruction in the form of a tornado that completely wiped out his entire motor plant in a few hours to come between him and his goal and who has accepted success with an unconscious grace known to few At forty-five Louis james johnson occupies an enviable position in the engineering world yet one has only to converse with him a few moments to be certain he feels that only a very small portion of his work has been accompl ished

And what he admits of success he attributes in no great measure to his own ability He tells you gravely of two paramount influences in his youth and insists that a boy given these could not have failed

The first influence as you may have guessed was his home life

Meeting Mr johnsons parents as they are today it is not difficult to understand the reverence that is accordshyed them by all of their five children Father johnson at eighty-four has the keen clear eye of a man of sixty His most prized possession is a motor wheel presented to him when his sons were manufacturing them and he rides daily During the war he was called by the govshyernment to take over an important task in an ammunishytion factory for though he had been long in idleness his ability as an expert tool dresser was well known and they were unable to find skill in younger men that matched his Coming from Denmark when he was nine he went at a very early age into a machine shop reaching the place where he could gauge steel by his senses as accurately as other men ga uged it by instruments And

from the first hi s so ns were benefited by an interest and cooperation which very few fathers know how to give

We always had our own tools and work-benches Lou explained Father indulged us in these things as wealthier men indulge their children in expens ive toys We were encouraged to try our hand at any sort of construction that appealed to us And father was always there to advise and assist No task even the building of a sled was regarded as trivial We were taught to put sincere effort into everything and to finish whatever we began

Mother johnson quietly sitting softly rocking speaks in a low almost awed tone of her boys and you know at once what her part in their story has been

When Lou was only twelve she says he decided he wanted a new sled We couldnt afford to buy him the kind he selected so he took an axe and went out into the woods and cut down a tree He worked at it until he had his lumber ready Then he sat down and drew a design We didnt think he could carry it out he was such a little fellow but first thing we knew he had someshything that looked like a real sled The only trouble was with the runners Finally he took the rim off an old buggy wheel pounded it down flat and fastened it to his wooden runners Father got him some red and black

1paint and I want to tell you he had a sled to be proud of I have it in my attic now and you couldnt buy a A better one shy

The second influence you cannot guess It was the Wabash river When the johnson boys were still youngsters the

family moved from Effingham Illinois to Terre Haute I ndiana All of the boys Lou Harry julius Clarence and Arthur (the latter being the one who lost his life some years ago in a factory accident) were enchanted with the river

Our Danish blood Lou smiles quietly It seemed to them that life would not be worth living until they owned a boat

Make it their parents encouraged So the boat was begun and before the summer ended

it was an admitted success But another summer came and brought new ambitions Lou johnson and Nell Cockerham johnson

Louis and Harry wearied of rowing each other about It is rumored that she flew the johnson airshyone day and began to dream plane The family doubts that she did

If we had a motor - Pictures of her in the plane may have been We couldnt afford to buy one - responsible for the rumor (See page 74) We could race neverything

15

Gee how fast d you suppose we co uld go They approached their father and mother Make it said the parents fi nall y with less enthushy

siasm than they were wont to show Gasoline motors were strange toys in those times

But the moto r slowl y assembled proved the env y of all their small assoc iates It was t he two-horse power inboard type a quaint ancestor for the outboard of today but it chall enged and defeated many a marine moto r of prouder origin

The influence of the Wabash shyHigh School was completed with so exce ll ent a

record in mathematics that Terre Hau te professors still speak of Lo us asto nishing ab ility in that line and the yo ung inventor for he was now recognized as that sought hi s fathers consent to engage in marin e motor man ufacture

As usua l hi s parents nodd ed approval They had a lways wished their boys to be in business for t hemshyselves a nd there was money ready for a sma ll factory

Here it is interesting to make a note on the progress of Louis Jo hnsons education No more schooling yet systematic stud y never neglected in the press of any c irc umstances whatever More mathematics a keener interest in everything pertaining to the mechanical sciences engineeri ng co urses Constant reading evshyid enced today by the books that surround him in his home

A few years of this marine work and then the brain that dreamed and the hands that were ever ready to carry out those dreams united in a burni ng desire to drive something far more romantic than river boats with a gaso line engine

He wanted a sled and made o ne He wanted a laun ch and he made o ne He wanted an airplane and he made one It was Americas first triumph with a monopl ane

No o ne probab ly will ever know just what those broth ers suffered in the way of ridicule disappointment a nd discourage ment in the first period of their struggle with th e unknown air monster But they drove ahead undaunted and fi nally something that resembled an ominous bird of prey was hatched

Not only the Indiana town in whi ch it was bo rn thought thi s creation a fantastic f ledgling Looking over Mr Johnso ns scrap-book one comes to hi ghl y amusing comments by the press in various parts of the country Wright and Curtiss were experimenting at the same time of course but air asce nsion was still regarded in the light

of so rcery Working fever ishly day and night and with th e

utmost secrecy the Johnso n brothers of Terre Haute India na are said to be toiling and scheming to put together a huge bird-like machine which is slated either to fulf ill their fo ndest hopes or prove their bitterest disappointment says a cl ipping of September 26 1909

Desp ite the Jo hnsons effo rts at secrecy spectators began to throng the camp in the old reservoir bed ear ly Saturday afte rnoon and later automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place of the Flyer All the far mers took the afternoo n off to view the mach ine news of which had leaked out in spite of the covered e ntra nce to the farm where the try-out is to be held

This a li tt le later in the Terre Haute Tribune Mr Joh nson ch uckl es soft ly as he reviews these

notices The betting ran high at those fi rst ex hibitions he

says Bets ran about two to one that wed not get off the gro und People a lways paid to see the machine too One day in Hill sboro Illino is we took in 2500 gate admissio ns of twenty-five cents each

Gasoline of course was regarded with much fear and the greatest caution used Before the engine was started a crier ran down the f ield warning spectators of the imminent danger and forbidd ing them to smoke

But the queer creature t hat the Johnson brothers had labored w ith was now winning wagers for those who had faith in it The press spoke of a f light as a lift and fo ll owi ng a discouragingly ra iny sum mer when muddy fields delayed the tests for weeks we read

After a period of experiment covering some time the Jo hnson brothers made a successful lift at their camp Sunday evening The machine was started on the aershyd ro me track from which it was run down the field in an effort which finally succeeded in raising it clear of the ea rth Severa l times the craft raised for d istances of from fifteen to twenty feet though th e height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time

Among the things that the history of tomorrow will carry will be the invention and construction of the first successful American monoplane It will recount the years of unaided struggle by those red-headed Johnson bro thers in Terre Haute I ndiana who brought out of a chaos of thought the most wonderful th ing up to the year 1912 in the way of an aero engine mounted on a steel flyer that really flew

The original motor was mounted on a wooden fra me the wings were of silk and the position of the flyer was perilous The improved monoplane boasted a steel frame stronger win gs and the aviator was pl aced above and behind the machinery eliminating the danger of being crushed by the engine in a fall

This successful ai rplane had a spread of 36 feet a length of 34 feet 260 square feet of plane surface and weighed 750 pou nd s I t had a speed of better than sixty mil es an hour and was driven by a V-type motor which was in the nature of a revolution

Then came the Johnson School of Aviation Now that there were pl anes to fly there must be

av iators to fly them But while many young men took a keen interest in the sport fro m the sidelines most of them were sti ll decided ly earthbo und However there were two immediate ap plicants and Ross L Smith who trained one hundred and fifty men during t he war was Lou Johnsons first pupil Frank Schutt was the other and to him befell the thrill of crashing to ground from a height of 1500 ft and landing unhurt His acc ident was caused by a shortage of gas as were many other similar catastrophies of the time

But there is a more perso na l note to be sounded in connection with Mr Johnsons f lights Something other than motors and his aviatio n schoo l engrossed him Th ere was a charming young person in the hood and dust coat supposed to represent the ideal sport costume of the day always ready to assay the clouds with him Up to now spectators had gazed in obvious ad miratio n at the mother who bade her son such a brave god-speed when he started upo n those fearsome uncharted voyshyages Her gallant bearing unfa ilingly caused a little ripple of com ment But now anoth er woman stood at her side eq ually anxious yet equally hero ic It was whispered that Miss Ne ll Cockerham also of Terre Haute had often been up in the machine with Mr Johnson and that she evidently took a keen interest in monoplanes shy

The story is briefly told in two headlin es from the local paper

DISCOVERED- PRETTY MISS WHO FLEW IS I NTERESTED IN BIRD MAN THEN AVIATOR JOHNSON UP IN AIR- MISSED TRAIN ONWEDDING DAY

A new partnership was formed for it is evident to everyone who contacts the Johnsons in either a business or a social way that theirs had proven a very successful marriage and that Mrs Johnsons intere st has been

16

manifested in every phase of the inventors work But the influence of the Wabash shyFlying was all very well Mr Johnson admitted when

questioned concerning his return to motor-boat building but the call of his first love was too strong to ignore for long Of course during these remarkable three years he had never ceased to manufacture the Johnson marine motor but following his marriage he devoted himself intensively to the development of several ideas he had held in embryo while he sought the conquest of the clouds

Soon the Johnson brothers were offering twenty models of marine motors Racing motors ranged from single cylinder to twelve cylinder type One of these held therecord in the 320 in class for four years

But the fates having accorded this much in justice to the originality persistency and energy of the Johnson family evidently decreed that the number thirteen must cast an ominous influence upon the new industry The tornado of 1913 is well remembered by all who lived in the vicinity of Terre Haute at that time but to none perhaps was it more devastating

Lou and I had been in the theatre while the storm was at its worst said Mrs Johnson when we had come to this part of the narration And Lou spoke of the satisfaction of being in a nice new brick factory We went home and knew nothing of the damage that had been wrought until the following morning Then when the men reported for work they saw a pile of wreckage that would have sickened any heart The highest portion of the plant left standing was a bit of the brick wall three feet above the ground

W ea ker men wou Id have broken perhaps but apparently Lou and his brothers bowed to the will of the gods and accepted their loss calmly I n humbler quarters but with no lessening of spirit they designed something new in the manner of a racing craft

In 1914 Johsons most famous boat Black Demon III entered a special match race against some of the fastest boats in the country on Lake Michigan Disturbshyer I V of Ch icago took first honors but Black Demon was a close second out-classing a number of favorites It was a recognized triumph for the V-type motor which had been exhibited in Chicago a few months before and was causing much comment Black Demon III was a 23-footer powered with two 12-cylinder high speed marine motors each having 180 horse-power

Ever casting about for new transportation methods

Black Demon III was a 23 footer powered with two 2 cycle 72 cylinder high speed marine motors each having 780 horsepower

the red-headed Johnson boys now wondered whether a bicycle driven by their motor would compare favorably with types already on the market Apparently it did for in 1917 the Johnson Motor Wheel Company was a going business with an output of 10000 machines a year and the slogan - SIXTY MILES FOR TEN CENTS was familiar to many of us

Warren Ripple Chicago financier was especially interested in this new venture and through his influence the factory was moved to South Bend in the early part of 1918

In eight years the growth of the Johnson Motor Company has furnished South Benders with an inshyexhaustible subject of conversation First it wasshy

Did you hear about those Johnson people Theyve taken over the od Bottling plant next to them

Then Have you heard the latest about Johnson Theyve

leased that whole block of stores on Lincoln Way and put their offices over there

On and on it went this amazing growth Soon a vacated portion of a large underwear mill across the river was commandeered neighboring houses sheds buildings of any type whatever were given over to the manufacshyture and housing of Johnson motors It was said that one must carry a road map to complete a tour of the plant

The wheel had gone into the discard but there was

never a lull in activities The out-board marine motor had quietly taken the place of the motor-driven bicycle - and Lou Johnson was back again doing homage to his first love

Strange influence-On the Banks of the Wabash - tho now of course it was the St Joe river that knew his experiments

Mr Johnsons smile changed as he finished the little resume of his work and walking to the fire-place framed by the well-filled bookcases looked thoughtfully into the flames for a few seconds

Of course it is only a beginning he said This is the age of mechanical development and no one can foretell the progress that will be made in the next ten years even though one may feel it coming Naturally the thing that interests me most and always has is the improvement of water transportation Better boats fastshyer boats-

He paused and the smile was again in his eyes America is only beginning to enjoy water sports

presume we Johnsons have that in the blood And suddenly I saw him as he is a tall Danishshy

American captain commanding in spite of his reticence who began his voyage about three decades ago on a childishly constructed raft in the Wabash river and has been coming fearless of current and snag upstream ever since ~

17

Wednesday August 3 1910

JOHNSONS PREPARE TEST AIRPLANE - machine stands ready after more than a years work for its initial flight - brothers guard secret of place of first trial Airshyship has as original feature V type 2 cycle engine built for strength and lightness

Harry Louis and Julius Johnson the Johnson Brothshyers who have been at work for more than a year manufacturing an aeroplane at their shop 717 N 10th St have at last completed the machine and will leave Friday for a place in the open country near Terre Haute

to make the first attempt at flying it Thus far the Johnson Brothers have kept the location

of the place where they will try to fly the machine an entire secret It is desired to have no crowd about to bother while the machine is being tried

Everything was completed Wednesday with the exception of putting the parts together The machine which weighs 650 pounds complete will be shipped knocked down to the scene of the first attempted flight The propeller which is over 10 in length the wings seat and balances will not be attached until the scene of

try-out has been reached Wednesday morning the airplane stood in the big

building erected especially for the purpose of building it at the rear of the Johnson home on North 10th St It is 36 in length and measures the same exactly from tip to tip in width Every part of it has been manufactured by the three young men while they at the same time carried on their occupation of gasoline and marine engine manufacturing It was begun just a little less than a year ago

The wings which are to extend on either side from

18

the front of the machine measure 16 Yz x 8 and are made of light waterproof canvas stretched over stout framework The engine is a V type 2 cycle engine the only one of its kind to have ever been made

There are V type engines said Mr Johnson but they are 4 cycle The 2 cycle engines have previously been built straight causing increased weight Everything about the machine has been built for speed and lightmiddot ness

Two 7 gallon gasoline tanks will furnish the propellmiddot ing power for the machine It is expected it will take a day and a half to set the machine up after its been shipped to the place where it will be tested

- ~ shy

Saturday August 6 1910

LOCAL AVIATORS MAKE READY FOR FIRST TRIAL JOHNSON BROTHERS MOVE AIRPLANE TO FIELD NEAR BLACKHAWK AND SET UP MACHINE FOR TESTmiddot everything was hustle and bustle at the Johnson brothers aero camp a few miles from Blackmiddot hawk Saturday where the three young men manufacmiddot turers of engines and incidentally builders of an airplane were engaged in putting together their airplane preparmiddot atory for a trial flight One of the busiest of the workers was Clarence Johnson a 12 year old brother who showed himself a handy man about the place Owing to the fact that due to their hurried move from Terre Haute with their machine Friday the Johnson brothers left behind some necessary blocks and braces and the flight that was scheduled for Saturday will be postponed until some time Sunday The strange man by the name of Zakarius supposed to be from Indianapolis and well versed in aviation was with the three brothers Saturday as they worked on their machine which was enclosed in a 40 tent to shut out the view from the spectators Another important personage at the scene was Dr Dupui of Riley who was on hand in case a flight should be made to see to the injuries of the aviator in case he should meet with an accident

The tryout grounds are admirally situated in the center of a 100 acre farm in the reservoir of the old Wabash and Erie Canal There is a wide stretch of clear country without any woodland within its radius of two miles It is believed the airplane will be assembled and ready for a trial late Saturday afternoon but it is not thought a flight will be attempted before Sunday

- Ii _ ~ ~

Sunday August 7 1910

JOHNSON BROTHERS PREPARE FOR INITIAL TEST OF BIG AIRPLANE CONFIDENCE PERmiddot MEATESCAMP AS TIME FOR TRY-OUT NEARSmiddot the first flight if flight is to be of the Johnson airship now resting in all readiness for its try-out at its camp at southeast of Terre Haute will come at about noon today and the result of a year s work and effort to build a successful airplane will be determined

In spite of the Johnson effort at secrecy spectators began to throng to the camp in the old reservoir bed early Saturday afternoon and later in the evening automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place The farmers also took Saturday evening off to take advantage of the opportunity to see the machine and the men

A heavy steel roller was brought to the scene Satshyurday evening and the Johnsons will layout the course early Sunday morning on which the aviators who drive the machine in the preliminary try-outs will score down for a start The meadow as it stands is rough and trouble was feared when the wheels of the flyer were started over the ground before the machine raised into the air

Just who would be the first man to steer the machine on its initial effort the Johnsons refused to state but the crowd of sightseers who have been watching the progress of the work at the camp picked the man who they believe will be in the seat when the airplane raises first It is William Zachow the stranger from Racine Wisconsin who arrived in this city just in time to take an active part in completing preparations for the try-out Zachow refused to give out his name but the above is the name he registered under at the Philbeck Hotel Gossip has it that the Wisconsin man is an experienced aviator and it is on this fact that the spectators base their belief that he will be the one to drive the machine when it is tried out

There is no spirit of speculation in the air about the Johnson camp but in plain businesslike manner the men are carrying forth the work which is to determine whether or not Terre Haute has produced a parallel to the Wright Brothers There were several men on the ground Saturday afternoon who professed some knowlshyedge of mechanics All the men who have seen the machine since it has been brought near enough to completion for an idea to be formed as to its efficiency has had nothing but praise for the thoroughness with which it has been finished and experienced mechanics say that from a mechanical standpoint the machine looks good

An experienced mechanic who examined the machine Saturday stated that the V type 2 cycle engine a

distinctive feature of the new machine is especially adapted for the use on airplanes The Johnson brothers claim the distinction of having made the first engine of this type and mechanics say that it is the coming engine for use on aerial machines

The Johnsons themselves though they do not talk much have all confidence in their creation The men have had years of experience in the manufacture of all kinds of engines and in addition have put in considershyable time in research work on the subject of airplanes and other flying machines They have been close students to the methods of the Wright Brothers

Ii- _ ~

Monday August 8 1910

MAKER LAYS PLANS TO PILOT AIRPLANE ON INITIAL FLIGHTmiddot with the airplane removed from the tent in which it has been housed and the engine of the plane in perfect running order the Johnson brothers were expected Monday at noon to make an attempted flight at any time

The field located near Blackhawk south of the city where the first trial will take place is in perfect condishytion for the flight The only thing that may cause a delay of the flight is the lightness of the wheels which support the airplane on the ground at the start It was feared Monday that heavier wheels would be necessary In case this is decided on the trial of the machine will not take place for a day or so One of the Johson boys will pilot the machine on its initial attempted flight This was definitely announced Monday It was thought at first that William Zachow who was present at the aviation camp would pilot the machine but it has developed that the stranger is a salesman for an airplane supply comshypany He is said to be thoroughly fa miliar with the mechanism of airplanes however and has been of great value in getting the machine ready for flight

A test of the engine was made Monday morning it developed 40 HP Confidence was expressed by the Johnsons that the engine could develop 20 HP additional if necessary

- ~~

Saturday August 13 1910

WEAK SPRINGS POSTPONE JOHNSONS TRIAL OF FLIGHT CROWDS GATHERED AT AVIATION

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FIELD TO AGAIN LEARN THAT MACHINES TEST MUST AGAIN BE DELAYED - the Johnson brothers made no attempt to fly this afternoon It is reported that they would make their initial attempt to scale the clouds today A crowd followed in the wake of the rumor and by 200 this afternoon many people swarmshyed down from the meadow

When the Johnson machine was wheeled out at 2 00 it was found by the inventors that an important set of springs were too weak These will be strengthened and it is probable that the apparatus will not be taken out of the tent again until Tuesday of the coming week

Two of the brothers hurried to Terre Haute this aftershynoon as soon as the defect in the machine was discovshyered They will return to the camp Sunday and begin adjustment

_ F A ~~

Sunday August 141910

BROTHER AVIATORS DELAY DEMONSTRATION AGAIN PART OF MACHINE USED IN MAKING LANDING GETS OUT OF ORDER SECOND TIME shythough delayed again in their preparation for the initial flight of the first airplane ever manufactured in Terre Haute the Johnson boys Louis Julius and Harry went to work to remedy the defect which made necessary the postponement of their flight for the second time The defects which they are now forced to repair causes no despair in the Johnson boys or lessens their faith that the machine will fly after they are completed

We have encountered no difficulty whatever as yet which would in any way interfere with the successful flight of the machine said one of the boys Saturday The trouble is only in the wheels and supporting spring those parts of the machine which are used to make a landing on and the defect is not curious in any way though it does take some time to make the necessary changes

The intention of the trio was to fly Saturday and the day was ideal but it was decided at the last minute that the chances of flying and making a safe landing would involve too great a risk

Louis the eldest of the Johnson brothers said to a Tribune representative Saturday I am sorry that we could not fly today In the first place the weather is ideal and in the second place when the statement that we have been halted again appears in print a great many people will believe that the machine is a failure As for us we are certain as we have been all along that the airplane will fly

Ii ~~

Monday August 15 1910

JOHNSON PROMISES TO MAKE AIRPLANE TRIP WEDNESDAY BROTHERS OCCUPY ENTIRE DAY REPAIRING CARRYING TRUCK OF HEAVIER THAN AIR MACHINE - the work of getting ready the remodeled parts of the carrying truck for the airplane occupied the day of the Johnson boys at their work shop on 10th Street on Monday The men expect to have their work completed and will take their remodshyeled parts to the camp near Blackhawk Tuesday eveshyning

Louis Johnson said Monday that they expect to have everything in readiness for the trial by Wednesday One man has been left at the camp while the others came to their home in Terre Haute over Sunday

qp tt ~~

Friday August 19 1910

JOHNSONS WAIT WEATHER FOR FIRST TEST OF FLYER HUGE MONOPLANE GIVES EVERY EVshyIDENCE OF BEING FULLY CAPABLE OF NAVshyIGATING THE AIR - the initial flight of the Johnson monoplane was scheduled to take place Friday aftershynoon but a strong wind swept over the field here and made the test impossible The huge flyer waits serenely for the first chance to take to the air having been thoroughly tested on the ground

Friday afternoon the monoplane was staked to the ground headed into the wind and the engine turned on for the purpose of determining her power Under full speed the flyer acquired the full strength of the helpers to keep her from leaping upward At half speed the power developed was not sufficient to convince the builders that the test would be a success in the wind as it is their desire to fly first under half power leaving the remainder for reserve while in the air

After the test of the engine Louis Johnson expressed himself as being unsatisfied with the condition of the engine and propeller

E ~~

Saturday August 201910

JOHNSON SHIP REFUSES TO QUIT TERRA FIRMA ENGINE FAILS TO DEVELOP SUFFICIENT SPEED

TO LIFT MACHINE INTO AIR - the Johnson brothers have made half a dozen attempts to fly the monoplane upon which they have worked for so many months and in none have they succeeded in getting the big machine into the air

Three times Friday they turned the big propeller under high speed and freed the machine from all restraints At a rate of about 12 mph it tore down a rough field only to be stopped at the limit of the course without having raised from the ground Three of these efforts were made before and three after alterations had been made to the propeller Saturday morning the Johnshysons were not disheartened or discouraged they had come to the realization that they were not as far advancshyed in the building of the machine as they had thought Their attention was turned to alterations that were expected to have a decided affect on the plane and also to the grounds upon which they were flying The aviashytion camp is located on exceedingly poor grounds It is rough and full of ruts and so soft that the tired wheels sink to 1 to 3 in it when the machine is started _Those who have watched the attempts to fly are of the opinion that the nature of the grounds is largely responsible for the failures as it is impossible to start the machine at a pace that will make it rise Whether the Johnsons will move or prepare a smoother runway is a question that has not yet been determined The three efforts to fly Saturday morning were made early while the sun was rising and the wind was low A fairly steady breeze from the south made it necessary to drive the machine up a slight grade into the wind but this was not sufficiently a factor to which to attribute a failure to rise The monoshyplane failed to fly simply because it did not have enough power to raise it from the ground There is no speed indicator in the camp and it is impossible to tell at what rate the propeller is revolved but several have estimated it at about 900 rpm 1500 rpm is considered necessary for success and the Johnsons may have to make radical changes in the propeller before making the desired speed_

Saturday evening before a large crowd they started the engine three times and raced down the field with Louis Johnson in the machine The first was probably the best of all the trials The monoplane attained a good rate of speed but it did not leave the ground The buildshyers decided the trouble was due to the size of the propelshyler and they cut it down several inches The result was the engine operated faster and more smoothly but it was by no means as speedy as necessary and the test made established that more alterations were necessary espicially if attempts to fly are from the present locashytions

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~ t_F ~~

Sunday August 211910

FOUR DEVOTEES OF AERONAUTICS MAINTAIN CHEERFULNESS IN FACE OF PARTIAL DISshyAPPOINTMENT WAITING FOR CALM JOHNSONS ADVANCE IN CONQUERING AIR SIX TRIALS OF MONOPLANE PROVE MANY THEORIES CORRECT BUT BRING PARTIAL DISAPPOINTMENT LOW SPEED PROPELLER PROVES TOO WEAK TO RAISE WEIGHT DIFFICULTIES AT FIELD AND APPLICAshyTION OF MOTORS ENERGY PRESENT PROBLEMS THAT MUST YIELD BEFORE PERSEVERENCE - Sunshyday the Johnson brothers who are now so earnestly engaged in the attempt to fly a monoplane in the old canal basin near Blackhawk are going to demonstrate that they can build a high power low speed motor fully adapted to the needs of the aviator

Just now they are encountering difficulties that would discourage many with a patience that means success they are working under handicaps that appear as insurmountable but must give way before their detershymination

Saturday morning the last of six attempts to make their machine leave terra firma failed and they went back to their tent disappointed after two weeks of the hardest kind of labor In spite of the cheerful attitude they assumed there was an air of disappointment all around the camp and even the jokes of the jolly party did not dispel it

The disappointment lay not so much in the fact that the machine failed to leave the ground in its trials as in the evidence that higher speed would be necessary for the proper operation of the motor It is the object of the Johnsons to develop a motor that will run a monoplane without the terrific speed common to those in use If they succeed in securing one of this type they have a fortune at their command They do not desire to construct an airplane merely for the purpose of flying If they did they could easily obtain the pattern of the Wright brothers machine or other machines and build accordingly or they could purchase a machine at less cost and trouble than they have encountered But having as their object the development of a low speed motor the failure of the one now in use to do the work expected was disappointing Although it whirled the propeller at a speed that astonished the spectators it was not operated at a rate of which it is capable but at a rate very much lower and which the builders hope would be sufficient for its purpose

Consequently when the speed attained by the motor in the first trials Friday proved insufficient one of the hopes of the Johnsons was dashed

Reluctantly they cut down the size of the propeller knowing that every inch shaved from it would increase the speed of the engine Two inches all around were sacrificed in the desire to raise the skybird and the result was a perceptible increase in the number of revolushytions and consequently a steadier engine Some consolashyLIon was offered by the fact that even with the reduced propeller there was little vibration noticeable about the machine

Late Friday night the airplane was run out of its tent and the motor started The effect was extraordinary and the hopes of the Johnsons that they had accomplished their purpose ran high Saturday morning early the fourth attempt to fly and the first with the reduced propeller was made

Whether the alterations had any effect on the raising power of the motor was difficult to determine because of the conditions under which the trial was made A steady breeze from the south made it necessary to start the machine from the north end of the field at the foot of the small incline and on ground that was wet and soft The machine behaved no better than before bllt whether it was due to the propeller the grade or the soft ground was a question the Johnsons were not ready to answer To eliminate the grade is almost impossible To wait for a more favorable wind is nerve racking yet the Johnsons will have to do all of these things before making sure that they have the propeller rightly proporshytioned for the task

Whatever may be determined regarding the propeller it remains that the Johnsons have demonstrated an engine that is remarkable for its power and speed combined with its steadiness and construction The motor is of the 2 cycle type 4 cylinders This means that an explosion occurs in each cylinder just twice as often as in the more common 4 cycle 4 cylinder type More power is the result and 75 hp is the indication This is accomplished by combining the Johnson patent valve with cylinders set at an angle of 1800 and big carburetors The patent valve is one on which the men have worked for a long time and they have shown by it a method of allowing more gas to enter the cylinders withshyout increasing the size of the valve a point of corisidershyable value in construction Then they have obtained a motor that will run at great speed and create so little vibration that it scarcely causes a tremor in the light wooden frame of the airship All in all the motor has conducted itself in a manner that is deemed most satisfactory It is applying it to the airplane that has

proven the puzzle and that is the very point the Johnshysons are seeking

The Johnson monoplane will fly because it is constructed on the proper principles for flight That it has not been successfully launched as yet is due to two things - the experience in designing and operating of the men in control of it and the unfavorable conditions under which the trials have been made Both of these points will be overcome in time While they are eliminatshying the unfavorable conditions they are learning from experience the points they have overlooked in designing and they are learning rapidly how to operate it

The story of the construction of the Johnson monoshyplane is one of hard work and persistent effort The Johllsons have had no teacher in the art They have studied much observed a great deal and gathered from experience a great deal more than the average man will ever know about airplanes No one realizes more than they that there is a great deal more to be learned That is why after months of work they took their machine to the Blackhawk basin It was two weeks ago today that they arrived there and since that time they have fought mosquitos malaria and rain in a most credible effort to work out the theories they have formed It is not a pleasant task but one that requires thought constant experiment and careful reasoning They are not particshyularly interested in what the public thinks about their work They want to apply the Johnson motor to aeroshynautics

As one enters the aviation field he is greeted by a sign that reads Welcome - Outside the Tent The sign is expressive of the attitude of the Johnson boys They are willing that anyone watch them at work free about giving information when asked but they promise nothing and consequently are not responsible for the disappointment of the many who have come to see them fly and have left without that satisfaction

Julius Johnson expressed their attitude well when he said while waiting for a wind to subside we have waited a year to get to this point with the machine and we can afford to wait another day rather than run the chances of breaking up the airplane

Last weeks activity at the camp became intensive Thursday morning when the machine was run out of its protection for the first time the frame buckled This was immediately repaired and trials of the engine and frame made that evening Friday three unsuccessful attempts to raise the machine were made and Saturday with an altered propeller three more efforts brought no better success

When the last visitor departed from the aviation field Thursday night the Johnsons rested content with their

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preparations for a flight on the early morning air Time work until as the crowd left the field Thursday night noon for further tests to be made solely on the ability of and again the builders had been disappointed in not they saw the end of the last bit of preparation for an air the machine to lift It is expected that the trial will1ake having it ready for flight at the time agreed upon Little test place about an hour before sunset No effort at flightweaknesses that could not be foreseen became apparent While it has been disappointing to visit the aviation will be made at this time the test being confined to when the machine was started across the rough field had field and fail to witness an attempt to fly the chagrin of determining the buoyancy of the machine its balance yielded one by one to careful attention and ingenuity the Johnson brothers and Pearl Conover has been and general fitness for flight Every nut and bolt on the unwieldly looking skybird had greater Living in a single big tent pitched in a malaria been inspected and found in first class condition The breeding district pestered by insects and blistered with rt _ alterations made necessary by faulty calculations as to the heat they have put up with all kinds of inconvenshy ~~ weight and pressure on the running gear were completed iences since leaving Terre Haute and every hours delay and the new woodwork covered with a preserving paint In the center of the structure the light but powerful engine shown in polished brilliancy Just in front of it the big propeller built of many pieces and smoothed to a surface like glass was perfect to the last detail A sliver that had been knocked from it was replaced with cement and its bearing was as true as science could make it Stretching away on each side for 16 were ribbed wings on which so much depends each without a flaw or scratch At their tips hung the balancing planes so delicately fitted that the slightest movement of the operator was reflected by a changed position To the eye the machine was perfect and the builders who worked so patiently at last were satisfied it was ready for its initial trip

It now appeared that nothing stood in the way of a thorough demonstration but the Johnson brothers were doomed to meet another disappointment Under its power for the first time Louis Johnson drove the airship down the field from the tent in which it had been housed Three of the four cylinders were in operation yet it was evident that the Johnson motor was suffishyciently powerful for the purposes of the craft At speed that hurried those who accompanied it the aircraft ran along over the rough ground with little or no vibration from the motor and a steadiness that spelled success Four men hung to it with their weight keeping it from mounting the air while the driver accustomed himself to the situation and watched the engine and the plane

This was the final test of the monoplane before it was entrusted to the element for which it was constructed This test fully demonstrated that the care bestowed upon its construction was not misplaced There was not a flaw noticeable in any of its moving parts There was nothing about its action that indicated a single weakness But one thing marred the success of this test and Thursshyday night saw that one point corrected The long body or frame that extends from the plane to the rudder on the tail was not sufficiently strong to stand the strain of alighting from a height as was shown in its action during this test Immediately the builders prepared to strengthshyen it and all day Thursday they worked on this one part rebracing and adding to the solidity of this frame

has been bitter to them Malaria sent Clarence Johnson the youngest of the camp back to the city unfit to be about Mr Conover succumbed to it one day but was able to throw off the attack The Johnson brothers have all felt the effect of life in the camp and as Louis Johnshyson expressed it Are dead anxious to get to doing something

- shy~~ Monday October 10 1910 MONOPLANE JUSTIFIES EFFORTS OF JOHNSONS AIRCRAFT GOES INTO AIR SEVERAL TIMES AT TESTS MADE SUNDAY- after many weeks of quite work at their camp on the old reservoir prairie 3 miles east of Blackhawk in an effort to perfect the airplane which when first tried out was found to be lacking in a few particulars Louis Harry and Julius Johnson the inventors and builders of the Johnson Bros airplane succeeded in making several lifts with the aircraft at tests made Sunday evening Three tests were made and it was on the third one that the machine lifted from the ground Several times the craft raised for distances of from 15 to 20 Though the height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time this fact was rather to lack in certain details than because the airplane could not raise higher

The craft exhibited a wonderful buoyancy for the test and tended to leave the ground at all times higher than it was allowed to However necessity for certain corrections was manifested before a flight could be safely made and to avoid possible wrecking of the machine it was held down at all times

An assistant of the Johnson boys in their efforts toward perfecting the machine stated Monday that an idea of buoyancy of the machine could be gained from the fact that when starting on the soft dirt just previous to the test that it would leave no track in the soft dirt but that when being brought back for a second test it would plow back into the soil for a depth of 6

Preparations were almost completed Monday after-

Tuesday October II 1910 JOHNSON GIVES EXPRESSION TO SATISFACTION WITH PLANE TEST CONTINUED TO OCCUpy TIME OF BROTHERS AT AVIATION FIELD - Louis Johnson the elder of the Johnson brothers builders of the Johnson Monoplane spent Tuesday in Terre Haute looking after business matters The other two brothers Julius and Harry are at the aviation field making a few required minor changes in the mechanism preparatory to attempting a flight Wednesday or Thursday

Louis will return to the field Tuesday evening to be ready to sit at the wheel of the machine in the initial attempt at flight

We have gone far enough now to see through to the end and we now know that the theory which we have been working is the right one We will fly within a few days possible Wednesday or Thursday The changes now being made are only minor adjustments which were seen to be necessary in our tests as to the lifting power of the machine

-shy~~ Editors Note

The brothers apparently abandoned the attempts to make the 1910 airplane fly shortly after this in October 1910 and started work on an improved design which was successful in the summer of 1911 Between the end of October and the middle of July 1911 they built an entirely new airplane but used the same power plant that had been used in the 1910 version The new airplane was radically different in design using basically a metal framework cloth covered wings and cloth covered tail surfaces which were supported on a single aluminum boom It had a tricycle gear as contrasted with the conventional gear in the 1910 plane It had wing-warping in place of the moveable surfaces at the tips of the wings steerable nose wheel and brakes and many other engineering refinements~

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Ross Smith had never seen an airplane and was attractshyed to one ofthe public displays of the Johnson monoplane the practice being a charge of 25cent to see it in the tent to help alleviate the costs The plane had barely flown and excitement was running high Ross evidently took one look at it and said thats for me Its hard to guess how he convinced the Johnsons that he should take a hand at it however it is very possible that he was the only one with enough nerve and the J ohnsons had spent a great deal of theirs A bird in the hand at this point was probably welcome According to the records the

motor was started and Ross ran the plane up and down the field for some half hour experimenting with the controls learning how to use the throttle steering the airplane accelerating until it was light Evidently Ross had figured play ti me was over and the description states suddenly the plane shot forward and then rose graceshyfully into the air His very first flight lasted for 30 minutes and he thrilled the onlookers as he flew back and forth over the field (I nstructors take note - how many students would you turn loose in a better machine of today with 30 minutes of instruction)

Barely two days atter Rosss first flight he launched into the professional flying ranks in a big way He immeshydiately received an offer from his home town of Mattoon Illinois to engage in some demonstration flights and was paid for three flights at $50000 per flight Airplanes were so rare in these days that people paid to look at them and in most cases such flights were initiated by promotors seeking a quick fortune You would believe that flying such an airplane was enough of a daredevil stunt but not for our friend Ross He managed to concoct stunts that even from this distance

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in time seem absolutely ridiculous Daredevil is too mild a word One of his next exploits was an engagement to fly the monoplane during a 10 day Chautauqua Now for you youngsters youll have to run to the dictionary however Ill save you the effort The name Chautauqua originated in New York where some wise promoter startshyed an educational summer camp Families took their vacations very similar to those going to Oshkosh for the week long fly-in lived in tents in a large tent community that attracted as many as 50000 people during its run This particular Chautauqua that contracted for Rosss services with the Johnson airplane was at Merom Bluff Indiana a high point on the Wabash River The bluff was in Sullivan County and stood 150 above the river on one side while the opposite side fell to flat farm land going away from the river in a flat plain Th is particular Chautauqua was obviously one of great importance for the midwest and attractions included William Jennings Bryan Senator Robert LaFollette William Howard Taft former President of the United States Vice President Thomas R Marshall a gal named Maude Ballington Booth discussing prison reform John Temple Graves a noted orator of the time and Jeanette Rankin the first American Congresswoman The Chautauqua encomshypassed every subject from religion to suffrage child care and anything at all that would interest the family

To spice this particular Chautauqua Ross came up with the idea of building a 250 wooden platform with its far end hanging over the bluff on the river side The intent was to fly the airplane from this platform and fly it he did for many performances Descriptions of the flight states that the airplane labored uphill gained speed and disappeared from the end of the platform in what must have been a free fall until it gained flying speed leveling out some safe distance above the river then circling back over the Chautauqua area like a peacock preening its feathers It must have been a supreme thrill for all to witness There was no possible way to land at the Chautauqua area so Ross would cross the river to the Illinois side and land on a road at the ferry The plane would then be disassembled hauled back across the river pulled back up the winding road to the bluff for its next days operation

I n the eyes of the Chautauqua attendance Ross was no doubt walking mighty tall despite his slight stature It was quite common practice for the Johnson airplane to be engaged for fairs etc at which time it generally flew off the racetrack Evidently by this time a standard stunt

This monoplane piloted by Ross Smith flew off the Merom Bluff daily August 22-37 7973 during the Chautauqua

This was the view from the Merom Bluff The picture is deceiving for it was 750 down to the water Note the Ferry cars and buggies waiting to cross and climb the winding road up the bluff This is the view Ross Smith had as he literally dove his plane off the platform without adequate flying speed The result was a near free fall with flying speed gained in time to narrowly miss striking the water below The flight was enacted daily to please the crowd

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-

Ross Smith preparing for an exhibition flight Note man with ladder at right below wing It was a tall gear and a long climb to mount this machine

had been for the airplane to race a car on the track Dirt track races being part of almost every fair there was always someone present willing to race At one such event it states that Speed in the air and on land thrills thousands Aviator Ross L Smith and Speed King Wild Bob Burman held first place in the hearts of sensation lovers for the wild thrills they gave the thousands at the fairgrounds on Sunday Taking off from the track Ross flew around the track circled the infield and landed directly in front of thegrandstand amid the applause of thousands As an additional build up to the race Burman took Ross for a ride in his 300 hp Blitzen Benz and proceeded to smash the world record for a mile on a half mile dirt track breaking his own former record His

speed was just over 60 mph but this meant that 80 mph must have been his speed on the straight away On the first lap he gave Ross a thrill by hitting the turn too fast and almost losing control in a skid Evidently Ross did not appreciate the ride for when Burman said he would go up with him in his plane Ross calmly said that if he did he would get pushed out Burman of course immeshydiately changed his mind Evidently this was the last of Burmans summer appearances and he was going to spend his time readying himself for the 500 mile motor speedway event He had held the lead the previous year until his machine caught fire and burned while he was many laps ahead

As to the race between the airplane and the car the

airplane invariably won all events in spite of the fact that the cars appeared to be going faster Speed in the air does not seem to be speed compared to a roaring monster of an auto spewing exhaust and throwing large clods of dirt as it rounds every corner Smith evidently thrilled the crowd with a simple thing that today would be called a touch and go Newspaper emotes over the fact that even the French exhibition flyers had not done such a thing stating that Ross had no trouble at all in thrilling the crowd In another engagement it states that Ross L Smith will pilot the Johnson brothers monshyoplane during the Corn Week Show sponsored by the Rotary Club of Terre Haute The big thrill of this event was to be a flight down Wabash Avenue between the

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buildings just above the street car wires It was stated it would be the first time in history that an aviator would attempt such a dangerous feat The plane was to be brought down until the wheels barely cleared the wires then proceed west down the street to the Court House where the plan was to circle the big dome I n a flair of penmanship the author writes it will be unusual for a businessman to see the wings of an airplane almost brushing the windows of his building He further states the trip will be a dangerous one but the aviator and the builders of the machine have such faith in the monshyoplane that they believe that both will stand the test

I n a later account where Smith was engaged to fly an exhibition over Elsworth he decided to give them a new thrill and go for altitude With much circling he reached dizzying height of 2000 where he passed through a cloud bank that confused him for a short time On recovering from the confusion he found himself at 1000 (he invented vertigo no dOUbt)

In still another account it states the Johnson monshyoplane gave one of the best exh ib itions of the art of flying it has been our pleasure to witness There were no death defying stunts just plain flying

The monoplane took off on the back stretch of the race track and for 30 minutes circled dived swooped and turned running up and down the valley for several miles It states the limited space in which he had to land caused him some trouble He had failed to make the first descent (made a go-around - probably the first) When finally on the ground Aviator Ross stated it was the hardest day to fly on he had ever experienced as the air seemed dead and no breeze whatsoever was stirring Density altitude)

About the year 1913 Ross was running out of tricks the bag was getting empty so he decided to scoop them all He announced that he would like to fly the Atlantic and from all records it appears that he was the first to have such serious ideas He was at least 19 years ahead of his time He proposed to fly the flimsy Johnson airplane across the Atlantic alone - a statement that makes Lindshyberghs remarks an echo of the past He approached the Navy Department and asked them to place 10 battleshysh ips at intervals of 300 miles apart figuring that th is would be the maximum load of gasoline possible to carry The Navy of course refused considering the flight across the Atlantic as only a hair brained scheme The Government was not very interested in flying at this time and their decision was certainly not a surprise

~

Evening flights from the field were customary

Ross did not remain silent on this issue and at a later time stated in print when the Atlantic is crossed it will be by a flying boat and not a dirigible

In reading the history of these days all of the emshyphasis on long range travel was transfered to the gas bag History proved Ross to be 100 right and the Navys NC4s were the first to fly across

To further add hues of color to his career Ross was perhaps the first American aviator to get an offer from a foreign government and probably one of the first conceptions of military aviation was born President Huerta of Mexico offered him a high ranking position in the Mexican Army if he would organize an air force for them Ross immediately declined Poncho Villa who was then the bad boy of Mexico and conducting what we would call today Guerilla attack tried to make Ross a better offer of $2000 a month in gold to do the same thing for his side Ross declined that too Time proved how wise he was in declining this offer for one of his best friends was killed - not while he was flying but by Villas own men Four of Rosss friends had decided to fly for Villa but when weeks went by and they received no pay they drew straws to see who would confront Villa with the facts Mickey McGuire (the wild Irish Rose of the skies) was unlucky enough to get the job and foolish enough to make the attempt He faced the illiterate General in his tent and asked for the money

The General promptly whipped out a 45 caliper pistol and shot McGuire through the heart In revenge the remaining three proceeded to burn Villas airplanes saving one to make their escape in They successfully flew that one back to the United States

This was not Rosss last encounter with Army life As World War I came along there were but 50 flyers availshyable for instructors in the US He was one that formed the nucleus of the great Flying Corps This group was called on to also perform test pilot functions and in their vernacular did nose dives tail spins and no doubt were the first creators of aerobatic flying in this country This was no doubt a cup of tea for our adventuresome Mr Ross captivated the services and the record that he established was remarkable General Andrews commenshyded Ross with a citation ending it with a comment Seven years without a serious mishap Ross lived a long and successful life and became very well known in Wash ington and for years was Public Relations Manager for the Hot Shopps a food chain in the East He lived a full life and died on February 19 1959 For an advenshyturesome person who lead such a colorful life and seemingly knew no fear he must have also been blessed with skill and a great amount of common sense In the Hot Shopps Company magazine from which some of this material was gleaned they coined an epitaph for him stating simply An amazing man ~

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The design features of the airplane are as follows Wing spread 36 All over length 34 Weight empty 738 Ibs

The fuselage was made of steel the total tail unit Imade of aluminum The fuselage consisted mainly of I three large steel tubes rigidly assembled together by 1 brazing in cross tubes to form a bridge structure and fastenings for all the parts that were attached Two upper tubes were spaced apart to take the 900 V type engine in a forward tractor position providing space beshyhind the motor for gasoline tank and pilots seat thus being the first plane to use metal tubular construction throughout the fuselage and tail unit The tail unit of the fuselage was a large tapered aluminum tube with reshy-enforcing structures throughout including reinforcemiddot ment at the large end with metal brackets to fit in the ends of the three steel fuselage tubes forming a rigid attachment (detachable for shipping)

The four cylinder V type motor was a 5 bore and 4 stroke developing approximately 65 hp The motor was water cooled the water being pumped by a water pump through the three large main tubes of the fuselage which bull had cooling fins attached The cooling was efficient and afforded very little frontal area as a radiator would on any other airplane

Quoting Mr Johnson learning to fly when the plane was completed confronted us with the risk of a smashmiddot up We were vampy cautious about it and went about it much as you would learn to walk Stage one I started installed I could hold it down close to the ground and ground work on a small field by doing considerable make short jumps and finally could make long curves ground running to get well acquainted with the operatmiddot banking successfully I soon left the field and returned ing of the motor the controls etc keeping all 3 wheels without a mishap and felt very elated about the whole on the ground at all times Stage 2 I planned to lift the thing I made many flights around Terre Haute and plane off the ground and then right down but instead of contracted many exhibitions away from Terre Haute that the machine jumped up about 50 in the air with Stage 4 I taught a student to fly by the same method I the end of the field close and high wires ahead I shut used and he was successful in flying the machine and did the motor off by the switch made a rough landing very well Stage 5 I took on a young fellow named Ross bouncing up about 30 and down just in time to avoid a L Smith who learned to fly in a very short time and smashmiddotup There was no damage to the plane which provo was very good He successfully carried out all our exhibimiddot ed its strergth This was an error due to our eagerness to tions and contracts without mishaps Later he was a cishysee it fly We had only a switch down on the control vilian flight instructor in the first World War For three column but had not yet installed a push button on the years he flew exh ibitions for us wheel I tried it again with the same results so we Mr Johnson in some notes written in the late 1950s decided to place a push button on the wheel in the states that Tom Beldon for some time urged us to get in hands of the operator (blip switch in later jargon) We touch with the Smithsonian I nstitution about our early then took the plane to a large enough field for longer development work on the monoplane and he finally ju mps Stage 3 on a larger field and the push button connected us with his friend Dr Paul Garber resulting in

considerable correspondence with Dr Garber who was at the time head curator of the Smithsonian The 3 Johnson brothers decided at their yearly reunion to take on the task of reconstructing their plans and buildshying a scale model to be placed in the Smithsonian The original plane having been sent to the scrap yard after approximately four years of existence and the prints having been thrown away it was a momentous task to reconstruct from pictures and scattered notes the exact dimensions and reconstruct the airplane They had to work through much of the original engineering to do this feat The model is complete down to miniature spark plugs carburetor and all parts in exact scale The beautishyful model stands as a monument to their supreme skill to the last At the time of the presentation to the Smithsoshynian Harry Johnson and his wife were present at a ceremony at which time Dr Garber interviewed him and with much foresight taped the interview Transcript of that tape follows giving much insight to their work

~

5

Smithsonian Pp6s6otatioo

By Dr Paul E Garber (Curator Emeritus)

A TAPED INTERVIEW WITH HARRY JOHNSON AT THE TIME OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE

MODEL PICTURED AT RIGHT

July 22 1959 - This is Paul E Garber Head Curator National Air Museum recording an interview with Harry Johnson who with his brothers Louis Johnson and Julius Johnson constructed an airplane in 1911 an improveshyment on an airplane which they constructed in 1909 As I arrived in our Aircraft Building Shop I found Mr Johnson and Mr Shaw discussing this beautiful model which Mr Johnson is assembling they are now putting the wooden figure of a man into the cockpit but acshytually there is no cockpit strictly speaking because the man sits upon a band of canvas There is no safety belt Mr Johnson explains that the hands of th is figure were carved separately so that they could be fitted around the wheel which controls the airplane

Mr Shaw Do you notice how the magneto is operatshyed by a lever on the steering wheel and how cleverly it is contrived so that the lever actually operates the magneto in this model Mr Johnson has explained that the pilot would hold that lever over in retard until the engine gets going

Mr Garber No safety belt I see Did you ever fly this one yourself

Mr Johnson No No Lou did it and then the fellow that we taught to fly but I never flew as a pilot Lou flew th is for a whole year but it cost a lot of money to teach a fellow to fly At that time we were interested in the development and sa le of Marine engines and there were some persons who thought we shouldnt waste our

I found Mr Johnson and Mr Shaw discussing this beautiful model which Mr Johnson is assembling This model currently on display at the Air amp Space Museum has a 43 wing span

time on airplanes We had to make money so we finally gave up the airp1ane and went to Marine engines

Mr Garber You carved your own propeller too didnt you

Mr Johnson Yes I made that myself I carved the one on the model and I carved the one on the airplane

Mr Garber What wood was in the original mahogany

Mr Johnson No spruce and walnut But I made this one of maple and mahogany because they are of a simshyilar color I wanted to put more strength in the propeller on th is small model

Mr Garber Where did you get your basic idea for this airplane Was it from seeing another airplane or reading books or magazines

Mr Johnson We made one like this before you know but we didnt have very good ideas then We made that in 1909 We wNent trying to copy any existing airplane There werent any around at that time that I knew of but I remember a man named Benoist and another named Bleriot I think he crossed the English Channel and I did see some pictures of that but thats all the part I can remember having seen

Mr Garber These wings are much like those Bleriot designed and used

Mr Johnson The shape of them Mr Garber Yes and Bleriot used wing warping like

you do here Mr Johnson The Wright Brothers used warping too

All of their airplanes were something like this but the same principle of wing warping was not new with this one here we knew

Mr Garber Now for your steering control you have a rudder bar there for your feet and that moves the vershytical rudder on a vertical axis Were those controls crossshyed over that is when you pushed your right foot did you turn to the right or was it as in a sled or bicycle that when you pushed the left end you turned to the right

Mr Johnson We made it like a childs wagon Mr Garber Yes thac IS quite logical and I have often

wondered why others didnt make the rudder bars move the same way I remember that it was awkward for me to learn to move the rudder bar in a different manner than I had been accustomed to on a sled and bicycle

Mr Johnson We preferred to turn the bar the way we were going

Mr Garber Now for warping you turned the wheel itself turning it as in an automobile and I guess that as you pulled down on the right side you would raise the trai ling edge of the right wing

6

Mr Johnson When you pulled down on the right side you raised the left wing of the airplane upward and the right side went down

Mr Garber Then if you were making a right turn you would push your left foot forward and that would bring your right foot back a bit then at the same time you would pull down on the right side of the wheel and that would raise the left wing upward so that you would bank to the right

Mr Johnson Thats right Mr Garber That is instinctive and logical and then

to control the elevators the pilot would pull the whole wheel assembly to him and that would cause the airplane to climb

Mr Johnson Yes that would make the tail end of the airplane lower than the front end and set at such an angle that it would lift

Mr Garber Now thats the controls and they cershytainly are understandable I see that you have a brake here you have a long metal sleeve there by the pilots right leg There is a handle on that rod in that sleeve and as the pilot pulls up on the handle a wire at the bottom end of that rod pulls up the front end of a drag bar the other end of which digs into the ground and acts as a brake

Mr Johnson The drag on the ground slows the airshyplane after landing

Mr Garber That is certainly an early use of a brake You dont have the front wheel of your three-wheeled landing gear steerable do you Was steering on the ground just by using the rudder of the airplane itself

Mr Johnson It rolled on all three wheels but there was light weight on the front wheel that made it easier to lower the tail section of the airplane and lift the airplane off the ground

Mr Garber That takes care of the controls Of course you pushed the wheel assembly forward in order to descend Now lets discuss the wings Did you have metal spars for them(

Mr Johnson No those were of wood and so were the ribs There wasnt much metal in the wings

Mr Garber Where did you get your wing section from That is the curvature of the wing Did you get that out of a book Did you just think that a curved wing was a good idea or was it from looking at some bird maybe

Mr Johnson I dont recall seeing any curved wings before We just made the structure as light as possible

and also to have strength that required the bridge strucmiddot ture as I call it The cross pieces or ribs were made like bridge crosses and the spars were the same way They have longitudinal sections separated by upright sticks between them

Mr Garber Then the wing section was not some particular shape that you were copying from some book You realized apparently that you had to have curved wings but where did you get that idea from Why arent these wings flat like a kite

Mr Johnson I think we must have gotten th at idea from somewhere maybe from some picture but I dont even recall the magazines that were out at that time

Mr Garber There was Aeronautics put out by Ernest J ones and from time to time he would publish what he called structural aids

Mr Johnson We might have gotten something from those magazines

Mr Garber Do you remember a book called Vemiddot hicles of the Air by Lougheed It came out about 1909 and had drawings of a number of airplanes of that time

Mr Johnson No I dont remember that one Mr Garber Then apparently your information came

from a few photographs and magazines that you might have seen and in that way you learned something about what others were doing But there is so much original work in this that it doesnt look as though you copied it from anyone except the shape of the wing The tail section is something like that which was on the Antoinmiddot ette airplane of that day and I think there was a Bristol which had a similar tail group

Mr Johnson Wasnt Antoinette a man who tried to race an airplane across the Straits of Dover

Mr Garber Antoinette was the name of the airplane the pilot was Hubert Latham

Mr Johnson Had a square-end wing didnt he Mr Garber Yes we have a model of that one here in

our Early Bird Case The internal structure of your wing then was made from built up spars and built up ribs each having a sort of a bridge truss shape is that it

Mr Johnson Yes thats right Mr Garber The covering was what kind of cloth was

it muslin Mr Johnson No it was rubberized linen Mr Garber Was that a commercial product or did

you make it up yourself Mr Johnson We bought it that way

Mr Garber There was a Goodyear cloth which was rubberized and then there was a material called Penashycloth which was put out by the Pennsylvania Rubber Company so there were availabl e at that tim e some fabrics th at were impregnated

Mr Johnson It might have been an experimental cloth

Mr Garber So then you put it on with the warp and woof running at right angles spanwise and chordwise parallel with the spars The Wright brothers put theirs on diagonally so as to get som e additional bracing from the fabric but apparently you put yours on straight across

Mr Johnson Thats right And then we put rib strips on like you see here to keep the fabric from tearing where the tacks are and we also had rib stays inside which were wires to keep the wing from being bent backward diagonally

Mr Garber That takes care of the wing and the controls now lets consider the construction of the fushyselage and landing gear In the fuselage you used steel tubing Did you braze it or was welding in use that early

Mr Johnson No we had to braze it Mr Garber Langley used brazing on his aerodromes

The landing gear of your airplane I see is something like that used by Glenn Curtiss so although you may have copied the Bleriot wing you did not copy the chassis from that airplane This longitudinal boom which constitutes the principle member of the fuselage aft of the pilot is very unusual I had once seen a somewhat similar structure in a Smith Monoplane but apparently this idea was original with you

Mr Johnson With us it was just a means of carrying the elevator and rudder far back

Mr Garber I notice you dont have any long guys or stays extending from the front of the fuselage out diagonally to the entering edge of the wing to serve as a preventer for any tendency to backsweep nor do you have any stays extending from the trailing edge of the wing back to the tailboom Apparently you have all the stiffness that you need there in the tailboom itself and you have told me that you made that out of pieces of sheet metal that you formed into conically-tapering tubes and then riveted th em together but in the model here you have turned the boom out of a piece of alushyminum rod This is certainly beautifully done

Mr Johnson That cooling system is interesting Mr Garber Yes I thought we ought to take up next

7

the engine

Mr Shaw I think he was one of the first to develop that method of coo ling

Mr Garber The Antoinette used surface cooling ~

along the fuselage You have no drag at a ll for your radiator In most airplanes the radiator was placed up front and was of a square shape I t created more drag than any th ing else

Mr Johnson Thats right Mr Garber This engine here you tell me is based on

those that you had been making for use in boats This is a four-cylinder shape with the cylinders arranged like two vees staggered with one another What was the bore and stroke

Mr Johnson The bore was five inches and the stroke was four inches It was two cycle

Mr Garber Those little spark plugs on this model are certainly well made did you use a Mea magneto

Mr Johnson No it was a Bosch magneto Mr Garber Then I guess the distributor was on the

magneto itself Did you use dry cells for starting the engine

Mr Johnson No we didnt need that Turning the propeller would start the engine all right

Mr Garber Did you use any booster Mr Johnson No we didnt need it Mr Garber Where is the carburetor Mr Johnson We had a pipe here for carrying the

gasoline through a needle valve Thats the needle valve there where we would adjust the gasoline while the engine was running and get the maximum speed out of it the right mixture There was no throttle on the engine It was a one-speed engine and to start it we would prime the engine put gasoline through the exhaust opening here and turn the propeller to start and when the engine starts the aviator pulls on this little valve control here the one here by his right knee and opens up to allow the gasoline to run through the screen and with the engine running we adjust this lever here and then that can stay that way I t usually stayed that way for a long time and to control the engine he has a push button on the steering wheel which grounds the magneto to kill the spark and he just cuts the engine in and out for control as when coming in for a landing on the ground It had no throttle on it and it works very well that way and we had the advantage of not needing any throttle And then when the engine is running the aviamiddot tor only has to fly the airplane

johnson Aero Engine 2 cycle - V 4 - water cooled 65 lb =65 HP

Mr Garber Then you didnt move the spark lever back and forth in order to control the speed of the engine

Mr Johnson No we never did that Mr Garber With the rotary engines there was a

button on the top of the control stick called a blurp button which was depressed to cut out the ignition for the engine Sometimes when it would be cut in and out the pilot would get a face full of castor oil What kind of oil do you use in your engine

Mr Johnson We used a good boat oil like we had used in Marine engines but I cant think of the make of oil we used at that time

Mr Garber Now in this tank here which is even with the entering edge of the wing this triangularmiddotsectioned tank - does it include an oil tank Did you mix the oil with the gasoline

Mr Johnson Yes we did mix oil in the gasoline tank here and there was no other oiler on it

Mr Garber Now what is this header on top of the top of the gasoline tank

Mr Johnson We called it the steam dome at that time It collected the water as it came hot from the engine and the steam collected in this It has the steam escape here just as you have in the automobile at the top of your radiator and here is an overflow tube the same

8

as in an automobile so that the water and steam could escape down here The water was in there only about 23 full

Mr Garber Oh yes you are speaking of this small tube that comes out of the front center and bends around to go down toward the left side and I guess this top opening is where you put the water in

Mr Johnson Yes thats right The water starts to flow here from the water pump which is at the back of the crank shaft From there the water is carried from these tubes here and up into here and enters the water jacket here on the left side along this tube of the fushyselage and goes right and left and then circulates through the four water jackets and then comes out here into this hose and then through that hose and then enters into the steam dome

Mr Garber Oh yes I see that it flows out from these tubes just behind the aviators seat where one bends to the right and the other bends to the left and then the water flows into the center unit and then is piped into the longitudinals It comes out of that tube just in front of the foot bar and then it goes from there to the pump That is a complete circulation which continues all the time that the engine is running The air-cooling flanges are fastened to the longitudinal tubes to increase their radiating surfaces Those longitudinal tubes are not only the structural members for the fuselage but also being hollow provide pipes through which the water flows so that it can be cooled before re-entering the engine and these flanges increase that cooling

Mr Johnson Those flanges were soldered on to the tube to improve the heat conductivity The air stream helped to cool the water This system worked very well

Mr Garber It almost looks like you would have had more cooling surface than you required but that is certainly better than not having enough Now we have covered the construction of the wings engine fuselage tail group and under-carriage Next how about flying it You say that the center of gravity is located just about in a line forward of the rear wheels of this three-wheeled landing gear

Mr Johnson Yes and the center of pressure was about 13 back from the front of the wing

Mr Garber Then your center of pressure was forshyward of your center of gravity and your center of thrust was in a straight line from the propeller shaft back through this long telescoping boom to the tail group That is a good distribution of forces With the engine

started could you hold the airplane back with the brake I mean this brake here that is pushed into the ground when you pull up on this handle Or do you have to have someone to hold the airplane back for you while you were revving up the engine

Mr Johnson We had around 250 pounds of thrust measuring it with a spring balance and a rope tied to a tree Sometimes we would tie the airplane to the tree until the engine was running up or sometimes we had some men to hold it back A man on each wheel here at the back could hold it We have a picture of two men doing that but most of the time we used a rope tying it to a fence or a tree but out in the field sometimes when there wasnt anything to tie it to we would use men to hold it back and that gave them quite a lot of work to do too

Mr Garber Did you have a slip knot in the rope which the pilot could release or did you have someone on the ground to let the rope 100se7

Mr Johnson A fellow on the ground would do that The pilot has to use a step ladder in order to get into the seat

Mr Garber I see and so with th e pilot at the controls and the engine running the airplane would be released either by cutting or untying the rope or by having the men let go so then the airplane would roll along the ground and when it gained sufficient speed the pilot would pull back on this wheel column thus depressing the tail inclining the airplane upward and up he would go Did you ever measure the rate of climb or the extreme altitude

Mr Johnson No we did not have any way of measshyuring it We probably could have arranged a way but we didnt do that I imagine that the speed at which we took off was about 30 miles an hour We would find that out by an automobile running along side of it while the man in the car would watch his speedometer

Mr Garber How fast was the airplane flying as it came in for a landing

Mr Johnson I guess that speed was about 35 miles per hour maybe just a little faster then what it took off at We could slow it down by this push button which would cut the engine in and out I n the air the speed was about 50 or 60 miles an hour straight and level without a tail wind but at that time we had no way of measuring it That is just our guess We never tried for altitude sometimes we would say it was up about a mile high but we just said that The airplane would look pretty small if

Steering yolk is conventional - it straddles the main lower tube of the fuselage Forward is down back is up turning the wheel creates a normal bank Note the rudder bar at bottom of photo with leather loops to hold fliers feet

it was as much as a mile high up We have some pictures of it way up high and it looked pretty small It could have been a half a mile high but that is just a guess after all We had no way of measuring how high we were but Lou always said that it felt mighty high

Mr Garber Well now Mr Johnson you have been very obliging and patient to answer all of these quesshytions We have discussed this airplane along the same method that I used in the Navy when I was teaching recognition of enemy airplanes We have also considered

9

the structure and performance but I wish that I could hear from you some anecdotes of the times when you and your brothers were building and flying this airplane You have told me that th is was constructed as an improvement over the one you and your brothers made in 1909 May I suggest that Mrs Johnson and you might have lunch with me We can continue our conversation there

Mr Shaw While you two are at lunch Ill glue these hands together around this wheel

Mr Garber Thanks Win Well be back before long (Later) Mr Garber Now we are back from lunch It was

particularly enjoyable to have Mrs Johnson with us During lunch we spoke further about the airplane Mr Johnson said that there were two things which inshyfluenced their discontinued operations of the airplane and their further interest in aeronautics One factor was a cyclone which demolished their factory and another factor was their hope to get a contract for some airplane engines from Russia That was after the beginning of World War I in Europe 1914 The Johnson airplane had conti nued in flight through 1913 and during that year the brothers were thinking of developing a more powershyful engine The engine as shown in this model had 4 cylinders but the brothers intended to develop the type with 6 8 and possibly 12 cylinders The Russians became interested in the most powerful Johnson engine and the Johnson Brothers invested a great deal of money and effort into the development of the 8 and 12 cylinder engines The Russian government was rather unsettled at that time and it seemed difficult for the agents of that nation to make up their mind When the Johnson Brothers learned that the Russians preferred a 12 cylshyinder engine they decided that it should be of the 4 cycle type but the brothers could not obtain a magneto of sufficient power and reliability to use in the ignition system Had the Russian government ordered the 8 cylshyinder engines in quantity or had the brothers been able to get an experimental contract for development of the 12 cylinder engines and been able to produce a protoshytype that was satisfactory the Johnson Brothers might well have gone into the business of manufacturing airshyplane engines and developing more advanced examples of their airplanes But not receiving such encouragement the brothers decided to concentrate on Marine engi nes Also there were some financiers who were considering investing money in the Johnson Company The investors

believed that aviation was an unstable field and they would not agree to put their money into the Johnson Brothers enterprise when the state of aeronautics was so indefinite and considered to be unreliable Moreover there was the thought on the part of these investors that if any of the Johnson Brothers were injured in the course of their flying that their company would thereby be deprived these services thus reducing or even closing the operations of the Marine engine plant So those three factors the severe damage to their plant by the tornashydo the loss of the Russian contract and the attitude of investors caused the brothers to give up airplanes and airplane engines and concentrate on Marine engines For a while the brothers made a small gasoline-engined unit which was attached to a bicycle and called the Johnson motor wheel (I remember that these were sometimes built into 4-wheel wagons and used by boys for transportation around the neighborhood A friend of mine had one about 1916 which he and I would freshyquently go from my home which was then near the Naval Observatory all the way over to my friends familys summer home in Virginia) After that the brothers got into the making of outboard motors they being the first ones to use a rope for starting the engine Now of course Johnson outboard motors are famous and the company itself is very substantial Mr Louis Johnson and Mr Harry Johnson are retired from their business and Clarence is continuing it Julius Johnson I was told had withdrawn his investment several years ago into another line Clarence was the youngest of a family of 7 children but at the time when the airplane was being made and flown he was too young to participate other than by lighting bonfires so that the pilot could land the airplane when evening was coming on At present time one of the five brothers and one of the two sisters have passed away Mr Johnson is there anything that we havent covered in our discussion here in the shop or at lunch

Mr Johnson How about the springs on the landing gear You notice that they extend upward at an angle from their lower connection near the rear wheels Those springs were very useful when we were rolling over rough ground and then when we landed these springs would stretch upward so that the skid would touch the ground and help to slow us down for landing

Mr Garber I see that you have made miniature springs here and that they operate the same as in the original airplane

Mr Johnson Yes I have put it all in there exactly as it was nearly 50 years ago

Mr Garber I notice that you have some heavy springs up here in the horizontal section of the control cables where they connect to the cables coming off of the control wheel They look like whiffletree springs What were they used for

Mr Johnson Well when the aviator pulled his control wheel back it would tend to shorten this cable here but the springs were so arranged as to take up that extra play and similarly permitted the connections to elongate when the aviator pushed the wheel forward That would keep the chain from coming loose on these sprockets over which the length of chain passed Thus the spring would expand or contract to compensate for the over-all differences in the lengths of the connections to the elevators Now for take-down purposes we could take the wings off and lay them alongside of the body when we were going down the road or moving it from one place to another One end of the wings would rest on this pin here and the other end on this cross bar while the trailing edge would lay against the upper strucshyture of the fuselage We would tie the wings in place and then we could pull the whole machine along acountry road behind a horse-drawn wagon and then bring it into a field where we could take off One of the fields that we used had a bluff there and we would usually take off from the top of the bluff

Mr Garber About dimensions you have told me that the scale of this model is 1 1 O That is 110 size every part being 110 that of the original A decimal scale

Mr Johnson Yes that is right the wing span was 36 feet and the length was 34 feet That was measured from the front of the front wheel to the extreme rear over-all The propeller was 8 feet in diameter and the width of the wing was 8 feet

Mr Garber Do you remember the pitch of the propeller

Mr Johnson Yes that was 4Y2 feet The revolutions per minute were about 1200 on the ground but I dont know how fast the engine turned up when the airplane was in the air In the air it must have been more than on the ground We had no indicator on the machine howshyever Here is another thing I had not mentioned The cables extending from the rear spar connections on the right side of the wing to the corresponding fittings on the left side would pass over the pullies on top of these upright cabane braces here and in that way they would

10

move span wise from side to side when the wing was warped

Mr Garber You told me during lunch that in all of the flights with this airplane there had never been any serious crack-ups You said a few minor damages had occurred that were easily repaired and that the airplane was flown until 1913

Mr Johnson Yes right up to the winter of 1913 but not over into 1914

Mr Garber Was there any change in the design during that period

Mr Johnson No this model shows how it was at the beginning and how it was al l the time we were flying it I dont recall any changes that were made all that time except these flanges here on these longitudinal fuselage pipes At first we didnt have them on and then we added them in order to help make the engine run cooler They were on in 1911 however so we must have put them on rather soon after we built it On the model I have made them out ofrsheet brass but on the airplane they are made of copper and were of L-shaped section On the model it was quite a problem to figure out how to make them but first I ran the brass through a set of gears so as to form these parts that expand up and then I made a tool for pinching those U-shaped parts flat That formed the shape that would fit around the pipe Then I soldered them together soldering the joint on the unerneath line of the tubing on this model but in the original airplane we soldered each piece on separately

Mr Garber That is certainly a wonderful story and I marvel not only at your ingen io us craftsmanship in constructing the original but also in the exquisite jewelshylike precision and beauty with which you made this miniature reproduction Is this to be accessioned as a gift from all three brothers

Mr Johnson Yes thats right from all three of us We are very honored to have it here in the National Air Museum

Mr Garber Well I assure you Mr Johnson and I assure your brothers that we ourselves are honored to accept it from you and to display it I know that our visitors will be thrilled by the excellence of this beautiful model Those brothers are yourself Louis whom I met and Julius who I have not had the pleasure of meeting yet

Mr Johnson Thats right that is Louis J Johnson Harry L Johnson and Julius M Johnson

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Mr Garber The correspondence clearly indicates that th is is being given by the three brothers to the National Air Museum At the time when I had the pleasure of seeing Mr Louis Johnson he mentioned also a trophy and said that would be available and I assured him that we will be pleased to have it I will contact Mr Beldon about that May I confirm the address please

Mr Johnson Yes Louis J Johnson is now at Drumshymond Island Michigan Julius M Johnson is at Meadow Court Hotel Bradenton Florida and after Mrs Johnson and I return from a little trip we are taking we will be back home at R R-1 Culver I ndiana We will stop off at

Washington as we turn back toward home after we visit some friends up North

Mr Garber Thank you again Mr Johnson and Mrs Johnson we are further indebted to your husband for bringing you I hope that you have enjoyed your visit to the Museum We will proceed to put this beautiful model on exhibition so that we and our visitors can enjoy it Again and always our sincere appreciation to you Letters of acknowledgment will be sent to you and to your brothers and we are very grateful to you pershysonal[y for assembling the model here and informing us aboutit~

11

~ife Story of

Lou JOHNSON Pioneer Airplane Manufacshy

turer and Aviator Developer

of the Vee Type Motor and

Modern Outboard Engine

As Recorded in an Interview

By Dorothy Jefferson

Konold

Especially for MoToR BoatinG March 1927

Lou Johnson grinned cheerfully as he answered my questions concerning his initial flight Lou is the eldest and the leader of those four red-headed Johnson brothshyers who designed constructed and flew the first successshyful American monoplane in Terre Haute Indiana eightshyeen years ago and who have taken many remarkable steps in the perfection of V-type motors

Kind of funny he sa id with that quiet reticent humor which is so much a part of his personality When that machine was ready to go up I had not the remotest

(Continued on page 15)

Louis johnson makes first stccessful flight with johnson Aeroplane

12

Vintage Upper Left Note the brass steam condenser (tea kettle) just behind the engine In front of the condenser is the ignition system Large box was magneto and selective cylinder control later substituted for blip switch

Lower Left The johnson Motor wheel served the Company for a period of time - after aeroplanes and before outboards As a child I rememshyber a johnson motor wheel powered buckboard (a bicycle wheeled contrivance about twice the size of a childs wagon accommodating two passengers)

13

Album

Upper Right A good shot of the east side of the engine with Louis Johnsons wife at the controls The propeller was made of alternate strips of spruce and walnut

Lower Right This engine could enhance my living room anytime Everything the Johnshyson brothers did was done to perfection Imagine what a 72 cylinder 2 cycle engine could have done for an aeroplane shytoo bad they were never successfully applied

14

idea how to fly Had to learn that at the same time I was testing out the plane Quite different nowadays learning all the principles in an aviation school and then having a perfectly good standardized thoroughly inspected plane delivered into your hands In the old days you had to keep your wits about you all right You never knew what might happen next Ill never forget the first time I went fifty feet off the ground It was lots more of a surprise to me than it was to the spectators

We were sitting in the cheerful home-like living room where Mr johnson does most of his reading and much of his designing A log fire snapped on the hearth and the atmosphere suggested such peace and retirement that it was almost impossible to see in the modest kindly man who sat before me that rugged grimly determined Hoosier lad who never allowed a class-mate to pass him in school who dreamed fantastic things with his boyish brain and carried them out with his amazingly skillful boyish hands who permitted no failure even heavensent destruction in the form of a tornado that completely wiped out his entire motor plant in a few hours to come between him and his goal and who has accepted success with an unconscious grace known to few At forty-five Louis james johnson occupies an enviable position in the engineering world yet one has only to converse with him a few moments to be certain he feels that only a very small portion of his work has been accompl ished

And what he admits of success he attributes in no great measure to his own ability He tells you gravely of two paramount influences in his youth and insists that a boy given these could not have failed

The first influence as you may have guessed was his home life

Meeting Mr johnsons parents as they are today it is not difficult to understand the reverence that is accordshyed them by all of their five children Father johnson at eighty-four has the keen clear eye of a man of sixty His most prized possession is a motor wheel presented to him when his sons were manufacturing them and he rides daily During the war he was called by the govshyernment to take over an important task in an ammunishytion factory for though he had been long in idleness his ability as an expert tool dresser was well known and they were unable to find skill in younger men that matched his Coming from Denmark when he was nine he went at a very early age into a machine shop reaching the place where he could gauge steel by his senses as accurately as other men ga uged it by instruments And

from the first hi s so ns were benefited by an interest and cooperation which very few fathers know how to give

We always had our own tools and work-benches Lou explained Father indulged us in these things as wealthier men indulge their children in expens ive toys We were encouraged to try our hand at any sort of construction that appealed to us And father was always there to advise and assist No task even the building of a sled was regarded as trivial We were taught to put sincere effort into everything and to finish whatever we began

Mother johnson quietly sitting softly rocking speaks in a low almost awed tone of her boys and you know at once what her part in their story has been

When Lou was only twelve she says he decided he wanted a new sled We couldnt afford to buy him the kind he selected so he took an axe and went out into the woods and cut down a tree He worked at it until he had his lumber ready Then he sat down and drew a design We didnt think he could carry it out he was such a little fellow but first thing we knew he had someshything that looked like a real sled The only trouble was with the runners Finally he took the rim off an old buggy wheel pounded it down flat and fastened it to his wooden runners Father got him some red and black

1paint and I want to tell you he had a sled to be proud of I have it in my attic now and you couldnt buy a A better one shy

The second influence you cannot guess It was the Wabash river When the johnson boys were still youngsters the

family moved from Effingham Illinois to Terre Haute I ndiana All of the boys Lou Harry julius Clarence and Arthur (the latter being the one who lost his life some years ago in a factory accident) were enchanted with the river

Our Danish blood Lou smiles quietly It seemed to them that life would not be worth living until they owned a boat

Make it their parents encouraged So the boat was begun and before the summer ended

it was an admitted success But another summer came and brought new ambitions Lou johnson and Nell Cockerham johnson

Louis and Harry wearied of rowing each other about It is rumored that she flew the johnson airshyone day and began to dream plane The family doubts that she did

If we had a motor - Pictures of her in the plane may have been We couldnt afford to buy one - responsible for the rumor (See page 74) We could race neverything

15

Gee how fast d you suppose we co uld go They approached their father and mother Make it said the parents fi nall y with less enthushy

siasm than they were wont to show Gasoline motors were strange toys in those times

But the moto r slowl y assembled proved the env y of all their small assoc iates It was t he two-horse power inboard type a quaint ancestor for the outboard of today but it chall enged and defeated many a marine moto r of prouder origin

The influence of the Wabash shyHigh School was completed with so exce ll ent a

record in mathematics that Terre Hau te professors still speak of Lo us asto nishing ab ility in that line and the yo ung inventor for he was now recognized as that sought hi s fathers consent to engage in marin e motor man ufacture

As usua l hi s parents nodd ed approval They had a lways wished their boys to be in business for t hemshyselves a nd there was money ready for a sma ll factory

Here it is interesting to make a note on the progress of Louis Jo hnsons education No more schooling yet systematic stud y never neglected in the press of any c irc umstances whatever More mathematics a keener interest in everything pertaining to the mechanical sciences engineeri ng co urses Constant reading evshyid enced today by the books that surround him in his home

A few years of this marine work and then the brain that dreamed and the hands that were ever ready to carry out those dreams united in a burni ng desire to drive something far more romantic than river boats with a gaso line engine

He wanted a sled and made o ne He wanted a laun ch and he made o ne He wanted an airplane and he made one It was Americas first triumph with a monopl ane

No o ne probab ly will ever know just what those broth ers suffered in the way of ridicule disappointment a nd discourage ment in the first period of their struggle with th e unknown air monster But they drove ahead undaunted and fi nally something that resembled an ominous bird of prey was hatched

Not only the Indiana town in whi ch it was bo rn thought thi s creation a fantastic f ledgling Looking over Mr Johnso ns scrap-book one comes to hi ghl y amusing comments by the press in various parts of the country Wright and Curtiss were experimenting at the same time of course but air asce nsion was still regarded in the light

of so rcery Working fever ishly day and night and with th e

utmost secrecy the Johnso n brothers of Terre Haute India na are said to be toiling and scheming to put together a huge bird-like machine which is slated either to fulf ill their fo ndest hopes or prove their bitterest disappointment says a cl ipping of September 26 1909

Desp ite the Jo hnsons effo rts at secrecy spectators began to throng the camp in the old reservoir bed ear ly Saturday afte rnoon and later automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place of the Flyer All the far mers took the afternoo n off to view the mach ine news of which had leaked out in spite of the covered e ntra nce to the farm where the try-out is to be held

This a li tt le later in the Terre Haute Tribune Mr Joh nson ch uckl es soft ly as he reviews these

notices The betting ran high at those fi rst ex hibitions he

says Bets ran about two to one that wed not get off the gro und People a lways paid to see the machine too One day in Hill sboro Illino is we took in 2500 gate admissio ns of twenty-five cents each

Gasoline of course was regarded with much fear and the greatest caution used Before the engine was started a crier ran down the f ield warning spectators of the imminent danger and forbidd ing them to smoke

But the queer creature t hat the Johnson brothers had labored w ith was now winning wagers for those who had faith in it The press spoke of a f light as a lift and fo ll owi ng a discouragingly ra iny sum mer when muddy fields delayed the tests for weeks we read

After a period of experiment covering some time the Jo hnson brothers made a successful lift at their camp Sunday evening The machine was started on the aershyd ro me track from which it was run down the field in an effort which finally succeeded in raising it clear of the ea rth Severa l times the craft raised for d istances of from fifteen to twenty feet though th e height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time

Among the things that the history of tomorrow will carry will be the invention and construction of the first successful American monoplane It will recount the years of unaided struggle by those red-headed Johnson bro thers in Terre Haute I ndiana who brought out of a chaos of thought the most wonderful th ing up to the year 1912 in the way of an aero engine mounted on a steel flyer that really flew

The original motor was mounted on a wooden fra me the wings were of silk and the position of the flyer was perilous The improved monoplane boasted a steel frame stronger win gs and the aviator was pl aced above and behind the machinery eliminating the danger of being crushed by the engine in a fall

This successful ai rplane had a spread of 36 feet a length of 34 feet 260 square feet of plane surface and weighed 750 pou nd s I t had a speed of better than sixty mil es an hour and was driven by a V-type motor which was in the nature of a revolution

Then came the Johnson School of Aviation Now that there were pl anes to fly there must be

av iators to fly them But while many young men took a keen interest in the sport fro m the sidelines most of them were sti ll decided ly earthbo und However there were two immediate ap plicants and Ross L Smith who trained one hundred and fifty men during t he war was Lou Johnsons first pupil Frank Schutt was the other and to him befell the thrill of crashing to ground from a height of 1500 ft and landing unhurt His acc ident was caused by a shortage of gas as were many other similar catastrophies of the time

But there is a more perso na l note to be sounded in connection with Mr Johnsons f lights Something other than motors and his aviatio n schoo l engrossed him Th ere was a charming young person in the hood and dust coat supposed to represent the ideal sport costume of the day always ready to assay the clouds with him Up to now spectators had gazed in obvious ad miratio n at the mother who bade her son such a brave god-speed when he started upo n those fearsome uncharted voyshyages Her gallant bearing unfa ilingly caused a little ripple of com ment But now anoth er woman stood at her side eq ually anxious yet equally hero ic It was whispered that Miss Ne ll Cockerham also of Terre Haute had often been up in the machine with Mr Johnson and that she evidently took a keen interest in monoplanes shy

The story is briefly told in two headlin es from the local paper

DISCOVERED- PRETTY MISS WHO FLEW IS I NTERESTED IN BIRD MAN THEN AVIATOR JOHNSON UP IN AIR- MISSED TRAIN ONWEDDING DAY

A new partnership was formed for it is evident to everyone who contacts the Johnsons in either a business or a social way that theirs had proven a very successful marriage and that Mrs Johnsons intere st has been

16

manifested in every phase of the inventors work But the influence of the Wabash shyFlying was all very well Mr Johnson admitted when

questioned concerning his return to motor-boat building but the call of his first love was too strong to ignore for long Of course during these remarkable three years he had never ceased to manufacture the Johnson marine motor but following his marriage he devoted himself intensively to the development of several ideas he had held in embryo while he sought the conquest of the clouds

Soon the Johnson brothers were offering twenty models of marine motors Racing motors ranged from single cylinder to twelve cylinder type One of these held therecord in the 320 in class for four years

But the fates having accorded this much in justice to the originality persistency and energy of the Johnson family evidently decreed that the number thirteen must cast an ominous influence upon the new industry The tornado of 1913 is well remembered by all who lived in the vicinity of Terre Haute at that time but to none perhaps was it more devastating

Lou and I had been in the theatre while the storm was at its worst said Mrs Johnson when we had come to this part of the narration And Lou spoke of the satisfaction of being in a nice new brick factory We went home and knew nothing of the damage that had been wrought until the following morning Then when the men reported for work they saw a pile of wreckage that would have sickened any heart The highest portion of the plant left standing was a bit of the brick wall three feet above the ground

W ea ker men wou Id have broken perhaps but apparently Lou and his brothers bowed to the will of the gods and accepted their loss calmly I n humbler quarters but with no lessening of spirit they designed something new in the manner of a racing craft

In 1914 Johsons most famous boat Black Demon III entered a special match race against some of the fastest boats in the country on Lake Michigan Disturbshyer I V of Ch icago took first honors but Black Demon was a close second out-classing a number of favorites It was a recognized triumph for the V-type motor which had been exhibited in Chicago a few months before and was causing much comment Black Demon III was a 23-footer powered with two 12-cylinder high speed marine motors each having 180 horse-power

Ever casting about for new transportation methods

Black Demon III was a 23 footer powered with two 2 cycle 72 cylinder high speed marine motors each having 780 horsepower

the red-headed Johnson boys now wondered whether a bicycle driven by their motor would compare favorably with types already on the market Apparently it did for in 1917 the Johnson Motor Wheel Company was a going business with an output of 10000 machines a year and the slogan - SIXTY MILES FOR TEN CENTS was familiar to many of us

Warren Ripple Chicago financier was especially interested in this new venture and through his influence the factory was moved to South Bend in the early part of 1918

In eight years the growth of the Johnson Motor Company has furnished South Benders with an inshyexhaustible subject of conversation First it wasshy

Did you hear about those Johnson people Theyve taken over the od Bottling plant next to them

Then Have you heard the latest about Johnson Theyve

leased that whole block of stores on Lincoln Way and put their offices over there

On and on it went this amazing growth Soon a vacated portion of a large underwear mill across the river was commandeered neighboring houses sheds buildings of any type whatever were given over to the manufacshyture and housing of Johnson motors It was said that one must carry a road map to complete a tour of the plant

The wheel had gone into the discard but there was

never a lull in activities The out-board marine motor had quietly taken the place of the motor-driven bicycle - and Lou Johnson was back again doing homage to his first love

Strange influence-On the Banks of the Wabash - tho now of course it was the St Joe river that knew his experiments

Mr Johnsons smile changed as he finished the little resume of his work and walking to the fire-place framed by the well-filled bookcases looked thoughtfully into the flames for a few seconds

Of course it is only a beginning he said This is the age of mechanical development and no one can foretell the progress that will be made in the next ten years even though one may feel it coming Naturally the thing that interests me most and always has is the improvement of water transportation Better boats fastshyer boats-

He paused and the smile was again in his eyes America is only beginning to enjoy water sports

presume we Johnsons have that in the blood And suddenly I saw him as he is a tall Danishshy

American captain commanding in spite of his reticence who began his voyage about three decades ago on a childishly constructed raft in the Wabash river and has been coming fearless of current and snag upstream ever since ~

17

Wednesday August 3 1910

JOHNSONS PREPARE TEST AIRPLANE - machine stands ready after more than a years work for its initial flight - brothers guard secret of place of first trial Airshyship has as original feature V type 2 cycle engine built for strength and lightness

Harry Louis and Julius Johnson the Johnson Brothshyers who have been at work for more than a year manufacturing an aeroplane at their shop 717 N 10th St have at last completed the machine and will leave Friday for a place in the open country near Terre Haute

to make the first attempt at flying it Thus far the Johnson Brothers have kept the location

of the place where they will try to fly the machine an entire secret It is desired to have no crowd about to bother while the machine is being tried

Everything was completed Wednesday with the exception of putting the parts together The machine which weighs 650 pounds complete will be shipped knocked down to the scene of the first attempted flight The propeller which is over 10 in length the wings seat and balances will not be attached until the scene of

try-out has been reached Wednesday morning the airplane stood in the big

building erected especially for the purpose of building it at the rear of the Johnson home on North 10th St It is 36 in length and measures the same exactly from tip to tip in width Every part of it has been manufactured by the three young men while they at the same time carried on their occupation of gasoline and marine engine manufacturing It was begun just a little less than a year ago

The wings which are to extend on either side from

18

the front of the machine measure 16 Yz x 8 and are made of light waterproof canvas stretched over stout framework The engine is a V type 2 cycle engine the only one of its kind to have ever been made

There are V type engines said Mr Johnson but they are 4 cycle The 2 cycle engines have previously been built straight causing increased weight Everything about the machine has been built for speed and lightmiddot ness

Two 7 gallon gasoline tanks will furnish the propellmiddot ing power for the machine It is expected it will take a day and a half to set the machine up after its been shipped to the place where it will be tested

- ~ shy

Saturday August 6 1910

LOCAL AVIATORS MAKE READY FOR FIRST TRIAL JOHNSON BROTHERS MOVE AIRPLANE TO FIELD NEAR BLACKHAWK AND SET UP MACHINE FOR TESTmiddot everything was hustle and bustle at the Johnson brothers aero camp a few miles from Blackmiddot hawk Saturday where the three young men manufacmiddot turers of engines and incidentally builders of an airplane were engaged in putting together their airplane preparmiddot atory for a trial flight One of the busiest of the workers was Clarence Johnson a 12 year old brother who showed himself a handy man about the place Owing to the fact that due to their hurried move from Terre Haute with their machine Friday the Johnson brothers left behind some necessary blocks and braces and the flight that was scheduled for Saturday will be postponed until some time Sunday The strange man by the name of Zakarius supposed to be from Indianapolis and well versed in aviation was with the three brothers Saturday as they worked on their machine which was enclosed in a 40 tent to shut out the view from the spectators Another important personage at the scene was Dr Dupui of Riley who was on hand in case a flight should be made to see to the injuries of the aviator in case he should meet with an accident

The tryout grounds are admirally situated in the center of a 100 acre farm in the reservoir of the old Wabash and Erie Canal There is a wide stretch of clear country without any woodland within its radius of two miles It is believed the airplane will be assembled and ready for a trial late Saturday afternoon but it is not thought a flight will be attempted before Sunday

- Ii _ ~ ~

Sunday August 7 1910

JOHNSON BROTHERS PREPARE FOR INITIAL TEST OF BIG AIRPLANE CONFIDENCE PERmiddot MEATESCAMP AS TIME FOR TRY-OUT NEARSmiddot the first flight if flight is to be of the Johnson airship now resting in all readiness for its try-out at its camp at southeast of Terre Haute will come at about noon today and the result of a year s work and effort to build a successful airplane will be determined

In spite of the Johnson effort at secrecy spectators began to throng to the camp in the old reservoir bed early Saturday afternoon and later in the evening automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place The farmers also took Saturday evening off to take advantage of the opportunity to see the machine and the men

A heavy steel roller was brought to the scene Satshyurday evening and the Johnsons will layout the course early Sunday morning on which the aviators who drive the machine in the preliminary try-outs will score down for a start The meadow as it stands is rough and trouble was feared when the wheels of the flyer were started over the ground before the machine raised into the air

Just who would be the first man to steer the machine on its initial effort the Johnsons refused to state but the crowd of sightseers who have been watching the progress of the work at the camp picked the man who they believe will be in the seat when the airplane raises first It is William Zachow the stranger from Racine Wisconsin who arrived in this city just in time to take an active part in completing preparations for the try-out Zachow refused to give out his name but the above is the name he registered under at the Philbeck Hotel Gossip has it that the Wisconsin man is an experienced aviator and it is on this fact that the spectators base their belief that he will be the one to drive the machine when it is tried out

There is no spirit of speculation in the air about the Johnson camp but in plain businesslike manner the men are carrying forth the work which is to determine whether or not Terre Haute has produced a parallel to the Wright Brothers There were several men on the ground Saturday afternoon who professed some knowlshyedge of mechanics All the men who have seen the machine since it has been brought near enough to completion for an idea to be formed as to its efficiency has had nothing but praise for the thoroughness with which it has been finished and experienced mechanics say that from a mechanical standpoint the machine looks good

An experienced mechanic who examined the machine Saturday stated that the V type 2 cycle engine a

distinctive feature of the new machine is especially adapted for the use on airplanes The Johnson brothers claim the distinction of having made the first engine of this type and mechanics say that it is the coming engine for use on aerial machines

The Johnsons themselves though they do not talk much have all confidence in their creation The men have had years of experience in the manufacture of all kinds of engines and in addition have put in considershyable time in research work on the subject of airplanes and other flying machines They have been close students to the methods of the Wright Brothers

Ii- _ ~

Monday August 8 1910

MAKER LAYS PLANS TO PILOT AIRPLANE ON INITIAL FLIGHTmiddot with the airplane removed from the tent in which it has been housed and the engine of the plane in perfect running order the Johnson brothers were expected Monday at noon to make an attempted flight at any time

The field located near Blackhawk south of the city where the first trial will take place is in perfect condishytion for the flight The only thing that may cause a delay of the flight is the lightness of the wheels which support the airplane on the ground at the start It was feared Monday that heavier wheels would be necessary In case this is decided on the trial of the machine will not take place for a day or so One of the Johson boys will pilot the machine on its initial attempted flight This was definitely announced Monday It was thought at first that William Zachow who was present at the aviation camp would pilot the machine but it has developed that the stranger is a salesman for an airplane supply comshypany He is said to be thoroughly fa miliar with the mechanism of airplanes however and has been of great value in getting the machine ready for flight

A test of the engine was made Monday morning it developed 40 HP Confidence was expressed by the Johnsons that the engine could develop 20 HP additional if necessary

- ~~

Saturday August 13 1910

WEAK SPRINGS POSTPONE JOHNSONS TRIAL OF FLIGHT CROWDS GATHERED AT AVIATION

19

FIELD TO AGAIN LEARN THAT MACHINES TEST MUST AGAIN BE DELAYED - the Johnson brothers made no attempt to fly this afternoon It is reported that they would make their initial attempt to scale the clouds today A crowd followed in the wake of the rumor and by 200 this afternoon many people swarmshyed down from the meadow

When the Johnson machine was wheeled out at 2 00 it was found by the inventors that an important set of springs were too weak These will be strengthened and it is probable that the apparatus will not be taken out of the tent again until Tuesday of the coming week

Two of the brothers hurried to Terre Haute this aftershynoon as soon as the defect in the machine was discovshyered They will return to the camp Sunday and begin adjustment

_ F A ~~

Sunday August 141910

BROTHER AVIATORS DELAY DEMONSTRATION AGAIN PART OF MACHINE USED IN MAKING LANDING GETS OUT OF ORDER SECOND TIME shythough delayed again in their preparation for the initial flight of the first airplane ever manufactured in Terre Haute the Johnson boys Louis Julius and Harry went to work to remedy the defect which made necessary the postponement of their flight for the second time The defects which they are now forced to repair causes no despair in the Johnson boys or lessens their faith that the machine will fly after they are completed

We have encountered no difficulty whatever as yet which would in any way interfere with the successful flight of the machine said one of the boys Saturday The trouble is only in the wheels and supporting spring those parts of the machine which are used to make a landing on and the defect is not curious in any way though it does take some time to make the necessary changes

The intention of the trio was to fly Saturday and the day was ideal but it was decided at the last minute that the chances of flying and making a safe landing would involve too great a risk

Louis the eldest of the Johnson brothers said to a Tribune representative Saturday I am sorry that we could not fly today In the first place the weather is ideal and in the second place when the statement that we have been halted again appears in print a great many people will believe that the machine is a failure As for us we are certain as we have been all along that the airplane will fly

Ii ~~

Monday August 15 1910

JOHNSON PROMISES TO MAKE AIRPLANE TRIP WEDNESDAY BROTHERS OCCUPY ENTIRE DAY REPAIRING CARRYING TRUCK OF HEAVIER THAN AIR MACHINE - the work of getting ready the remodeled parts of the carrying truck for the airplane occupied the day of the Johnson boys at their work shop on 10th Street on Monday The men expect to have their work completed and will take their remodshyeled parts to the camp near Blackhawk Tuesday eveshyning

Louis Johnson said Monday that they expect to have everything in readiness for the trial by Wednesday One man has been left at the camp while the others came to their home in Terre Haute over Sunday

qp tt ~~

Friday August 19 1910

JOHNSONS WAIT WEATHER FOR FIRST TEST OF FLYER HUGE MONOPLANE GIVES EVERY EVshyIDENCE OF BEING FULLY CAPABLE OF NAVshyIGATING THE AIR - the initial flight of the Johnson monoplane was scheduled to take place Friday aftershynoon but a strong wind swept over the field here and made the test impossible The huge flyer waits serenely for the first chance to take to the air having been thoroughly tested on the ground

Friday afternoon the monoplane was staked to the ground headed into the wind and the engine turned on for the purpose of determining her power Under full speed the flyer acquired the full strength of the helpers to keep her from leaping upward At half speed the power developed was not sufficient to convince the builders that the test would be a success in the wind as it is their desire to fly first under half power leaving the remainder for reserve while in the air

After the test of the engine Louis Johnson expressed himself as being unsatisfied with the condition of the engine and propeller

E ~~

Saturday August 201910

JOHNSON SHIP REFUSES TO QUIT TERRA FIRMA ENGINE FAILS TO DEVELOP SUFFICIENT SPEED

TO LIFT MACHINE INTO AIR - the Johnson brothers have made half a dozen attempts to fly the monoplane upon which they have worked for so many months and in none have they succeeded in getting the big machine into the air

Three times Friday they turned the big propeller under high speed and freed the machine from all restraints At a rate of about 12 mph it tore down a rough field only to be stopped at the limit of the course without having raised from the ground Three of these efforts were made before and three after alterations had been made to the propeller Saturday morning the Johnshysons were not disheartened or discouraged they had come to the realization that they were not as far advancshyed in the building of the machine as they had thought Their attention was turned to alterations that were expected to have a decided affect on the plane and also to the grounds upon which they were flying The aviashytion camp is located on exceedingly poor grounds It is rough and full of ruts and so soft that the tired wheels sink to 1 to 3 in it when the machine is started _Those who have watched the attempts to fly are of the opinion that the nature of the grounds is largely responsible for the failures as it is impossible to start the machine at a pace that will make it rise Whether the Johnsons will move or prepare a smoother runway is a question that has not yet been determined The three efforts to fly Saturday morning were made early while the sun was rising and the wind was low A fairly steady breeze from the south made it necessary to drive the machine up a slight grade into the wind but this was not sufficiently a factor to which to attribute a failure to rise The monoshyplane failed to fly simply because it did not have enough power to raise it from the ground There is no speed indicator in the camp and it is impossible to tell at what rate the propeller is revolved but several have estimated it at about 900 rpm 1500 rpm is considered necessary for success and the Johnsons may have to make radical changes in the propeller before making the desired speed_

Saturday evening before a large crowd they started the engine three times and raced down the field with Louis Johnson in the machine The first was probably the best of all the trials The monoplane attained a good rate of speed but it did not leave the ground The buildshyers decided the trouble was due to the size of the propelshyler and they cut it down several inches The result was the engine operated faster and more smoothly but it was by no means as speedy as necessary and the test made established that more alterations were necessary espicially if attempts to fly are from the present locashytions

20

~ t_F ~~

Sunday August 211910

FOUR DEVOTEES OF AERONAUTICS MAINTAIN CHEERFULNESS IN FACE OF PARTIAL DISshyAPPOINTMENT WAITING FOR CALM JOHNSONS ADVANCE IN CONQUERING AIR SIX TRIALS OF MONOPLANE PROVE MANY THEORIES CORRECT BUT BRING PARTIAL DISAPPOINTMENT LOW SPEED PROPELLER PROVES TOO WEAK TO RAISE WEIGHT DIFFICULTIES AT FIELD AND APPLICAshyTION OF MOTORS ENERGY PRESENT PROBLEMS THAT MUST YIELD BEFORE PERSEVERENCE - Sunshyday the Johnson brothers who are now so earnestly engaged in the attempt to fly a monoplane in the old canal basin near Blackhawk are going to demonstrate that they can build a high power low speed motor fully adapted to the needs of the aviator

Just now they are encountering difficulties that would discourage many with a patience that means success they are working under handicaps that appear as insurmountable but must give way before their detershymination

Saturday morning the last of six attempts to make their machine leave terra firma failed and they went back to their tent disappointed after two weeks of the hardest kind of labor In spite of the cheerful attitude they assumed there was an air of disappointment all around the camp and even the jokes of the jolly party did not dispel it

The disappointment lay not so much in the fact that the machine failed to leave the ground in its trials as in the evidence that higher speed would be necessary for the proper operation of the motor It is the object of the Johnsons to develop a motor that will run a monoplane without the terrific speed common to those in use If they succeed in securing one of this type they have a fortune at their command They do not desire to construct an airplane merely for the purpose of flying If they did they could easily obtain the pattern of the Wright brothers machine or other machines and build accordingly or they could purchase a machine at less cost and trouble than they have encountered But having as their object the development of a low speed motor the failure of the one now in use to do the work expected was disappointing Although it whirled the propeller at a speed that astonished the spectators it was not operated at a rate of which it is capable but at a rate very much lower and which the builders hope would be sufficient for its purpose

Consequently when the speed attained by the motor in the first trials Friday proved insufficient one of the hopes of the Johnsons was dashed

Reluctantly they cut down the size of the propeller knowing that every inch shaved from it would increase the speed of the engine Two inches all around were sacrificed in the desire to raise the skybird and the result was a perceptible increase in the number of revolushytions and consequently a steadier engine Some consolashyLIon was offered by the fact that even with the reduced propeller there was little vibration noticeable about the machine

Late Friday night the airplane was run out of its tent and the motor started The effect was extraordinary and the hopes of the Johnsons that they had accomplished their purpose ran high Saturday morning early the fourth attempt to fly and the first with the reduced propeller was made

Whether the alterations had any effect on the raising power of the motor was difficult to determine because of the conditions under which the trial was made A steady breeze from the south made it necessary to start the machine from the north end of the field at the foot of the small incline and on ground that was wet and soft The machine behaved no better than before bllt whether it was due to the propeller the grade or the soft ground was a question the Johnsons were not ready to answer To eliminate the grade is almost impossible To wait for a more favorable wind is nerve racking yet the Johnsons will have to do all of these things before making sure that they have the propeller rightly proporshytioned for the task

Whatever may be determined regarding the propeller it remains that the Johnsons have demonstrated an engine that is remarkable for its power and speed combined with its steadiness and construction The motor is of the 2 cycle type 4 cylinders This means that an explosion occurs in each cylinder just twice as often as in the more common 4 cycle 4 cylinder type More power is the result and 75 hp is the indication This is accomplished by combining the Johnson patent valve with cylinders set at an angle of 1800 and big carburetors The patent valve is one on which the men have worked for a long time and they have shown by it a method of allowing more gas to enter the cylinders withshyout increasing the size of the valve a point of corisidershyable value in construction Then they have obtained a motor that will run at great speed and create so little vibration that it scarcely causes a tremor in the light wooden frame of the airship All in all the motor has conducted itself in a manner that is deemed most satisfactory It is applying it to the airplane that has

proven the puzzle and that is the very point the Johnshysons are seeking

The Johnson monoplane will fly because it is constructed on the proper principles for flight That it has not been successfully launched as yet is due to two things - the experience in designing and operating of the men in control of it and the unfavorable conditions under which the trials have been made Both of these points will be overcome in time While they are eliminatshying the unfavorable conditions they are learning from experience the points they have overlooked in designing and they are learning rapidly how to operate it

The story of the construction of the Johnson monoshyplane is one of hard work and persistent effort The Johllsons have had no teacher in the art They have studied much observed a great deal and gathered from experience a great deal more than the average man will ever know about airplanes No one realizes more than they that there is a great deal more to be learned That is why after months of work they took their machine to the Blackhawk basin It was two weeks ago today that they arrived there and since that time they have fought mosquitos malaria and rain in a most credible effort to work out the theories they have formed It is not a pleasant task but one that requires thought constant experiment and careful reasoning They are not particshyularly interested in what the public thinks about their work They want to apply the Johnson motor to aeroshynautics

As one enters the aviation field he is greeted by a sign that reads Welcome - Outside the Tent The sign is expressive of the attitude of the Johnson boys They are willing that anyone watch them at work free about giving information when asked but they promise nothing and consequently are not responsible for the disappointment of the many who have come to see them fly and have left without that satisfaction

Julius Johnson expressed their attitude well when he said while waiting for a wind to subside we have waited a year to get to this point with the machine and we can afford to wait another day rather than run the chances of breaking up the airplane

Last weeks activity at the camp became intensive Thursday morning when the machine was run out of its protection for the first time the frame buckled This was immediately repaired and trials of the engine and frame made that evening Friday three unsuccessful attempts to raise the machine were made and Saturday with an altered propeller three more efforts brought no better success

When the last visitor departed from the aviation field Thursday night the Johnsons rested content with their

21

preparations for a flight on the early morning air Time work until as the crowd left the field Thursday night noon for further tests to be made solely on the ability of and again the builders had been disappointed in not they saw the end of the last bit of preparation for an air the machine to lift It is expected that the trial will1ake having it ready for flight at the time agreed upon Little test place about an hour before sunset No effort at flightweaknesses that could not be foreseen became apparent While it has been disappointing to visit the aviation will be made at this time the test being confined to when the machine was started across the rough field had field and fail to witness an attempt to fly the chagrin of determining the buoyancy of the machine its balance yielded one by one to careful attention and ingenuity the Johnson brothers and Pearl Conover has been and general fitness for flight Every nut and bolt on the unwieldly looking skybird had greater Living in a single big tent pitched in a malaria been inspected and found in first class condition The breeding district pestered by insects and blistered with rt _ alterations made necessary by faulty calculations as to the heat they have put up with all kinds of inconvenshy ~~ weight and pressure on the running gear were completed iences since leaving Terre Haute and every hours delay and the new woodwork covered with a preserving paint In the center of the structure the light but powerful engine shown in polished brilliancy Just in front of it the big propeller built of many pieces and smoothed to a surface like glass was perfect to the last detail A sliver that had been knocked from it was replaced with cement and its bearing was as true as science could make it Stretching away on each side for 16 were ribbed wings on which so much depends each without a flaw or scratch At their tips hung the balancing planes so delicately fitted that the slightest movement of the operator was reflected by a changed position To the eye the machine was perfect and the builders who worked so patiently at last were satisfied it was ready for its initial trip

It now appeared that nothing stood in the way of a thorough demonstration but the Johnson brothers were doomed to meet another disappointment Under its power for the first time Louis Johnson drove the airship down the field from the tent in which it had been housed Three of the four cylinders were in operation yet it was evident that the Johnson motor was suffishyciently powerful for the purposes of the craft At speed that hurried those who accompanied it the aircraft ran along over the rough ground with little or no vibration from the motor and a steadiness that spelled success Four men hung to it with their weight keeping it from mounting the air while the driver accustomed himself to the situation and watched the engine and the plane

This was the final test of the monoplane before it was entrusted to the element for which it was constructed This test fully demonstrated that the care bestowed upon its construction was not misplaced There was not a flaw noticeable in any of its moving parts There was nothing about its action that indicated a single weakness But one thing marred the success of this test and Thursshyday night saw that one point corrected The long body or frame that extends from the plane to the rudder on the tail was not sufficiently strong to stand the strain of alighting from a height as was shown in its action during this test Immediately the builders prepared to strengthshyen it and all day Thursday they worked on this one part rebracing and adding to the solidity of this frame

has been bitter to them Malaria sent Clarence Johnson the youngest of the camp back to the city unfit to be about Mr Conover succumbed to it one day but was able to throw off the attack The Johnson brothers have all felt the effect of life in the camp and as Louis Johnshyson expressed it Are dead anxious to get to doing something

- shy~~ Monday October 10 1910 MONOPLANE JUSTIFIES EFFORTS OF JOHNSONS AIRCRAFT GOES INTO AIR SEVERAL TIMES AT TESTS MADE SUNDAY- after many weeks of quite work at their camp on the old reservoir prairie 3 miles east of Blackhawk in an effort to perfect the airplane which when first tried out was found to be lacking in a few particulars Louis Harry and Julius Johnson the inventors and builders of the Johnson Bros airplane succeeded in making several lifts with the aircraft at tests made Sunday evening Three tests were made and it was on the third one that the machine lifted from the ground Several times the craft raised for distances of from 15 to 20 Though the height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time this fact was rather to lack in certain details than because the airplane could not raise higher

The craft exhibited a wonderful buoyancy for the test and tended to leave the ground at all times higher than it was allowed to However necessity for certain corrections was manifested before a flight could be safely made and to avoid possible wrecking of the machine it was held down at all times

An assistant of the Johnson boys in their efforts toward perfecting the machine stated Monday that an idea of buoyancy of the machine could be gained from the fact that when starting on the soft dirt just previous to the test that it would leave no track in the soft dirt but that when being brought back for a second test it would plow back into the soil for a depth of 6

Preparations were almost completed Monday after-

Tuesday October II 1910 JOHNSON GIVES EXPRESSION TO SATISFACTION WITH PLANE TEST CONTINUED TO OCCUpy TIME OF BROTHERS AT AVIATION FIELD - Louis Johnson the elder of the Johnson brothers builders of the Johnson Monoplane spent Tuesday in Terre Haute looking after business matters The other two brothers Julius and Harry are at the aviation field making a few required minor changes in the mechanism preparatory to attempting a flight Wednesday or Thursday

Louis will return to the field Tuesday evening to be ready to sit at the wheel of the machine in the initial attempt at flight

We have gone far enough now to see through to the end and we now know that the theory which we have been working is the right one We will fly within a few days possible Wednesday or Thursday The changes now being made are only minor adjustments which were seen to be necessary in our tests as to the lifting power of the machine

-shy~~ Editors Note

The brothers apparently abandoned the attempts to make the 1910 airplane fly shortly after this in October 1910 and started work on an improved design which was successful in the summer of 1911 Between the end of October and the middle of July 1911 they built an entirely new airplane but used the same power plant that had been used in the 1910 version The new airplane was radically different in design using basically a metal framework cloth covered wings and cloth covered tail surfaces which were supported on a single aluminum boom It had a tricycle gear as contrasted with the conventional gear in the 1910 plane It had wing-warping in place of the moveable surfaces at the tips of the wings steerable nose wheel and brakes and many other engineering refinements~

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Ross Smith had never seen an airplane and was attractshyed to one ofthe public displays of the Johnson monoplane the practice being a charge of 25cent to see it in the tent to help alleviate the costs The plane had barely flown and excitement was running high Ross evidently took one look at it and said thats for me Its hard to guess how he convinced the Johnsons that he should take a hand at it however it is very possible that he was the only one with enough nerve and the J ohnsons had spent a great deal of theirs A bird in the hand at this point was probably welcome According to the records the

motor was started and Ross ran the plane up and down the field for some half hour experimenting with the controls learning how to use the throttle steering the airplane accelerating until it was light Evidently Ross had figured play ti me was over and the description states suddenly the plane shot forward and then rose graceshyfully into the air His very first flight lasted for 30 minutes and he thrilled the onlookers as he flew back and forth over the field (I nstructors take note - how many students would you turn loose in a better machine of today with 30 minutes of instruction)

Barely two days atter Rosss first flight he launched into the professional flying ranks in a big way He immeshydiately received an offer from his home town of Mattoon Illinois to engage in some demonstration flights and was paid for three flights at $50000 per flight Airplanes were so rare in these days that people paid to look at them and in most cases such flights were initiated by promotors seeking a quick fortune You would believe that flying such an airplane was enough of a daredevil stunt but not for our friend Ross He managed to concoct stunts that even from this distance

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in time seem absolutely ridiculous Daredevil is too mild a word One of his next exploits was an engagement to fly the monoplane during a 10 day Chautauqua Now for you youngsters youll have to run to the dictionary however Ill save you the effort The name Chautauqua originated in New York where some wise promoter startshyed an educational summer camp Families took their vacations very similar to those going to Oshkosh for the week long fly-in lived in tents in a large tent community that attracted as many as 50000 people during its run This particular Chautauqua that contracted for Rosss services with the Johnson airplane was at Merom Bluff Indiana a high point on the Wabash River The bluff was in Sullivan County and stood 150 above the river on one side while the opposite side fell to flat farm land going away from the river in a flat plain Th is particular Chautauqua was obviously one of great importance for the midwest and attractions included William Jennings Bryan Senator Robert LaFollette William Howard Taft former President of the United States Vice President Thomas R Marshall a gal named Maude Ballington Booth discussing prison reform John Temple Graves a noted orator of the time and Jeanette Rankin the first American Congresswoman The Chautauqua encomshypassed every subject from religion to suffrage child care and anything at all that would interest the family

To spice this particular Chautauqua Ross came up with the idea of building a 250 wooden platform with its far end hanging over the bluff on the river side The intent was to fly the airplane from this platform and fly it he did for many performances Descriptions of the flight states that the airplane labored uphill gained speed and disappeared from the end of the platform in what must have been a free fall until it gained flying speed leveling out some safe distance above the river then circling back over the Chautauqua area like a peacock preening its feathers It must have been a supreme thrill for all to witness There was no possible way to land at the Chautauqua area so Ross would cross the river to the Illinois side and land on a road at the ferry The plane would then be disassembled hauled back across the river pulled back up the winding road to the bluff for its next days operation

I n the eyes of the Chautauqua attendance Ross was no doubt walking mighty tall despite his slight stature It was quite common practice for the Johnson airplane to be engaged for fairs etc at which time it generally flew off the racetrack Evidently by this time a standard stunt

This monoplane piloted by Ross Smith flew off the Merom Bluff daily August 22-37 7973 during the Chautauqua

This was the view from the Merom Bluff The picture is deceiving for it was 750 down to the water Note the Ferry cars and buggies waiting to cross and climb the winding road up the bluff This is the view Ross Smith had as he literally dove his plane off the platform without adequate flying speed The result was a near free fall with flying speed gained in time to narrowly miss striking the water below The flight was enacted daily to please the crowd

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-

Ross Smith preparing for an exhibition flight Note man with ladder at right below wing It was a tall gear and a long climb to mount this machine

had been for the airplane to race a car on the track Dirt track races being part of almost every fair there was always someone present willing to race At one such event it states that Speed in the air and on land thrills thousands Aviator Ross L Smith and Speed King Wild Bob Burman held first place in the hearts of sensation lovers for the wild thrills they gave the thousands at the fairgrounds on Sunday Taking off from the track Ross flew around the track circled the infield and landed directly in front of thegrandstand amid the applause of thousands As an additional build up to the race Burman took Ross for a ride in his 300 hp Blitzen Benz and proceeded to smash the world record for a mile on a half mile dirt track breaking his own former record His

speed was just over 60 mph but this meant that 80 mph must have been his speed on the straight away On the first lap he gave Ross a thrill by hitting the turn too fast and almost losing control in a skid Evidently Ross did not appreciate the ride for when Burman said he would go up with him in his plane Ross calmly said that if he did he would get pushed out Burman of course immeshydiately changed his mind Evidently this was the last of Burmans summer appearances and he was going to spend his time readying himself for the 500 mile motor speedway event He had held the lead the previous year until his machine caught fire and burned while he was many laps ahead

As to the race between the airplane and the car the

airplane invariably won all events in spite of the fact that the cars appeared to be going faster Speed in the air does not seem to be speed compared to a roaring monster of an auto spewing exhaust and throwing large clods of dirt as it rounds every corner Smith evidently thrilled the crowd with a simple thing that today would be called a touch and go Newspaper emotes over the fact that even the French exhibition flyers had not done such a thing stating that Ross had no trouble at all in thrilling the crowd In another engagement it states that Ross L Smith will pilot the Johnson brothers monshyoplane during the Corn Week Show sponsored by the Rotary Club of Terre Haute The big thrill of this event was to be a flight down Wabash Avenue between the

25

buildings just above the street car wires It was stated it would be the first time in history that an aviator would attempt such a dangerous feat The plane was to be brought down until the wheels barely cleared the wires then proceed west down the street to the Court House where the plan was to circle the big dome I n a flair of penmanship the author writes it will be unusual for a businessman to see the wings of an airplane almost brushing the windows of his building He further states the trip will be a dangerous one but the aviator and the builders of the machine have such faith in the monshyoplane that they believe that both will stand the test

I n a later account where Smith was engaged to fly an exhibition over Elsworth he decided to give them a new thrill and go for altitude With much circling he reached dizzying height of 2000 where he passed through a cloud bank that confused him for a short time On recovering from the confusion he found himself at 1000 (he invented vertigo no dOUbt)

In still another account it states the Johnson monshyoplane gave one of the best exh ib itions of the art of flying it has been our pleasure to witness There were no death defying stunts just plain flying

The monoplane took off on the back stretch of the race track and for 30 minutes circled dived swooped and turned running up and down the valley for several miles It states the limited space in which he had to land caused him some trouble He had failed to make the first descent (made a go-around - probably the first) When finally on the ground Aviator Ross stated it was the hardest day to fly on he had ever experienced as the air seemed dead and no breeze whatsoever was stirring Density altitude)

About the year 1913 Ross was running out of tricks the bag was getting empty so he decided to scoop them all He announced that he would like to fly the Atlantic and from all records it appears that he was the first to have such serious ideas He was at least 19 years ahead of his time He proposed to fly the flimsy Johnson airplane across the Atlantic alone - a statement that makes Lindshyberghs remarks an echo of the past He approached the Navy Department and asked them to place 10 battleshysh ips at intervals of 300 miles apart figuring that th is would be the maximum load of gasoline possible to carry The Navy of course refused considering the flight across the Atlantic as only a hair brained scheme The Government was not very interested in flying at this time and their decision was certainly not a surprise

~

Evening flights from the field were customary

Ross did not remain silent on this issue and at a later time stated in print when the Atlantic is crossed it will be by a flying boat and not a dirigible

In reading the history of these days all of the emshyphasis on long range travel was transfered to the gas bag History proved Ross to be 100 right and the Navys NC4s were the first to fly across

To further add hues of color to his career Ross was perhaps the first American aviator to get an offer from a foreign government and probably one of the first conceptions of military aviation was born President Huerta of Mexico offered him a high ranking position in the Mexican Army if he would organize an air force for them Ross immediately declined Poncho Villa who was then the bad boy of Mexico and conducting what we would call today Guerilla attack tried to make Ross a better offer of $2000 a month in gold to do the same thing for his side Ross declined that too Time proved how wise he was in declining this offer for one of his best friends was killed - not while he was flying but by Villas own men Four of Rosss friends had decided to fly for Villa but when weeks went by and they received no pay they drew straws to see who would confront Villa with the facts Mickey McGuire (the wild Irish Rose of the skies) was unlucky enough to get the job and foolish enough to make the attempt He faced the illiterate General in his tent and asked for the money

The General promptly whipped out a 45 caliper pistol and shot McGuire through the heart In revenge the remaining three proceeded to burn Villas airplanes saving one to make their escape in They successfully flew that one back to the United States

This was not Rosss last encounter with Army life As World War I came along there were but 50 flyers availshyable for instructors in the US He was one that formed the nucleus of the great Flying Corps This group was called on to also perform test pilot functions and in their vernacular did nose dives tail spins and no doubt were the first creators of aerobatic flying in this country This was no doubt a cup of tea for our adventuresome Mr Ross captivated the services and the record that he established was remarkable General Andrews commenshyded Ross with a citation ending it with a comment Seven years without a serious mishap Ross lived a long and successful life and became very well known in Wash ington and for years was Public Relations Manager for the Hot Shopps a food chain in the East He lived a full life and died on February 19 1959 For an advenshyturesome person who lead such a colorful life and seemingly knew no fear he must have also been blessed with skill and a great amount of common sense In the Hot Shopps Company magazine from which some of this material was gleaned they coined an epitaph for him stating simply An amazing man ~

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Smithsonian Pp6s6otatioo

By Dr Paul E Garber (Curator Emeritus)

A TAPED INTERVIEW WITH HARRY JOHNSON AT THE TIME OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE

MODEL PICTURED AT RIGHT

July 22 1959 - This is Paul E Garber Head Curator National Air Museum recording an interview with Harry Johnson who with his brothers Louis Johnson and Julius Johnson constructed an airplane in 1911 an improveshyment on an airplane which they constructed in 1909 As I arrived in our Aircraft Building Shop I found Mr Johnson and Mr Shaw discussing this beautiful model which Mr Johnson is assembling they are now putting the wooden figure of a man into the cockpit but acshytually there is no cockpit strictly speaking because the man sits upon a band of canvas There is no safety belt Mr Johnson explains that the hands of th is figure were carved separately so that they could be fitted around the wheel which controls the airplane

Mr Shaw Do you notice how the magneto is operatshyed by a lever on the steering wheel and how cleverly it is contrived so that the lever actually operates the magneto in this model Mr Johnson has explained that the pilot would hold that lever over in retard until the engine gets going

Mr Garber No safety belt I see Did you ever fly this one yourself

Mr Johnson No No Lou did it and then the fellow that we taught to fly but I never flew as a pilot Lou flew th is for a whole year but it cost a lot of money to teach a fellow to fly At that time we were interested in the development and sa le of Marine engines and there were some persons who thought we shouldnt waste our

I found Mr Johnson and Mr Shaw discussing this beautiful model which Mr Johnson is assembling This model currently on display at the Air amp Space Museum has a 43 wing span

time on airplanes We had to make money so we finally gave up the airp1ane and went to Marine engines

Mr Garber You carved your own propeller too didnt you

Mr Johnson Yes I made that myself I carved the one on the model and I carved the one on the airplane

Mr Garber What wood was in the original mahogany

Mr Johnson No spruce and walnut But I made this one of maple and mahogany because they are of a simshyilar color I wanted to put more strength in the propeller on th is small model

Mr Garber Where did you get your basic idea for this airplane Was it from seeing another airplane or reading books or magazines

Mr Johnson We made one like this before you know but we didnt have very good ideas then We made that in 1909 We wNent trying to copy any existing airplane There werent any around at that time that I knew of but I remember a man named Benoist and another named Bleriot I think he crossed the English Channel and I did see some pictures of that but thats all the part I can remember having seen

Mr Garber These wings are much like those Bleriot designed and used

Mr Johnson The shape of them Mr Garber Yes and Bleriot used wing warping like

you do here Mr Johnson The Wright Brothers used warping too

All of their airplanes were something like this but the same principle of wing warping was not new with this one here we knew

Mr Garber Now for your steering control you have a rudder bar there for your feet and that moves the vershytical rudder on a vertical axis Were those controls crossshyed over that is when you pushed your right foot did you turn to the right or was it as in a sled or bicycle that when you pushed the left end you turned to the right

Mr Johnson We made it like a childs wagon Mr Garber Yes thac IS quite logical and I have often

wondered why others didnt make the rudder bars move the same way I remember that it was awkward for me to learn to move the rudder bar in a different manner than I had been accustomed to on a sled and bicycle

Mr Johnson We preferred to turn the bar the way we were going

Mr Garber Now for warping you turned the wheel itself turning it as in an automobile and I guess that as you pulled down on the right side you would raise the trai ling edge of the right wing

6

Mr Johnson When you pulled down on the right side you raised the left wing of the airplane upward and the right side went down

Mr Garber Then if you were making a right turn you would push your left foot forward and that would bring your right foot back a bit then at the same time you would pull down on the right side of the wheel and that would raise the left wing upward so that you would bank to the right

Mr Johnson Thats right Mr Garber That is instinctive and logical and then

to control the elevators the pilot would pull the whole wheel assembly to him and that would cause the airplane to climb

Mr Johnson Yes that would make the tail end of the airplane lower than the front end and set at such an angle that it would lift

Mr Garber Now thats the controls and they cershytainly are understandable I see that you have a brake here you have a long metal sleeve there by the pilots right leg There is a handle on that rod in that sleeve and as the pilot pulls up on the handle a wire at the bottom end of that rod pulls up the front end of a drag bar the other end of which digs into the ground and acts as a brake

Mr Johnson The drag on the ground slows the airshyplane after landing

Mr Garber That is certainly an early use of a brake You dont have the front wheel of your three-wheeled landing gear steerable do you Was steering on the ground just by using the rudder of the airplane itself

Mr Johnson It rolled on all three wheels but there was light weight on the front wheel that made it easier to lower the tail section of the airplane and lift the airplane off the ground

Mr Garber That takes care of the controls Of course you pushed the wheel assembly forward in order to descend Now lets discuss the wings Did you have metal spars for them(

Mr Johnson No those were of wood and so were the ribs There wasnt much metal in the wings

Mr Garber Where did you get your wing section from That is the curvature of the wing Did you get that out of a book Did you just think that a curved wing was a good idea or was it from looking at some bird maybe

Mr Johnson I dont recall seeing any curved wings before We just made the structure as light as possible

and also to have strength that required the bridge strucmiddot ture as I call it The cross pieces or ribs were made like bridge crosses and the spars were the same way They have longitudinal sections separated by upright sticks between them

Mr Garber Then the wing section was not some particular shape that you were copying from some book You realized apparently that you had to have curved wings but where did you get that idea from Why arent these wings flat like a kite

Mr Johnson I think we must have gotten th at idea from somewhere maybe from some picture but I dont even recall the magazines that were out at that time

Mr Garber There was Aeronautics put out by Ernest J ones and from time to time he would publish what he called structural aids

Mr Johnson We might have gotten something from those magazines

Mr Garber Do you remember a book called Vemiddot hicles of the Air by Lougheed It came out about 1909 and had drawings of a number of airplanes of that time

Mr Johnson No I dont remember that one Mr Garber Then apparently your information came

from a few photographs and magazines that you might have seen and in that way you learned something about what others were doing But there is so much original work in this that it doesnt look as though you copied it from anyone except the shape of the wing The tail section is something like that which was on the Antoinmiddot ette airplane of that day and I think there was a Bristol which had a similar tail group

Mr Johnson Wasnt Antoinette a man who tried to race an airplane across the Straits of Dover

Mr Garber Antoinette was the name of the airplane the pilot was Hubert Latham

Mr Johnson Had a square-end wing didnt he Mr Garber Yes we have a model of that one here in

our Early Bird Case The internal structure of your wing then was made from built up spars and built up ribs each having a sort of a bridge truss shape is that it

Mr Johnson Yes thats right Mr Garber The covering was what kind of cloth was

it muslin Mr Johnson No it was rubberized linen Mr Garber Was that a commercial product or did

you make it up yourself Mr Johnson We bought it that way

Mr Garber There was a Goodyear cloth which was rubberized and then there was a material called Penashycloth which was put out by the Pennsylvania Rubber Company so there were availabl e at that tim e some fabrics th at were impregnated

Mr Johnson It might have been an experimental cloth

Mr Garber So then you put it on with the warp and woof running at right angles spanwise and chordwise parallel with the spars The Wright brothers put theirs on diagonally so as to get som e additional bracing from the fabric but apparently you put yours on straight across

Mr Johnson Thats right And then we put rib strips on like you see here to keep the fabric from tearing where the tacks are and we also had rib stays inside which were wires to keep the wing from being bent backward diagonally

Mr Garber That takes care of the wing and the controls now lets consider the construction of the fushyselage and landing gear In the fuselage you used steel tubing Did you braze it or was welding in use that early

Mr Johnson No we had to braze it Mr Garber Langley used brazing on his aerodromes

The landing gear of your airplane I see is something like that used by Glenn Curtiss so although you may have copied the Bleriot wing you did not copy the chassis from that airplane This longitudinal boom which constitutes the principle member of the fuselage aft of the pilot is very unusual I had once seen a somewhat similar structure in a Smith Monoplane but apparently this idea was original with you

Mr Johnson With us it was just a means of carrying the elevator and rudder far back

Mr Garber I notice you dont have any long guys or stays extending from the front of the fuselage out diagonally to the entering edge of the wing to serve as a preventer for any tendency to backsweep nor do you have any stays extending from the trailing edge of the wing back to the tailboom Apparently you have all the stiffness that you need there in the tailboom itself and you have told me that you made that out of pieces of sheet metal that you formed into conically-tapering tubes and then riveted th em together but in the model here you have turned the boom out of a piece of alushyminum rod This is certainly beautifully done

Mr Johnson That cooling system is interesting Mr Garber Yes I thought we ought to take up next

7

the engine

Mr Shaw I think he was one of the first to develop that method of coo ling

Mr Garber The Antoinette used surface cooling ~

along the fuselage You have no drag at a ll for your radiator In most airplanes the radiator was placed up front and was of a square shape I t created more drag than any th ing else

Mr Johnson Thats right Mr Garber This engine here you tell me is based on

those that you had been making for use in boats This is a four-cylinder shape with the cylinders arranged like two vees staggered with one another What was the bore and stroke

Mr Johnson The bore was five inches and the stroke was four inches It was two cycle

Mr Garber Those little spark plugs on this model are certainly well made did you use a Mea magneto

Mr Johnson No it was a Bosch magneto Mr Garber Then I guess the distributor was on the

magneto itself Did you use dry cells for starting the engine

Mr Johnson No we didnt need that Turning the propeller would start the engine all right

Mr Garber Did you use any booster Mr Johnson No we didnt need it Mr Garber Where is the carburetor Mr Johnson We had a pipe here for carrying the

gasoline through a needle valve Thats the needle valve there where we would adjust the gasoline while the engine was running and get the maximum speed out of it the right mixture There was no throttle on the engine It was a one-speed engine and to start it we would prime the engine put gasoline through the exhaust opening here and turn the propeller to start and when the engine starts the aviator pulls on this little valve control here the one here by his right knee and opens up to allow the gasoline to run through the screen and with the engine running we adjust this lever here and then that can stay that way I t usually stayed that way for a long time and to control the engine he has a push button on the steering wheel which grounds the magneto to kill the spark and he just cuts the engine in and out for control as when coming in for a landing on the ground It had no throttle on it and it works very well that way and we had the advantage of not needing any throttle And then when the engine is running the aviamiddot tor only has to fly the airplane

johnson Aero Engine 2 cycle - V 4 - water cooled 65 lb =65 HP

Mr Garber Then you didnt move the spark lever back and forth in order to control the speed of the engine

Mr Johnson No we never did that Mr Garber With the rotary engines there was a

button on the top of the control stick called a blurp button which was depressed to cut out the ignition for the engine Sometimes when it would be cut in and out the pilot would get a face full of castor oil What kind of oil do you use in your engine

Mr Johnson We used a good boat oil like we had used in Marine engines but I cant think of the make of oil we used at that time

Mr Garber Now in this tank here which is even with the entering edge of the wing this triangularmiddotsectioned tank - does it include an oil tank Did you mix the oil with the gasoline

Mr Johnson Yes we did mix oil in the gasoline tank here and there was no other oiler on it

Mr Garber Now what is this header on top of the top of the gasoline tank

Mr Johnson We called it the steam dome at that time It collected the water as it came hot from the engine and the steam collected in this It has the steam escape here just as you have in the automobile at the top of your radiator and here is an overflow tube the same

8

as in an automobile so that the water and steam could escape down here The water was in there only about 23 full

Mr Garber Oh yes you are speaking of this small tube that comes out of the front center and bends around to go down toward the left side and I guess this top opening is where you put the water in

Mr Johnson Yes thats right The water starts to flow here from the water pump which is at the back of the crank shaft From there the water is carried from these tubes here and up into here and enters the water jacket here on the left side along this tube of the fushyselage and goes right and left and then circulates through the four water jackets and then comes out here into this hose and then through that hose and then enters into the steam dome

Mr Garber Oh yes I see that it flows out from these tubes just behind the aviators seat where one bends to the right and the other bends to the left and then the water flows into the center unit and then is piped into the longitudinals It comes out of that tube just in front of the foot bar and then it goes from there to the pump That is a complete circulation which continues all the time that the engine is running The air-cooling flanges are fastened to the longitudinal tubes to increase their radiating surfaces Those longitudinal tubes are not only the structural members for the fuselage but also being hollow provide pipes through which the water flows so that it can be cooled before re-entering the engine and these flanges increase that cooling

Mr Johnson Those flanges were soldered on to the tube to improve the heat conductivity The air stream helped to cool the water This system worked very well

Mr Garber It almost looks like you would have had more cooling surface than you required but that is certainly better than not having enough Now we have covered the construction of the wings engine fuselage tail group and under-carriage Next how about flying it You say that the center of gravity is located just about in a line forward of the rear wheels of this three-wheeled landing gear

Mr Johnson Yes and the center of pressure was about 13 back from the front of the wing

Mr Garber Then your center of pressure was forshyward of your center of gravity and your center of thrust was in a straight line from the propeller shaft back through this long telescoping boom to the tail group That is a good distribution of forces With the engine

started could you hold the airplane back with the brake I mean this brake here that is pushed into the ground when you pull up on this handle Or do you have to have someone to hold the airplane back for you while you were revving up the engine

Mr Johnson We had around 250 pounds of thrust measuring it with a spring balance and a rope tied to a tree Sometimes we would tie the airplane to the tree until the engine was running up or sometimes we had some men to hold it back A man on each wheel here at the back could hold it We have a picture of two men doing that but most of the time we used a rope tying it to a fence or a tree but out in the field sometimes when there wasnt anything to tie it to we would use men to hold it back and that gave them quite a lot of work to do too

Mr Garber Did you have a slip knot in the rope which the pilot could release or did you have someone on the ground to let the rope 100se7

Mr Johnson A fellow on the ground would do that The pilot has to use a step ladder in order to get into the seat

Mr Garber I see and so with th e pilot at the controls and the engine running the airplane would be released either by cutting or untying the rope or by having the men let go so then the airplane would roll along the ground and when it gained sufficient speed the pilot would pull back on this wheel column thus depressing the tail inclining the airplane upward and up he would go Did you ever measure the rate of climb or the extreme altitude

Mr Johnson No we did not have any way of measshyuring it We probably could have arranged a way but we didnt do that I imagine that the speed at which we took off was about 30 miles an hour We would find that out by an automobile running along side of it while the man in the car would watch his speedometer

Mr Garber How fast was the airplane flying as it came in for a landing

Mr Johnson I guess that speed was about 35 miles per hour maybe just a little faster then what it took off at We could slow it down by this push button which would cut the engine in and out I n the air the speed was about 50 or 60 miles an hour straight and level without a tail wind but at that time we had no way of measuring it That is just our guess We never tried for altitude sometimes we would say it was up about a mile high but we just said that The airplane would look pretty small if

Steering yolk is conventional - it straddles the main lower tube of the fuselage Forward is down back is up turning the wheel creates a normal bank Note the rudder bar at bottom of photo with leather loops to hold fliers feet

it was as much as a mile high up We have some pictures of it way up high and it looked pretty small It could have been a half a mile high but that is just a guess after all We had no way of measuring how high we were but Lou always said that it felt mighty high

Mr Garber Well now Mr Johnson you have been very obliging and patient to answer all of these quesshytions We have discussed this airplane along the same method that I used in the Navy when I was teaching recognition of enemy airplanes We have also considered

9

the structure and performance but I wish that I could hear from you some anecdotes of the times when you and your brothers were building and flying this airplane You have told me that th is was constructed as an improvement over the one you and your brothers made in 1909 May I suggest that Mrs Johnson and you might have lunch with me We can continue our conversation there

Mr Shaw While you two are at lunch Ill glue these hands together around this wheel

Mr Garber Thanks Win Well be back before long (Later) Mr Garber Now we are back from lunch It was

particularly enjoyable to have Mrs Johnson with us During lunch we spoke further about the airplane Mr Johnson said that there were two things which inshyfluenced their discontinued operations of the airplane and their further interest in aeronautics One factor was a cyclone which demolished their factory and another factor was their hope to get a contract for some airplane engines from Russia That was after the beginning of World War I in Europe 1914 The Johnson airplane had conti nued in flight through 1913 and during that year the brothers were thinking of developing a more powershyful engine The engine as shown in this model had 4 cylinders but the brothers intended to develop the type with 6 8 and possibly 12 cylinders The Russians became interested in the most powerful Johnson engine and the Johnson Brothers invested a great deal of money and effort into the development of the 8 and 12 cylinder engines The Russian government was rather unsettled at that time and it seemed difficult for the agents of that nation to make up their mind When the Johnson Brothers learned that the Russians preferred a 12 cylshyinder engine they decided that it should be of the 4 cycle type but the brothers could not obtain a magneto of sufficient power and reliability to use in the ignition system Had the Russian government ordered the 8 cylshyinder engines in quantity or had the brothers been able to get an experimental contract for development of the 12 cylinder engines and been able to produce a protoshytype that was satisfactory the Johnson Brothers might well have gone into the business of manufacturing airshyplane engines and developing more advanced examples of their airplanes But not receiving such encouragement the brothers decided to concentrate on Marine engi nes Also there were some financiers who were considering investing money in the Johnson Company The investors

believed that aviation was an unstable field and they would not agree to put their money into the Johnson Brothers enterprise when the state of aeronautics was so indefinite and considered to be unreliable Moreover there was the thought on the part of these investors that if any of the Johnson Brothers were injured in the course of their flying that their company would thereby be deprived these services thus reducing or even closing the operations of the Marine engine plant So those three factors the severe damage to their plant by the tornashydo the loss of the Russian contract and the attitude of investors caused the brothers to give up airplanes and airplane engines and concentrate on Marine engines For a while the brothers made a small gasoline-engined unit which was attached to a bicycle and called the Johnson motor wheel (I remember that these were sometimes built into 4-wheel wagons and used by boys for transportation around the neighborhood A friend of mine had one about 1916 which he and I would freshyquently go from my home which was then near the Naval Observatory all the way over to my friends familys summer home in Virginia) After that the brothers got into the making of outboard motors they being the first ones to use a rope for starting the engine Now of course Johnson outboard motors are famous and the company itself is very substantial Mr Louis Johnson and Mr Harry Johnson are retired from their business and Clarence is continuing it Julius Johnson I was told had withdrawn his investment several years ago into another line Clarence was the youngest of a family of 7 children but at the time when the airplane was being made and flown he was too young to participate other than by lighting bonfires so that the pilot could land the airplane when evening was coming on At present time one of the five brothers and one of the two sisters have passed away Mr Johnson is there anything that we havent covered in our discussion here in the shop or at lunch

Mr Johnson How about the springs on the landing gear You notice that they extend upward at an angle from their lower connection near the rear wheels Those springs were very useful when we were rolling over rough ground and then when we landed these springs would stretch upward so that the skid would touch the ground and help to slow us down for landing

Mr Garber I see that you have made miniature springs here and that they operate the same as in the original airplane

Mr Johnson Yes I have put it all in there exactly as it was nearly 50 years ago

Mr Garber I notice that you have some heavy springs up here in the horizontal section of the control cables where they connect to the cables coming off of the control wheel They look like whiffletree springs What were they used for

Mr Johnson Well when the aviator pulled his control wheel back it would tend to shorten this cable here but the springs were so arranged as to take up that extra play and similarly permitted the connections to elongate when the aviator pushed the wheel forward That would keep the chain from coming loose on these sprockets over which the length of chain passed Thus the spring would expand or contract to compensate for the over-all differences in the lengths of the connections to the elevators Now for take-down purposes we could take the wings off and lay them alongside of the body when we were going down the road or moving it from one place to another One end of the wings would rest on this pin here and the other end on this cross bar while the trailing edge would lay against the upper strucshyture of the fuselage We would tie the wings in place and then we could pull the whole machine along acountry road behind a horse-drawn wagon and then bring it into a field where we could take off One of the fields that we used had a bluff there and we would usually take off from the top of the bluff

Mr Garber About dimensions you have told me that the scale of this model is 1 1 O That is 110 size every part being 110 that of the original A decimal scale

Mr Johnson Yes that is right the wing span was 36 feet and the length was 34 feet That was measured from the front of the front wheel to the extreme rear over-all The propeller was 8 feet in diameter and the width of the wing was 8 feet

Mr Garber Do you remember the pitch of the propeller

Mr Johnson Yes that was 4Y2 feet The revolutions per minute were about 1200 on the ground but I dont know how fast the engine turned up when the airplane was in the air In the air it must have been more than on the ground We had no indicator on the machine howshyever Here is another thing I had not mentioned The cables extending from the rear spar connections on the right side of the wing to the corresponding fittings on the left side would pass over the pullies on top of these upright cabane braces here and in that way they would

10

move span wise from side to side when the wing was warped

Mr Garber You told me during lunch that in all of the flights with this airplane there had never been any serious crack-ups You said a few minor damages had occurred that were easily repaired and that the airplane was flown until 1913

Mr Johnson Yes right up to the winter of 1913 but not over into 1914

Mr Garber Was there any change in the design during that period

Mr Johnson No this model shows how it was at the beginning and how it was al l the time we were flying it I dont recall any changes that were made all that time except these flanges here on these longitudinal fuselage pipes At first we didnt have them on and then we added them in order to help make the engine run cooler They were on in 1911 however so we must have put them on rather soon after we built it On the model I have made them out ofrsheet brass but on the airplane they are made of copper and were of L-shaped section On the model it was quite a problem to figure out how to make them but first I ran the brass through a set of gears so as to form these parts that expand up and then I made a tool for pinching those U-shaped parts flat That formed the shape that would fit around the pipe Then I soldered them together soldering the joint on the unerneath line of the tubing on this model but in the original airplane we soldered each piece on separately

Mr Garber That is certainly a wonderful story and I marvel not only at your ingen io us craftsmanship in constructing the original but also in the exquisite jewelshylike precision and beauty with which you made this miniature reproduction Is this to be accessioned as a gift from all three brothers

Mr Johnson Yes thats right from all three of us We are very honored to have it here in the National Air Museum

Mr Garber Well I assure you Mr Johnson and I assure your brothers that we ourselves are honored to accept it from you and to display it I know that our visitors will be thrilled by the excellence of this beautiful model Those brothers are yourself Louis whom I met and Julius who I have not had the pleasure of meeting yet

Mr Johnson Thats right that is Louis J Johnson Harry L Johnson and Julius M Johnson

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Mr Garber The correspondence clearly indicates that th is is being given by the three brothers to the National Air Museum At the time when I had the pleasure of seeing Mr Louis Johnson he mentioned also a trophy and said that would be available and I assured him that we will be pleased to have it I will contact Mr Beldon about that May I confirm the address please

Mr Johnson Yes Louis J Johnson is now at Drumshymond Island Michigan Julius M Johnson is at Meadow Court Hotel Bradenton Florida and after Mrs Johnson and I return from a little trip we are taking we will be back home at R R-1 Culver I ndiana We will stop off at

Washington as we turn back toward home after we visit some friends up North

Mr Garber Thank you again Mr Johnson and Mrs Johnson we are further indebted to your husband for bringing you I hope that you have enjoyed your visit to the Museum We will proceed to put this beautiful model on exhibition so that we and our visitors can enjoy it Again and always our sincere appreciation to you Letters of acknowledgment will be sent to you and to your brothers and we are very grateful to you pershysonal[y for assembling the model here and informing us aboutit~

11

~ife Story of

Lou JOHNSON Pioneer Airplane Manufacshy

turer and Aviator Developer

of the Vee Type Motor and

Modern Outboard Engine

As Recorded in an Interview

By Dorothy Jefferson

Konold

Especially for MoToR BoatinG March 1927

Lou Johnson grinned cheerfully as he answered my questions concerning his initial flight Lou is the eldest and the leader of those four red-headed Johnson brothshyers who designed constructed and flew the first successshyful American monoplane in Terre Haute Indiana eightshyeen years ago and who have taken many remarkable steps in the perfection of V-type motors

Kind of funny he sa id with that quiet reticent humor which is so much a part of his personality When that machine was ready to go up I had not the remotest

(Continued on page 15)

Louis johnson makes first stccessful flight with johnson Aeroplane

12

Vintage Upper Left Note the brass steam condenser (tea kettle) just behind the engine In front of the condenser is the ignition system Large box was magneto and selective cylinder control later substituted for blip switch

Lower Left The johnson Motor wheel served the Company for a period of time - after aeroplanes and before outboards As a child I rememshyber a johnson motor wheel powered buckboard (a bicycle wheeled contrivance about twice the size of a childs wagon accommodating two passengers)

13

Album

Upper Right A good shot of the east side of the engine with Louis Johnsons wife at the controls The propeller was made of alternate strips of spruce and walnut

Lower Right This engine could enhance my living room anytime Everything the Johnshyson brothers did was done to perfection Imagine what a 72 cylinder 2 cycle engine could have done for an aeroplane shytoo bad they were never successfully applied

14

idea how to fly Had to learn that at the same time I was testing out the plane Quite different nowadays learning all the principles in an aviation school and then having a perfectly good standardized thoroughly inspected plane delivered into your hands In the old days you had to keep your wits about you all right You never knew what might happen next Ill never forget the first time I went fifty feet off the ground It was lots more of a surprise to me than it was to the spectators

We were sitting in the cheerful home-like living room where Mr johnson does most of his reading and much of his designing A log fire snapped on the hearth and the atmosphere suggested such peace and retirement that it was almost impossible to see in the modest kindly man who sat before me that rugged grimly determined Hoosier lad who never allowed a class-mate to pass him in school who dreamed fantastic things with his boyish brain and carried them out with his amazingly skillful boyish hands who permitted no failure even heavensent destruction in the form of a tornado that completely wiped out his entire motor plant in a few hours to come between him and his goal and who has accepted success with an unconscious grace known to few At forty-five Louis james johnson occupies an enviable position in the engineering world yet one has only to converse with him a few moments to be certain he feels that only a very small portion of his work has been accompl ished

And what he admits of success he attributes in no great measure to his own ability He tells you gravely of two paramount influences in his youth and insists that a boy given these could not have failed

The first influence as you may have guessed was his home life

Meeting Mr johnsons parents as they are today it is not difficult to understand the reverence that is accordshyed them by all of their five children Father johnson at eighty-four has the keen clear eye of a man of sixty His most prized possession is a motor wheel presented to him when his sons were manufacturing them and he rides daily During the war he was called by the govshyernment to take over an important task in an ammunishytion factory for though he had been long in idleness his ability as an expert tool dresser was well known and they were unable to find skill in younger men that matched his Coming from Denmark when he was nine he went at a very early age into a machine shop reaching the place where he could gauge steel by his senses as accurately as other men ga uged it by instruments And

from the first hi s so ns were benefited by an interest and cooperation which very few fathers know how to give

We always had our own tools and work-benches Lou explained Father indulged us in these things as wealthier men indulge their children in expens ive toys We were encouraged to try our hand at any sort of construction that appealed to us And father was always there to advise and assist No task even the building of a sled was regarded as trivial We were taught to put sincere effort into everything and to finish whatever we began

Mother johnson quietly sitting softly rocking speaks in a low almost awed tone of her boys and you know at once what her part in their story has been

When Lou was only twelve she says he decided he wanted a new sled We couldnt afford to buy him the kind he selected so he took an axe and went out into the woods and cut down a tree He worked at it until he had his lumber ready Then he sat down and drew a design We didnt think he could carry it out he was such a little fellow but first thing we knew he had someshything that looked like a real sled The only trouble was with the runners Finally he took the rim off an old buggy wheel pounded it down flat and fastened it to his wooden runners Father got him some red and black

1paint and I want to tell you he had a sled to be proud of I have it in my attic now and you couldnt buy a A better one shy

The second influence you cannot guess It was the Wabash river When the johnson boys were still youngsters the

family moved from Effingham Illinois to Terre Haute I ndiana All of the boys Lou Harry julius Clarence and Arthur (the latter being the one who lost his life some years ago in a factory accident) were enchanted with the river

Our Danish blood Lou smiles quietly It seemed to them that life would not be worth living until they owned a boat

Make it their parents encouraged So the boat was begun and before the summer ended

it was an admitted success But another summer came and brought new ambitions Lou johnson and Nell Cockerham johnson

Louis and Harry wearied of rowing each other about It is rumored that she flew the johnson airshyone day and began to dream plane The family doubts that she did

If we had a motor - Pictures of her in the plane may have been We couldnt afford to buy one - responsible for the rumor (See page 74) We could race neverything

15

Gee how fast d you suppose we co uld go They approached their father and mother Make it said the parents fi nall y with less enthushy

siasm than they were wont to show Gasoline motors were strange toys in those times

But the moto r slowl y assembled proved the env y of all their small assoc iates It was t he two-horse power inboard type a quaint ancestor for the outboard of today but it chall enged and defeated many a marine moto r of prouder origin

The influence of the Wabash shyHigh School was completed with so exce ll ent a

record in mathematics that Terre Hau te professors still speak of Lo us asto nishing ab ility in that line and the yo ung inventor for he was now recognized as that sought hi s fathers consent to engage in marin e motor man ufacture

As usua l hi s parents nodd ed approval They had a lways wished their boys to be in business for t hemshyselves a nd there was money ready for a sma ll factory

Here it is interesting to make a note on the progress of Louis Jo hnsons education No more schooling yet systematic stud y never neglected in the press of any c irc umstances whatever More mathematics a keener interest in everything pertaining to the mechanical sciences engineeri ng co urses Constant reading evshyid enced today by the books that surround him in his home

A few years of this marine work and then the brain that dreamed and the hands that were ever ready to carry out those dreams united in a burni ng desire to drive something far more romantic than river boats with a gaso line engine

He wanted a sled and made o ne He wanted a laun ch and he made o ne He wanted an airplane and he made one It was Americas first triumph with a monopl ane

No o ne probab ly will ever know just what those broth ers suffered in the way of ridicule disappointment a nd discourage ment in the first period of their struggle with th e unknown air monster But they drove ahead undaunted and fi nally something that resembled an ominous bird of prey was hatched

Not only the Indiana town in whi ch it was bo rn thought thi s creation a fantastic f ledgling Looking over Mr Johnso ns scrap-book one comes to hi ghl y amusing comments by the press in various parts of the country Wright and Curtiss were experimenting at the same time of course but air asce nsion was still regarded in the light

of so rcery Working fever ishly day and night and with th e

utmost secrecy the Johnso n brothers of Terre Haute India na are said to be toiling and scheming to put together a huge bird-like machine which is slated either to fulf ill their fo ndest hopes or prove their bitterest disappointment says a cl ipping of September 26 1909

Desp ite the Jo hnsons effo rts at secrecy spectators began to throng the camp in the old reservoir bed ear ly Saturday afte rnoon and later automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place of the Flyer All the far mers took the afternoo n off to view the mach ine news of which had leaked out in spite of the covered e ntra nce to the farm where the try-out is to be held

This a li tt le later in the Terre Haute Tribune Mr Joh nson ch uckl es soft ly as he reviews these

notices The betting ran high at those fi rst ex hibitions he

says Bets ran about two to one that wed not get off the gro und People a lways paid to see the machine too One day in Hill sboro Illino is we took in 2500 gate admissio ns of twenty-five cents each

Gasoline of course was regarded with much fear and the greatest caution used Before the engine was started a crier ran down the f ield warning spectators of the imminent danger and forbidd ing them to smoke

But the queer creature t hat the Johnson brothers had labored w ith was now winning wagers for those who had faith in it The press spoke of a f light as a lift and fo ll owi ng a discouragingly ra iny sum mer when muddy fields delayed the tests for weeks we read

After a period of experiment covering some time the Jo hnson brothers made a successful lift at their camp Sunday evening The machine was started on the aershyd ro me track from which it was run down the field in an effort which finally succeeded in raising it clear of the ea rth Severa l times the craft raised for d istances of from fifteen to twenty feet though th e height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time

Among the things that the history of tomorrow will carry will be the invention and construction of the first successful American monoplane It will recount the years of unaided struggle by those red-headed Johnson bro thers in Terre Haute I ndiana who brought out of a chaos of thought the most wonderful th ing up to the year 1912 in the way of an aero engine mounted on a steel flyer that really flew

The original motor was mounted on a wooden fra me the wings were of silk and the position of the flyer was perilous The improved monoplane boasted a steel frame stronger win gs and the aviator was pl aced above and behind the machinery eliminating the danger of being crushed by the engine in a fall

This successful ai rplane had a spread of 36 feet a length of 34 feet 260 square feet of plane surface and weighed 750 pou nd s I t had a speed of better than sixty mil es an hour and was driven by a V-type motor which was in the nature of a revolution

Then came the Johnson School of Aviation Now that there were pl anes to fly there must be

av iators to fly them But while many young men took a keen interest in the sport fro m the sidelines most of them were sti ll decided ly earthbo und However there were two immediate ap plicants and Ross L Smith who trained one hundred and fifty men during t he war was Lou Johnsons first pupil Frank Schutt was the other and to him befell the thrill of crashing to ground from a height of 1500 ft and landing unhurt His acc ident was caused by a shortage of gas as were many other similar catastrophies of the time

But there is a more perso na l note to be sounded in connection with Mr Johnsons f lights Something other than motors and his aviatio n schoo l engrossed him Th ere was a charming young person in the hood and dust coat supposed to represent the ideal sport costume of the day always ready to assay the clouds with him Up to now spectators had gazed in obvious ad miratio n at the mother who bade her son such a brave god-speed when he started upo n those fearsome uncharted voyshyages Her gallant bearing unfa ilingly caused a little ripple of com ment But now anoth er woman stood at her side eq ually anxious yet equally hero ic It was whispered that Miss Ne ll Cockerham also of Terre Haute had often been up in the machine with Mr Johnson and that she evidently took a keen interest in monoplanes shy

The story is briefly told in two headlin es from the local paper

DISCOVERED- PRETTY MISS WHO FLEW IS I NTERESTED IN BIRD MAN THEN AVIATOR JOHNSON UP IN AIR- MISSED TRAIN ONWEDDING DAY

A new partnership was formed for it is evident to everyone who contacts the Johnsons in either a business or a social way that theirs had proven a very successful marriage and that Mrs Johnsons intere st has been

16

manifested in every phase of the inventors work But the influence of the Wabash shyFlying was all very well Mr Johnson admitted when

questioned concerning his return to motor-boat building but the call of his first love was too strong to ignore for long Of course during these remarkable three years he had never ceased to manufacture the Johnson marine motor but following his marriage he devoted himself intensively to the development of several ideas he had held in embryo while he sought the conquest of the clouds

Soon the Johnson brothers were offering twenty models of marine motors Racing motors ranged from single cylinder to twelve cylinder type One of these held therecord in the 320 in class for four years

But the fates having accorded this much in justice to the originality persistency and energy of the Johnson family evidently decreed that the number thirteen must cast an ominous influence upon the new industry The tornado of 1913 is well remembered by all who lived in the vicinity of Terre Haute at that time but to none perhaps was it more devastating

Lou and I had been in the theatre while the storm was at its worst said Mrs Johnson when we had come to this part of the narration And Lou spoke of the satisfaction of being in a nice new brick factory We went home and knew nothing of the damage that had been wrought until the following morning Then when the men reported for work they saw a pile of wreckage that would have sickened any heart The highest portion of the plant left standing was a bit of the brick wall three feet above the ground

W ea ker men wou Id have broken perhaps but apparently Lou and his brothers bowed to the will of the gods and accepted their loss calmly I n humbler quarters but with no lessening of spirit they designed something new in the manner of a racing craft

In 1914 Johsons most famous boat Black Demon III entered a special match race against some of the fastest boats in the country on Lake Michigan Disturbshyer I V of Ch icago took first honors but Black Demon was a close second out-classing a number of favorites It was a recognized triumph for the V-type motor which had been exhibited in Chicago a few months before and was causing much comment Black Demon III was a 23-footer powered with two 12-cylinder high speed marine motors each having 180 horse-power

Ever casting about for new transportation methods

Black Demon III was a 23 footer powered with two 2 cycle 72 cylinder high speed marine motors each having 780 horsepower

the red-headed Johnson boys now wondered whether a bicycle driven by their motor would compare favorably with types already on the market Apparently it did for in 1917 the Johnson Motor Wheel Company was a going business with an output of 10000 machines a year and the slogan - SIXTY MILES FOR TEN CENTS was familiar to many of us

Warren Ripple Chicago financier was especially interested in this new venture and through his influence the factory was moved to South Bend in the early part of 1918

In eight years the growth of the Johnson Motor Company has furnished South Benders with an inshyexhaustible subject of conversation First it wasshy

Did you hear about those Johnson people Theyve taken over the od Bottling plant next to them

Then Have you heard the latest about Johnson Theyve

leased that whole block of stores on Lincoln Way and put their offices over there

On and on it went this amazing growth Soon a vacated portion of a large underwear mill across the river was commandeered neighboring houses sheds buildings of any type whatever were given over to the manufacshyture and housing of Johnson motors It was said that one must carry a road map to complete a tour of the plant

The wheel had gone into the discard but there was

never a lull in activities The out-board marine motor had quietly taken the place of the motor-driven bicycle - and Lou Johnson was back again doing homage to his first love

Strange influence-On the Banks of the Wabash - tho now of course it was the St Joe river that knew his experiments

Mr Johnsons smile changed as he finished the little resume of his work and walking to the fire-place framed by the well-filled bookcases looked thoughtfully into the flames for a few seconds

Of course it is only a beginning he said This is the age of mechanical development and no one can foretell the progress that will be made in the next ten years even though one may feel it coming Naturally the thing that interests me most and always has is the improvement of water transportation Better boats fastshyer boats-

He paused and the smile was again in his eyes America is only beginning to enjoy water sports

presume we Johnsons have that in the blood And suddenly I saw him as he is a tall Danishshy

American captain commanding in spite of his reticence who began his voyage about three decades ago on a childishly constructed raft in the Wabash river and has been coming fearless of current and snag upstream ever since ~

17

Wednesday August 3 1910

JOHNSONS PREPARE TEST AIRPLANE - machine stands ready after more than a years work for its initial flight - brothers guard secret of place of first trial Airshyship has as original feature V type 2 cycle engine built for strength and lightness

Harry Louis and Julius Johnson the Johnson Brothshyers who have been at work for more than a year manufacturing an aeroplane at their shop 717 N 10th St have at last completed the machine and will leave Friday for a place in the open country near Terre Haute

to make the first attempt at flying it Thus far the Johnson Brothers have kept the location

of the place where they will try to fly the machine an entire secret It is desired to have no crowd about to bother while the machine is being tried

Everything was completed Wednesday with the exception of putting the parts together The machine which weighs 650 pounds complete will be shipped knocked down to the scene of the first attempted flight The propeller which is over 10 in length the wings seat and balances will not be attached until the scene of

try-out has been reached Wednesday morning the airplane stood in the big

building erected especially for the purpose of building it at the rear of the Johnson home on North 10th St It is 36 in length and measures the same exactly from tip to tip in width Every part of it has been manufactured by the three young men while they at the same time carried on their occupation of gasoline and marine engine manufacturing It was begun just a little less than a year ago

The wings which are to extend on either side from

18

the front of the machine measure 16 Yz x 8 and are made of light waterproof canvas stretched over stout framework The engine is a V type 2 cycle engine the only one of its kind to have ever been made

There are V type engines said Mr Johnson but they are 4 cycle The 2 cycle engines have previously been built straight causing increased weight Everything about the machine has been built for speed and lightmiddot ness

Two 7 gallon gasoline tanks will furnish the propellmiddot ing power for the machine It is expected it will take a day and a half to set the machine up after its been shipped to the place where it will be tested

- ~ shy

Saturday August 6 1910

LOCAL AVIATORS MAKE READY FOR FIRST TRIAL JOHNSON BROTHERS MOVE AIRPLANE TO FIELD NEAR BLACKHAWK AND SET UP MACHINE FOR TESTmiddot everything was hustle and bustle at the Johnson brothers aero camp a few miles from Blackmiddot hawk Saturday where the three young men manufacmiddot turers of engines and incidentally builders of an airplane were engaged in putting together their airplane preparmiddot atory for a trial flight One of the busiest of the workers was Clarence Johnson a 12 year old brother who showed himself a handy man about the place Owing to the fact that due to their hurried move from Terre Haute with their machine Friday the Johnson brothers left behind some necessary blocks and braces and the flight that was scheduled for Saturday will be postponed until some time Sunday The strange man by the name of Zakarius supposed to be from Indianapolis and well versed in aviation was with the three brothers Saturday as they worked on their machine which was enclosed in a 40 tent to shut out the view from the spectators Another important personage at the scene was Dr Dupui of Riley who was on hand in case a flight should be made to see to the injuries of the aviator in case he should meet with an accident

The tryout grounds are admirally situated in the center of a 100 acre farm in the reservoir of the old Wabash and Erie Canal There is a wide stretch of clear country without any woodland within its radius of two miles It is believed the airplane will be assembled and ready for a trial late Saturday afternoon but it is not thought a flight will be attempted before Sunday

- Ii _ ~ ~

Sunday August 7 1910

JOHNSON BROTHERS PREPARE FOR INITIAL TEST OF BIG AIRPLANE CONFIDENCE PERmiddot MEATESCAMP AS TIME FOR TRY-OUT NEARSmiddot the first flight if flight is to be of the Johnson airship now resting in all readiness for its try-out at its camp at southeast of Terre Haute will come at about noon today and the result of a year s work and effort to build a successful airplane will be determined

In spite of the Johnson effort at secrecy spectators began to throng to the camp in the old reservoir bed early Saturday afternoon and later in the evening automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place The farmers also took Saturday evening off to take advantage of the opportunity to see the machine and the men

A heavy steel roller was brought to the scene Satshyurday evening and the Johnsons will layout the course early Sunday morning on which the aviators who drive the machine in the preliminary try-outs will score down for a start The meadow as it stands is rough and trouble was feared when the wheels of the flyer were started over the ground before the machine raised into the air

Just who would be the first man to steer the machine on its initial effort the Johnsons refused to state but the crowd of sightseers who have been watching the progress of the work at the camp picked the man who they believe will be in the seat when the airplane raises first It is William Zachow the stranger from Racine Wisconsin who arrived in this city just in time to take an active part in completing preparations for the try-out Zachow refused to give out his name but the above is the name he registered under at the Philbeck Hotel Gossip has it that the Wisconsin man is an experienced aviator and it is on this fact that the spectators base their belief that he will be the one to drive the machine when it is tried out

There is no spirit of speculation in the air about the Johnson camp but in plain businesslike manner the men are carrying forth the work which is to determine whether or not Terre Haute has produced a parallel to the Wright Brothers There were several men on the ground Saturday afternoon who professed some knowlshyedge of mechanics All the men who have seen the machine since it has been brought near enough to completion for an idea to be formed as to its efficiency has had nothing but praise for the thoroughness with which it has been finished and experienced mechanics say that from a mechanical standpoint the machine looks good

An experienced mechanic who examined the machine Saturday stated that the V type 2 cycle engine a

distinctive feature of the new machine is especially adapted for the use on airplanes The Johnson brothers claim the distinction of having made the first engine of this type and mechanics say that it is the coming engine for use on aerial machines

The Johnsons themselves though they do not talk much have all confidence in their creation The men have had years of experience in the manufacture of all kinds of engines and in addition have put in considershyable time in research work on the subject of airplanes and other flying machines They have been close students to the methods of the Wright Brothers

Ii- _ ~

Monday August 8 1910

MAKER LAYS PLANS TO PILOT AIRPLANE ON INITIAL FLIGHTmiddot with the airplane removed from the tent in which it has been housed and the engine of the plane in perfect running order the Johnson brothers were expected Monday at noon to make an attempted flight at any time

The field located near Blackhawk south of the city where the first trial will take place is in perfect condishytion for the flight The only thing that may cause a delay of the flight is the lightness of the wheels which support the airplane on the ground at the start It was feared Monday that heavier wheels would be necessary In case this is decided on the trial of the machine will not take place for a day or so One of the Johson boys will pilot the machine on its initial attempted flight This was definitely announced Monday It was thought at first that William Zachow who was present at the aviation camp would pilot the machine but it has developed that the stranger is a salesman for an airplane supply comshypany He is said to be thoroughly fa miliar with the mechanism of airplanes however and has been of great value in getting the machine ready for flight

A test of the engine was made Monday morning it developed 40 HP Confidence was expressed by the Johnsons that the engine could develop 20 HP additional if necessary

- ~~

Saturday August 13 1910

WEAK SPRINGS POSTPONE JOHNSONS TRIAL OF FLIGHT CROWDS GATHERED AT AVIATION

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FIELD TO AGAIN LEARN THAT MACHINES TEST MUST AGAIN BE DELAYED - the Johnson brothers made no attempt to fly this afternoon It is reported that they would make their initial attempt to scale the clouds today A crowd followed in the wake of the rumor and by 200 this afternoon many people swarmshyed down from the meadow

When the Johnson machine was wheeled out at 2 00 it was found by the inventors that an important set of springs were too weak These will be strengthened and it is probable that the apparatus will not be taken out of the tent again until Tuesday of the coming week

Two of the brothers hurried to Terre Haute this aftershynoon as soon as the defect in the machine was discovshyered They will return to the camp Sunday and begin adjustment

_ F A ~~

Sunday August 141910

BROTHER AVIATORS DELAY DEMONSTRATION AGAIN PART OF MACHINE USED IN MAKING LANDING GETS OUT OF ORDER SECOND TIME shythough delayed again in their preparation for the initial flight of the first airplane ever manufactured in Terre Haute the Johnson boys Louis Julius and Harry went to work to remedy the defect which made necessary the postponement of their flight for the second time The defects which they are now forced to repair causes no despair in the Johnson boys or lessens their faith that the machine will fly after they are completed

We have encountered no difficulty whatever as yet which would in any way interfere with the successful flight of the machine said one of the boys Saturday The trouble is only in the wheels and supporting spring those parts of the machine which are used to make a landing on and the defect is not curious in any way though it does take some time to make the necessary changes

The intention of the trio was to fly Saturday and the day was ideal but it was decided at the last minute that the chances of flying and making a safe landing would involve too great a risk

Louis the eldest of the Johnson brothers said to a Tribune representative Saturday I am sorry that we could not fly today In the first place the weather is ideal and in the second place when the statement that we have been halted again appears in print a great many people will believe that the machine is a failure As for us we are certain as we have been all along that the airplane will fly

Ii ~~

Monday August 15 1910

JOHNSON PROMISES TO MAKE AIRPLANE TRIP WEDNESDAY BROTHERS OCCUPY ENTIRE DAY REPAIRING CARRYING TRUCK OF HEAVIER THAN AIR MACHINE - the work of getting ready the remodeled parts of the carrying truck for the airplane occupied the day of the Johnson boys at their work shop on 10th Street on Monday The men expect to have their work completed and will take their remodshyeled parts to the camp near Blackhawk Tuesday eveshyning

Louis Johnson said Monday that they expect to have everything in readiness for the trial by Wednesday One man has been left at the camp while the others came to their home in Terre Haute over Sunday

qp tt ~~

Friday August 19 1910

JOHNSONS WAIT WEATHER FOR FIRST TEST OF FLYER HUGE MONOPLANE GIVES EVERY EVshyIDENCE OF BEING FULLY CAPABLE OF NAVshyIGATING THE AIR - the initial flight of the Johnson monoplane was scheduled to take place Friday aftershynoon but a strong wind swept over the field here and made the test impossible The huge flyer waits serenely for the first chance to take to the air having been thoroughly tested on the ground

Friday afternoon the monoplane was staked to the ground headed into the wind and the engine turned on for the purpose of determining her power Under full speed the flyer acquired the full strength of the helpers to keep her from leaping upward At half speed the power developed was not sufficient to convince the builders that the test would be a success in the wind as it is their desire to fly first under half power leaving the remainder for reserve while in the air

After the test of the engine Louis Johnson expressed himself as being unsatisfied with the condition of the engine and propeller

E ~~

Saturday August 201910

JOHNSON SHIP REFUSES TO QUIT TERRA FIRMA ENGINE FAILS TO DEVELOP SUFFICIENT SPEED

TO LIFT MACHINE INTO AIR - the Johnson brothers have made half a dozen attempts to fly the monoplane upon which they have worked for so many months and in none have they succeeded in getting the big machine into the air

Three times Friday they turned the big propeller under high speed and freed the machine from all restraints At a rate of about 12 mph it tore down a rough field only to be stopped at the limit of the course without having raised from the ground Three of these efforts were made before and three after alterations had been made to the propeller Saturday morning the Johnshysons were not disheartened or discouraged they had come to the realization that they were not as far advancshyed in the building of the machine as they had thought Their attention was turned to alterations that were expected to have a decided affect on the plane and also to the grounds upon which they were flying The aviashytion camp is located on exceedingly poor grounds It is rough and full of ruts and so soft that the tired wheels sink to 1 to 3 in it when the machine is started _Those who have watched the attempts to fly are of the opinion that the nature of the grounds is largely responsible for the failures as it is impossible to start the machine at a pace that will make it rise Whether the Johnsons will move or prepare a smoother runway is a question that has not yet been determined The three efforts to fly Saturday morning were made early while the sun was rising and the wind was low A fairly steady breeze from the south made it necessary to drive the machine up a slight grade into the wind but this was not sufficiently a factor to which to attribute a failure to rise The monoshyplane failed to fly simply because it did not have enough power to raise it from the ground There is no speed indicator in the camp and it is impossible to tell at what rate the propeller is revolved but several have estimated it at about 900 rpm 1500 rpm is considered necessary for success and the Johnsons may have to make radical changes in the propeller before making the desired speed_

Saturday evening before a large crowd they started the engine three times and raced down the field with Louis Johnson in the machine The first was probably the best of all the trials The monoplane attained a good rate of speed but it did not leave the ground The buildshyers decided the trouble was due to the size of the propelshyler and they cut it down several inches The result was the engine operated faster and more smoothly but it was by no means as speedy as necessary and the test made established that more alterations were necessary espicially if attempts to fly are from the present locashytions

20

~ t_F ~~

Sunday August 211910

FOUR DEVOTEES OF AERONAUTICS MAINTAIN CHEERFULNESS IN FACE OF PARTIAL DISshyAPPOINTMENT WAITING FOR CALM JOHNSONS ADVANCE IN CONQUERING AIR SIX TRIALS OF MONOPLANE PROVE MANY THEORIES CORRECT BUT BRING PARTIAL DISAPPOINTMENT LOW SPEED PROPELLER PROVES TOO WEAK TO RAISE WEIGHT DIFFICULTIES AT FIELD AND APPLICAshyTION OF MOTORS ENERGY PRESENT PROBLEMS THAT MUST YIELD BEFORE PERSEVERENCE - Sunshyday the Johnson brothers who are now so earnestly engaged in the attempt to fly a monoplane in the old canal basin near Blackhawk are going to demonstrate that they can build a high power low speed motor fully adapted to the needs of the aviator

Just now they are encountering difficulties that would discourage many with a patience that means success they are working under handicaps that appear as insurmountable but must give way before their detershymination

Saturday morning the last of six attempts to make their machine leave terra firma failed and they went back to their tent disappointed after two weeks of the hardest kind of labor In spite of the cheerful attitude they assumed there was an air of disappointment all around the camp and even the jokes of the jolly party did not dispel it

The disappointment lay not so much in the fact that the machine failed to leave the ground in its trials as in the evidence that higher speed would be necessary for the proper operation of the motor It is the object of the Johnsons to develop a motor that will run a monoplane without the terrific speed common to those in use If they succeed in securing one of this type they have a fortune at their command They do not desire to construct an airplane merely for the purpose of flying If they did they could easily obtain the pattern of the Wright brothers machine or other machines and build accordingly or they could purchase a machine at less cost and trouble than they have encountered But having as their object the development of a low speed motor the failure of the one now in use to do the work expected was disappointing Although it whirled the propeller at a speed that astonished the spectators it was not operated at a rate of which it is capable but at a rate very much lower and which the builders hope would be sufficient for its purpose

Consequently when the speed attained by the motor in the first trials Friday proved insufficient one of the hopes of the Johnsons was dashed

Reluctantly they cut down the size of the propeller knowing that every inch shaved from it would increase the speed of the engine Two inches all around were sacrificed in the desire to raise the skybird and the result was a perceptible increase in the number of revolushytions and consequently a steadier engine Some consolashyLIon was offered by the fact that even with the reduced propeller there was little vibration noticeable about the machine

Late Friday night the airplane was run out of its tent and the motor started The effect was extraordinary and the hopes of the Johnsons that they had accomplished their purpose ran high Saturday morning early the fourth attempt to fly and the first with the reduced propeller was made

Whether the alterations had any effect on the raising power of the motor was difficult to determine because of the conditions under which the trial was made A steady breeze from the south made it necessary to start the machine from the north end of the field at the foot of the small incline and on ground that was wet and soft The machine behaved no better than before bllt whether it was due to the propeller the grade or the soft ground was a question the Johnsons were not ready to answer To eliminate the grade is almost impossible To wait for a more favorable wind is nerve racking yet the Johnsons will have to do all of these things before making sure that they have the propeller rightly proporshytioned for the task

Whatever may be determined regarding the propeller it remains that the Johnsons have demonstrated an engine that is remarkable for its power and speed combined with its steadiness and construction The motor is of the 2 cycle type 4 cylinders This means that an explosion occurs in each cylinder just twice as often as in the more common 4 cycle 4 cylinder type More power is the result and 75 hp is the indication This is accomplished by combining the Johnson patent valve with cylinders set at an angle of 1800 and big carburetors The patent valve is one on which the men have worked for a long time and they have shown by it a method of allowing more gas to enter the cylinders withshyout increasing the size of the valve a point of corisidershyable value in construction Then they have obtained a motor that will run at great speed and create so little vibration that it scarcely causes a tremor in the light wooden frame of the airship All in all the motor has conducted itself in a manner that is deemed most satisfactory It is applying it to the airplane that has

proven the puzzle and that is the very point the Johnshysons are seeking

The Johnson monoplane will fly because it is constructed on the proper principles for flight That it has not been successfully launched as yet is due to two things - the experience in designing and operating of the men in control of it and the unfavorable conditions under which the trials have been made Both of these points will be overcome in time While they are eliminatshying the unfavorable conditions they are learning from experience the points they have overlooked in designing and they are learning rapidly how to operate it

The story of the construction of the Johnson monoshyplane is one of hard work and persistent effort The Johllsons have had no teacher in the art They have studied much observed a great deal and gathered from experience a great deal more than the average man will ever know about airplanes No one realizes more than they that there is a great deal more to be learned That is why after months of work they took their machine to the Blackhawk basin It was two weeks ago today that they arrived there and since that time they have fought mosquitos malaria and rain in a most credible effort to work out the theories they have formed It is not a pleasant task but one that requires thought constant experiment and careful reasoning They are not particshyularly interested in what the public thinks about their work They want to apply the Johnson motor to aeroshynautics

As one enters the aviation field he is greeted by a sign that reads Welcome - Outside the Tent The sign is expressive of the attitude of the Johnson boys They are willing that anyone watch them at work free about giving information when asked but they promise nothing and consequently are not responsible for the disappointment of the many who have come to see them fly and have left without that satisfaction

Julius Johnson expressed their attitude well when he said while waiting for a wind to subside we have waited a year to get to this point with the machine and we can afford to wait another day rather than run the chances of breaking up the airplane

Last weeks activity at the camp became intensive Thursday morning when the machine was run out of its protection for the first time the frame buckled This was immediately repaired and trials of the engine and frame made that evening Friday three unsuccessful attempts to raise the machine were made and Saturday with an altered propeller three more efforts brought no better success

When the last visitor departed from the aviation field Thursday night the Johnsons rested content with their

21

preparations for a flight on the early morning air Time work until as the crowd left the field Thursday night noon for further tests to be made solely on the ability of and again the builders had been disappointed in not they saw the end of the last bit of preparation for an air the machine to lift It is expected that the trial will1ake having it ready for flight at the time agreed upon Little test place about an hour before sunset No effort at flightweaknesses that could not be foreseen became apparent While it has been disappointing to visit the aviation will be made at this time the test being confined to when the machine was started across the rough field had field and fail to witness an attempt to fly the chagrin of determining the buoyancy of the machine its balance yielded one by one to careful attention and ingenuity the Johnson brothers and Pearl Conover has been and general fitness for flight Every nut and bolt on the unwieldly looking skybird had greater Living in a single big tent pitched in a malaria been inspected and found in first class condition The breeding district pestered by insects and blistered with rt _ alterations made necessary by faulty calculations as to the heat they have put up with all kinds of inconvenshy ~~ weight and pressure on the running gear were completed iences since leaving Terre Haute and every hours delay and the new woodwork covered with a preserving paint In the center of the structure the light but powerful engine shown in polished brilliancy Just in front of it the big propeller built of many pieces and smoothed to a surface like glass was perfect to the last detail A sliver that had been knocked from it was replaced with cement and its bearing was as true as science could make it Stretching away on each side for 16 were ribbed wings on which so much depends each without a flaw or scratch At their tips hung the balancing planes so delicately fitted that the slightest movement of the operator was reflected by a changed position To the eye the machine was perfect and the builders who worked so patiently at last were satisfied it was ready for its initial trip

It now appeared that nothing stood in the way of a thorough demonstration but the Johnson brothers were doomed to meet another disappointment Under its power for the first time Louis Johnson drove the airship down the field from the tent in which it had been housed Three of the four cylinders were in operation yet it was evident that the Johnson motor was suffishyciently powerful for the purposes of the craft At speed that hurried those who accompanied it the aircraft ran along over the rough ground with little or no vibration from the motor and a steadiness that spelled success Four men hung to it with their weight keeping it from mounting the air while the driver accustomed himself to the situation and watched the engine and the plane

This was the final test of the monoplane before it was entrusted to the element for which it was constructed This test fully demonstrated that the care bestowed upon its construction was not misplaced There was not a flaw noticeable in any of its moving parts There was nothing about its action that indicated a single weakness But one thing marred the success of this test and Thursshyday night saw that one point corrected The long body or frame that extends from the plane to the rudder on the tail was not sufficiently strong to stand the strain of alighting from a height as was shown in its action during this test Immediately the builders prepared to strengthshyen it and all day Thursday they worked on this one part rebracing and adding to the solidity of this frame

has been bitter to them Malaria sent Clarence Johnson the youngest of the camp back to the city unfit to be about Mr Conover succumbed to it one day but was able to throw off the attack The Johnson brothers have all felt the effect of life in the camp and as Louis Johnshyson expressed it Are dead anxious to get to doing something

- shy~~ Monday October 10 1910 MONOPLANE JUSTIFIES EFFORTS OF JOHNSONS AIRCRAFT GOES INTO AIR SEVERAL TIMES AT TESTS MADE SUNDAY- after many weeks of quite work at their camp on the old reservoir prairie 3 miles east of Blackhawk in an effort to perfect the airplane which when first tried out was found to be lacking in a few particulars Louis Harry and Julius Johnson the inventors and builders of the Johnson Bros airplane succeeded in making several lifts with the aircraft at tests made Sunday evening Three tests were made and it was on the third one that the machine lifted from the ground Several times the craft raised for distances of from 15 to 20 Though the height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time this fact was rather to lack in certain details than because the airplane could not raise higher

The craft exhibited a wonderful buoyancy for the test and tended to leave the ground at all times higher than it was allowed to However necessity for certain corrections was manifested before a flight could be safely made and to avoid possible wrecking of the machine it was held down at all times

An assistant of the Johnson boys in their efforts toward perfecting the machine stated Monday that an idea of buoyancy of the machine could be gained from the fact that when starting on the soft dirt just previous to the test that it would leave no track in the soft dirt but that when being brought back for a second test it would plow back into the soil for a depth of 6

Preparations were almost completed Monday after-

Tuesday October II 1910 JOHNSON GIVES EXPRESSION TO SATISFACTION WITH PLANE TEST CONTINUED TO OCCUpy TIME OF BROTHERS AT AVIATION FIELD - Louis Johnson the elder of the Johnson brothers builders of the Johnson Monoplane spent Tuesday in Terre Haute looking after business matters The other two brothers Julius and Harry are at the aviation field making a few required minor changes in the mechanism preparatory to attempting a flight Wednesday or Thursday

Louis will return to the field Tuesday evening to be ready to sit at the wheel of the machine in the initial attempt at flight

We have gone far enough now to see through to the end and we now know that the theory which we have been working is the right one We will fly within a few days possible Wednesday or Thursday The changes now being made are only minor adjustments which were seen to be necessary in our tests as to the lifting power of the machine

-shy~~ Editors Note

The brothers apparently abandoned the attempts to make the 1910 airplane fly shortly after this in October 1910 and started work on an improved design which was successful in the summer of 1911 Between the end of October and the middle of July 1911 they built an entirely new airplane but used the same power plant that had been used in the 1910 version The new airplane was radically different in design using basically a metal framework cloth covered wings and cloth covered tail surfaces which were supported on a single aluminum boom It had a tricycle gear as contrasted with the conventional gear in the 1910 plane It had wing-warping in place of the moveable surfaces at the tips of the wings steerable nose wheel and brakes and many other engineering refinements~

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Ross Smith had never seen an airplane and was attractshyed to one ofthe public displays of the Johnson monoplane the practice being a charge of 25cent to see it in the tent to help alleviate the costs The plane had barely flown and excitement was running high Ross evidently took one look at it and said thats for me Its hard to guess how he convinced the Johnsons that he should take a hand at it however it is very possible that he was the only one with enough nerve and the J ohnsons had spent a great deal of theirs A bird in the hand at this point was probably welcome According to the records the

motor was started and Ross ran the plane up and down the field for some half hour experimenting with the controls learning how to use the throttle steering the airplane accelerating until it was light Evidently Ross had figured play ti me was over and the description states suddenly the plane shot forward and then rose graceshyfully into the air His very first flight lasted for 30 minutes and he thrilled the onlookers as he flew back and forth over the field (I nstructors take note - how many students would you turn loose in a better machine of today with 30 minutes of instruction)

Barely two days atter Rosss first flight he launched into the professional flying ranks in a big way He immeshydiately received an offer from his home town of Mattoon Illinois to engage in some demonstration flights and was paid for three flights at $50000 per flight Airplanes were so rare in these days that people paid to look at them and in most cases such flights were initiated by promotors seeking a quick fortune You would believe that flying such an airplane was enough of a daredevil stunt but not for our friend Ross He managed to concoct stunts that even from this distance

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in time seem absolutely ridiculous Daredevil is too mild a word One of his next exploits was an engagement to fly the monoplane during a 10 day Chautauqua Now for you youngsters youll have to run to the dictionary however Ill save you the effort The name Chautauqua originated in New York where some wise promoter startshyed an educational summer camp Families took their vacations very similar to those going to Oshkosh for the week long fly-in lived in tents in a large tent community that attracted as many as 50000 people during its run This particular Chautauqua that contracted for Rosss services with the Johnson airplane was at Merom Bluff Indiana a high point on the Wabash River The bluff was in Sullivan County and stood 150 above the river on one side while the opposite side fell to flat farm land going away from the river in a flat plain Th is particular Chautauqua was obviously one of great importance for the midwest and attractions included William Jennings Bryan Senator Robert LaFollette William Howard Taft former President of the United States Vice President Thomas R Marshall a gal named Maude Ballington Booth discussing prison reform John Temple Graves a noted orator of the time and Jeanette Rankin the first American Congresswoman The Chautauqua encomshypassed every subject from religion to suffrage child care and anything at all that would interest the family

To spice this particular Chautauqua Ross came up with the idea of building a 250 wooden platform with its far end hanging over the bluff on the river side The intent was to fly the airplane from this platform and fly it he did for many performances Descriptions of the flight states that the airplane labored uphill gained speed and disappeared from the end of the platform in what must have been a free fall until it gained flying speed leveling out some safe distance above the river then circling back over the Chautauqua area like a peacock preening its feathers It must have been a supreme thrill for all to witness There was no possible way to land at the Chautauqua area so Ross would cross the river to the Illinois side and land on a road at the ferry The plane would then be disassembled hauled back across the river pulled back up the winding road to the bluff for its next days operation

I n the eyes of the Chautauqua attendance Ross was no doubt walking mighty tall despite his slight stature It was quite common practice for the Johnson airplane to be engaged for fairs etc at which time it generally flew off the racetrack Evidently by this time a standard stunt

This monoplane piloted by Ross Smith flew off the Merom Bluff daily August 22-37 7973 during the Chautauqua

This was the view from the Merom Bluff The picture is deceiving for it was 750 down to the water Note the Ferry cars and buggies waiting to cross and climb the winding road up the bluff This is the view Ross Smith had as he literally dove his plane off the platform without adequate flying speed The result was a near free fall with flying speed gained in time to narrowly miss striking the water below The flight was enacted daily to please the crowd

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-

Ross Smith preparing for an exhibition flight Note man with ladder at right below wing It was a tall gear and a long climb to mount this machine

had been for the airplane to race a car on the track Dirt track races being part of almost every fair there was always someone present willing to race At one such event it states that Speed in the air and on land thrills thousands Aviator Ross L Smith and Speed King Wild Bob Burman held first place in the hearts of sensation lovers for the wild thrills they gave the thousands at the fairgrounds on Sunday Taking off from the track Ross flew around the track circled the infield and landed directly in front of thegrandstand amid the applause of thousands As an additional build up to the race Burman took Ross for a ride in his 300 hp Blitzen Benz and proceeded to smash the world record for a mile on a half mile dirt track breaking his own former record His

speed was just over 60 mph but this meant that 80 mph must have been his speed on the straight away On the first lap he gave Ross a thrill by hitting the turn too fast and almost losing control in a skid Evidently Ross did not appreciate the ride for when Burman said he would go up with him in his plane Ross calmly said that if he did he would get pushed out Burman of course immeshydiately changed his mind Evidently this was the last of Burmans summer appearances and he was going to spend his time readying himself for the 500 mile motor speedway event He had held the lead the previous year until his machine caught fire and burned while he was many laps ahead

As to the race between the airplane and the car the

airplane invariably won all events in spite of the fact that the cars appeared to be going faster Speed in the air does not seem to be speed compared to a roaring monster of an auto spewing exhaust and throwing large clods of dirt as it rounds every corner Smith evidently thrilled the crowd with a simple thing that today would be called a touch and go Newspaper emotes over the fact that even the French exhibition flyers had not done such a thing stating that Ross had no trouble at all in thrilling the crowd In another engagement it states that Ross L Smith will pilot the Johnson brothers monshyoplane during the Corn Week Show sponsored by the Rotary Club of Terre Haute The big thrill of this event was to be a flight down Wabash Avenue between the

25

buildings just above the street car wires It was stated it would be the first time in history that an aviator would attempt such a dangerous feat The plane was to be brought down until the wheels barely cleared the wires then proceed west down the street to the Court House where the plan was to circle the big dome I n a flair of penmanship the author writes it will be unusual for a businessman to see the wings of an airplane almost brushing the windows of his building He further states the trip will be a dangerous one but the aviator and the builders of the machine have such faith in the monshyoplane that they believe that both will stand the test

I n a later account where Smith was engaged to fly an exhibition over Elsworth he decided to give them a new thrill and go for altitude With much circling he reached dizzying height of 2000 where he passed through a cloud bank that confused him for a short time On recovering from the confusion he found himself at 1000 (he invented vertigo no dOUbt)

In still another account it states the Johnson monshyoplane gave one of the best exh ib itions of the art of flying it has been our pleasure to witness There were no death defying stunts just plain flying

The monoplane took off on the back stretch of the race track and for 30 minutes circled dived swooped and turned running up and down the valley for several miles It states the limited space in which he had to land caused him some trouble He had failed to make the first descent (made a go-around - probably the first) When finally on the ground Aviator Ross stated it was the hardest day to fly on he had ever experienced as the air seemed dead and no breeze whatsoever was stirring Density altitude)

About the year 1913 Ross was running out of tricks the bag was getting empty so he decided to scoop them all He announced that he would like to fly the Atlantic and from all records it appears that he was the first to have such serious ideas He was at least 19 years ahead of his time He proposed to fly the flimsy Johnson airplane across the Atlantic alone - a statement that makes Lindshyberghs remarks an echo of the past He approached the Navy Department and asked them to place 10 battleshysh ips at intervals of 300 miles apart figuring that th is would be the maximum load of gasoline possible to carry The Navy of course refused considering the flight across the Atlantic as only a hair brained scheme The Government was not very interested in flying at this time and their decision was certainly not a surprise

~

Evening flights from the field were customary

Ross did not remain silent on this issue and at a later time stated in print when the Atlantic is crossed it will be by a flying boat and not a dirigible

In reading the history of these days all of the emshyphasis on long range travel was transfered to the gas bag History proved Ross to be 100 right and the Navys NC4s were the first to fly across

To further add hues of color to his career Ross was perhaps the first American aviator to get an offer from a foreign government and probably one of the first conceptions of military aviation was born President Huerta of Mexico offered him a high ranking position in the Mexican Army if he would organize an air force for them Ross immediately declined Poncho Villa who was then the bad boy of Mexico and conducting what we would call today Guerilla attack tried to make Ross a better offer of $2000 a month in gold to do the same thing for his side Ross declined that too Time proved how wise he was in declining this offer for one of his best friends was killed - not while he was flying but by Villas own men Four of Rosss friends had decided to fly for Villa but when weeks went by and they received no pay they drew straws to see who would confront Villa with the facts Mickey McGuire (the wild Irish Rose of the skies) was unlucky enough to get the job and foolish enough to make the attempt He faced the illiterate General in his tent and asked for the money

The General promptly whipped out a 45 caliper pistol and shot McGuire through the heart In revenge the remaining three proceeded to burn Villas airplanes saving one to make their escape in They successfully flew that one back to the United States

This was not Rosss last encounter with Army life As World War I came along there were but 50 flyers availshyable for instructors in the US He was one that formed the nucleus of the great Flying Corps This group was called on to also perform test pilot functions and in their vernacular did nose dives tail spins and no doubt were the first creators of aerobatic flying in this country This was no doubt a cup of tea for our adventuresome Mr Ross captivated the services and the record that he established was remarkable General Andrews commenshyded Ross with a citation ending it with a comment Seven years without a serious mishap Ross lived a long and successful life and became very well known in Wash ington and for years was Public Relations Manager for the Hot Shopps a food chain in the East He lived a full life and died on February 19 1959 For an advenshyturesome person who lead such a colorful life and seemingly knew no fear he must have also been blessed with skill and a great amount of common sense In the Hot Shopps Company magazine from which some of this material was gleaned they coined an epitaph for him stating simply An amazing man ~

26

Mr Johnson When you pulled down on the right side you raised the left wing of the airplane upward and the right side went down

Mr Garber Then if you were making a right turn you would push your left foot forward and that would bring your right foot back a bit then at the same time you would pull down on the right side of the wheel and that would raise the left wing upward so that you would bank to the right

Mr Johnson Thats right Mr Garber That is instinctive and logical and then

to control the elevators the pilot would pull the whole wheel assembly to him and that would cause the airplane to climb

Mr Johnson Yes that would make the tail end of the airplane lower than the front end and set at such an angle that it would lift

Mr Garber Now thats the controls and they cershytainly are understandable I see that you have a brake here you have a long metal sleeve there by the pilots right leg There is a handle on that rod in that sleeve and as the pilot pulls up on the handle a wire at the bottom end of that rod pulls up the front end of a drag bar the other end of which digs into the ground and acts as a brake

Mr Johnson The drag on the ground slows the airshyplane after landing

Mr Garber That is certainly an early use of a brake You dont have the front wheel of your three-wheeled landing gear steerable do you Was steering on the ground just by using the rudder of the airplane itself

Mr Johnson It rolled on all three wheels but there was light weight on the front wheel that made it easier to lower the tail section of the airplane and lift the airplane off the ground

Mr Garber That takes care of the controls Of course you pushed the wheel assembly forward in order to descend Now lets discuss the wings Did you have metal spars for them(

Mr Johnson No those were of wood and so were the ribs There wasnt much metal in the wings

Mr Garber Where did you get your wing section from That is the curvature of the wing Did you get that out of a book Did you just think that a curved wing was a good idea or was it from looking at some bird maybe

Mr Johnson I dont recall seeing any curved wings before We just made the structure as light as possible

and also to have strength that required the bridge strucmiddot ture as I call it The cross pieces or ribs were made like bridge crosses and the spars were the same way They have longitudinal sections separated by upright sticks between them

Mr Garber Then the wing section was not some particular shape that you were copying from some book You realized apparently that you had to have curved wings but where did you get that idea from Why arent these wings flat like a kite

Mr Johnson I think we must have gotten th at idea from somewhere maybe from some picture but I dont even recall the magazines that were out at that time

Mr Garber There was Aeronautics put out by Ernest J ones and from time to time he would publish what he called structural aids

Mr Johnson We might have gotten something from those magazines

Mr Garber Do you remember a book called Vemiddot hicles of the Air by Lougheed It came out about 1909 and had drawings of a number of airplanes of that time

Mr Johnson No I dont remember that one Mr Garber Then apparently your information came

from a few photographs and magazines that you might have seen and in that way you learned something about what others were doing But there is so much original work in this that it doesnt look as though you copied it from anyone except the shape of the wing The tail section is something like that which was on the Antoinmiddot ette airplane of that day and I think there was a Bristol which had a similar tail group

Mr Johnson Wasnt Antoinette a man who tried to race an airplane across the Straits of Dover

Mr Garber Antoinette was the name of the airplane the pilot was Hubert Latham

Mr Johnson Had a square-end wing didnt he Mr Garber Yes we have a model of that one here in

our Early Bird Case The internal structure of your wing then was made from built up spars and built up ribs each having a sort of a bridge truss shape is that it

Mr Johnson Yes thats right Mr Garber The covering was what kind of cloth was

it muslin Mr Johnson No it was rubberized linen Mr Garber Was that a commercial product or did

you make it up yourself Mr Johnson We bought it that way

Mr Garber There was a Goodyear cloth which was rubberized and then there was a material called Penashycloth which was put out by the Pennsylvania Rubber Company so there were availabl e at that tim e some fabrics th at were impregnated

Mr Johnson It might have been an experimental cloth

Mr Garber So then you put it on with the warp and woof running at right angles spanwise and chordwise parallel with the spars The Wright brothers put theirs on diagonally so as to get som e additional bracing from the fabric but apparently you put yours on straight across

Mr Johnson Thats right And then we put rib strips on like you see here to keep the fabric from tearing where the tacks are and we also had rib stays inside which were wires to keep the wing from being bent backward diagonally

Mr Garber That takes care of the wing and the controls now lets consider the construction of the fushyselage and landing gear In the fuselage you used steel tubing Did you braze it or was welding in use that early

Mr Johnson No we had to braze it Mr Garber Langley used brazing on his aerodromes

The landing gear of your airplane I see is something like that used by Glenn Curtiss so although you may have copied the Bleriot wing you did not copy the chassis from that airplane This longitudinal boom which constitutes the principle member of the fuselage aft of the pilot is very unusual I had once seen a somewhat similar structure in a Smith Monoplane but apparently this idea was original with you

Mr Johnson With us it was just a means of carrying the elevator and rudder far back

Mr Garber I notice you dont have any long guys or stays extending from the front of the fuselage out diagonally to the entering edge of the wing to serve as a preventer for any tendency to backsweep nor do you have any stays extending from the trailing edge of the wing back to the tailboom Apparently you have all the stiffness that you need there in the tailboom itself and you have told me that you made that out of pieces of sheet metal that you formed into conically-tapering tubes and then riveted th em together but in the model here you have turned the boom out of a piece of alushyminum rod This is certainly beautifully done

Mr Johnson That cooling system is interesting Mr Garber Yes I thought we ought to take up next

7

the engine

Mr Shaw I think he was one of the first to develop that method of coo ling

Mr Garber The Antoinette used surface cooling ~

along the fuselage You have no drag at a ll for your radiator In most airplanes the radiator was placed up front and was of a square shape I t created more drag than any th ing else

Mr Johnson Thats right Mr Garber This engine here you tell me is based on

those that you had been making for use in boats This is a four-cylinder shape with the cylinders arranged like two vees staggered with one another What was the bore and stroke

Mr Johnson The bore was five inches and the stroke was four inches It was two cycle

Mr Garber Those little spark plugs on this model are certainly well made did you use a Mea magneto

Mr Johnson No it was a Bosch magneto Mr Garber Then I guess the distributor was on the

magneto itself Did you use dry cells for starting the engine

Mr Johnson No we didnt need that Turning the propeller would start the engine all right

Mr Garber Did you use any booster Mr Johnson No we didnt need it Mr Garber Where is the carburetor Mr Johnson We had a pipe here for carrying the

gasoline through a needle valve Thats the needle valve there where we would adjust the gasoline while the engine was running and get the maximum speed out of it the right mixture There was no throttle on the engine It was a one-speed engine and to start it we would prime the engine put gasoline through the exhaust opening here and turn the propeller to start and when the engine starts the aviator pulls on this little valve control here the one here by his right knee and opens up to allow the gasoline to run through the screen and with the engine running we adjust this lever here and then that can stay that way I t usually stayed that way for a long time and to control the engine he has a push button on the steering wheel which grounds the magneto to kill the spark and he just cuts the engine in and out for control as when coming in for a landing on the ground It had no throttle on it and it works very well that way and we had the advantage of not needing any throttle And then when the engine is running the aviamiddot tor only has to fly the airplane

johnson Aero Engine 2 cycle - V 4 - water cooled 65 lb =65 HP

Mr Garber Then you didnt move the spark lever back and forth in order to control the speed of the engine

Mr Johnson No we never did that Mr Garber With the rotary engines there was a

button on the top of the control stick called a blurp button which was depressed to cut out the ignition for the engine Sometimes when it would be cut in and out the pilot would get a face full of castor oil What kind of oil do you use in your engine

Mr Johnson We used a good boat oil like we had used in Marine engines but I cant think of the make of oil we used at that time

Mr Garber Now in this tank here which is even with the entering edge of the wing this triangularmiddotsectioned tank - does it include an oil tank Did you mix the oil with the gasoline

Mr Johnson Yes we did mix oil in the gasoline tank here and there was no other oiler on it

Mr Garber Now what is this header on top of the top of the gasoline tank

Mr Johnson We called it the steam dome at that time It collected the water as it came hot from the engine and the steam collected in this It has the steam escape here just as you have in the automobile at the top of your radiator and here is an overflow tube the same

8

as in an automobile so that the water and steam could escape down here The water was in there only about 23 full

Mr Garber Oh yes you are speaking of this small tube that comes out of the front center and bends around to go down toward the left side and I guess this top opening is where you put the water in

Mr Johnson Yes thats right The water starts to flow here from the water pump which is at the back of the crank shaft From there the water is carried from these tubes here and up into here and enters the water jacket here on the left side along this tube of the fushyselage and goes right and left and then circulates through the four water jackets and then comes out here into this hose and then through that hose and then enters into the steam dome

Mr Garber Oh yes I see that it flows out from these tubes just behind the aviators seat where one bends to the right and the other bends to the left and then the water flows into the center unit and then is piped into the longitudinals It comes out of that tube just in front of the foot bar and then it goes from there to the pump That is a complete circulation which continues all the time that the engine is running The air-cooling flanges are fastened to the longitudinal tubes to increase their radiating surfaces Those longitudinal tubes are not only the structural members for the fuselage but also being hollow provide pipes through which the water flows so that it can be cooled before re-entering the engine and these flanges increase that cooling

Mr Johnson Those flanges were soldered on to the tube to improve the heat conductivity The air stream helped to cool the water This system worked very well

Mr Garber It almost looks like you would have had more cooling surface than you required but that is certainly better than not having enough Now we have covered the construction of the wings engine fuselage tail group and under-carriage Next how about flying it You say that the center of gravity is located just about in a line forward of the rear wheels of this three-wheeled landing gear

Mr Johnson Yes and the center of pressure was about 13 back from the front of the wing

Mr Garber Then your center of pressure was forshyward of your center of gravity and your center of thrust was in a straight line from the propeller shaft back through this long telescoping boom to the tail group That is a good distribution of forces With the engine

started could you hold the airplane back with the brake I mean this brake here that is pushed into the ground when you pull up on this handle Or do you have to have someone to hold the airplane back for you while you were revving up the engine

Mr Johnson We had around 250 pounds of thrust measuring it with a spring balance and a rope tied to a tree Sometimes we would tie the airplane to the tree until the engine was running up or sometimes we had some men to hold it back A man on each wheel here at the back could hold it We have a picture of two men doing that but most of the time we used a rope tying it to a fence or a tree but out in the field sometimes when there wasnt anything to tie it to we would use men to hold it back and that gave them quite a lot of work to do too

Mr Garber Did you have a slip knot in the rope which the pilot could release or did you have someone on the ground to let the rope 100se7

Mr Johnson A fellow on the ground would do that The pilot has to use a step ladder in order to get into the seat

Mr Garber I see and so with th e pilot at the controls and the engine running the airplane would be released either by cutting or untying the rope or by having the men let go so then the airplane would roll along the ground and when it gained sufficient speed the pilot would pull back on this wheel column thus depressing the tail inclining the airplane upward and up he would go Did you ever measure the rate of climb or the extreme altitude

Mr Johnson No we did not have any way of measshyuring it We probably could have arranged a way but we didnt do that I imagine that the speed at which we took off was about 30 miles an hour We would find that out by an automobile running along side of it while the man in the car would watch his speedometer

Mr Garber How fast was the airplane flying as it came in for a landing

Mr Johnson I guess that speed was about 35 miles per hour maybe just a little faster then what it took off at We could slow it down by this push button which would cut the engine in and out I n the air the speed was about 50 or 60 miles an hour straight and level without a tail wind but at that time we had no way of measuring it That is just our guess We never tried for altitude sometimes we would say it was up about a mile high but we just said that The airplane would look pretty small if

Steering yolk is conventional - it straddles the main lower tube of the fuselage Forward is down back is up turning the wheel creates a normal bank Note the rudder bar at bottom of photo with leather loops to hold fliers feet

it was as much as a mile high up We have some pictures of it way up high and it looked pretty small It could have been a half a mile high but that is just a guess after all We had no way of measuring how high we were but Lou always said that it felt mighty high

Mr Garber Well now Mr Johnson you have been very obliging and patient to answer all of these quesshytions We have discussed this airplane along the same method that I used in the Navy when I was teaching recognition of enemy airplanes We have also considered

9

the structure and performance but I wish that I could hear from you some anecdotes of the times when you and your brothers were building and flying this airplane You have told me that th is was constructed as an improvement over the one you and your brothers made in 1909 May I suggest that Mrs Johnson and you might have lunch with me We can continue our conversation there

Mr Shaw While you two are at lunch Ill glue these hands together around this wheel

Mr Garber Thanks Win Well be back before long (Later) Mr Garber Now we are back from lunch It was

particularly enjoyable to have Mrs Johnson with us During lunch we spoke further about the airplane Mr Johnson said that there were two things which inshyfluenced their discontinued operations of the airplane and their further interest in aeronautics One factor was a cyclone which demolished their factory and another factor was their hope to get a contract for some airplane engines from Russia That was after the beginning of World War I in Europe 1914 The Johnson airplane had conti nued in flight through 1913 and during that year the brothers were thinking of developing a more powershyful engine The engine as shown in this model had 4 cylinders but the brothers intended to develop the type with 6 8 and possibly 12 cylinders The Russians became interested in the most powerful Johnson engine and the Johnson Brothers invested a great deal of money and effort into the development of the 8 and 12 cylinder engines The Russian government was rather unsettled at that time and it seemed difficult for the agents of that nation to make up their mind When the Johnson Brothers learned that the Russians preferred a 12 cylshyinder engine they decided that it should be of the 4 cycle type but the brothers could not obtain a magneto of sufficient power and reliability to use in the ignition system Had the Russian government ordered the 8 cylshyinder engines in quantity or had the brothers been able to get an experimental contract for development of the 12 cylinder engines and been able to produce a protoshytype that was satisfactory the Johnson Brothers might well have gone into the business of manufacturing airshyplane engines and developing more advanced examples of their airplanes But not receiving such encouragement the brothers decided to concentrate on Marine engi nes Also there were some financiers who were considering investing money in the Johnson Company The investors

believed that aviation was an unstable field and they would not agree to put their money into the Johnson Brothers enterprise when the state of aeronautics was so indefinite and considered to be unreliable Moreover there was the thought on the part of these investors that if any of the Johnson Brothers were injured in the course of their flying that their company would thereby be deprived these services thus reducing or even closing the operations of the Marine engine plant So those three factors the severe damage to their plant by the tornashydo the loss of the Russian contract and the attitude of investors caused the brothers to give up airplanes and airplane engines and concentrate on Marine engines For a while the brothers made a small gasoline-engined unit which was attached to a bicycle and called the Johnson motor wheel (I remember that these were sometimes built into 4-wheel wagons and used by boys for transportation around the neighborhood A friend of mine had one about 1916 which he and I would freshyquently go from my home which was then near the Naval Observatory all the way over to my friends familys summer home in Virginia) After that the brothers got into the making of outboard motors they being the first ones to use a rope for starting the engine Now of course Johnson outboard motors are famous and the company itself is very substantial Mr Louis Johnson and Mr Harry Johnson are retired from their business and Clarence is continuing it Julius Johnson I was told had withdrawn his investment several years ago into another line Clarence was the youngest of a family of 7 children but at the time when the airplane was being made and flown he was too young to participate other than by lighting bonfires so that the pilot could land the airplane when evening was coming on At present time one of the five brothers and one of the two sisters have passed away Mr Johnson is there anything that we havent covered in our discussion here in the shop or at lunch

Mr Johnson How about the springs on the landing gear You notice that they extend upward at an angle from their lower connection near the rear wheels Those springs were very useful when we were rolling over rough ground and then when we landed these springs would stretch upward so that the skid would touch the ground and help to slow us down for landing

Mr Garber I see that you have made miniature springs here and that they operate the same as in the original airplane

Mr Johnson Yes I have put it all in there exactly as it was nearly 50 years ago

Mr Garber I notice that you have some heavy springs up here in the horizontal section of the control cables where they connect to the cables coming off of the control wheel They look like whiffletree springs What were they used for

Mr Johnson Well when the aviator pulled his control wheel back it would tend to shorten this cable here but the springs were so arranged as to take up that extra play and similarly permitted the connections to elongate when the aviator pushed the wheel forward That would keep the chain from coming loose on these sprockets over which the length of chain passed Thus the spring would expand or contract to compensate for the over-all differences in the lengths of the connections to the elevators Now for take-down purposes we could take the wings off and lay them alongside of the body when we were going down the road or moving it from one place to another One end of the wings would rest on this pin here and the other end on this cross bar while the trailing edge would lay against the upper strucshyture of the fuselage We would tie the wings in place and then we could pull the whole machine along acountry road behind a horse-drawn wagon and then bring it into a field where we could take off One of the fields that we used had a bluff there and we would usually take off from the top of the bluff

Mr Garber About dimensions you have told me that the scale of this model is 1 1 O That is 110 size every part being 110 that of the original A decimal scale

Mr Johnson Yes that is right the wing span was 36 feet and the length was 34 feet That was measured from the front of the front wheel to the extreme rear over-all The propeller was 8 feet in diameter and the width of the wing was 8 feet

Mr Garber Do you remember the pitch of the propeller

Mr Johnson Yes that was 4Y2 feet The revolutions per minute were about 1200 on the ground but I dont know how fast the engine turned up when the airplane was in the air In the air it must have been more than on the ground We had no indicator on the machine howshyever Here is another thing I had not mentioned The cables extending from the rear spar connections on the right side of the wing to the corresponding fittings on the left side would pass over the pullies on top of these upright cabane braces here and in that way they would

10

move span wise from side to side when the wing was warped

Mr Garber You told me during lunch that in all of the flights with this airplane there had never been any serious crack-ups You said a few minor damages had occurred that were easily repaired and that the airplane was flown until 1913

Mr Johnson Yes right up to the winter of 1913 but not over into 1914

Mr Garber Was there any change in the design during that period

Mr Johnson No this model shows how it was at the beginning and how it was al l the time we were flying it I dont recall any changes that were made all that time except these flanges here on these longitudinal fuselage pipes At first we didnt have them on and then we added them in order to help make the engine run cooler They were on in 1911 however so we must have put them on rather soon after we built it On the model I have made them out ofrsheet brass but on the airplane they are made of copper and were of L-shaped section On the model it was quite a problem to figure out how to make them but first I ran the brass through a set of gears so as to form these parts that expand up and then I made a tool for pinching those U-shaped parts flat That formed the shape that would fit around the pipe Then I soldered them together soldering the joint on the unerneath line of the tubing on this model but in the original airplane we soldered each piece on separately

Mr Garber That is certainly a wonderful story and I marvel not only at your ingen io us craftsmanship in constructing the original but also in the exquisite jewelshylike precision and beauty with which you made this miniature reproduction Is this to be accessioned as a gift from all three brothers

Mr Johnson Yes thats right from all three of us We are very honored to have it here in the National Air Museum

Mr Garber Well I assure you Mr Johnson and I assure your brothers that we ourselves are honored to accept it from you and to display it I know that our visitors will be thrilled by the excellence of this beautiful model Those brothers are yourself Louis whom I met and Julius who I have not had the pleasure of meeting yet

Mr Johnson Thats right that is Louis J Johnson Harry L Johnson and Julius M Johnson

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Mr Garber The correspondence clearly indicates that th is is being given by the three brothers to the National Air Museum At the time when I had the pleasure of seeing Mr Louis Johnson he mentioned also a trophy and said that would be available and I assured him that we will be pleased to have it I will contact Mr Beldon about that May I confirm the address please

Mr Johnson Yes Louis J Johnson is now at Drumshymond Island Michigan Julius M Johnson is at Meadow Court Hotel Bradenton Florida and after Mrs Johnson and I return from a little trip we are taking we will be back home at R R-1 Culver I ndiana We will stop off at

Washington as we turn back toward home after we visit some friends up North

Mr Garber Thank you again Mr Johnson and Mrs Johnson we are further indebted to your husband for bringing you I hope that you have enjoyed your visit to the Museum We will proceed to put this beautiful model on exhibition so that we and our visitors can enjoy it Again and always our sincere appreciation to you Letters of acknowledgment will be sent to you and to your brothers and we are very grateful to you pershysonal[y for assembling the model here and informing us aboutit~

11

~ife Story of

Lou JOHNSON Pioneer Airplane Manufacshy

turer and Aviator Developer

of the Vee Type Motor and

Modern Outboard Engine

As Recorded in an Interview

By Dorothy Jefferson

Konold

Especially for MoToR BoatinG March 1927

Lou Johnson grinned cheerfully as he answered my questions concerning his initial flight Lou is the eldest and the leader of those four red-headed Johnson brothshyers who designed constructed and flew the first successshyful American monoplane in Terre Haute Indiana eightshyeen years ago and who have taken many remarkable steps in the perfection of V-type motors

Kind of funny he sa id with that quiet reticent humor which is so much a part of his personality When that machine was ready to go up I had not the remotest

(Continued on page 15)

Louis johnson makes first stccessful flight with johnson Aeroplane

12

Vintage Upper Left Note the brass steam condenser (tea kettle) just behind the engine In front of the condenser is the ignition system Large box was magneto and selective cylinder control later substituted for blip switch

Lower Left The johnson Motor wheel served the Company for a period of time - after aeroplanes and before outboards As a child I rememshyber a johnson motor wheel powered buckboard (a bicycle wheeled contrivance about twice the size of a childs wagon accommodating two passengers)

13

Album

Upper Right A good shot of the east side of the engine with Louis Johnsons wife at the controls The propeller was made of alternate strips of spruce and walnut

Lower Right This engine could enhance my living room anytime Everything the Johnshyson brothers did was done to perfection Imagine what a 72 cylinder 2 cycle engine could have done for an aeroplane shytoo bad they were never successfully applied

14

idea how to fly Had to learn that at the same time I was testing out the plane Quite different nowadays learning all the principles in an aviation school and then having a perfectly good standardized thoroughly inspected plane delivered into your hands In the old days you had to keep your wits about you all right You never knew what might happen next Ill never forget the first time I went fifty feet off the ground It was lots more of a surprise to me than it was to the spectators

We were sitting in the cheerful home-like living room where Mr johnson does most of his reading and much of his designing A log fire snapped on the hearth and the atmosphere suggested such peace and retirement that it was almost impossible to see in the modest kindly man who sat before me that rugged grimly determined Hoosier lad who never allowed a class-mate to pass him in school who dreamed fantastic things with his boyish brain and carried them out with his amazingly skillful boyish hands who permitted no failure even heavensent destruction in the form of a tornado that completely wiped out his entire motor plant in a few hours to come between him and his goal and who has accepted success with an unconscious grace known to few At forty-five Louis james johnson occupies an enviable position in the engineering world yet one has only to converse with him a few moments to be certain he feels that only a very small portion of his work has been accompl ished

And what he admits of success he attributes in no great measure to his own ability He tells you gravely of two paramount influences in his youth and insists that a boy given these could not have failed

The first influence as you may have guessed was his home life

Meeting Mr johnsons parents as they are today it is not difficult to understand the reverence that is accordshyed them by all of their five children Father johnson at eighty-four has the keen clear eye of a man of sixty His most prized possession is a motor wheel presented to him when his sons were manufacturing them and he rides daily During the war he was called by the govshyernment to take over an important task in an ammunishytion factory for though he had been long in idleness his ability as an expert tool dresser was well known and they were unable to find skill in younger men that matched his Coming from Denmark when he was nine he went at a very early age into a machine shop reaching the place where he could gauge steel by his senses as accurately as other men ga uged it by instruments And

from the first hi s so ns were benefited by an interest and cooperation which very few fathers know how to give

We always had our own tools and work-benches Lou explained Father indulged us in these things as wealthier men indulge their children in expens ive toys We were encouraged to try our hand at any sort of construction that appealed to us And father was always there to advise and assist No task even the building of a sled was regarded as trivial We were taught to put sincere effort into everything and to finish whatever we began

Mother johnson quietly sitting softly rocking speaks in a low almost awed tone of her boys and you know at once what her part in their story has been

When Lou was only twelve she says he decided he wanted a new sled We couldnt afford to buy him the kind he selected so he took an axe and went out into the woods and cut down a tree He worked at it until he had his lumber ready Then he sat down and drew a design We didnt think he could carry it out he was such a little fellow but first thing we knew he had someshything that looked like a real sled The only trouble was with the runners Finally he took the rim off an old buggy wheel pounded it down flat and fastened it to his wooden runners Father got him some red and black

1paint and I want to tell you he had a sled to be proud of I have it in my attic now and you couldnt buy a A better one shy

The second influence you cannot guess It was the Wabash river When the johnson boys were still youngsters the

family moved from Effingham Illinois to Terre Haute I ndiana All of the boys Lou Harry julius Clarence and Arthur (the latter being the one who lost his life some years ago in a factory accident) were enchanted with the river

Our Danish blood Lou smiles quietly It seemed to them that life would not be worth living until they owned a boat

Make it their parents encouraged So the boat was begun and before the summer ended

it was an admitted success But another summer came and brought new ambitions Lou johnson and Nell Cockerham johnson

Louis and Harry wearied of rowing each other about It is rumored that she flew the johnson airshyone day and began to dream plane The family doubts that she did

If we had a motor - Pictures of her in the plane may have been We couldnt afford to buy one - responsible for the rumor (See page 74) We could race neverything

15

Gee how fast d you suppose we co uld go They approached their father and mother Make it said the parents fi nall y with less enthushy

siasm than they were wont to show Gasoline motors were strange toys in those times

But the moto r slowl y assembled proved the env y of all their small assoc iates It was t he two-horse power inboard type a quaint ancestor for the outboard of today but it chall enged and defeated many a marine moto r of prouder origin

The influence of the Wabash shyHigh School was completed with so exce ll ent a

record in mathematics that Terre Hau te professors still speak of Lo us asto nishing ab ility in that line and the yo ung inventor for he was now recognized as that sought hi s fathers consent to engage in marin e motor man ufacture

As usua l hi s parents nodd ed approval They had a lways wished their boys to be in business for t hemshyselves a nd there was money ready for a sma ll factory

Here it is interesting to make a note on the progress of Louis Jo hnsons education No more schooling yet systematic stud y never neglected in the press of any c irc umstances whatever More mathematics a keener interest in everything pertaining to the mechanical sciences engineeri ng co urses Constant reading evshyid enced today by the books that surround him in his home

A few years of this marine work and then the brain that dreamed and the hands that were ever ready to carry out those dreams united in a burni ng desire to drive something far more romantic than river boats with a gaso line engine

He wanted a sled and made o ne He wanted a laun ch and he made o ne He wanted an airplane and he made one It was Americas first triumph with a monopl ane

No o ne probab ly will ever know just what those broth ers suffered in the way of ridicule disappointment a nd discourage ment in the first period of their struggle with th e unknown air monster But they drove ahead undaunted and fi nally something that resembled an ominous bird of prey was hatched

Not only the Indiana town in whi ch it was bo rn thought thi s creation a fantastic f ledgling Looking over Mr Johnso ns scrap-book one comes to hi ghl y amusing comments by the press in various parts of the country Wright and Curtiss were experimenting at the same time of course but air asce nsion was still regarded in the light

of so rcery Working fever ishly day and night and with th e

utmost secrecy the Johnso n brothers of Terre Haute India na are said to be toiling and scheming to put together a huge bird-like machine which is slated either to fulf ill their fo ndest hopes or prove their bitterest disappointment says a cl ipping of September 26 1909

Desp ite the Jo hnsons effo rts at secrecy spectators began to throng the camp in the old reservoir bed ear ly Saturday afte rnoon and later automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place of the Flyer All the far mers took the afternoo n off to view the mach ine news of which had leaked out in spite of the covered e ntra nce to the farm where the try-out is to be held

This a li tt le later in the Terre Haute Tribune Mr Joh nson ch uckl es soft ly as he reviews these

notices The betting ran high at those fi rst ex hibitions he

says Bets ran about two to one that wed not get off the gro und People a lways paid to see the machine too One day in Hill sboro Illino is we took in 2500 gate admissio ns of twenty-five cents each

Gasoline of course was regarded with much fear and the greatest caution used Before the engine was started a crier ran down the f ield warning spectators of the imminent danger and forbidd ing them to smoke

But the queer creature t hat the Johnson brothers had labored w ith was now winning wagers for those who had faith in it The press spoke of a f light as a lift and fo ll owi ng a discouragingly ra iny sum mer when muddy fields delayed the tests for weeks we read

After a period of experiment covering some time the Jo hnson brothers made a successful lift at their camp Sunday evening The machine was started on the aershyd ro me track from which it was run down the field in an effort which finally succeeded in raising it clear of the ea rth Severa l times the craft raised for d istances of from fifteen to twenty feet though th e height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time

Among the things that the history of tomorrow will carry will be the invention and construction of the first successful American monoplane It will recount the years of unaided struggle by those red-headed Johnson bro thers in Terre Haute I ndiana who brought out of a chaos of thought the most wonderful th ing up to the year 1912 in the way of an aero engine mounted on a steel flyer that really flew

The original motor was mounted on a wooden fra me the wings were of silk and the position of the flyer was perilous The improved monoplane boasted a steel frame stronger win gs and the aviator was pl aced above and behind the machinery eliminating the danger of being crushed by the engine in a fall

This successful ai rplane had a spread of 36 feet a length of 34 feet 260 square feet of plane surface and weighed 750 pou nd s I t had a speed of better than sixty mil es an hour and was driven by a V-type motor which was in the nature of a revolution

Then came the Johnson School of Aviation Now that there were pl anes to fly there must be

av iators to fly them But while many young men took a keen interest in the sport fro m the sidelines most of them were sti ll decided ly earthbo und However there were two immediate ap plicants and Ross L Smith who trained one hundred and fifty men during t he war was Lou Johnsons first pupil Frank Schutt was the other and to him befell the thrill of crashing to ground from a height of 1500 ft and landing unhurt His acc ident was caused by a shortage of gas as were many other similar catastrophies of the time

But there is a more perso na l note to be sounded in connection with Mr Johnsons f lights Something other than motors and his aviatio n schoo l engrossed him Th ere was a charming young person in the hood and dust coat supposed to represent the ideal sport costume of the day always ready to assay the clouds with him Up to now spectators had gazed in obvious ad miratio n at the mother who bade her son such a brave god-speed when he started upo n those fearsome uncharted voyshyages Her gallant bearing unfa ilingly caused a little ripple of com ment But now anoth er woman stood at her side eq ually anxious yet equally hero ic It was whispered that Miss Ne ll Cockerham also of Terre Haute had often been up in the machine with Mr Johnson and that she evidently took a keen interest in monoplanes shy

The story is briefly told in two headlin es from the local paper

DISCOVERED- PRETTY MISS WHO FLEW IS I NTERESTED IN BIRD MAN THEN AVIATOR JOHNSON UP IN AIR- MISSED TRAIN ONWEDDING DAY

A new partnership was formed for it is evident to everyone who contacts the Johnsons in either a business or a social way that theirs had proven a very successful marriage and that Mrs Johnsons intere st has been

16

manifested in every phase of the inventors work But the influence of the Wabash shyFlying was all very well Mr Johnson admitted when

questioned concerning his return to motor-boat building but the call of his first love was too strong to ignore for long Of course during these remarkable three years he had never ceased to manufacture the Johnson marine motor but following his marriage he devoted himself intensively to the development of several ideas he had held in embryo while he sought the conquest of the clouds

Soon the Johnson brothers were offering twenty models of marine motors Racing motors ranged from single cylinder to twelve cylinder type One of these held therecord in the 320 in class for four years

But the fates having accorded this much in justice to the originality persistency and energy of the Johnson family evidently decreed that the number thirteen must cast an ominous influence upon the new industry The tornado of 1913 is well remembered by all who lived in the vicinity of Terre Haute at that time but to none perhaps was it more devastating

Lou and I had been in the theatre while the storm was at its worst said Mrs Johnson when we had come to this part of the narration And Lou spoke of the satisfaction of being in a nice new brick factory We went home and knew nothing of the damage that had been wrought until the following morning Then when the men reported for work they saw a pile of wreckage that would have sickened any heart The highest portion of the plant left standing was a bit of the brick wall three feet above the ground

W ea ker men wou Id have broken perhaps but apparently Lou and his brothers bowed to the will of the gods and accepted their loss calmly I n humbler quarters but with no lessening of spirit they designed something new in the manner of a racing craft

In 1914 Johsons most famous boat Black Demon III entered a special match race against some of the fastest boats in the country on Lake Michigan Disturbshyer I V of Ch icago took first honors but Black Demon was a close second out-classing a number of favorites It was a recognized triumph for the V-type motor which had been exhibited in Chicago a few months before and was causing much comment Black Demon III was a 23-footer powered with two 12-cylinder high speed marine motors each having 180 horse-power

Ever casting about for new transportation methods

Black Demon III was a 23 footer powered with two 2 cycle 72 cylinder high speed marine motors each having 780 horsepower

the red-headed Johnson boys now wondered whether a bicycle driven by their motor would compare favorably with types already on the market Apparently it did for in 1917 the Johnson Motor Wheel Company was a going business with an output of 10000 machines a year and the slogan - SIXTY MILES FOR TEN CENTS was familiar to many of us

Warren Ripple Chicago financier was especially interested in this new venture and through his influence the factory was moved to South Bend in the early part of 1918

In eight years the growth of the Johnson Motor Company has furnished South Benders with an inshyexhaustible subject of conversation First it wasshy

Did you hear about those Johnson people Theyve taken over the od Bottling plant next to them

Then Have you heard the latest about Johnson Theyve

leased that whole block of stores on Lincoln Way and put their offices over there

On and on it went this amazing growth Soon a vacated portion of a large underwear mill across the river was commandeered neighboring houses sheds buildings of any type whatever were given over to the manufacshyture and housing of Johnson motors It was said that one must carry a road map to complete a tour of the plant

The wheel had gone into the discard but there was

never a lull in activities The out-board marine motor had quietly taken the place of the motor-driven bicycle - and Lou Johnson was back again doing homage to his first love

Strange influence-On the Banks of the Wabash - tho now of course it was the St Joe river that knew his experiments

Mr Johnsons smile changed as he finished the little resume of his work and walking to the fire-place framed by the well-filled bookcases looked thoughtfully into the flames for a few seconds

Of course it is only a beginning he said This is the age of mechanical development and no one can foretell the progress that will be made in the next ten years even though one may feel it coming Naturally the thing that interests me most and always has is the improvement of water transportation Better boats fastshyer boats-

He paused and the smile was again in his eyes America is only beginning to enjoy water sports

presume we Johnsons have that in the blood And suddenly I saw him as he is a tall Danishshy

American captain commanding in spite of his reticence who began his voyage about three decades ago on a childishly constructed raft in the Wabash river and has been coming fearless of current and snag upstream ever since ~

17

Wednesday August 3 1910

JOHNSONS PREPARE TEST AIRPLANE - machine stands ready after more than a years work for its initial flight - brothers guard secret of place of first trial Airshyship has as original feature V type 2 cycle engine built for strength and lightness

Harry Louis and Julius Johnson the Johnson Brothshyers who have been at work for more than a year manufacturing an aeroplane at their shop 717 N 10th St have at last completed the machine and will leave Friday for a place in the open country near Terre Haute

to make the first attempt at flying it Thus far the Johnson Brothers have kept the location

of the place where they will try to fly the machine an entire secret It is desired to have no crowd about to bother while the machine is being tried

Everything was completed Wednesday with the exception of putting the parts together The machine which weighs 650 pounds complete will be shipped knocked down to the scene of the first attempted flight The propeller which is over 10 in length the wings seat and balances will not be attached until the scene of

try-out has been reached Wednesday morning the airplane stood in the big

building erected especially for the purpose of building it at the rear of the Johnson home on North 10th St It is 36 in length and measures the same exactly from tip to tip in width Every part of it has been manufactured by the three young men while they at the same time carried on their occupation of gasoline and marine engine manufacturing It was begun just a little less than a year ago

The wings which are to extend on either side from

18

the front of the machine measure 16 Yz x 8 and are made of light waterproof canvas stretched over stout framework The engine is a V type 2 cycle engine the only one of its kind to have ever been made

There are V type engines said Mr Johnson but they are 4 cycle The 2 cycle engines have previously been built straight causing increased weight Everything about the machine has been built for speed and lightmiddot ness

Two 7 gallon gasoline tanks will furnish the propellmiddot ing power for the machine It is expected it will take a day and a half to set the machine up after its been shipped to the place where it will be tested

- ~ shy

Saturday August 6 1910

LOCAL AVIATORS MAKE READY FOR FIRST TRIAL JOHNSON BROTHERS MOVE AIRPLANE TO FIELD NEAR BLACKHAWK AND SET UP MACHINE FOR TESTmiddot everything was hustle and bustle at the Johnson brothers aero camp a few miles from Blackmiddot hawk Saturday where the three young men manufacmiddot turers of engines and incidentally builders of an airplane were engaged in putting together their airplane preparmiddot atory for a trial flight One of the busiest of the workers was Clarence Johnson a 12 year old brother who showed himself a handy man about the place Owing to the fact that due to their hurried move from Terre Haute with their machine Friday the Johnson brothers left behind some necessary blocks and braces and the flight that was scheduled for Saturday will be postponed until some time Sunday The strange man by the name of Zakarius supposed to be from Indianapolis and well versed in aviation was with the three brothers Saturday as they worked on their machine which was enclosed in a 40 tent to shut out the view from the spectators Another important personage at the scene was Dr Dupui of Riley who was on hand in case a flight should be made to see to the injuries of the aviator in case he should meet with an accident

The tryout grounds are admirally situated in the center of a 100 acre farm in the reservoir of the old Wabash and Erie Canal There is a wide stretch of clear country without any woodland within its radius of two miles It is believed the airplane will be assembled and ready for a trial late Saturday afternoon but it is not thought a flight will be attempted before Sunday

- Ii _ ~ ~

Sunday August 7 1910

JOHNSON BROTHERS PREPARE FOR INITIAL TEST OF BIG AIRPLANE CONFIDENCE PERmiddot MEATESCAMP AS TIME FOR TRY-OUT NEARSmiddot the first flight if flight is to be of the Johnson airship now resting in all readiness for its try-out at its camp at southeast of Terre Haute will come at about noon today and the result of a year s work and effort to build a successful airplane will be determined

In spite of the Johnson effort at secrecy spectators began to throng to the camp in the old reservoir bed early Saturday afternoon and later in the evening automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place The farmers also took Saturday evening off to take advantage of the opportunity to see the machine and the men

A heavy steel roller was brought to the scene Satshyurday evening and the Johnsons will layout the course early Sunday morning on which the aviators who drive the machine in the preliminary try-outs will score down for a start The meadow as it stands is rough and trouble was feared when the wheels of the flyer were started over the ground before the machine raised into the air

Just who would be the first man to steer the machine on its initial effort the Johnsons refused to state but the crowd of sightseers who have been watching the progress of the work at the camp picked the man who they believe will be in the seat when the airplane raises first It is William Zachow the stranger from Racine Wisconsin who arrived in this city just in time to take an active part in completing preparations for the try-out Zachow refused to give out his name but the above is the name he registered under at the Philbeck Hotel Gossip has it that the Wisconsin man is an experienced aviator and it is on this fact that the spectators base their belief that he will be the one to drive the machine when it is tried out

There is no spirit of speculation in the air about the Johnson camp but in plain businesslike manner the men are carrying forth the work which is to determine whether or not Terre Haute has produced a parallel to the Wright Brothers There were several men on the ground Saturday afternoon who professed some knowlshyedge of mechanics All the men who have seen the machine since it has been brought near enough to completion for an idea to be formed as to its efficiency has had nothing but praise for the thoroughness with which it has been finished and experienced mechanics say that from a mechanical standpoint the machine looks good

An experienced mechanic who examined the machine Saturday stated that the V type 2 cycle engine a

distinctive feature of the new machine is especially adapted for the use on airplanes The Johnson brothers claim the distinction of having made the first engine of this type and mechanics say that it is the coming engine for use on aerial machines

The Johnsons themselves though they do not talk much have all confidence in their creation The men have had years of experience in the manufacture of all kinds of engines and in addition have put in considershyable time in research work on the subject of airplanes and other flying machines They have been close students to the methods of the Wright Brothers

Ii- _ ~

Monday August 8 1910

MAKER LAYS PLANS TO PILOT AIRPLANE ON INITIAL FLIGHTmiddot with the airplane removed from the tent in which it has been housed and the engine of the plane in perfect running order the Johnson brothers were expected Monday at noon to make an attempted flight at any time

The field located near Blackhawk south of the city where the first trial will take place is in perfect condishytion for the flight The only thing that may cause a delay of the flight is the lightness of the wheels which support the airplane on the ground at the start It was feared Monday that heavier wheels would be necessary In case this is decided on the trial of the machine will not take place for a day or so One of the Johson boys will pilot the machine on its initial attempted flight This was definitely announced Monday It was thought at first that William Zachow who was present at the aviation camp would pilot the machine but it has developed that the stranger is a salesman for an airplane supply comshypany He is said to be thoroughly fa miliar with the mechanism of airplanes however and has been of great value in getting the machine ready for flight

A test of the engine was made Monday morning it developed 40 HP Confidence was expressed by the Johnsons that the engine could develop 20 HP additional if necessary

- ~~

Saturday August 13 1910

WEAK SPRINGS POSTPONE JOHNSONS TRIAL OF FLIGHT CROWDS GATHERED AT AVIATION

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FIELD TO AGAIN LEARN THAT MACHINES TEST MUST AGAIN BE DELAYED - the Johnson brothers made no attempt to fly this afternoon It is reported that they would make their initial attempt to scale the clouds today A crowd followed in the wake of the rumor and by 200 this afternoon many people swarmshyed down from the meadow

When the Johnson machine was wheeled out at 2 00 it was found by the inventors that an important set of springs were too weak These will be strengthened and it is probable that the apparatus will not be taken out of the tent again until Tuesday of the coming week

Two of the brothers hurried to Terre Haute this aftershynoon as soon as the defect in the machine was discovshyered They will return to the camp Sunday and begin adjustment

_ F A ~~

Sunday August 141910

BROTHER AVIATORS DELAY DEMONSTRATION AGAIN PART OF MACHINE USED IN MAKING LANDING GETS OUT OF ORDER SECOND TIME shythough delayed again in their preparation for the initial flight of the first airplane ever manufactured in Terre Haute the Johnson boys Louis Julius and Harry went to work to remedy the defect which made necessary the postponement of their flight for the second time The defects which they are now forced to repair causes no despair in the Johnson boys or lessens their faith that the machine will fly after they are completed

We have encountered no difficulty whatever as yet which would in any way interfere with the successful flight of the machine said one of the boys Saturday The trouble is only in the wheels and supporting spring those parts of the machine which are used to make a landing on and the defect is not curious in any way though it does take some time to make the necessary changes

The intention of the trio was to fly Saturday and the day was ideal but it was decided at the last minute that the chances of flying and making a safe landing would involve too great a risk

Louis the eldest of the Johnson brothers said to a Tribune representative Saturday I am sorry that we could not fly today In the first place the weather is ideal and in the second place when the statement that we have been halted again appears in print a great many people will believe that the machine is a failure As for us we are certain as we have been all along that the airplane will fly

Ii ~~

Monday August 15 1910

JOHNSON PROMISES TO MAKE AIRPLANE TRIP WEDNESDAY BROTHERS OCCUPY ENTIRE DAY REPAIRING CARRYING TRUCK OF HEAVIER THAN AIR MACHINE - the work of getting ready the remodeled parts of the carrying truck for the airplane occupied the day of the Johnson boys at their work shop on 10th Street on Monday The men expect to have their work completed and will take their remodshyeled parts to the camp near Blackhawk Tuesday eveshyning

Louis Johnson said Monday that they expect to have everything in readiness for the trial by Wednesday One man has been left at the camp while the others came to their home in Terre Haute over Sunday

qp tt ~~

Friday August 19 1910

JOHNSONS WAIT WEATHER FOR FIRST TEST OF FLYER HUGE MONOPLANE GIVES EVERY EVshyIDENCE OF BEING FULLY CAPABLE OF NAVshyIGATING THE AIR - the initial flight of the Johnson monoplane was scheduled to take place Friday aftershynoon but a strong wind swept over the field here and made the test impossible The huge flyer waits serenely for the first chance to take to the air having been thoroughly tested on the ground

Friday afternoon the monoplane was staked to the ground headed into the wind and the engine turned on for the purpose of determining her power Under full speed the flyer acquired the full strength of the helpers to keep her from leaping upward At half speed the power developed was not sufficient to convince the builders that the test would be a success in the wind as it is their desire to fly first under half power leaving the remainder for reserve while in the air

After the test of the engine Louis Johnson expressed himself as being unsatisfied with the condition of the engine and propeller

E ~~

Saturday August 201910

JOHNSON SHIP REFUSES TO QUIT TERRA FIRMA ENGINE FAILS TO DEVELOP SUFFICIENT SPEED

TO LIFT MACHINE INTO AIR - the Johnson brothers have made half a dozen attempts to fly the monoplane upon which they have worked for so many months and in none have they succeeded in getting the big machine into the air

Three times Friday they turned the big propeller under high speed and freed the machine from all restraints At a rate of about 12 mph it tore down a rough field only to be stopped at the limit of the course without having raised from the ground Three of these efforts were made before and three after alterations had been made to the propeller Saturday morning the Johnshysons were not disheartened or discouraged they had come to the realization that they were not as far advancshyed in the building of the machine as they had thought Their attention was turned to alterations that were expected to have a decided affect on the plane and also to the grounds upon which they were flying The aviashytion camp is located on exceedingly poor grounds It is rough and full of ruts and so soft that the tired wheels sink to 1 to 3 in it when the machine is started _Those who have watched the attempts to fly are of the opinion that the nature of the grounds is largely responsible for the failures as it is impossible to start the machine at a pace that will make it rise Whether the Johnsons will move or prepare a smoother runway is a question that has not yet been determined The three efforts to fly Saturday morning were made early while the sun was rising and the wind was low A fairly steady breeze from the south made it necessary to drive the machine up a slight grade into the wind but this was not sufficiently a factor to which to attribute a failure to rise The monoshyplane failed to fly simply because it did not have enough power to raise it from the ground There is no speed indicator in the camp and it is impossible to tell at what rate the propeller is revolved but several have estimated it at about 900 rpm 1500 rpm is considered necessary for success and the Johnsons may have to make radical changes in the propeller before making the desired speed_

Saturday evening before a large crowd they started the engine three times and raced down the field with Louis Johnson in the machine The first was probably the best of all the trials The monoplane attained a good rate of speed but it did not leave the ground The buildshyers decided the trouble was due to the size of the propelshyler and they cut it down several inches The result was the engine operated faster and more smoothly but it was by no means as speedy as necessary and the test made established that more alterations were necessary espicially if attempts to fly are from the present locashytions

20

~ t_F ~~

Sunday August 211910

FOUR DEVOTEES OF AERONAUTICS MAINTAIN CHEERFULNESS IN FACE OF PARTIAL DISshyAPPOINTMENT WAITING FOR CALM JOHNSONS ADVANCE IN CONQUERING AIR SIX TRIALS OF MONOPLANE PROVE MANY THEORIES CORRECT BUT BRING PARTIAL DISAPPOINTMENT LOW SPEED PROPELLER PROVES TOO WEAK TO RAISE WEIGHT DIFFICULTIES AT FIELD AND APPLICAshyTION OF MOTORS ENERGY PRESENT PROBLEMS THAT MUST YIELD BEFORE PERSEVERENCE - Sunshyday the Johnson brothers who are now so earnestly engaged in the attempt to fly a monoplane in the old canal basin near Blackhawk are going to demonstrate that they can build a high power low speed motor fully adapted to the needs of the aviator

Just now they are encountering difficulties that would discourage many with a patience that means success they are working under handicaps that appear as insurmountable but must give way before their detershymination

Saturday morning the last of six attempts to make their machine leave terra firma failed and they went back to their tent disappointed after two weeks of the hardest kind of labor In spite of the cheerful attitude they assumed there was an air of disappointment all around the camp and even the jokes of the jolly party did not dispel it

The disappointment lay not so much in the fact that the machine failed to leave the ground in its trials as in the evidence that higher speed would be necessary for the proper operation of the motor It is the object of the Johnsons to develop a motor that will run a monoplane without the terrific speed common to those in use If they succeed in securing one of this type they have a fortune at their command They do not desire to construct an airplane merely for the purpose of flying If they did they could easily obtain the pattern of the Wright brothers machine or other machines and build accordingly or they could purchase a machine at less cost and trouble than they have encountered But having as their object the development of a low speed motor the failure of the one now in use to do the work expected was disappointing Although it whirled the propeller at a speed that astonished the spectators it was not operated at a rate of which it is capable but at a rate very much lower and which the builders hope would be sufficient for its purpose

Consequently when the speed attained by the motor in the first trials Friday proved insufficient one of the hopes of the Johnsons was dashed

Reluctantly they cut down the size of the propeller knowing that every inch shaved from it would increase the speed of the engine Two inches all around were sacrificed in the desire to raise the skybird and the result was a perceptible increase in the number of revolushytions and consequently a steadier engine Some consolashyLIon was offered by the fact that even with the reduced propeller there was little vibration noticeable about the machine

Late Friday night the airplane was run out of its tent and the motor started The effect was extraordinary and the hopes of the Johnsons that they had accomplished their purpose ran high Saturday morning early the fourth attempt to fly and the first with the reduced propeller was made

Whether the alterations had any effect on the raising power of the motor was difficult to determine because of the conditions under which the trial was made A steady breeze from the south made it necessary to start the machine from the north end of the field at the foot of the small incline and on ground that was wet and soft The machine behaved no better than before bllt whether it was due to the propeller the grade or the soft ground was a question the Johnsons were not ready to answer To eliminate the grade is almost impossible To wait for a more favorable wind is nerve racking yet the Johnsons will have to do all of these things before making sure that they have the propeller rightly proporshytioned for the task

Whatever may be determined regarding the propeller it remains that the Johnsons have demonstrated an engine that is remarkable for its power and speed combined with its steadiness and construction The motor is of the 2 cycle type 4 cylinders This means that an explosion occurs in each cylinder just twice as often as in the more common 4 cycle 4 cylinder type More power is the result and 75 hp is the indication This is accomplished by combining the Johnson patent valve with cylinders set at an angle of 1800 and big carburetors The patent valve is one on which the men have worked for a long time and they have shown by it a method of allowing more gas to enter the cylinders withshyout increasing the size of the valve a point of corisidershyable value in construction Then they have obtained a motor that will run at great speed and create so little vibration that it scarcely causes a tremor in the light wooden frame of the airship All in all the motor has conducted itself in a manner that is deemed most satisfactory It is applying it to the airplane that has

proven the puzzle and that is the very point the Johnshysons are seeking

The Johnson monoplane will fly because it is constructed on the proper principles for flight That it has not been successfully launched as yet is due to two things - the experience in designing and operating of the men in control of it and the unfavorable conditions under which the trials have been made Both of these points will be overcome in time While they are eliminatshying the unfavorable conditions they are learning from experience the points they have overlooked in designing and they are learning rapidly how to operate it

The story of the construction of the Johnson monoshyplane is one of hard work and persistent effort The Johllsons have had no teacher in the art They have studied much observed a great deal and gathered from experience a great deal more than the average man will ever know about airplanes No one realizes more than they that there is a great deal more to be learned That is why after months of work they took their machine to the Blackhawk basin It was two weeks ago today that they arrived there and since that time they have fought mosquitos malaria and rain in a most credible effort to work out the theories they have formed It is not a pleasant task but one that requires thought constant experiment and careful reasoning They are not particshyularly interested in what the public thinks about their work They want to apply the Johnson motor to aeroshynautics

As one enters the aviation field he is greeted by a sign that reads Welcome - Outside the Tent The sign is expressive of the attitude of the Johnson boys They are willing that anyone watch them at work free about giving information when asked but they promise nothing and consequently are not responsible for the disappointment of the many who have come to see them fly and have left without that satisfaction

Julius Johnson expressed their attitude well when he said while waiting for a wind to subside we have waited a year to get to this point with the machine and we can afford to wait another day rather than run the chances of breaking up the airplane

Last weeks activity at the camp became intensive Thursday morning when the machine was run out of its protection for the first time the frame buckled This was immediately repaired and trials of the engine and frame made that evening Friday three unsuccessful attempts to raise the machine were made and Saturday with an altered propeller three more efforts brought no better success

When the last visitor departed from the aviation field Thursday night the Johnsons rested content with their

21

preparations for a flight on the early morning air Time work until as the crowd left the field Thursday night noon for further tests to be made solely on the ability of and again the builders had been disappointed in not they saw the end of the last bit of preparation for an air the machine to lift It is expected that the trial will1ake having it ready for flight at the time agreed upon Little test place about an hour before sunset No effort at flightweaknesses that could not be foreseen became apparent While it has been disappointing to visit the aviation will be made at this time the test being confined to when the machine was started across the rough field had field and fail to witness an attempt to fly the chagrin of determining the buoyancy of the machine its balance yielded one by one to careful attention and ingenuity the Johnson brothers and Pearl Conover has been and general fitness for flight Every nut and bolt on the unwieldly looking skybird had greater Living in a single big tent pitched in a malaria been inspected and found in first class condition The breeding district pestered by insects and blistered with rt _ alterations made necessary by faulty calculations as to the heat they have put up with all kinds of inconvenshy ~~ weight and pressure on the running gear were completed iences since leaving Terre Haute and every hours delay and the new woodwork covered with a preserving paint In the center of the structure the light but powerful engine shown in polished brilliancy Just in front of it the big propeller built of many pieces and smoothed to a surface like glass was perfect to the last detail A sliver that had been knocked from it was replaced with cement and its bearing was as true as science could make it Stretching away on each side for 16 were ribbed wings on which so much depends each without a flaw or scratch At their tips hung the balancing planes so delicately fitted that the slightest movement of the operator was reflected by a changed position To the eye the machine was perfect and the builders who worked so patiently at last were satisfied it was ready for its initial trip

It now appeared that nothing stood in the way of a thorough demonstration but the Johnson brothers were doomed to meet another disappointment Under its power for the first time Louis Johnson drove the airship down the field from the tent in which it had been housed Three of the four cylinders were in operation yet it was evident that the Johnson motor was suffishyciently powerful for the purposes of the craft At speed that hurried those who accompanied it the aircraft ran along over the rough ground with little or no vibration from the motor and a steadiness that spelled success Four men hung to it with their weight keeping it from mounting the air while the driver accustomed himself to the situation and watched the engine and the plane

This was the final test of the monoplane before it was entrusted to the element for which it was constructed This test fully demonstrated that the care bestowed upon its construction was not misplaced There was not a flaw noticeable in any of its moving parts There was nothing about its action that indicated a single weakness But one thing marred the success of this test and Thursshyday night saw that one point corrected The long body or frame that extends from the plane to the rudder on the tail was not sufficiently strong to stand the strain of alighting from a height as was shown in its action during this test Immediately the builders prepared to strengthshyen it and all day Thursday they worked on this one part rebracing and adding to the solidity of this frame

has been bitter to them Malaria sent Clarence Johnson the youngest of the camp back to the city unfit to be about Mr Conover succumbed to it one day but was able to throw off the attack The Johnson brothers have all felt the effect of life in the camp and as Louis Johnshyson expressed it Are dead anxious to get to doing something

- shy~~ Monday October 10 1910 MONOPLANE JUSTIFIES EFFORTS OF JOHNSONS AIRCRAFT GOES INTO AIR SEVERAL TIMES AT TESTS MADE SUNDAY- after many weeks of quite work at their camp on the old reservoir prairie 3 miles east of Blackhawk in an effort to perfect the airplane which when first tried out was found to be lacking in a few particulars Louis Harry and Julius Johnson the inventors and builders of the Johnson Bros airplane succeeded in making several lifts with the aircraft at tests made Sunday evening Three tests were made and it was on the third one that the machine lifted from the ground Several times the craft raised for distances of from 15 to 20 Though the height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time this fact was rather to lack in certain details than because the airplane could not raise higher

The craft exhibited a wonderful buoyancy for the test and tended to leave the ground at all times higher than it was allowed to However necessity for certain corrections was manifested before a flight could be safely made and to avoid possible wrecking of the machine it was held down at all times

An assistant of the Johnson boys in their efforts toward perfecting the machine stated Monday that an idea of buoyancy of the machine could be gained from the fact that when starting on the soft dirt just previous to the test that it would leave no track in the soft dirt but that when being brought back for a second test it would plow back into the soil for a depth of 6

Preparations were almost completed Monday after-

Tuesday October II 1910 JOHNSON GIVES EXPRESSION TO SATISFACTION WITH PLANE TEST CONTINUED TO OCCUpy TIME OF BROTHERS AT AVIATION FIELD - Louis Johnson the elder of the Johnson brothers builders of the Johnson Monoplane spent Tuesday in Terre Haute looking after business matters The other two brothers Julius and Harry are at the aviation field making a few required minor changes in the mechanism preparatory to attempting a flight Wednesday or Thursday

Louis will return to the field Tuesday evening to be ready to sit at the wheel of the machine in the initial attempt at flight

We have gone far enough now to see through to the end and we now know that the theory which we have been working is the right one We will fly within a few days possible Wednesday or Thursday The changes now being made are only minor adjustments which were seen to be necessary in our tests as to the lifting power of the machine

-shy~~ Editors Note

The brothers apparently abandoned the attempts to make the 1910 airplane fly shortly after this in October 1910 and started work on an improved design which was successful in the summer of 1911 Between the end of October and the middle of July 1911 they built an entirely new airplane but used the same power plant that had been used in the 1910 version The new airplane was radically different in design using basically a metal framework cloth covered wings and cloth covered tail surfaces which were supported on a single aluminum boom It had a tricycle gear as contrasted with the conventional gear in the 1910 plane It had wing-warping in place of the moveable surfaces at the tips of the wings steerable nose wheel and brakes and many other engineering refinements~

22

Ross Smith had never seen an airplane and was attractshyed to one ofthe public displays of the Johnson monoplane the practice being a charge of 25cent to see it in the tent to help alleviate the costs The plane had barely flown and excitement was running high Ross evidently took one look at it and said thats for me Its hard to guess how he convinced the Johnsons that he should take a hand at it however it is very possible that he was the only one with enough nerve and the J ohnsons had spent a great deal of theirs A bird in the hand at this point was probably welcome According to the records the

motor was started and Ross ran the plane up and down the field for some half hour experimenting with the controls learning how to use the throttle steering the airplane accelerating until it was light Evidently Ross had figured play ti me was over and the description states suddenly the plane shot forward and then rose graceshyfully into the air His very first flight lasted for 30 minutes and he thrilled the onlookers as he flew back and forth over the field (I nstructors take note - how many students would you turn loose in a better machine of today with 30 minutes of instruction)

Barely two days atter Rosss first flight he launched into the professional flying ranks in a big way He immeshydiately received an offer from his home town of Mattoon Illinois to engage in some demonstration flights and was paid for three flights at $50000 per flight Airplanes were so rare in these days that people paid to look at them and in most cases such flights were initiated by promotors seeking a quick fortune You would believe that flying such an airplane was enough of a daredevil stunt but not for our friend Ross He managed to concoct stunts that even from this distance

23

in time seem absolutely ridiculous Daredevil is too mild a word One of his next exploits was an engagement to fly the monoplane during a 10 day Chautauqua Now for you youngsters youll have to run to the dictionary however Ill save you the effort The name Chautauqua originated in New York where some wise promoter startshyed an educational summer camp Families took their vacations very similar to those going to Oshkosh for the week long fly-in lived in tents in a large tent community that attracted as many as 50000 people during its run This particular Chautauqua that contracted for Rosss services with the Johnson airplane was at Merom Bluff Indiana a high point on the Wabash River The bluff was in Sullivan County and stood 150 above the river on one side while the opposite side fell to flat farm land going away from the river in a flat plain Th is particular Chautauqua was obviously one of great importance for the midwest and attractions included William Jennings Bryan Senator Robert LaFollette William Howard Taft former President of the United States Vice President Thomas R Marshall a gal named Maude Ballington Booth discussing prison reform John Temple Graves a noted orator of the time and Jeanette Rankin the first American Congresswoman The Chautauqua encomshypassed every subject from religion to suffrage child care and anything at all that would interest the family

To spice this particular Chautauqua Ross came up with the idea of building a 250 wooden platform with its far end hanging over the bluff on the river side The intent was to fly the airplane from this platform and fly it he did for many performances Descriptions of the flight states that the airplane labored uphill gained speed and disappeared from the end of the platform in what must have been a free fall until it gained flying speed leveling out some safe distance above the river then circling back over the Chautauqua area like a peacock preening its feathers It must have been a supreme thrill for all to witness There was no possible way to land at the Chautauqua area so Ross would cross the river to the Illinois side and land on a road at the ferry The plane would then be disassembled hauled back across the river pulled back up the winding road to the bluff for its next days operation

I n the eyes of the Chautauqua attendance Ross was no doubt walking mighty tall despite his slight stature It was quite common practice for the Johnson airplane to be engaged for fairs etc at which time it generally flew off the racetrack Evidently by this time a standard stunt

This monoplane piloted by Ross Smith flew off the Merom Bluff daily August 22-37 7973 during the Chautauqua

This was the view from the Merom Bluff The picture is deceiving for it was 750 down to the water Note the Ferry cars and buggies waiting to cross and climb the winding road up the bluff This is the view Ross Smith had as he literally dove his plane off the platform without adequate flying speed The result was a near free fall with flying speed gained in time to narrowly miss striking the water below The flight was enacted daily to please the crowd

24

-

Ross Smith preparing for an exhibition flight Note man with ladder at right below wing It was a tall gear and a long climb to mount this machine

had been for the airplane to race a car on the track Dirt track races being part of almost every fair there was always someone present willing to race At one such event it states that Speed in the air and on land thrills thousands Aviator Ross L Smith and Speed King Wild Bob Burman held first place in the hearts of sensation lovers for the wild thrills they gave the thousands at the fairgrounds on Sunday Taking off from the track Ross flew around the track circled the infield and landed directly in front of thegrandstand amid the applause of thousands As an additional build up to the race Burman took Ross for a ride in his 300 hp Blitzen Benz and proceeded to smash the world record for a mile on a half mile dirt track breaking his own former record His

speed was just over 60 mph but this meant that 80 mph must have been his speed on the straight away On the first lap he gave Ross a thrill by hitting the turn too fast and almost losing control in a skid Evidently Ross did not appreciate the ride for when Burman said he would go up with him in his plane Ross calmly said that if he did he would get pushed out Burman of course immeshydiately changed his mind Evidently this was the last of Burmans summer appearances and he was going to spend his time readying himself for the 500 mile motor speedway event He had held the lead the previous year until his machine caught fire and burned while he was many laps ahead

As to the race between the airplane and the car the

airplane invariably won all events in spite of the fact that the cars appeared to be going faster Speed in the air does not seem to be speed compared to a roaring monster of an auto spewing exhaust and throwing large clods of dirt as it rounds every corner Smith evidently thrilled the crowd with a simple thing that today would be called a touch and go Newspaper emotes over the fact that even the French exhibition flyers had not done such a thing stating that Ross had no trouble at all in thrilling the crowd In another engagement it states that Ross L Smith will pilot the Johnson brothers monshyoplane during the Corn Week Show sponsored by the Rotary Club of Terre Haute The big thrill of this event was to be a flight down Wabash Avenue between the

25

buildings just above the street car wires It was stated it would be the first time in history that an aviator would attempt such a dangerous feat The plane was to be brought down until the wheels barely cleared the wires then proceed west down the street to the Court House where the plan was to circle the big dome I n a flair of penmanship the author writes it will be unusual for a businessman to see the wings of an airplane almost brushing the windows of his building He further states the trip will be a dangerous one but the aviator and the builders of the machine have such faith in the monshyoplane that they believe that both will stand the test

I n a later account where Smith was engaged to fly an exhibition over Elsworth he decided to give them a new thrill and go for altitude With much circling he reached dizzying height of 2000 where he passed through a cloud bank that confused him for a short time On recovering from the confusion he found himself at 1000 (he invented vertigo no dOUbt)

In still another account it states the Johnson monshyoplane gave one of the best exh ib itions of the art of flying it has been our pleasure to witness There were no death defying stunts just plain flying

The monoplane took off on the back stretch of the race track and for 30 minutes circled dived swooped and turned running up and down the valley for several miles It states the limited space in which he had to land caused him some trouble He had failed to make the first descent (made a go-around - probably the first) When finally on the ground Aviator Ross stated it was the hardest day to fly on he had ever experienced as the air seemed dead and no breeze whatsoever was stirring Density altitude)

About the year 1913 Ross was running out of tricks the bag was getting empty so he decided to scoop them all He announced that he would like to fly the Atlantic and from all records it appears that he was the first to have such serious ideas He was at least 19 years ahead of his time He proposed to fly the flimsy Johnson airplane across the Atlantic alone - a statement that makes Lindshyberghs remarks an echo of the past He approached the Navy Department and asked them to place 10 battleshysh ips at intervals of 300 miles apart figuring that th is would be the maximum load of gasoline possible to carry The Navy of course refused considering the flight across the Atlantic as only a hair brained scheme The Government was not very interested in flying at this time and their decision was certainly not a surprise

~

Evening flights from the field were customary

Ross did not remain silent on this issue and at a later time stated in print when the Atlantic is crossed it will be by a flying boat and not a dirigible

In reading the history of these days all of the emshyphasis on long range travel was transfered to the gas bag History proved Ross to be 100 right and the Navys NC4s were the first to fly across

To further add hues of color to his career Ross was perhaps the first American aviator to get an offer from a foreign government and probably one of the first conceptions of military aviation was born President Huerta of Mexico offered him a high ranking position in the Mexican Army if he would organize an air force for them Ross immediately declined Poncho Villa who was then the bad boy of Mexico and conducting what we would call today Guerilla attack tried to make Ross a better offer of $2000 a month in gold to do the same thing for his side Ross declined that too Time proved how wise he was in declining this offer for one of his best friends was killed - not while he was flying but by Villas own men Four of Rosss friends had decided to fly for Villa but when weeks went by and they received no pay they drew straws to see who would confront Villa with the facts Mickey McGuire (the wild Irish Rose of the skies) was unlucky enough to get the job and foolish enough to make the attempt He faced the illiterate General in his tent and asked for the money

The General promptly whipped out a 45 caliper pistol and shot McGuire through the heart In revenge the remaining three proceeded to burn Villas airplanes saving one to make their escape in They successfully flew that one back to the United States

This was not Rosss last encounter with Army life As World War I came along there were but 50 flyers availshyable for instructors in the US He was one that formed the nucleus of the great Flying Corps This group was called on to also perform test pilot functions and in their vernacular did nose dives tail spins and no doubt were the first creators of aerobatic flying in this country This was no doubt a cup of tea for our adventuresome Mr Ross captivated the services and the record that he established was remarkable General Andrews commenshyded Ross with a citation ending it with a comment Seven years without a serious mishap Ross lived a long and successful life and became very well known in Wash ington and for years was Public Relations Manager for the Hot Shopps a food chain in the East He lived a full life and died on February 19 1959 For an advenshyturesome person who lead such a colorful life and seemingly knew no fear he must have also been blessed with skill and a great amount of common sense In the Hot Shopps Company magazine from which some of this material was gleaned they coined an epitaph for him stating simply An amazing man ~

26

the engine

Mr Shaw I think he was one of the first to develop that method of coo ling

Mr Garber The Antoinette used surface cooling ~

along the fuselage You have no drag at a ll for your radiator In most airplanes the radiator was placed up front and was of a square shape I t created more drag than any th ing else

Mr Johnson Thats right Mr Garber This engine here you tell me is based on

those that you had been making for use in boats This is a four-cylinder shape with the cylinders arranged like two vees staggered with one another What was the bore and stroke

Mr Johnson The bore was five inches and the stroke was four inches It was two cycle

Mr Garber Those little spark plugs on this model are certainly well made did you use a Mea magneto

Mr Johnson No it was a Bosch magneto Mr Garber Then I guess the distributor was on the

magneto itself Did you use dry cells for starting the engine

Mr Johnson No we didnt need that Turning the propeller would start the engine all right

Mr Garber Did you use any booster Mr Johnson No we didnt need it Mr Garber Where is the carburetor Mr Johnson We had a pipe here for carrying the

gasoline through a needle valve Thats the needle valve there where we would adjust the gasoline while the engine was running and get the maximum speed out of it the right mixture There was no throttle on the engine It was a one-speed engine and to start it we would prime the engine put gasoline through the exhaust opening here and turn the propeller to start and when the engine starts the aviator pulls on this little valve control here the one here by his right knee and opens up to allow the gasoline to run through the screen and with the engine running we adjust this lever here and then that can stay that way I t usually stayed that way for a long time and to control the engine he has a push button on the steering wheel which grounds the magneto to kill the spark and he just cuts the engine in and out for control as when coming in for a landing on the ground It had no throttle on it and it works very well that way and we had the advantage of not needing any throttle And then when the engine is running the aviamiddot tor only has to fly the airplane

johnson Aero Engine 2 cycle - V 4 - water cooled 65 lb =65 HP

Mr Garber Then you didnt move the spark lever back and forth in order to control the speed of the engine

Mr Johnson No we never did that Mr Garber With the rotary engines there was a

button on the top of the control stick called a blurp button which was depressed to cut out the ignition for the engine Sometimes when it would be cut in and out the pilot would get a face full of castor oil What kind of oil do you use in your engine

Mr Johnson We used a good boat oil like we had used in Marine engines but I cant think of the make of oil we used at that time

Mr Garber Now in this tank here which is even with the entering edge of the wing this triangularmiddotsectioned tank - does it include an oil tank Did you mix the oil with the gasoline

Mr Johnson Yes we did mix oil in the gasoline tank here and there was no other oiler on it

Mr Garber Now what is this header on top of the top of the gasoline tank

Mr Johnson We called it the steam dome at that time It collected the water as it came hot from the engine and the steam collected in this It has the steam escape here just as you have in the automobile at the top of your radiator and here is an overflow tube the same

8

as in an automobile so that the water and steam could escape down here The water was in there only about 23 full

Mr Garber Oh yes you are speaking of this small tube that comes out of the front center and bends around to go down toward the left side and I guess this top opening is where you put the water in

Mr Johnson Yes thats right The water starts to flow here from the water pump which is at the back of the crank shaft From there the water is carried from these tubes here and up into here and enters the water jacket here on the left side along this tube of the fushyselage and goes right and left and then circulates through the four water jackets and then comes out here into this hose and then through that hose and then enters into the steam dome

Mr Garber Oh yes I see that it flows out from these tubes just behind the aviators seat where one bends to the right and the other bends to the left and then the water flows into the center unit and then is piped into the longitudinals It comes out of that tube just in front of the foot bar and then it goes from there to the pump That is a complete circulation which continues all the time that the engine is running The air-cooling flanges are fastened to the longitudinal tubes to increase their radiating surfaces Those longitudinal tubes are not only the structural members for the fuselage but also being hollow provide pipes through which the water flows so that it can be cooled before re-entering the engine and these flanges increase that cooling

Mr Johnson Those flanges were soldered on to the tube to improve the heat conductivity The air stream helped to cool the water This system worked very well

Mr Garber It almost looks like you would have had more cooling surface than you required but that is certainly better than not having enough Now we have covered the construction of the wings engine fuselage tail group and under-carriage Next how about flying it You say that the center of gravity is located just about in a line forward of the rear wheels of this three-wheeled landing gear

Mr Johnson Yes and the center of pressure was about 13 back from the front of the wing

Mr Garber Then your center of pressure was forshyward of your center of gravity and your center of thrust was in a straight line from the propeller shaft back through this long telescoping boom to the tail group That is a good distribution of forces With the engine

started could you hold the airplane back with the brake I mean this brake here that is pushed into the ground when you pull up on this handle Or do you have to have someone to hold the airplane back for you while you were revving up the engine

Mr Johnson We had around 250 pounds of thrust measuring it with a spring balance and a rope tied to a tree Sometimes we would tie the airplane to the tree until the engine was running up or sometimes we had some men to hold it back A man on each wheel here at the back could hold it We have a picture of two men doing that but most of the time we used a rope tying it to a fence or a tree but out in the field sometimes when there wasnt anything to tie it to we would use men to hold it back and that gave them quite a lot of work to do too

Mr Garber Did you have a slip knot in the rope which the pilot could release or did you have someone on the ground to let the rope 100se7

Mr Johnson A fellow on the ground would do that The pilot has to use a step ladder in order to get into the seat

Mr Garber I see and so with th e pilot at the controls and the engine running the airplane would be released either by cutting or untying the rope or by having the men let go so then the airplane would roll along the ground and when it gained sufficient speed the pilot would pull back on this wheel column thus depressing the tail inclining the airplane upward and up he would go Did you ever measure the rate of climb or the extreme altitude

Mr Johnson No we did not have any way of measshyuring it We probably could have arranged a way but we didnt do that I imagine that the speed at which we took off was about 30 miles an hour We would find that out by an automobile running along side of it while the man in the car would watch his speedometer

Mr Garber How fast was the airplane flying as it came in for a landing

Mr Johnson I guess that speed was about 35 miles per hour maybe just a little faster then what it took off at We could slow it down by this push button which would cut the engine in and out I n the air the speed was about 50 or 60 miles an hour straight and level without a tail wind but at that time we had no way of measuring it That is just our guess We never tried for altitude sometimes we would say it was up about a mile high but we just said that The airplane would look pretty small if

Steering yolk is conventional - it straddles the main lower tube of the fuselage Forward is down back is up turning the wheel creates a normal bank Note the rudder bar at bottom of photo with leather loops to hold fliers feet

it was as much as a mile high up We have some pictures of it way up high and it looked pretty small It could have been a half a mile high but that is just a guess after all We had no way of measuring how high we were but Lou always said that it felt mighty high

Mr Garber Well now Mr Johnson you have been very obliging and patient to answer all of these quesshytions We have discussed this airplane along the same method that I used in the Navy when I was teaching recognition of enemy airplanes We have also considered

9

the structure and performance but I wish that I could hear from you some anecdotes of the times when you and your brothers were building and flying this airplane You have told me that th is was constructed as an improvement over the one you and your brothers made in 1909 May I suggest that Mrs Johnson and you might have lunch with me We can continue our conversation there

Mr Shaw While you two are at lunch Ill glue these hands together around this wheel

Mr Garber Thanks Win Well be back before long (Later) Mr Garber Now we are back from lunch It was

particularly enjoyable to have Mrs Johnson with us During lunch we spoke further about the airplane Mr Johnson said that there were two things which inshyfluenced their discontinued operations of the airplane and their further interest in aeronautics One factor was a cyclone which demolished their factory and another factor was their hope to get a contract for some airplane engines from Russia That was after the beginning of World War I in Europe 1914 The Johnson airplane had conti nued in flight through 1913 and during that year the brothers were thinking of developing a more powershyful engine The engine as shown in this model had 4 cylinders but the brothers intended to develop the type with 6 8 and possibly 12 cylinders The Russians became interested in the most powerful Johnson engine and the Johnson Brothers invested a great deal of money and effort into the development of the 8 and 12 cylinder engines The Russian government was rather unsettled at that time and it seemed difficult for the agents of that nation to make up their mind When the Johnson Brothers learned that the Russians preferred a 12 cylshyinder engine they decided that it should be of the 4 cycle type but the brothers could not obtain a magneto of sufficient power and reliability to use in the ignition system Had the Russian government ordered the 8 cylshyinder engines in quantity or had the brothers been able to get an experimental contract for development of the 12 cylinder engines and been able to produce a protoshytype that was satisfactory the Johnson Brothers might well have gone into the business of manufacturing airshyplane engines and developing more advanced examples of their airplanes But not receiving such encouragement the brothers decided to concentrate on Marine engi nes Also there were some financiers who were considering investing money in the Johnson Company The investors

believed that aviation was an unstable field and they would not agree to put their money into the Johnson Brothers enterprise when the state of aeronautics was so indefinite and considered to be unreliable Moreover there was the thought on the part of these investors that if any of the Johnson Brothers were injured in the course of their flying that their company would thereby be deprived these services thus reducing or even closing the operations of the Marine engine plant So those three factors the severe damage to their plant by the tornashydo the loss of the Russian contract and the attitude of investors caused the brothers to give up airplanes and airplane engines and concentrate on Marine engines For a while the brothers made a small gasoline-engined unit which was attached to a bicycle and called the Johnson motor wheel (I remember that these were sometimes built into 4-wheel wagons and used by boys for transportation around the neighborhood A friend of mine had one about 1916 which he and I would freshyquently go from my home which was then near the Naval Observatory all the way over to my friends familys summer home in Virginia) After that the brothers got into the making of outboard motors they being the first ones to use a rope for starting the engine Now of course Johnson outboard motors are famous and the company itself is very substantial Mr Louis Johnson and Mr Harry Johnson are retired from their business and Clarence is continuing it Julius Johnson I was told had withdrawn his investment several years ago into another line Clarence was the youngest of a family of 7 children but at the time when the airplane was being made and flown he was too young to participate other than by lighting bonfires so that the pilot could land the airplane when evening was coming on At present time one of the five brothers and one of the two sisters have passed away Mr Johnson is there anything that we havent covered in our discussion here in the shop or at lunch

Mr Johnson How about the springs on the landing gear You notice that they extend upward at an angle from their lower connection near the rear wheels Those springs were very useful when we were rolling over rough ground and then when we landed these springs would stretch upward so that the skid would touch the ground and help to slow us down for landing

Mr Garber I see that you have made miniature springs here and that they operate the same as in the original airplane

Mr Johnson Yes I have put it all in there exactly as it was nearly 50 years ago

Mr Garber I notice that you have some heavy springs up here in the horizontal section of the control cables where they connect to the cables coming off of the control wheel They look like whiffletree springs What were they used for

Mr Johnson Well when the aviator pulled his control wheel back it would tend to shorten this cable here but the springs were so arranged as to take up that extra play and similarly permitted the connections to elongate when the aviator pushed the wheel forward That would keep the chain from coming loose on these sprockets over which the length of chain passed Thus the spring would expand or contract to compensate for the over-all differences in the lengths of the connections to the elevators Now for take-down purposes we could take the wings off and lay them alongside of the body when we were going down the road or moving it from one place to another One end of the wings would rest on this pin here and the other end on this cross bar while the trailing edge would lay against the upper strucshyture of the fuselage We would tie the wings in place and then we could pull the whole machine along acountry road behind a horse-drawn wagon and then bring it into a field where we could take off One of the fields that we used had a bluff there and we would usually take off from the top of the bluff

Mr Garber About dimensions you have told me that the scale of this model is 1 1 O That is 110 size every part being 110 that of the original A decimal scale

Mr Johnson Yes that is right the wing span was 36 feet and the length was 34 feet That was measured from the front of the front wheel to the extreme rear over-all The propeller was 8 feet in diameter and the width of the wing was 8 feet

Mr Garber Do you remember the pitch of the propeller

Mr Johnson Yes that was 4Y2 feet The revolutions per minute were about 1200 on the ground but I dont know how fast the engine turned up when the airplane was in the air In the air it must have been more than on the ground We had no indicator on the machine howshyever Here is another thing I had not mentioned The cables extending from the rear spar connections on the right side of the wing to the corresponding fittings on the left side would pass over the pullies on top of these upright cabane braces here and in that way they would

10

move span wise from side to side when the wing was warped

Mr Garber You told me during lunch that in all of the flights with this airplane there had never been any serious crack-ups You said a few minor damages had occurred that were easily repaired and that the airplane was flown until 1913

Mr Johnson Yes right up to the winter of 1913 but not over into 1914

Mr Garber Was there any change in the design during that period

Mr Johnson No this model shows how it was at the beginning and how it was al l the time we were flying it I dont recall any changes that were made all that time except these flanges here on these longitudinal fuselage pipes At first we didnt have them on and then we added them in order to help make the engine run cooler They were on in 1911 however so we must have put them on rather soon after we built it On the model I have made them out ofrsheet brass but on the airplane they are made of copper and were of L-shaped section On the model it was quite a problem to figure out how to make them but first I ran the brass through a set of gears so as to form these parts that expand up and then I made a tool for pinching those U-shaped parts flat That formed the shape that would fit around the pipe Then I soldered them together soldering the joint on the unerneath line of the tubing on this model but in the original airplane we soldered each piece on separately

Mr Garber That is certainly a wonderful story and I marvel not only at your ingen io us craftsmanship in constructing the original but also in the exquisite jewelshylike precision and beauty with which you made this miniature reproduction Is this to be accessioned as a gift from all three brothers

Mr Johnson Yes thats right from all three of us We are very honored to have it here in the National Air Museum

Mr Garber Well I assure you Mr Johnson and I assure your brothers that we ourselves are honored to accept it from you and to display it I know that our visitors will be thrilled by the excellence of this beautiful model Those brothers are yourself Louis whom I met and Julius who I have not had the pleasure of meeting yet

Mr Johnson Thats right that is Louis J Johnson Harry L Johnson and Julius M Johnson

fxcllsl( fe)IIIIlS or JOHIf50AAlRIAL 110r09

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Mr Garber The correspondence clearly indicates that th is is being given by the three brothers to the National Air Museum At the time when I had the pleasure of seeing Mr Louis Johnson he mentioned also a trophy and said that would be available and I assured him that we will be pleased to have it I will contact Mr Beldon about that May I confirm the address please

Mr Johnson Yes Louis J Johnson is now at Drumshymond Island Michigan Julius M Johnson is at Meadow Court Hotel Bradenton Florida and after Mrs Johnson and I return from a little trip we are taking we will be back home at R R-1 Culver I ndiana We will stop off at

Washington as we turn back toward home after we visit some friends up North

Mr Garber Thank you again Mr Johnson and Mrs Johnson we are further indebted to your husband for bringing you I hope that you have enjoyed your visit to the Museum We will proceed to put this beautiful model on exhibition so that we and our visitors can enjoy it Again and always our sincere appreciation to you Letters of acknowledgment will be sent to you and to your brothers and we are very grateful to you pershysonal[y for assembling the model here and informing us aboutit~

11

~ife Story of

Lou JOHNSON Pioneer Airplane Manufacshy

turer and Aviator Developer

of the Vee Type Motor and

Modern Outboard Engine

As Recorded in an Interview

By Dorothy Jefferson

Konold

Especially for MoToR BoatinG March 1927

Lou Johnson grinned cheerfully as he answered my questions concerning his initial flight Lou is the eldest and the leader of those four red-headed Johnson brothshyers who designed constructed and flew the first successshyful American monoplane in Terre Haute Indiana eightshyeen years ago and who have taken many remarkable steps in the perfection of V-type motors

Kind of funny he sa id with that quiet reticent humor which is so much a part of his personality When that machine was ready to go up I had not the remotest

(Continued on page 15)

Louis johnson makes first stccessful flight with johnson Aeroplane

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Vintage Upper Left Note the brass steam condenser (tea kettle) just behind the engine In front of the condenser is the ignition system Large box was magneto and selective cylinder control later substituted for blip switch

Lower Left The johnson Motor wheel served the Company for a period of time - after aeroplanes and before outboards As a child I rememshyber a johnson motor wheel powered buckboard (a bicycle wheeled contrivance about twice the size of a childs wagon accommodating two passengers)

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Album

Upper Right A good shot of the east side of the engine with Louis Johnsons wife at the controls The propeller was made of alternate strips of spruce and walnut

Lower Right This engine could enhance my living room anytime Everything the Johnshyson brothers did was done to perfection Imagine what a 72 cylinder 2 cycle engine could have done for an aeroplane shytoo bad they were never successfully applied

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idea how to fly Had to learn that at the same time I was testing out the plane Quite different nowadays learning all the principles in an aviation school and then having a perfectly good standardized thoroughly inspected plane delivered into your hands In the old days you had to keep your wits about you all right You never knew what might happen next Ill never forget the first time I went fifty feet off the ground It was lots more of a surprise to me than it was to the spectators

We were sitting in the cheerful home-like living room where Mr johnson does most of his reading and much of his designing A log fire snapped on the hearth and the atmosphere suggested such peace and retirement that it was almost impossible to see in the modest kindly man who sat before me that rugged grimly determined Hoosier lad who never allowed a class-mate to pass him in school who dreamed fantastic things with his boyish brain and carried them out with his amazingly skillful boyish hands who permitted no failure even heavensent destruction in the form of a tornado that completely wiped out his entire motor plant in a few hours to come between him and his goal and who has accepted success with an unconscious grace known to few At forty-five Louis james johnson occupies an enviable position in the engineering world yet one has only to converse with him a few moments to be certain he feels that only a very small portion of his work has been accompl ished

And what he admits of success he attributes in no great measure to his own ability He tells you gravely of two paramount influences in his youth and insists that a boy given these could not have failed

The first influence as you may have guessed was his home life

Meeting Mr johnsons parents as they are today it is not difficult to understand the reverence that is accordshyed them by all of their five children Father johnson at eighty-four has the keen clear eye of a man of sixty His most prized possession is a motor wheel presented to him when his sons were manufacturing them and he rides daily During the war he was called by the govshyernment to take over an important task in an ammunishytion factory for though he had been long in idleness his ability as an expert tool dresser was well known and they were unable to find skill in younger men that matched his Coming from Denmark when he was nine he went at a very early age into a machine shop reaching the place where he could gauge steel by his senses as accurately as other men ga uged it by instruments And

from the first hi s so ns were benefited by an interest and cooperation which very few fathers know how to give

We always had our own tools and work-benches Lou explained Father indulged us in these things as wealthier men indulge their children in expens ive toys We were encouraged to try our hand at any sort of construction that appealed to us And father was always there to advise and assist No task even the building of a sled was regarded as trivial We were taught to put sincere effort into everything and to finish whatever we began

Mother johnson quietly sitting softly rocking speaks in a low almost awed tone of her boys and you know at once what her part in their story has been

When Lou was only twelve she says he decided he wanted a new sled We couldnt afford to buy him the kind he selected so he took an axe and went out into the woods and cut down a tree He worked at it until he had his lumber ready Then he sat down and drew a design We didnt think he could carry it out he was such a little fellow but first thing we knew he had someshything that looked like a real sled The only trouble was with the runners Finally he took the rim off an old buggy wheel pounded it down flat and fastened it to his wooden runners Father got him some red and black

1paint and I want to tell you he had a sled to be proud of I have it in my attic now and you couldnt buy a A better one shy

The second influence you cannot guess It was the Wabash river When the johnson boys were still youngsters the

family moved from Effingham Illinois to Terre Haute I ndiana All of the boys Lou Harry julius Clarence and Arthur (the latter being the one who lost his life some years ago in a factory accident) were enchanted with the river

Our Danish blood Lou smiles quietly It seemed to them that life would not be worth living until they owned a boat

Make it their parents encouraged So the boat was begun and before the summer ended

it was an admitted success But another summer came and brought new ambitions Lou johnson and Nell Cockerham johnson

Louis and Harry wearied of rowing each other about It is rumored that she flew the johnson airshyone day and began to dream plane The family doubts that she did

If we had a motor - Pictures of her in the plane may have been We couldnt afford to buy one - responsible for the rumor (See page 74) We could race neverything

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Gee how fast d you suppose we co uld go They approached their father and mother Make it said the parents fi nall y with less enthushy

siasm than they were wont to show Gasoline motors were strange toys in those times

But the moto r slowl y assembled proved the env y of all their small assoc iates It was t he two-horse power inboard type a quaint ancestor for the outboard of today but it chall enged and defeated many a marine moto r of prouder origin

The influence of the Wabash shyHigh School was completed with so exce ll ent a

record in mathematics that Terre Hau te professors still speak of Lo us asto nishing ab ility in that line and the yo ung inventor for he was now recognized as that sought hi s fathers consent to engage in marin e motor man ufacture

As usua l hi s parents nodd ed approval They had a lways wished their boys to be in business for t hemshyselves a nd there was money ready for a sma ll factory

Here it is interesting to make a note on the progress of Louis Jo hnsons education No more schooling yet systematic stud y never neglected in the press of any c irc umstances whatever More mathematics a keener interest in everything pertaining to the mechanical sciences engineeri ng co urses Constant reading evshyid enced today by the books that surround him in his home

A few years of this marine work and then the brain that dreamed and the hands that were ever ready to carry out those dreams united in a burni ng desire to drive something far more romantic than river boats with a gaso line engine

He wanted a sled and made o ne He wanted a laun ch and he made o ne He wanted an airplane and he made one It was Americas first triumph with a monopl ane

No o ne probab ly will ever know just what those broth ers suffered in the way of ridicule disappointment a nd discourage ment in the first period of their struggle with th e unknown air monster But they drove ahead undaunted and fi nally something that resembled an ominous bird of prey was hatched

Not only the Indiana town in whi ch it was bo rn thought thi s creation a fantastic f ledgling Looking over Mr Johnso ns scrap-book one comes to hi ghl y amusing comments by the press in various parts of the country Wright and Curtiss were experimenting at the same time of course but air asce nsion was still regarded in the light

of so rcery Working fever ishly day and night and with th e

utmost secrecy the Johnso n brothers of Terre Haute India na are said to be toiling and scheming to put together a huge bird-like machine which is slated either to fulf ill their fo ndest hopes or prove their bitterest disappointment says a cl ipping of September 26 1909

Desp ite the Jo hnsons effo rts at secrecy spectators began to throng the camp in the old reservoir bed ear ly Saturday afte rnoon and later automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place of the Flyer All the far mers took the afternoo n off to view the mach ine news of which had leaked out in spite of the covered e ntra nce to the farm where the try-out is to be held

This a li tt le later in the Terre Haute Tribune Mr Joh nson ch uckl es soft ly as he reviews these

notices The betting ran high at those fi rst ex hibitions he

says Bets ran about two to one that wed not get off the gro und People a lways paid to see the machine too One day in Hill sboro Illino is we took in 2500 gate admissio ns of twenty-five cents each

Gasoline of course was regarded with much fear and the greatest caution used Before the engine was started a crier ran down the f ield warning spectators of the imminent danger and forbidd ing them to smoke

But the queer creature t hat the Johnson brothers had labored w ith was now winning wagers for those who had faith in it The press spoke of a f light as a lift and fo ll owi ng a discouragingly ra iny sum mer when muddy fields delayed the tests for weeks we read

After a period of experiment covering some time the Jo hnson brothers made a successful lift at their camp Sunday evening The machine was started on the aershyd ro me track from which it was run down the field in an effort which finally succeeded in raising it clear of the ea rth Severa l times the craft raised for d istances of from fifteen to twenty feet though th e height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time

Among the things that the history of tomorrow will carry will be the invention and construction of the first successful American monoplane It will recount the years of unaided struggle by those red-headed Johnson bro thers in Terre Haute I ndiana who brought out of a chaos of thought the most wonderful th ing up to the year 1912 in the way of an aero engine mounted on a steel flyer that really flew

The original motor was mounted on a wooden fra me the wings were of silk and the position of the flyer was perilous The improved monoplane boasted a steel frame stronger win gs and the aviator was pl aced above and behind the machinery eliminating the danger of being crushed by the engine in a fall

This successful ai rplane had a spread of 36 feet a length of 34 feet 260 square feet of plane surface and weighed 750 pou nd s I t had a speed of better than sixty mil es an hour and was driven by a V-type motor which was in the nature of a revolution

Then came the Johnson School of Aviation Now that there were pl anes to fly there must be

av iators to fly them But while many young men took a keen interest in the sport fro m the sidelines most of them were sti ll decided ly earthbo und However there were two immediate ap plicants and Ross L Smith who trained one hundred and fifty men during t he war was Lou Johnsons first pupil Frank Schutt was the other and to him befell the thrill of crashing to ground from a height of 1500 ft and landing unhurt His acc ident was caused by a shortage of gas as were many other similar catastrophies of the time

But there is a more perso na l note to be sounded in connection with Mr Johnsons f lights Something other than motors and his aviatio n schoo l engrossed him Th ere was a charming young person in the hood and dust coat supposed to represent the ideal sport costume of the day always ready to assay the clouds with him Up to now spectators had gazed in obvious ad miratio n at the mother who bade her son such a brave god-speed when he started upo n those fearsome uncharted voyshyages Her gallant bearing unfa ilingly caused a little ripple of com ment But now anoth er woman stood at her side eq ually anxious yet equally hero ic It was whispered that Miss Ne ll Cockerham also of Terre Haute had often been up in the machine with Mr Johnson and that she evidently took a keen interest in monoplanes shy

The story is briefly told in two headlin es from the local paper

DISCOVERED- PRETTY MISS WHO FLEW IS I NTERESTED IN BIRD MAN THEN AVIATOR JOHNSON UP IN AIR- MISSED TRAIN ONWEDDING DAY

A new partnership was formed for it is evident to everyone who contacts the Johnsons in either a business or a social way that theirs had proven a very successful marriage and that Mrs Johnsons intere st has been

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manifested in every phase of the inventors work But the influence of the Wabash shyFlying was all very well Mr Johnson admitted when

questioned concerning his return to motor-boat building but the call of his first love was too strong to ignore for long Of course during these remarkable three years he had never ceased to manufacture the Johnson marine motor but following his marriage he devoted himself intensively to the development of several ideas he had held in embryo while he sought the conquest of the clouds

Soon the Johnson brothers were offering twenty models of marine motors Racing motors ranged from single cylinder to twelve cylinder type One of these held therecord in the 320 in class for four years

But the fates having accorded this much in justice to the originality persistency and energy of the Johnson family evidently decreed that the number thirteen must cast an ominous influence upon the new industry The tornado of 1913 is well remembered by all who lived in the vicinity of Terre Haute at that time but to none perhaps was it more devastating

Lou and I had been in the theatre while the storm was at its worst said Mrs Johnson when we had come to this part of the narration And Lou spoke of the satisfaction of being in a nice new brick factory We went home and knew nothing of the damage that had been wrought until the following morning Then when the men reported for work they saw a pile of wreckage that would have sickened any heart The highest portion of the plant left standing was a bit of the brick wall three feet above the ground

W ea ker men wou Id have broken perhaps but apparently Lou and his brothers bowed to the will of the gods and accepted their loss calmly I n humbler quarters but with no lessening of spirit they designed something new in the manner of a racing craft

In 1914 Johsons most famous boat Black Demon III entered a special match race against some of the fastest boats in the country on Lake Michigan Disturbshyer I V of Ch icago took first honors but Black Demon was a close second out-classing a number of favorites It was a recognized triumph for the V-type motor which had been exhibited in Chicago a few months before and was causing much comment Black Demon III was a 23-footer powered with two 12-cylinder high speed marine motors each having 180 horse-power

Ever casting about for new transportation methods

Black Demon III was a 23 footer powered with two 2 cycle 72 cylinder high speed marine motors each having 780 horsepower

the red-headed Johnson boys now wondered whether a bicycle driven by their motor would compare favorably with types already on the market Apparently it did for in 1917 the Johnson Motor Wheel Company was a going business with an output of 10000 machines a year and the slogan - SIXTY MILES FOR TEN CENTS was familiar to many of us

Warren Ripple Chicago financier was especially interested in this new venture and through his influence the factory was moved to South Bend in the early part of 1918

In eight years the growth of the Johnson Motor Company has furnished South Benders with an inshyexhaustible subject of conversation First it wasshy

Did you hear about those Johnson people Theyve taken over the od Bottling plant next to them

Then Have you heard the latest about Johnson Theyve

leased that whole block of stores on Lincoln Way and put their offices over there

On and on it went this amazing growth Soon a vacated portion of a large underwear mill across the river was commandeered neighboring houses sheds buildings of any type whatever were given over to the manufacshyture and housing of Johnson motors It was said that one must carry a road map to complete a tour of the plant

The wheel had gone into the discard but there was

never a lull in activities The out-board marine motor had quietly taken the place of the motor-driven bicycle - and Lou Johnson was back again doing homage to his first love

Strange influence-On the Banks of the Wabash - tho now of course it was the St Joe river that knew his experiments

Mr Johnsons smile changed as he finished the little resume of his work and walking to the fire-place framed by the well-filled bookcases looked thoughtfully into the flames for a few seconds

Of course it is only a beginning he said This is the age of mechanical development and no one can foretell the progress that will be made in the next ten years even though one may feel it coming Naturally the thing that interests me most and always has is the improvement of water transportation Better boats fastshyer boats-

He paused and the smile was again in his eyes America is only beginning to enjoy water sports

presume we Johnsons have that in the blood And suddenly I saw him as he is a tall Danishshy

American captain commanding in spite of his reticence who began his voyage about three decades ago on a childishly constructed raft in the Wabash river and has been coming fearless of current and snag upstream ever since ~

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Wednesday August 3 1910

JOHNSONS PREPARE TEST AIRPLANE - machine stands ready after more than a years work for its initial flight - brothers guard secret of place of first trial Airshyship has as original feature V type 2 cycle engine built for strength and lightness

Harry Louis and Julius Johnson the Johnson Brothshyers who have been at work for more than a year manufacturing an aeroplane at their shop 717 N 10th St have at last completed the machine and will leave Friday for a place in the open country near Terre Haute

to make the first attempt at flying it Thus far the Johnson Brothers have kept the location

of the place where they will try to fly the machine an entire secret It is desired to have no crowd about to bother while the machine is being tried

Everything was completed Wednesday with the exception of putting the parts together The machine which weighs 650 pounds complete will be shipped knocked down to the scene of the first attempted flight The propeller which is over 10 in length the wings seat and balances will not be attached until the scene of

try-out has been reached Wednesday morning the airplane stood in the big

building erected especially for the purpose of building it at the rear of the Johnson home on North 10th St It is 36 in length and measures the same exactly from tip to tip in width Every part of it has been manufactured by the three young men while they at the same time carried on their occupation of gasoline and marine engine manufacturing It was begun just a little less than a year ago

The wings which are to extend on either side from

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the front of the machine measure 16 Yz x 8 and are made of light waterproof canvas stretched over stout framework The engine is a V type 2 cycle engine the only one of its kind to have ever been made

There are V type engines said Mr Johnson but they are 4 cycle The 2 cycle engines have previously been built straight causing increased weight Everything about the machine has been built for speed and lightmiddot ness

Two 7 gallon gasoline tanks will furnish the propellmiddot ing power for the machine It is expected it will take a day and a half to set the machine up after its been shipped to the place where it will be tested

- ~ shy

Saturday August 6 1910

LOCAL AVIATORS MAKE READY FOR FIRST TRIAL JOHNSON BROTHERS MOVE AIRPLANE TO FIELD NEAR BLACKHAWK AND SET UP MACHINE FOR TESTmiddot everything was hustle and bustle at the Johnson brothers aero camp a few miles from Blackmiddot hawk Saturday where the three young men manufacmiddot turers of engines and incidentally builders of an airplane were engaged in putting together their airplane preparmiddot atory for a trial flight One of the busiest of the workers was Clarence Johnson a 12 year old brother who showed himself a handy man about the place Owing to the fact that due to their hurried move from Terre Haute with their machine Friday the Johnson brothers left behind some necessary blocks and braces and the flight that was scheduled for Saturday will be postponed until some time Sunday The strange man by the name of Zakarius supposed to be from Indianapolis and well versed in aviation was with the three brothers Saturday as they worked on their machine which was enclosed in a 40 tent to shut out the view from the spectators Another important personage at the scene was Dr Dupui of Riley who was on hand in case a flight should be made to see to the injuries of the aviator in case he should meet with an accident

The tryout grounds are admirally situated in the center of a 100 acre farm in the reservoir of the old Wabash and Erie Canal There is a wide stretch of clear country without any woodland within its radius of two miles It is believed the airplane will be assembled and ready for a trial late Saturday afternoon but it is not thought a flight will be attempted before Sunday

- Ii _ ~ ~

Sunday August 7 1910

JOHNSON BROTHERS PREPARE FOR INITIAL TEST OF BIG AIRPLANE CONFIDENCE PERmiddot MEATESCAMP AS TIME FOR TRY-OUT NEARSmiddot the first flight if flight is to be of the Johnson airship now resting in all readiness for its try-out at its camp at southeast of Terre Haute will come at about noon today and the result of a year s work and effort to build a successful airplane will be determined

In spite of the Johnson effort at secrecy spectators began to throng to the camp in the old reservoir bed early Saturday afternoon and later in the evening automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place The farmers also took Saturday evening off to take advantage of the opportunity to see the machine and the men

A heavy steel roller was brought to the scene Satshyurday evening and the Johnsons will layout the course early Sunday morning on which the aviators who drive the machine in the preliminary try-outs will score down for a start The meadow as it stands is rough and trouble was feared when the wheels of the flyer were started over the ground before the machine raised into the air

Just who would be the first man to steer the machine on its initial effort the Johnsons refused to state but the crowd of sightseers who have been watching the progress of the work at the camp picked the man who they believe will be in the seat when the airplane raises first It is William Zachow the stranger from Racine Wisconsin who arrived in this city just in time to take an active part in completing preparations for the try-out Zachow refused to give out his name but the above is the name he registered under at the Philbeck Hotel Gossip has it that the Wisconsin man is an experienced aviator and it is on this fact that the spectators base their belief that he will be the one to drive the machine when it is tried out

There is no spirit of speculation in the air about the Johnson camp but in plain businesslike manner the men are carrying forth the work which is to determine whether or not Terre Haute has produced a parallel to the Wright Brothers There were several men on the ground Saturday afternoon who professed some knowlshyedge of mechanics All the men who have seen the machine since it has been brought near enough to completion for an idea to be formed as to its efficiency has had nothing but praise for the thoroughness with which it has been finished and experienced mechanics say that from a mechanical standpoint the machine looks good

An experienced mechanic who examined the machine Saturday stated that the V type 2 cycle engine a

distinctive feature of the new machine is especially adapted for the use on airplanes The Johnson brothers claim the distinction of having made the first engine of this type and mechanics say that it is the coming engine for use on aerial machines

The Johnsons themselves though they do not talk much have all confidence in their creation The men have had years of experience in the manufacture of all kinds of engines and in addition have put in considershyable time in research work on the subject of airplanes and other flying machines They have been close students to the methods of the Wright Brothers

Ii- _ ~

Monday August 8 1910

MAKER LAYS PLANS TO PILOT AIRPLANE ON INITIAL FLIGHTmiddot with the airplane removed from the tent in which it has been housed and the engine of the plane in perfect running order the Johnson brothers were expected Monday at noon to make an attempted flight at any time

The field located near Blackhawk south of the city where the first trial will take place is in perfect condishytion for the flight The only thing that may cause a delay of the flight is the lightness of the wheels which support the airplane on the ground at the start It was feared Monday that heavier wheels would be necessary In case this is decided on the trial of the machine will not take place for a day or so One of the Johson boys will pilot the machine on its initial attempted flight This was definitely announced Monday It was thought at first that William Zachow who was present at the aviation camp would pilot the machine but it has developed that the stranger is a salesman for an airplane supply comshypany He is said to be thoroughly fa miliar with the mechanism of airplanes however and has been of great value in getting the machine ready for flight

A test of the engine was made Monday morning it developed 40 HP Confidence was expressed by the Johnsons that the engine could develop 20 HP additional if necessary

- ~~

Saturday August 13 1910

WEAK SPRINGS POSTPONE JOHNSONS TRIAL OF FLIGHT CROWDS GATHERED AT AVIATION

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FIELD TO AGAIN LEARN THAT MACHINES TEST MUST AGAIN BE DELAYED - the Johnson brothers made no attempt to fly this afternoon It is reported that they would make their initial attempt to scale the clouds today A crowd followed in the wake of the rumor and by 200 this afternoon many people swarmshyed down from the meadow

When the Johnson machine was wheeled out at 2 00 it was found by the inventors that an important set of springs were too weak These will be strengthened and it is probable that the apparatus will not be taken out of the tent again until Tuesday of the coming week

Two of the brothers hurried to Terre Haute this aftershynoon as soon as the defect in the machine was discovshyered They will return to the camp Sunday and begin adjustment

_ F A ~~

Sunday August 141910

BROTHER AVIATORS DELAY DEMONSTRATION AGAIN PART OF MACHINE USED IN MAKING LANDING GETS OUT OF ORDER SECOND TIME shythough delayed again in their preparation for the initial flight of the first airplane ever manufactured in Terre Haute the Johnson boys Louis Julius and Harry went to work to remedy the defect which made necessary the postponement of their flight for the second time The defects which they are now forced to repair causes no despair in the Johnson boys or lessens their faith that the machine will fly after they are completed

We have encountered no difficulty whatever as yet which would in any way interfere with the successful flight of the machine said one of the boys Saturday The trouble is only in the wheels and supporting spring those parts of the machine which are used to make a landing on and the defect is not curious in any way though it does take some time to make the necessary changes

The intention of the trio was to fly Saturday and the day was ideal but it was decided at the last minute that the chances of flying and making a safe landing would involve too great a risk

Louis the eldest of the Johnson brothers said to a Tribune representative Saturday I am sorry that we could not fly today In the first place the weather is ideal and in the second place when the statement that we have been halted again appears in print a great many people will believe that the machine is a failure As for us we are certain as we have been all along that the airplane will fly

Ii ~~

Monday August 15 1910

JOHNSON PROMISES TO MAKE AIRPLANE TRIP WEDNESDAY BROTHERS OCCUPY ENTIRE DAY REPAIRING CARRYING TRUCK OF HEAVIER THAN AIR MACHINE - the work of getting ready the remodeled parts of the carrying truck for the airplane occupied the day of the Johnson boys at their work shop on 10th Street on Monday The men expect to have their work completed and will take their remodshyeled parts to the camp near Blackhawk Tuesday eveshyning

Louis Johnson said Monday that they expect to have everything in readiness for the trial by Wednesday One man has been left at the camp while the others came to their home in Terre Haute over Sunday

qp tt ~~

Friday August 19 1910

JOHNSONS WAIT WEATHER FOR FIRST TEST OF FLYER HUGE MONOPLANE GIVES EVERY EVshyIDENCE OF BEING FULLY CAPABLE OF NAVshyIGATING THE AIR - the initial flight of the Johnson monoplane was scheduled to take place Friday aftershynoon but a strong wind swept over the field here and made the test impossible The huge flyer waits serenely for the first chance to take to the air having been thoroughly tested on the ground

Friday afternoon the monoplane was staked to the ground headed into the wind and the engine turned on for the purpose of determining her power Under full speed the flyer acquired the full strength of the helpers to keep her from leaping upward At half speed the power developed was not sufficient to convince the builders that the test would be a success in the wind as it is their desire to fly first under half power leaving the remainder for reserve while in the air

After the test of the engine Louis Johnson expressed himself as being unsatisfied with the condition of the engine and propeller

E ~~

Saturday August 201910

JOHNSON SHIP REFUSES TO QUIT TERRA FIRMA ENGINE FAILS TO DEVELOP SUFFICIENT SPEED

TO LIFT MACHINE INTO AIR - the Johnson brothers have made half a dozen attempts to fly the monoplane upon which they have worked for so many months and in none have they succeeded in getting the big machine into the air

Three times Friday they turned the big propeller under high speed and freed the machine from all restraints At a rate of about 12 mph it tore down a rough field only to be stopped at the limit of the course without having raised from the ground Three of these efforts were made before and three after alterations had been made to the propeller Saturday morning the Johnshysons were not disheartened or discouraged they had come to the realization that they were not as far advancshyed in the building of the machine as they had thought Their attention was turned to alterations that were expected to have a decided affect on the plane and also to the grounds upon which they were flying The aviashytion camp is located on exceedingly poor grounds It is rough and full of ruts and so soft that the tired wheels sink to 1 to 3 in it when the machine is started _Those who have watched the attempts to fly are of the opinion that the nature of the grounds is largely responsible for the failures as it is impossible to start the machine at a pace that will make it rise Whether the Johnsons will move or prepare a smoother runway is a question that has not yet been determined The three efforts to fly Saturday morning were made early while the sun was rising and the wind was low A fairly steady breeze from the south made it necessary to drive the machine up a slight grade into the wind but this was not sufficiently a factor to which to attribute a failure to rise The monoshyplane failed to fly simply because it did not have enough power to raise it from the ground There is no speed indicator in the camp and it is impossible to tell at what rate the propeller is revolved but several have estimated it at about 900 rpm 1500 rpm is considered necessary for success and the Johnsons may have to make radical changes in the propeller before making the desired speed_

Saturday evening before a large crowd they started the engine three times and raced down the field with Louis Johnson in the machine The first was probably the best of all the trials The monoplane attained a good rate of speed but it did not leave the ground The buildshyers decided the trouble was due to the size of the propelshyler and they cut it down several inches The result was the engine operated faster and more smoothly but it was by no means as speedy as necessary and the test made established that more alterations were necessary espicially if attempts to fly are from the present locashytions

20

~ t_F ~~

Sunday August 211910

FOUR DEVOTEES OF AERONAUTICS MAINTAIN CHEERFULNESS IN FACE OF PARTIAL DISshyAPPOINTMENT WAITING FOR CALM JOHNSONS ADVANCE IN CONQUERING AIR SIX TRIALS OF MONOPLANE PROVE MANY THEORIES CORRECT BUT BRING PARTIAL DISAPPOINTMENT LOW SPEED PROPELLER PROVES TOO WEAK TO RAISE WEIGHT DIFFICULTIES AT FIELD AND APPLICAshyTION OF MOTORS ENERGY PRESENT PROBLEMS THAT MUST YIELD BEFORE PERSEVERENCE - Sunshyday the Johnson brothers who are now so earnestly engaged in the attempt to fly a monoplane in the old canal basin near Blackhawk are going to demonstrate that they can build a high power low speed motor fully adapted to the needs of the aviator

Just now they are encountering difficulties that would discourage many with a patience that means success they are working under handicaps that appear as insurmountable but must give way before their detershymination

Saturday morning the last of six attempts to make their machine leave terra firma failed and they went back to their tent disappointed after two weeks of the hardest kind of labor In spite of the cheerful attitude they assumed there was an air of disappointment all around the camp and even the jokes of the jolly party did not dispel it

The disappointment lay not so much in the fact that the machine failed to leave the ground in its trials as in the evidence that higher speed would be necessary for the proper operation of the motor It is the object of the Johnsons to develop a motor that will run a monoplane without the terrific speed common to those in use If they succeed in securing one of this type they have a fortune at their command They do not desire to construct an airplane merely for the purpose of flying If they did they could easily obtain the pattern of the Wright brothers machine or other machines and build accordingly or they could purchase a machine at less cost and trouble than they have encountered But having as their object the development of a low speed motor the failure of the one now in use to do the work expected was disappointing Although it whirled the propeller at a speed that astonished the spectators it was not operated at a rate of which it is capable but at a rate very much lower and which the builders hope would be sufficient for its purpose

Consequently when the speed attained by the motor in the first trials Friday proved insufficient one of the hopes of the Johnsons was dashed

Reluctantly they cut down the size of the propeller knowing that every inch shaved from it would increase the speed of the engine Two inches all around were sacrificed in the desire to raise the skybird and the result was a perceptible increase in the number of revolushytions and consequently a steadier engine Some consolashyLIon was offered by the fact that even with the reduced propeller there was little vibration noticeable about the machine

Late Friday night the airplane was run out of its tent and the motor started The effect was extraordinary and the hopes of the Johnsons that they had accomplished their purpose ran high Saturday morning early the fourth attempt to fly and the first with the reduced propeller was made

Whether the alterations had any effect on the raising power of the motor was difficult to determine because of the conditions under which the trial was made A steady breeze from the south made it necessary to start the machine from the north end of the field at the foot of the small incline and on ground that was wet and soft The machine behaved no better than before bllt whether it was due to the propeller the grade or the soft ground was a question the Johnsons were not ready to answer To eliminate the grade is almost impossible To wait for a more favorable wind is nerve racking yet the Johnsons will have to do all of these things before making sure that they have the propeller rightly proporshytioned for the task

Whatever may be determined regarding the propeller it remains that the Johnsons have demonstrated an engine that is remarkable for its power and speed combined with its steadiness and construction The motor is of the 2 cycle type 4 cylinders This means that an explosion occurs in each cylinder just twice as often as in the more common 4 cycle 4 cylinder type More power is the result and 75 hp is the indication This is accomplished by combining the Johnson patent valve with cylinders set at an angle of 1800 and big carburetors The patent valve is one on which the men have worked for a long time and they have shown by it a method of allowing more gas to enter the cylinders withshyout increasing the size of the valve a point of corisidershyable value in construction Then they have obtained a motor that will run at great speed and create so little vibration that it scarcely causes a tremor in the light wooden frame of the airship All in all the motor has conducted itself in a manner that is deemed most satisfactory It is applying it to the airplane that has

proven the puzzle and that is the very point the Johnshysons are seeking

The Johnson monoplane will fly because it is constructed on the proper principles for flight That it has not been successfully launched as yet is due to two things - the experience in designing and operating of the men in control of it and the unfavorable conditions under which the trials have been made Both of these points will be overcome in time While they are eliminatshying the unfavorable conditions they are learning from experience the points they have overlooked in designing and they are learning rapidly how to operate it

The story of the construction of the Johnson monoshyplane is one of hard work and persistent effort The Johllsons have had no teacher in the art They have studied much observed a great deal and gathered from experience a great deal more than the average man will ever know about airplanes No one realizes more than they that there is a great deal more to be learned That is why after months of work they took their machine to the Blackhawk basin It was two weeks ago today that they arrived there and since that time they have fought mosquitos malaria and rain in a most credible effort to work out the theories they have formed It is not a pleasant task but one that requires thought constant experiment and careful reasoning They are not particshyularly interested in what the public thinks about their work They want to apply the Johnson motor to aeroshynautics

As one enters the aviation field he is greeted by a sign that reads Welcome - Outside the Tent The sign is expressive of the attitude of the Johnson boys They are willing that anyone watch them at work free about giving information when asked but they promise nothing and consequently are not responsible for the disappointment of the many who have come to see them fly and have left without that satisfaction

Julius Johnson expressed their attitude well when he said while waiting for a wind to subside we have waited a year to get to this point with the machine and we can afford to wait another day rather than run the chances of breaking up the airplane

Last weeks activity at the camp became intensive Thursday morning when the machine was run out of its protection for the first time the frame buckled This was immediately repaired and trials of the engine and frame made that evening Friday three unsuccessful attempts to raise the machine were made and Saturday with an altered propeller three more efforts brought no better success

When the last visitor departed from the aviation field Thursday night the Johnsons rested content with their

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preparations for a flight on the early morning air Time work until as the crowd left the field Thursday night noon for further tests to be made solely on the ability of and again the builders had been disappointed in not they saw the end of the last bit of preparation for an air the machine to lift It is expected that the trial will1ake having it ready for flight at the time agreed upon Little test place about an hour before sunset No effort at flightweaknesses that could not be foreseen became apparent While it has been disappointing to visit the aviation will be made at this time the test being confined to when the machine was started across the rough field had field and fail to witness an attempt to fly the chagrin of determining the buoyancy of the machine its balance yielded one by one to careful attention and ingenuity the Johnson brothers and Pearl Conover has been and general fitness for flight Every nut and bolt on the unwieldly looking skybird had greater Living in a single big tent pitched in a malaria been inspected and found in first class condition The breeding district pestered by insects and blistered with rt _ alterations made necessary by faulty calculations as to the heat they have put up with all kinds of inconvenshy ~~ weight and pressure on the running gear were completed iences since leaving Terre Haute and every hours delay and the new woodwork covered with a preserving paint In the center of the structure the light but powerful engine shown in polished brilliancy Just in front of it the big propeller built of many pieces and smoothed to a surface like glass was perfect to the last detail A sliver that had been knocked from it was replaced with cement and its bearing was as true as science could make it Stretching away on each side for 16 were ribbed wings on which so much depends each without a flaw or scratch At their tips hung the balancing planes so delicately fitted that the slightest movement of the operator was reflected by a changed position To the eye the machine was perfect and the builders who worked so patiently at last were satisfied it was ready for its initial trip

It now appeared that nothing stood in the way of a thorough demonstration but the Johnson brothers were doomed to meet another disappointment Under its power for the first time Louis Johnson drove the airship down the field from the tent in which it had been housed Three of the four cylinders were in operation yet it was evident that the Johnson motor was suffishyciently powerful for the purposes of the craft At speed that hurried those who accompanied it the aircraft ran along over the rough ground with little or no vibration from the motor and a steadiness that spelled success Four men hung to it with their weight keeping it from mounting the air while the driver accustomed himself to the situation and watched the engine and the plane

This was the final test of the monoplane before it was entrusted to the element for which it was constructed This test fully demonstrated that the care bestowed upon its construction was not misplaced There was not a flaw noticeable in any of its moving parts There was nothing about its action that indicated a single weakness But one thing marred the success of this test and Thursshyday night saw that one point corrected The long body or frame that extends from the plane to the rudder on the tail was not sufficiently strong to stand the strain of alighting from a height as was shown in its action during this test Immediately the builders prepared to strengthshyen it and all day Thursday they worked on this one part rebracing and adding to the solidity of this frame

has been bitter to them Malaria sent Clarence Johnson the youngest of the camp back to the city unfit to be about Mr Conover succumbed to it one day but was able to throw off the attack The Johnson brothers have all felt the effect of life in the camp and as Louis Johnshyson expressed it Are dead anxious to get to doing something

- shy~~ Monday October 10 1910 MONOPLANE JUSTIFIES EFFORTS OF JOHNSONS AIRCRAFT GOES INTO AIR SEVERAL TIMES AT TESTS MADE SUNDAY- after many weeks of quite work at their camp on the old reservoir prairie 3 miles east of Blackhawk in an effort to perfect the airplane which when first tried out was found to be lacking in a few particulars Louis Harry and Julius Johnson the inventors and builders of the Johnson Bros airplane succeeded in making several lifts with the aircraft at tests made Sunday evening Three tests were made and it was on the third one that the machine lifted from the ground Several times the craft raised for distances of from 15 to 20 Though the height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time this fact was rather to lack in certain details than because the airplane could not raise higher

The craft exhibited a wonderful buoyancy for the test and tended to leave the ground at all times higher than it was allowed to However necessity for certain corrections was manifested before a flight could be safely made and to avoid possible wrecking of the machine it was held down at all times

An assistant of the Johnson boys in their efforts toward perfecting the machine stated Monday that an idea of buoyancy of the machine could be gained from the fact that when starting on the soft dirt just previous to the test that it would leave no track in the soft dirt but that when being brought back for a second test it would plow back into the soil for a depth of 6

Preparations were almost completed Monday after-

Tuesday October II 1910 JOHNSON GIVES EXPRESSION TO SATISFACTION WITH PLANE TEST CONTINUED TO OCCUpy TIME OF BROTHERS AT AVIATION FIELD - Louis Johnson the elder of the Johnson brothers builders of the Johnson Monoplane spent Tuesday in Terre Haute looking after business matters The other two brothers Julius and Harry are at the aviation field making a few required minor changes in the mechanism preparatory to attempting a flight Wednesday or Thursday

Louis will return to the field Tuesday evening to be ready to sit at the wheel of the machine in the initial attempt at flight

We have gone far enough now to see through to the end and we now know that the theory which we have been working is the right one We will fly within a few days possible Wednesday or Thursday The changes now being made are only minor adjustments which were seen to be necessary in our tests as to the lifting power of the machine

-shy~~ Editors Note

The brothers apparently abandoned the attempts to make the 1910 airplane fly shortly after this in October 1910 and started work on an improved design which was successful in the summer of 1911 Between the end of October and the middle of July 1911 they built an entirely new airplane but used the same power plant that had been used in the 1910 version The new airplane was radically different in design using basically a metal framework cloth covered wings and cloth covered tail surfaces which were supported on a single aluminum boom It had a tricycle gear as contrasted with the conventional gear in the 1910 plane It had wing-warping in place of the moveable surfaces at the tips of the wings steerable nose wheel and brakes and many other engineering refinements~

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Ross Smith had never seen an airplane and was attractshyed to one ofthe public displays of the Johnson monoplane the practice being a charge of 25cent to see it in the tent to help alleviate the costs The plane had barely flown and excitement was running high Ross evidently took one look at it and said thats for me Its hard to guess how he convinced the Johnsons that he should take a hand at it however it is very possible that he was the only one with enough nerve and the J ohnsons had spent a great deal of theirs A bird in the hand at this point was probably welcome According to the records the

motor was started and Ross ran the plane up and down the field for some half hour experimenting with the controls learning how to use the throttle steering the airplane accelerating until it was light Evidently Ross had figured play ti me was over and the description states suddenly the plane shot forward and then rose graceshyfully into the air His very first flight lasted for 30 minutes and he thrilled the onlookers as he flew back and forth over the field (I nstructors take note - how many students would you turn loose in a better machine of today with 30 minutes of instruction)

Barely two days atter Rosss first flight he launched into the professional flying ranks in a big way He immeshydiately received an offer from his home town of Mattoon Illinois to engage in some demonstration flights and was paid for three flights at $50000 per flight Airplanes were so rare in these days that people paid to look at them and in most cases such flights were initiated by promotors seeking a quick fortune You would believe that flying such an airplane was enough of a daredevil stunt but not for our friend Ross He managed to concoct stunts that even from this distance

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in time seem absolutely ridiculous Daredevil is too mild a word One of his next exploits was an engagement to fly the monoplane during a 10 day Chautauqua Now for you youngsters youll have to run to the dictionary however Ill save you the effort The name Chautauqua originated in New York where some wise promoter startshyed an educational summer camp Families took their vacations very similar to those going to Oshkosh for the week long fly-in lived in tents in a large tent community that attracted as many as 50000 people during its run This particular Chautauqua that contracted for Rosss services with the Johnson airplane was at Merom Bluff Indiana a high point on the Wabash River The bluff was in Sullivan County and stood 150 above the river on one side while the opposite side fell to flat farm land going away from the river in a flat plain Th is particular Chautauqua was obviously one of great importance for the midwest and attractions included William Jennings Bryan Senator Robert LaFollette William Howard Taft former President of the United States Vice President Thomas R Marshall a gal named Maude Ballington Booth discussing prison reform John Temple Graves a noted orator of the time and Jeanette Rankin the first American Congresswoman The Chautauqua encomshypassed every subject from religion to suffrage child care and anything at all that would interest the family

To spice this particular Chautauqua Ross came up with the idea of building a 250 wooden platform with its far end hanging over the bluff on the river side The intent was to fly the airplane from this platform and fly it he did for many performances Descriptions of the flight states that the airplane labored uphill gained speed and disappeared from the end of the platform in what must have been a free fall until it gained flying speed leveling out some safe distance above the river then circling back over the Chautauqua area like a peacock preening its feathers It must have been a supreme thrill for all to witness There was no possible way to land at the Chautauqua area so Ross would cross the river to the Illinois side and land on a road at the ferry The plane would then be disassembled hauled back across the river pulled back up the winding road to the bluff for its next days operation

I n the eyes of the Chautauqua attendance Ross was no doubt walking mighty tall despite his slight stature It was quite common practice for the Johnson airplane to be engaged for fairs etc at which time it generally flew off the racetrack Evidently by this time a standard stunt

This monoplane piloted by Ross Smith flew off the Merom Bluff daily August 22-37 7973 during the Chautauqua

This was the view from the Merom Bluff The picture is deceiving for it was 750 down to the water Note the Ferry cars and buggies waiting to cross and climb the winding road up the bluff This is the view Ross Smith had as he literally dove his plane off the platform without adequate flying speed The result was a near free fall with flying speed gained in time to narrowly miss striking the water below The flight was enacted daily to please the crowd

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-

Ross Smith preparing for an exhibition flight Note man with ladder at right below wing It was a tall gear and a long climb to mount this machine

had been for the airplane to race a car on the track Dirt track races being part of almost every fair there was always someone present willing to race At one such event it states that Speed in the air and on land thrills thousands Aviator Ross L Smith and Speed King Wild Bob Burman held first place in the hearts of sensation lovers for the wild thrills they gave the thousands at the fairgrounds on Sunday Taking off from the track Ross flew around the track circled the infield and landed directly in front of thegrandstand amid the applause of thousands As an additional build up to the race Burman took Ross for a ride in his 300 hp Blitzen Benz and proceeded to smash the world record for a mile on a half mile dirt track breaking his own former record His

speed was just over 60 mph but this meant that 80 mph must have been his speed on the straight away On the first lap he gave Ross a thrill by hitting the turn too fast and almost losing control in a skid Evidently Ross did not appreciate the ride for when Burman said he would go up with him in his plane Ross calmly said that if he did he would get pushed out Burman of course immeshydiately changed his mind Evidently this was the last of Burmans summer appearances and he was going to spend his time readying himself for the 500 mile motor speedway event He had held the lead the previous year until his machine caught fire and burned while he was many laps ahead

As to the race between the airplane and the car the

airplane invariably won all events in spite of the fact that the cars appeared to be going faster Speed in the air does not seem to be speed compared to a roaring monster of an auto spewing exhaust and throwing large clods of dirt as it rounds every corner Smith evidently thrilled the crowd with a simple thing that today would be called a touch and go Newspaper emotes over the fact that even the French exhibition flyers had not done such a thing stating that Ross had no trouble at all in thrilling the crowd In another engagement it states that Ross L Smith will pilot the Johnson brothers monshyoplane during the Corn Week Show sponsored by the Rotary Club of Terre Haute The big thrill of this event was to be a flight down Wabash Avenue between the

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buildings just above the street car wires It was stated it would be the first time in history that an aviator would attempt such a dangerous feat The plane was to be brought down until the wheels barely cleared the wires then proceed west down the street to the Court House where the plan was to circle the big dome I n a flair of penmanship the author writes it will be unusual for a businessman to see the wings of an airplane almost brushing the windows of his building He further states the trip will be a dangerous one but the aviator and the builders of the machine have such faith in the monshyoplane that they believe that both will stand the test

I n a later account where Smith was engaged to fly an exhibition over Elsworth he decided to give them a new thrill and go for altitude With much circling he reached dizzying height of 2000 where he passed through a cloud bank that confused him for a short time On recovering from the confusion he found himself at 1000 (he invented vertigo no dOUbt)

In still another account it states the Johnson monshyoplane gave one of the best exh ib itions of the art of flying it has been our pleasure to witness There were no death defying stunts just plain flying

The monoplane took off on the back stretch of the race track and for 30 minutes circled dived swooped and turned running up and down the valley for several miles It states the limited space in which he had to land caused him some trouble He had failed to make the first descent (made a go-around - probably the first) When finally on the ground Aviator Ross stated it was the hardest day to fly on he had ever experienced as the air seemed dead and no breeze whatsoever was stirring Density altitude)

About the year 1913 Ross was running out of tricks the bag was getting empty so he decided to scoop them all He announced that he would like to fly the Atlantic and from all records it appears that he was the first to have such serious ideas He was at least 19 years ahead of his time He proposed to fly the flimsy Johnson airplane across the Atlantic alone - a statement that makes Lindshyberghs remarks an echo of the past He approached the Navy Department and asked them to place 10 battleshysh ips at intervals of 300 miles apart figuring that th is would be the maximum load of gasoline possible to carry The Navy of course refused considering the flight across the Atlantic as only a hair brained scheme The Government was not very interested in flying at this time and their decision was certainly not a surprise

~

Evening flights from the field were customary

Ross did not remain silent on this issue and at a later time stated in print when the Atlantic is crossed it will be by a flying boat and not a dirigible

In reading the history of these days all of the emshyphasis on long range travel was transfered to the gas bag History proved Ross to be 100 right and the Navys NC4s were the first to fly across

To further add hues of color to his career Ross was perhaps the first American aviator to get an offer from a foreign government and probably one of the first conceptions of military aviation was born President Huerta of Mexico offered him a high ranking position in the Mexican Army if he would organize an air force for them Ross immediately declined Poncho Villa who was then the bad boy of Mexico and conducting what we would call today Guerilla attack tried to make Ross a better offer of $2000 a month in gold to do the same thing for his side Ross declined that too Time proved how wise he was in declining this offer for one of his best friends was killed - not while he was flying but by Villas own men Four of Rosss friends had decided to fly for Villa but when weeks went by and they received no pay they drew straws to see who would confront Villa with the facts Mickey McGuire (the wild Irish Rose of the skies) was unlucky enough to get the job and foolish enough to make the attempt He faced the illiterate General in his tent and asked for the money

The General promptly whipped out a 45 caliper pistol and shot McGuire through the heart In revenge the remaining three proceeded to burn Villas airplanes saving one to make their escape in They successfully flew that one back to the United States

This was not Rosss last encounter with Army life As World War I came along there were but 50 flyers availshyable for instructors in the US He was one that formed the nucleus of the great Flying Corps This group was called on to also perform test pilot functions and in their vernacular did nose dives tail spins and no doubt were the first creators of aerobatic flying in this country This was no doubt a cup of tea for our adventuresome Mr Ross captivated the services and the record that he established was remarkable General Andrews commenshyded Ross with a citation ending it with a comment Seven years without a serious mishap Ross lived a long and successful life and became very well known in Wash ington and for years was Public Relations Manager for the Hot Shopps a food chain in the East He lived a full life and died on February 19 1959 For an advenshyturesome person who lead such a colorful life and seemingly knew no fear he must have also been blessed with skill and a great amount of common sense In the Hot Shopps Company magazine from which some of this material was gleaned they coined an epitaph for him stating simply An amazing man ~

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as in an automobile so that the water and steam could escape down here The water was in there only about 23 full

Mr Garber Oh yes you are speaking of this small tube that comes out of the front center and bends around to go down toward the left side and I guess this top opening is where you put the water in

Mr Johnson Yes thats right The water starts to flow here from the water pump which is at the back of the crank shaft From there the water is carried from these tubes here and up into here and enters the water jacket here on the left side along this tube of the fushyselage and goes right and left and then circulates through the four water jackets and then comes out here into this hose and then through that hose and then enters into the steam dome

Mr Garber Oh yes I see that it flows out from these tubes just behind the aviators seat where one bends to the right and the other bends to the left and then the water flows into the center unit and then is piped into the longitudinals It comes out of that tube just in front of the foot bar and then it goes from there to the pump That is a complete circulation which continues all the time that the engine is running The air-cooling flanges are fastened to the longitudinal tubes to increase their radiating surfaces Those longitudinal tubes are not only the structural members for the fuselage but also being hollow provide pipes through which the water flows so that it can be cooled before re-entering the engine and these flanges increase that cooling

Mr Johnson Those flanges were soldered on to the tube to improve the heat conductivity The air stream helped to cool the water This system worked very well

Mr Garber It almost looks like you would have had more cooling surface than you required but that is certainly better than not having enough Now we have covered the construction of the wings engine fuselage tail group and under-carriage Next how about flying it You say that the center of gravity is located just about in a line forward of the rear wheels of this three-wheeled landing gear

Mr Johnson Yes and the center of pressure was about 13 back from the front of the wing

Mr Garber Then your center of pressure was forshyward of your center of gravity and your center of thrust was in a straight line from the propeller shaft back through this long telescoping boom to the tail group That is a good distribution of forces With the engine

started could you hold the airplane back with the brake I mean this brake here that is pushed into the ground when you pull up on this handle Or do you have to have someone to hold the airplane back for you while you were revving up the engine

Mr Johnson We had around 250 pounds of thrust measuring it with a spring balance and a rope tied to a tree Sometimes we would tie the airplane to the tree until the engine was running up or sometimes we had some men to hold it back A man on each wheel here at the back could hold it We have a picture of two men doing that but most of the time we used a rope tying it to a fence or a tree but out in the field sometimes when there wasnt anything to tie it to we would use men to hold it back and that gave them quite a lot of work to do too

Mr Garber Did you have a slip knot in the rope which the pilot could release or did you have someone on the ground to let the rope 100se7

Mr Johnson A fellow on the ground would do that The pilot has to use a step ladder in order to get into the seat

Mr Garber I see and so with th e pilot at the controls and the engine running the airplane would be released either by cutting or untying the rope or by having the men let go so then the airplane would roll along the ground and when it gained sufficient speed the pilot would pull back on this wheel column thus depressing the tail inclining the airplane upward and up he would go Did you ever measure the rate of climb or the extreme altitude

Mr Johnson No we did not have any way of measshyuring it We probably could have arranged a way but we didnt do that I imagine that the speed at which we took off was about 30 miles an hour We would find that out by an automobile running along side of it while the man in the car would watch his speedometer

Mr Garber How fast was the airplane flying as it came in for a landing

Mr Johnson I guess that speed was about 35 miles per hour maybe just a little faster then what it took off at We could slow it down by this push button which would cut the engine in and out I n the air the speed was about 50 or 60 miles an hour straight and level without a tail wind but at that time we had no way of measuring it That is just our guess We never tried for altitude sometimes we would say it was up about a mile high but we just said that The airplane would look pretty small if

Steering yolk is conventional - it straddles the main lower tube of the fuselage Forward is down back is up turning the wheel creates a normal bank Note the rudder bar at bottom of photo with leather loops to hold fliers feet

it was as much as a mile high up We have some pictures of it way up high and it looked pretty small It could have been a half a mile high but that is just a guess after all We had no way of measuring how high we were but Lou always said that it felt mighty high

Mr Garber Well now Mr Johnson you have been very obliging and patient to answer all of these quesshytions We have discussed this airplane along the same method that I used in the Navy when I was teaching recognition of enemy airplanes We have also considered

9

the structure and performance but I wish that I could hear from you some anecdotes of the times when you and your brothers were building and flying this airplane You have told me that th is was constructed as an improvement over the one you and your brothers made in 1909 May I suggest that Mrs Johnson and you might have lunch with me We can continue our conversation there

Mr Shaw While you two are at lunch Ill glue these hands together around this wheel

Mr Garber Thanks Win Well be back before long (Later) Mr Garber Now we are back from lunch It was

particularly enjoyable to have Mrs Johnson with us During lunch we spoke further about the airplane Mr Johnson said that there were two things which inshyfluenced their discontinued operations of the airplane and their further interest in aeronautics One factor was a cyclone which demolished their factory and another factor was their hope to get a contract for some airplane engines from Russia That was after the beginning of World War I in Europe 1914 The Johnson airplane had conti nued in flight through 1913 and during that year the brothers were thinking of developing a more powershyful engine The engine as shown in this model had 4 cylinders but the brothers intended to develop the type with 6 8 and possibly 12 cylinders The Russians became interested in the most powerful Johnson engine and the Johnson Brothers invested a great deal of money and effort into the development of the 8 and 12 cylinder engines The Russian government was rather unsettled at that time and it seemed difficult for the agents of that nation to make up their mind When the Johnson Brothers learned that the Russians preferred a 12 cylshyinder engine they decided that it should be of the 4 cycle type but the brothers could not obtain a magneto of sufficient power and reliability to use in the ignition system Had the Russian government ordered the 8 cylshyinder engines in quantity or had the brothers been able to get an experimental contract for development of the 12 cylinder engines and been able to produce a protoshytype that was satisfactory the Johnson Brothers might well have gone into the business of manufacturing airshyplane engines and developing more advanced examples of their airplanes But not receiving such encouragement the brothers decided to concentrate on Marine engi nes Also there were some financiers who were considering investing money in the Johnson Company The investors

believed that aviation was an unstable field and they would not agree to put their money into the Johnson Brothers enterprise when the state of aeronautics was so indefinite and considered to be unreliable Moreover there was the thought on the part of these investors that if any of the Johnson Brothers were injured in the course of their flying that their company would thereby be deprived these services thus reducing or even closing the operations of the Marine engine plant So those three factors the severe damage to their plant by the tornashydo the loss of the Russian contract and the attitude of investors caused the brothers to give up airplanes and airplane engines and concentrate on Marine engines For a while the brothers made a small gasoline-engined unit which was attached to a bicycle and called the Johnson motor wheel (I remember that these were sometimes built into 4-wheel wagons and used by boys for transportation around the neighborhood A friend of mine had one about 1916 which he and I would freshyquently go from my home which was then near the Naval Observatory all the way over to my friends familys summer home in Virginia) After that the brothers got into the making of outboard motors they being the first ones to use a rope for starting the engine Now of course Johnson outboard motors are famous and the company itself is very substantial Mr Louis Johnson and Mr Harry Johnson are retired from their business and Clarence is continuing it Julius Johnson I was told had withdrawn his investment several years ago into another line Clarence was the youngest of a family of 7 children but at the time when the airplane was being made and flown he was too young to participate other than by lighting bonfires so that the pilot could land the airplane when evening was coming on At present time one of the five brothers and one of the two sisters have passed away Mr Johnson is there anything that we havent covered in our discussion here in the shop or at lunch

Mr Johnson How about the springs on the landing gear You notice that they extend upward at an angle from their lower connection near the rear wheels Those springs were very useful when we were rolling over rough ground and then when we landed these springs would stretch upward so that the skid would touch the ground and help to slow us down for landing

Mr Garber I see that you have made miniature springs here and that they operate the same as in the original airplane

Mr Johnson Yes I have put it all in there exactly as it was nearly 50 years ago

Mr Garber I notice that you have some heavy springs up here in the horizontal section of the control cables where they connect to the cables coming off of the control wheel They look like whiffletree springs What were they used for

Mr Johnson Well when the aviator pulled his control wheel back it would tend to shorten this cable here but the springs were so arranged as to take up that extra play and similarly permitted the connections to elongate when the aviator pushed the wheel forward That would keep the chain from coming loose on these sprockets over which the length of chain passed Thus the spring would expand or contract to compensate for the over-all differences in the lengths of the connections to the elevators Now for take-down purposes we could take the wings off and lay them alongside of the body when we were going down the road or moving it from one place to another One end of the wings would rest on this pin here and the other end on this cross bar while the trailing edge would lay against the upper strucshyture of the fuselage We would tie the wings in place and then we could pull the whole machine along acountry road behind a horse-drawn wagon and then bring it into a field where we could take off One of the fields that we used had a bluff there and we would usually take off from the top of the bluff

Mr Garber About dimensions you have told me that the scale of this model is 1 1 O That is 110 size every part being 110 that of the original A decimal scale

Mr Johnson Yes that is right the wing span was 36 feet and the length was 34 feet That was measured from the front of the front wheel to the extreme rear over-all The propeller was 8 feet in diameter and the width of the wing was 8 feet

Mr Garber Do you remember the pitch of the propeller

Mr Johnson Yes that was 4Y2 feet The revolutions per minute were about 1200 on the ground but I dont know how fast the engine turned up when the airplane was in the air In the air it must have been more than on the ground We had no indicator on the machine howshyever Here is another thing I had not mentioned The cables extending from the rear spar connections on the right side of the wing to the corresponding fittings on the left side would pass over the pullies on top of these upright cabane braces here and in that way they would

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move span wise from side to side when the wing was warped

Mr Garber You told me during lunch that in all of the flights with this airplane there had never been any serious crack-ups You said a few minor damages had occurred that were easily repaired and that the airplane was flown until 1913

Mr Johnson Yes right up to the winter of 1913 but not over into 1914

Mr Garber Was there any change in the design during that period

Mr Johnson No this model shows how it was at the beginning and how it was al l the time we were flying it I dont recall any changes that were made all that time except these flanges here on these longitudinal fuselage pipes At first we didnt have them on and then we added them in order to help make the engine run cooler They were on in 1911 however so we must have put them on rather soon after we built it On the model I have made them out ofrsheet brass but on the airplane they are made of copper and were of L-shaped section On the model it was quite a problem to figure out how to make them but first I ran the brass through a set of gears so as to form these parts that expand up and then I made a tool for pinching those U-shaped parts flat That formed the shape that would fit around the pipe Then I soldered them together soldering the joint on the unerneath line of the tubing on this model but in the original airplane we soldered each piece on separately

Mr Garber That is certainly a wonderful story and I marvel not only at your ingen io us craftsmanship in constructing the original but also in the exquisite jewelshylike precision and beauty with which you made this miniature reproduction Is this to be accessioned as a gift from all three brothers

Mr Johnson Yes thats right from all three of us We are very honored to have it here in the National Air Museum

Mr Garber Well I assure you Mr Johnson and I assure your brothers that we ourselves are honored to accept it from you and to display it I know that our visitors will be thrilled by the excellence of this beautiful model Those brothers are yourself Louis whom I met and Julius who I have not had the pleasure of meeting yet

Mr Johnson Thats right that is Louis J Johnson Harry L Johnson and Julius M Johnson

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Mr Garber The correspondence clearly indicates that th is is being given by the three brothers to the National Air Museum At the time when I had the pleasure of seeing Mr Louis Johnson he mentioned also a trophy and said that would be available and I assured him that we will be pleased to have it I will contact Mr Beldon about that May I confirm the address please

Mr Johnson Yes Louis J Johnson is now at Drumshymond Island Michigan Julius M Johnson is at Meadow Court Hotel Bradenton Florida and after Mrs Johnson and I return from a little trip we are taking we will be back home at R R-1 Culver I ndiana We will stop off at

Washington as we turn back toward home after we visit some friends up North

Mr Garber Thank you again Mr Johnson and Mrs Johnson we are further indebted to your husband for bringing you I hope that you have enjoyed your visit to the Museum We will proceed to put this beautiful model on exhibition so that we and our visitors can enjoy it Again and always our sincere appreciation to you Letters of acknowledgment will be sent to you and to your brothers and we are very grateful to you pershysonal[y for assembling the model here and informing us aboutit~

11

~ife Story of

Lou JOHNSON Pioneer Airplane Manufacshy

turer and Aviator Developer

of the Vee Type Motor and

Modern Outboard Engine

As Recorded in an Interview

By Dorothy Jefferson

Konold

Especially for MoToR BoatinG March 1927

Lou Johnson grinned cheerfully as he answered my questions concerning his initial flight Lou is the eldest and the leader of those four red-headed Johnson brothshyers who designed constructed and flew the first successshyful American monoplane in Terre Haute Indiana eightshyeen years ago and who have taken many remarkable steps in the perfection of V-type motors

Kind of funny he sa id with that quiet reticent humor which is so much a part of his personality When that machine was ready to go up I had not the remotest

(Continued on page 15)

Louis johnson makes first stccessful flight with johnson Aeroplane

12

Vintage Upper Left Note the brass steam condenser (tea kettle) just behind the engine In front of the condenser is the ignition system Large box was magneto and selective cylinder control later substituted for blip switch

Lower Left The johnson Motor wheel served the Company for a period of time - after aeroplanes and before outboards As a child I rememshyber a johnson motor wheel powered buckboard (a bicycle wheeled contrivance about twice the size of a childs wagon accommodating two passengers)

13

Album

Upper Right A good shot of the east side of the engine with Louis Johnsons wife at the controls The propeller was made of alternate strips of spruce and walnut

Lower Right This engine could enhance my living room anytime Everything the Johnshyson brothers did was done to perfection Imagine what a 72 cylinder 2 cycle engine could have done for an aeroplane shytoo bad they were never successfully applied

14

idea how to fly Had to learn that at the same time I was testing out the plane Quite different nowadays learning all the principles in an aviation school and then having a perfectly good standardized thoroughly inspected plane delivered into your hands In the old days you had to keep your wits about you all right You never knew what might happen next Ill never forget the first time I went fifty feet off the ground It was lots more of a surprise to me than it was to the spectators

We were sitting in the cheerful home-like living room where Mr johnson does most of his reading and much of his designing A log fire snapped on the hearth and the atmosphere suggested such peace and retirement that it was almost impossible to see in the modest kindly man who sat before me that rugged grimly determined Hoosier lad who never allowed a class-mate to pass him in school who dreamed fantastic things with his boyish brain and carried them out with his amazingly skillful boyish hands who permitted no failure even heavensent destruction in the form of a tornado that completely wiped out his entire motor plant in a few hours to come between him and his goal and who has accepted success with an unconscious grace known to few At forty-five Louis james johnson occupies an enviable position in the engineering world yet one has only to converse with him a few moments to be certain he feels that only a very small portion of his work has been accompl ished

And what he admits of success he attributes in no great measure to his own ability He tells you gravely of two paramount influences in his youth and insists that a boy given these could not have failed

The first influence as you may have guessed was his home life

Meeting Mr johnsons parents as they are today it is not difficult to understand the reverence that is accordshyed them by all of their five children Father johnson at eighty-four has the keen clear eye of a man of sixty His most prized possession is a motor wheel presented to him when his sons were manufacturing them and he rides daily During the war he was called by the govshyernment to take over an important task in an ammunishytion factory for though he had been long in idleness his ability as an expert tool dresser was well known and they were unable to find skill in younger men that matched his Coming from Denmark when he was nine he went at a very early age into a machine shop reaching the place where he could gauge steel by his senses as accurately as other men ga uged it by instruments And

from the first hi s so ns were benefited by an interest and cooperation which very few fathers know how to give

We always had our own tools and work-benches Lou explained Father indulged us in these things as wealthier men indulge their children in expens ive toys We were encouraged to try our hand at any sort of construction that appealed to us And father was always there to advise and assist No task even the building of a sled was regarded as trivial We were taught to put sincere effort into everything and to finish whatever we began

Mother johnson quietly sitting softly rocking speaks in a low almost awed tone of her boys and you know at once what her part in their story has been

When Lou was only twelve she says he decided he wanted a new sled We couldnt afford to buy him the kind he selected so he took an axe and went out into the woods and cut down a tree He worked at it until he had his lumber ready Then he sat down and drew a design We didnt think he could carry it out he was such a little fellow but first thing we knew he had someshything that looked like a real sled The only trouble was with the runners Finally he took the rim off an old buggy wheel pounded it down flat and fastened it to his wooden runners Father got him some red and black

1paint and I want to tell you he had a sled to be proud of I have it in my attic now and you couldnt buy a A better one shy

The second influence you cannot guess It was the Wabash river When the johnson boys were still youngsters the

family moved from Effingham Illinois to Terre Haute I ndiana All of the boys Lou Harry julius Clarence and Arthur (the latter being the one who lost his life some years ago in a factory accident) were enchanted with the river

Our Danish blood Lou smiles quietly It seemed to them that life would not be worth living until they owned a boat

Make it their parents encouraged So the boat was begun and before the summer ended

it was an admitted success But another summer came and brought new ambitions Lou johnson and Nell Cockerham johnson

Louis and Harry wearied of rowing each other about It is rumored that she flew the johnson airshyone day and began to dream plane The family doubts that she did

If we had a motor - Pictures of her in the plane may have been We couldnt afford to buy one - responsible for the rumor (See page 74) We could race neverything

15

Gee how fast d you suppose we co uld go They approached their father and mother Make it said the parents fi nall y with less enthushy

siasm than they were wont to show Gasoline motors were strange toys in those times

But the moto r slowl y assembled proved the env y of all their small assoc iates It was t he two-horse power inboard type a quaint ancestor for the outboard of today but it chall enged and defeated many a marine moto r of prouder origin

The influence of the Wabash shyHigh School was completed with so exce ll ent a

record in mathematics that Terre Hau te professors still speak of Lo us asto nishing ab ility in that line and the yo ung inventor for he was now recognized as that sought hi s fathers consent to engage in marin e motor man ufacture

As usua l hi s parents nodd ed approval They had a lways wished their boys to be in business for t hemshyselves a nd there was money ready for a sma ll factory

Here it is interesting to make a note on the progress of Louis Jo hnsons education No more schooling yet systematic stud y never neglected in the press of any c irc umstances whatever More mathematics a keener interest in everything pertaining to the mechanical sciences engineeri ng co urses Constant reading evshyid enced today by the books that surround him in his home

A few years of this marine work and then the brain that dreamed and the hands that were ever ready to carry out those dreams united in a burni ng desire to drive something far more romantic than river boats with a gaso line engine

He wanted a sled and made o ne He wanted a laun ch and he made o ne He wanted an airplane and he made one It was Americas first triumph with a monopl ane

No o ne probab ly will ever know just what those broth ers suffered in the way of ridicule disappointment a nd discourage ment in the first period of their struggle with th e unknown air monster But they drove ahead undaunted and fi nally something that resembled an ominous bird of prey was hatched

Not only the Indiana town in whi ch it was bo rn thought thi s creation a fantastic f ledgling Looking over Mr Johnso ns scrap-book one comes to hi ghl y amusing comments by the press in various parts of the country Wright and Curtiss were experimenting at the same time of course but air asce nsion was still regarded in the light

of so rcery Working fever ishly day and night and with th e

utmost secrecy the Johnso n brothers of Terre Haute India na are said to be toiling and scheming to put together a huge bird-like machine which is slated either to fulf ill their fo ndest hopes or prove their bitterest disappointment says a cl ipping of September 26 1909

Desp ite the Jo hnsons effo rts at secrecy spectators began to throng the camp in the old reservoir bed ear ly Saturday afte rnoon and later automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place of the Flyer All the far mers took the afternoo n off to view the mach ine news of which had leaked out in spite of the covered e ntra nce to the farm where the try-out is to be held

This a li tt le later in the Terre Haute Tribune Mr Joh nson ch uckl es soft ly as he reviews these

notices The betting ran high at those fi rst ex hibitions he

says Bets ran about two to one that wed not get off the gro und People a lways paid to see the machine too One day in Hill sboro Illino is we took in 2500 gate admissio ns of twenty-five cents each

Gasoline of course was regarded with much fear and the greatest caution used Before the engine was started a crier ran down the f ield warning spectators of the imminent danger and forbidd ing them to smoke

But the queer creature t hat the Johnson brothers had labored w ith was now winning wagers for those who had faith in it The press spoke of a f light as a lift and fo ll owi ng a discouragingly ra iny sum mer when muddy fields delayed the tests for weeks we read

After a period of experiment covering some time the Jo hnson brothers made a successful lift at their camp Sunday evening The machine was started on the aershyd ro me track from which it was run down the field in an effort which finally succeeded in raising it clear of the ea rth Severa l times the craft raised for d istances of from fifteen to twenty feet though th e height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time

Among the things that the history of tomorrow will carry will be the invention and construction of the first successful American monoplane It will recount the years of unaided struggle by those red-headed Johnson bro thers in Terre Haute I ndiana who brought out of a chaos of thought the most wonderful th ing up to the year 1912 in the way of an aero engine mounted on a steel flyer that really flew

The original motor was mounted on a wooden fra me the wings were of silk and the position of the flyer was perilous The improved monoplane boasted a steel frame stronger win gs and the aviator was pl aced above and behind the machinery eliminating the danger of being crushed by the engine in a fall

This successful ai rplane had a spread of 36 feet a length of 34 feet 260 square feet of plane surface and weighed 750 pou nd s I t had a speed of better than sixty mil es an hour and was driven by a V-type motor which was in the nature of a revolution

Then came the Johnson School of Aviation Now that there were pl anes to fly there must be

av iators to fly them But while many young men took a keen interest in the sport fro m the sidelines most of them were sti ll decided ly earthbo und However there were two immediate ap plicants and Ross L Smith who trained one hundred and fifty men during t he war was Lou Johnsons first pupil Frank Schutt was the other and to him befell the thrill of crashing to ground from a height of 1500 ft and landing unhurt His acc ident was caused by a shortage of gas as were many other similar catastrophies of the time

But there is a more perso na l note to be sounded in connection with Mr Johnsons f lights Something other than motors and his aviatio n schoo l engrossed him Th ere was a charming young person in the hood and dust coat supposed to represent the ideal sport costume of the day always ready to assay the clouds with him Up to now spectators had gazed in obvious ad miratio n at the mother who bade her son such a brave god-speed when he started upo n those fearsome uncharted voyshyages Her gallant bearing unfa ilingly caused a little ripple of com ment But now anoth er woman stood at her side eq ually anxious yet equally hero ic It was whispered that Miss Ne ll Cockerham also of Terre Haute had often been up in the machine with Mr Johnson and that she evidently took a keen interest in monoplanes shy

The story is briefly told in two headlin es from the local paper

DISCOVERED- PRETTY MISS WHO FLEW IS I NTERESTED IN BIRD MAN THEN AVIATOR JOHNSON UP IN AIR- MISSED TRAIN ONWEDDING DAY

A new partnership was formed for it is evident to everyone who contacts the Johnsons in either a business or a social way that theirs had proven a very successful marriage and that Mrs Johnsons intere st has been

16

manifested in every phase of the inventors work But the influence of the Wabash shyFlying was all very well Mr Johnson admitted when

questioned concerning his return to motor-boat building but the call of his first love was too strong to ignore for long Of course during these remarkable three years he had never ceased to manufacture the Johnson marine motor but following his marriage he devoted himself intensively to the development of several ideas he had held in embryo while he sought the conquest of the clouds

Soon the Johnson brothers were offering twenty models of marine motors Racing motors ranged from single cylinder to twelve cylinder type One of these held therecord in the 320 in class for four years

But the fates having accorded this much in justice to the originality persistency and energy of the Johnson family evidently decreed that the number thirteen must cast an ominous influence upon the new industry The tornado of 1913 is well remembered by all who lived in the vicinity of Terre Haute at that time but to none perhaps was it more devastating

Lou and I had been in the theatre while the storm was at its worst said Mrs Johnson when we had come to this part of the narration And Lou spoke of the satisfaction of being in a nice new brick factory We went home and knew nothing of the damage that had been wrought until the following morning Then when the men reported for work they saw a pile of wreckage that would have sickened any heart The highest portion of the plant left standing was a bit of the brick wall three feet above the ground

W ea ker men wou Id have broken perhaps but apparently Lou and his brothers bowed to the will of the gods and accepted their loss calmly I n humbler quarters but with no lessening of spirit they designed something new in the manner of a racing craft

In 1914 Johsons most famous boat Black Demon III entered a special match race against some of the fastest boats in the country on Lake Michigan Disturbshyer I V of Ch icago took first honors but Black Demon was a close second out-classing a number of favorites It was a recognized triumph for the V-type motor which had been exhibited in Chicago a few months before and was causing much comment Black Demon III was a 23-footer powered with two 12-cylinder high speed marine motors each having 180 horse-power

Ever casting about for new transportation methods

Black Demon III was a 23 footer powered with two 2 cycle 72 cylinder high speed marine motors each having 780 horsepower

the red-headed Johnson boys now wondered whether a bicycle driven by their motor would compare favorably with types already on the market Apparently it did for in 1917 the Johnson Motor Wheel Company was a going business with an output of 10000 machines a year and the slogan - SIXTY MILES FOR TEN CENTS was familiar to many of us

Warren Ripple Chicago financier was especially interested in this new venture and through his influence the factory was moved to South Bend in the early part of 1918

In eight years the growth of the Johnson Motor Company has furnished South Benders with an inshyexhaustible subject of conversation First it wasshy

Did you hear about those Johnson people Theyve taken over the od Bottling plant next to them

Then Have you heard the latest about Johnson Theyve

leased that whole block of stores on Lincoln Way and put their offices over there

On and on it went this amazing growth Soon a vacated portion of a large underwear mill across the river was commandeered neighboring houses sheds buildings of any type whatever were given over to the manufacshyture and housing of Johnson motors It was said that one must carry a road map to complete a tour of the plant

The wheel had gone into the discard but there was

never a lull in activities The out-board marine motor had quietly taken the place of the motor-driven bicycle - and Lou Johnson was back again doing homage to his first love

Strange influence-On the Banks of the Wabash - tho now of course it was the St Joe river that knew his experiments

Mr Johnsons smile changed as he finished the little resume of his work and walking to the fire-place framed by the well-filled bookcases looked thoughtfully into the flames for a few seconds

Of course it is only a beginning he said This is the age of mechanical development and no one can foretell the progress that will be made in the next ten years even though one may feel it coming Naturally the thing that interests me most and always has is the improvement of water transportation Better boats fastshyer boats-

He paused and the smile was again in his eyes America is only beginning to enjoy water sports

presume we Johnsons have that in the blood And suddenly I saw him as he is a tall Danishshy

American captain commanding in spite of his reticence who began his voyage about three decades ago on a childishly constructed raft in the Wabash river and has been coming fearless of current and snag upstream ever since ~

17

Wednesday August 3 1910

JOHNSONS PREPARE TEST AIRPLANE - machine stands ready after more than a years work for its initial flight - brothers guard secret of place of first trial Airshyship has as original feature V type 2 cycle engine built for strength and lightness

Harry Louis and Julius Johnson the Johnson Brothshyers who have been at work for more than a year manufacturing an aeroplane at their shop 717 N 10th St have at last completed the machine and will leave Friday for a place in the open country near Terre Haute

to make the first attempt at flying it Thus far the Johnson Brothers have kept the location

of the place where they will try to fly the machine an entire secret It is desired to have no crowd about to bother while the machine is being tried

Everything was completed Wednesday with the exception of putting the parts together The machine which weighs 650 pounds complete will be shipped knocked down to the scene of the first attempted flight The propeller which is over 10 in length the wings seat and balances will not be attached until the scene of

try-out has been reached Wednesday morning the airplane stood in the big

building erected especially for the purpose of building it at the rear of the Johnson home on North 10th St It is 36 in length and measures the same exactly from tip to tip in width Every part of it has been manufactured by the three young men while they at the same time carried on their occupation of gasoline and marine engine manufacturing It was begun just a little less than a year ago

The wings which are to extend on either side from

18

the front of the machine measure 16 Yz x 8 and are made of light waterproof canvas stretched over stout framework The engine is a V type 2 cycle engine the only one of its kind to have ever been made

There are V type engines said Mr Johnson but they are 4 cycle The 2 cycle engines have previously been built straight causing increased weight Everything about the machine has been built for speed and lightmiddot ness

Two 7 gallon gasoline tanks will furnish the propellmiddot ing power for the machine It is expected it will take a day and a half to set the machine up after its been shipped to the place where it will be tested

- ~ shy

Saturday August 6 1910

LOCAL AVIATORS MAKE READY FOR FIRST TRIAL JOHNSON BROTHERS MOVE AIRPLANE TO FIELD NEAR BLACKHAWK AND SET UP MACHINE FOR TESTmiddot everything was hustle and bustle at the Johnson brothers aero camp a few miles from Blackmiddot hawk Saturday where the three young men manufacmiddot turers of engines and incidentally builders of an airplane were engaged in putting together their airplane preparmiddot atory for a trial flight One of the busiest of the workers was Clarence Johnson a 12 year old brother who showed himself a handy man about the place Owing to the fact that due to their hurried move from Terre Haute with their machine Friday the Johnson brothers left behind some necessary blocks and braces and the flight that was scheduled for Saturday will be postponed until some time Sunday The strange man by the name of Zakarius supposed to be from Indianapolis and well versed in aviation was with the three brothers Saturday as they worked on their machine which was enclosed in a 40 tent to shut out the view from the spectators Another important personage at the scene was Dr Dupui of Riley who was on hand in case a flight should be made to see to the injuries of the aviator in case he should meet with an accident

The tryout grounds are admirally situated in the center of a 100 acre farm in the reservoir of the old Wabash and Erie Canal There is a wide stretch of clear country without any woodland within its radius of two miles It is believed the airplane will be assembled and ready for a trial late Saturday afternoon but it is not thought a flight will be attempted before Sunday

- Ii _ ~ ~

Sunday August 7 1910

JOHNSON BROTHERS PREPARE FOR INITIAL TEST OF BIG AIRPLANE CONFIDENCE PERmiddot MEATESCAMP AS TIME FOR TRY-OUT NEARSmiddot the first flight if flight is to be of the Johnson airship now resting in all readiness for its try-out at its camp at southeast of Terre Haute will come at about noon today and the result of a year s work and effort to build a successful airplane will be determined

In spite of the Johnson effort at secrecy spectators began to throng to the camp in the old reservoir bed early Saturday afternoon and later in the evening automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place The farmers also took Saturday evening off to take advantage of the opportunity to see the machine and the men

A heavy steel roller was brought to the scene Satshyurday evening and the Johnsons will layout the course early Sunday morning on which the aviators who drive the machine in the preliminary try-outs will score down for a start The meadow as it stands is rough and trouble was feared when the wheels of the flyer were started over the ground before the machine raised into the air

Just who would be the first man to steer the machine on its initial effort the Johnsons refused to state but the crowd of sightseers who have been watching the progress of the work at the camp picked the man who they believe will be in the seat when the airplane raises first It is William Zachow the stranger from Racine Wisconsin who arrived in this city just in time to take an active part in completing preparations for the try-out Zachow refused to give out his name but the above is the name he registered under at the Philbeck Hotel Gossip has it that the Wisconsin man is an experienced aviator and it is on this fact that the spectators base their belief that he will be the one to drive the machine when it is tried out

There is no spirit of speculation in the air about the Johnson camp but in plain businesslike manner the men are carrying forth the work which is to determine whether or not Terre Haute has produced a parallel to the Wright Brothers There were several men on the ground Saturday afternoon who professed some knowlshyedge of mechanics All the men who have seen the machine since it has been brought near enough to completion for an idea to be formed as to its efficiency has had nothing but praise for the thoroughness with which it has been finished and experienced mechanics say that from a mechanical standpoint the machine looks good

An experienced mechanic who examined the machine Saturday stated that the V type 2 cycle engine a

distinctive feature of the new machine is especially adapted for the use on airplanes The Johnson brothers claim the distinction of having made the first engine of this type and mechanics say that it is the coming engine for use on aerial machines

The Johnsons themselves though they do not talk much have all confidence in their creation The men have had years of experience in the manufacture of all kinds of engines and in addition have put in considershyable time in research work on the subject of airplanes and other flying machines They have been close students to the methods of the Wright Brothers

Ii- _ ~

Monday August 8 1910

MAKER LAYS PLANS TO PILOT AIRPLANE ON INITIAL FLIGHTmiddot with the airplane removed from the tent in which it has been housed and the engine of the plane in perfect running order the Johnson brothers were expected Monday at noon to make an attempted flight at any time

The field located near Blackhawk south of the city where the first trial will take place is in perfect condishytion for the flight The only thing that may cause a delay of the flight is the lightness of the wheels which support the airplane on the ground at the start It was feared Monday that heavier wheels would be necessary In case this is decided on the trial of the machine will not take place for a day or so One of the Johson boys will pilot the machine on its initial attempted flight This was definitely announced Monday It was thought at first that William Zachow who was present at the aviation camp would pilot the machine but it has developed that the stranger is a salesman for an airplane supply comshypany He is said to be thoroughly fa miliar with the mechanism of airplanes however and has been of great value in getting the machine ready for flight

A test of the engine was made Monday morning it developed 40 HP Confidence was expressed by the Johnsons that the engine could develop 20 HP additional if necessary

- ~~

Saturday August 13 1910

WEAK SPRINGS POSTPONE JOHNSONS TRIAL OF FLIGHT CROWDS GATHERED AT AVIATION

19

FIELD TO AGAIN LEARN THAT MACHINES TEST MUST AGAIN BE DELAYED - the Johnson brothers made no attempt to fly this afternoon It is reported that they would make their initial attempt to scale the clouds today A crowd followed in the wake of the rumor and by 200 this afternoon many people swarmshyed down from the meadow

When the Johnson machine was wheeled out at 2 00 it was found by the inventors that an important set of springs were too weak These will be strengthened and it is probable that the apparatus will not be taken out of the tent again until Tuesday of the coming week

Two of the brothers hurried to Terre Haute this aftershynoon as soon as the defect in the machine was discovshyered They will return to the camp Sunday and begin adjustment

_ F A ~~

Sunday August 141910

BROTHER AVIATORS DELAY DEMONSTRATION AGAIN PART OF MACHINE USED IN MAKING LANDING GETS OUT OF ORDER SECOND TIME shythough delayed again in their preparation for the initial flight of the first airplane ever manufactured in Terre Haute the Johnson boys Louis Julius and Harry went to work to remedy the defect which made necessary the postponement of their flight for the second time The defects which they are now forced to repair causes no despair in the Johnson boys or lessens their faith that the machine will fly after they are completed

We have encountered no difficulty whatever as yet which would in any way interfere with the successful flight of the machine said one of the boys Saturday The trouble is only in the wheels and supporting spring those parts of the machine which are used to make a landing on and the defect is not curious in any way though it does take some time to make the necessary changes

The intention of the trio was to fly Saturday and the day was ideal but it was decided at the last minute that the chances of flying and making a safe landing would involve too great a risk

Louis the eldest of the Johnson brothers said to a Tribune representative Saturday I am sorry that we could not fly today In the first place the weather is ideal and in the second place when the statement that we have been halted again appears in print a great many people will believe that the machine is a failure As for us we are certain as we have been all along that the airplane will fly

Ii ~~

Monday August 15 1910

JOHNSON PROMISES TO MAKE AIRPLANE TRIP WEDNESDAY BROTHERS OCCUPY ENTIRE DAY REPAIRING CARRYING TRUCK OF HEAVIER THAN AIR MACHINE - the work of getting ready the remodeled parts of the carrying truck for the airplane occupied the day of the Johnson boys at their work shop on 10th Street on Monday The men expect to have their work completed and will take their remodshyeled parts to the camp near Blackhawk Tuesday eveshyning

Louis Johnson said Monday that they expect to have everything in readiness for the trial by Wednesday One man has been left at the camp while the others came to their home in Terre Haute over Sunday

qp tt ~~

Friday August 19 1910

JOHNSONS WAIT WEATHER FOR FIRST TEST OF FLYER HUGE MONOPLANE GIVES EVERY EVshyIDENCE OF BEING FULLY CAPABLE OF NAVshyIGATING THE AIR - the initial flight of the Johnson monoplane was scheduled to take place Friday aftershynoon but a strong wind swept over the field here and made the test impossible The huge flyer waits serenely for the first chance to take to the air having been thoroughly tested on the ground

Friday afternoon the monoplane was staked to the ground headed into the wind and the engine turned on for the purpose of determining her power Under full speed the flyer acquired the full strength of the helpers to keep her from leaping upward At half speed the power developed was not sufficient to convince the builders that the test would be a success in the wind as it is their desire to fly first under half power leaving the remainder for reserve while in the air

After the test of the engine Louis Johnson expressed himself as being unsatisfied with the condition of the engine and propeller

E ~~

Saturday August 201910

JOHNSON SHIP REFUSES TO QUIT TERRA FIRMA ENGINE FAILS TO DEVELOP SUFFICIENT SPEED

TO LIFT MACHINE INTO AIR - the Johnson brothers have made half a dozen attempts to fly the monoplane upon which they have worked for so many months and in none have they succeeded in getting the big machine into the air

Three times Friday they turned the big propeller under high speed and freed the machine from all restraints At a rate of about 12 mph it tore down a rough field only to be stopped at the limit of the course without having raised from the ground Three of these efforts were made before and three after alterations had been made to the propeller Saturday morning the Johnshysons were not disheartened or discouraged they had come to the realization that they were not as far advancshyed in the building of the machine as they had thought Their attention was turned to alterations that were expected to have a decided affect on the plane and also to the grounds upon which they were flying The aviashytion camp is located on exceedingly poor grounds It is rough and full of ruts and so soft that the tired wheels sink to 1 to 3 in it when the machine is started _Those who have watched the attempts to fly are of the opinion that the nature of the grounds is largely responsible for the failures as it is impossible to start the machine at a pace that will make it rise Whether the Johnsons will move or prepare a smoother runway is a question that has not yet been determined The three efforts to fly Saturday morning were made early while the sun was rising and the wind was low A fairly steady breeze from the south made it necessary to drive the machine up a slight grade into the wind but this was not sufficiently a factor to which to attribute a failure to rise The monoshyplane failed to fly simply because it did not have enough power to raise it from the ground There is no speed indicator in the camp and it is impossible to tell at what rate the propeller is revolved but several have estimated it at about 900 rpm 1500 rpm is considered necessary for success and the Johnsons may have to make radical changes in the propeller before making the desired speed_

Saturday evening before a large crowd they started the engine three times and raced down the field with Louis Johnson in the machine The first was probably the best of all the trials The monoplane attained a good rate of speed but it did not leave the ground The buildshyers decided the trouble was due to the size of the propelshyler and they cut it down several inches The result was the engine operated faster and more smoothly but it was by no means as speedy as necessary and the test made established that more alterations were necessary espicially if attempts to fly are from the present locashytions

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~ t_F ~~

Sunday August 211910

FOUR DEVOTEES OF AERONAUTICS MAINTAIN CHEERFULNESS IN FACE OF PARTIAL DISshyAPPOINTMENT WAITING FOR CALM JOHNSONS ADVANCE IN CONQUERING AIR SIX TRIALS OF MONOPLANE PROVE MANY THEORIES CORRECT BUT BRING PARTIAL DISAPPOINTMENT LOW SPEED PROPELLER PROVES TOO WEAK TO RAISE WEIGHT DIFFICULTIES AT FIELD AND APPLICAshyTION OF MOTORS ENERGY PRESENT PROBLEMS THAT MUST YIELD BEFORE PERSEVERENCE - Sunshyday the Johnson brothers who are now so earnestly engaged in the attempt to fly a monoplane in the old canal basin near Blackhawk are going to demonstrate that they can build a high power low speed motor fully adapted to the needs of the aviator

Just now they are encountering difficulties that would discourage many with a patience that means success they are working under handicaps that appear as insurmountable but must give way before their detershymination

Saturday morning the last of six attempts to make their machine leave terra firma failed and they went back to their tent disappointed after two weeks of the hardest kind of labor In spite of the cheerful attitude they assumed there was an air of disappointment all around the camp and even the jokes of the jolly party did not dispel it

The disappointment lay not so much in the fact that the machine failed to leave the ground in its trials as in the evidence that higher speed would be necessary for the proper operation of the motor It is the object of the Johnsons to develop a motor that will run a monoplane without the terrific speed common to those in use If they succeed in securing one of this type they have a fortune at their command They do not desire to construct an airplane merely for the purpose of flying If they did they could easily obtain the pattern of the Wright brothers machine or other machines and build accordingly or they could purchase a machine at less cost and trouble than they have encountered But having as their object the development of a low speed motor the failure of the one now in use to do the work expected was disappointing Although it whirled the propeller at a speed that astonished the spectators it was not operated at a rate of which it is capable but at a rate very much lower and which the builders hope would be sufficient for its purpose

Consequently when the speed attained by the motor in the first trials Friday proved insufficient one of the hopes of the Johnsons was dashed

Reluctantly they cut down the size of the propeller knowing that every inch shaved from it would increase the speed of the engine Two inches all around were sacrificed in the desire to raise the skybird and the result was a perceptible increase in the number of revolushytions and consequently a steadier engine Some consolashyLIon was offered by the fact that even with the reduced propeller there was little vibration noticeable about the machine

Late Friday night the airplane was run out of its tent and the motor started The effect was extraordinary and the hopes of the Johnsons that they had accomplished their purpose ran high Saturday morning early the fourth attempt to fly and the first with the reduced propeller was made

Whether the alterations had any effect on the raising power of the motor was difficult to determine because of the conditions under which the trial was made A steady breeze from the south made it necessary to start the machine from the north end of the field at the foot of the small incline and on ground that was wet and soft The machine behaved no better than before bllt whether it was due to the propeller the grade or the soft ground was a question the Johnsons were not ready to answer To eliminate the grade is almost impossible To wait for a more favorable wind is nerve racking yet the Johnsons will have to do all of these things before making sure that they have the propeller rightly proporshytioned for the task

Whatever may be determined regarding the propeller it remains that the Johnsons have demonstrated an engine that is remarkable for its power and speed combined with its steadiness and construction The motor is of the 2 cycle type 4 cylinders This means that an explosion occurs in each cylinder just twice as often as in the more common 4 cycle 4 cylinder type More power is the result and 75 hp is the indication This is accomplished by combining the Johnson patent valve with cylinders set at an angle of 1800 and big carburetors The patent valve is one on which the men have worked for a long time and they have shown by it a method of allowing more gas to enter the cylinders withshyout increasing the size of the valve a point of corisidershyable value in construction Then they have obtained a motor that will run at great speed and create so little vibration that it scarcely causes a tremor in the light wooden frame of the airship All in all the motor has conducted itself in a manner that is deemed most satisfactory It is applying it to the airplane that has

proven the puzzle and that is the very point the Johnshysons are seeking

The Johnson monoplane will fly because it is constructed on the proper principles for flight That it has not been successfully launched as yet is due to two things - the experience in designing and operating of the men in control of it and the unfavorable conditions under which the trials have been made Both of these points will be overcome in time While they are eliminatshying the unfavorable conditions they are learning from experience the points they have overlooked in designing and they are learning rapidly how to operate it

The story of the construction of the Johnson monoshyplane is one of hard work and persistent effort The Johllsons have had no teacher in the art They have studied much observed a great deal and gathered from experience a great deal more than the average man will ever know about airplanes No one realizes more than they that there is a great deal more to be learned That is why after months of work they took their machine to the Blackhawk basin It was two weeks ago today that they arrived there and since that time they have fought mosquitos malaria and rain in a most credible effort to work out the theories they have formed It is not a pleasant task but one that requires thought constant experiment and careful reasoning They are not particshyularly interested in what the public thinks about their work They want to apply the Johnson motor to aeroshynautics

As one enters the aviation field he is greeted by a sign that reads Welcome - Outside the Tent The sign is expressive of the attitude of the Johnson boys They are willing that anyone watch them at work free about giving information when asked but they promise nothing and consequently are not responsible for the disappointment of the many who have come to see them fly and have left without that satisfaction

Julius Johnson expressed their attitude well when he said while waiting for a wind to subside we have waited a year to get to this point with the machine and we can afford to wait another day rather than run the chances of breaking up the airplane

Last weeks activity at the camp became intensive Thursday morning when the machine was run out of its protection for the first time the frame buckled This was immediately repaired and trials of the engine and frame made that evening Friday three unsuccessful attempts to raise the machine were made and Saturday with an altered propeller three more efforts brought no better success

When the last visitor departed from the aviation field Thursday night the Johnsons rested content with their

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preparations for a flight on the early morning air Time work until as the crowd left the field Thursday night noon for further tests to be made solely on the ability of and again the builders had been disappointed in not they saw the end of the last bit of preparation for an air the machine to lift It is expected that the trial will1ake having it ready for flight at the time agreed upon Little test place about an hour before sunset No effort at flightweaknesses that could not be foreseen became apparent While it has been disappointing to visit the aviation will be made at this time the test being confined to when the machine was started across the rough field had field and fail to witness an attempt to fly the chagrin of determining the buoyancy of the machine its balance yielded one by one to careful attention and ingenuity the Johnson brothers and Pearl Conover has been and general fitness for flight Every nut and bolt on the unwieldly looking skybird had greater Living in a single big tent pitched in a malaria been inspected and found in first class condition The breeding district pestered by insects and blistered with rt _ alterations made necessary by faulty calculations as to the heat they have put up with all kinds of inconvenshy ~~ weight and pressure on the running gear were completed iences since leaving Terre Haute and every hours delay and the new woodwork covered with a preserving paint In the center of the structure the light but powerful engine shown in polished brilliancy Just in front of it the big propeller built of many pieces and smoothed to a surface like glass was perfect to the last detail A sliver that had been knocked from it was replaced with cement and its bearing was as true as science could make it Stretching away on each side for 16 were ribbed wings on which so much depends each without a flaw or scratch At their tips hung the balancing planes so delicately fitted that the slightest movement of the operator was reflected by a changed position To the eye the machine was perfect and the builders who worked so patiently at last were satisfied it was ready for its initial trip

It now appeared that nothing stood in the way of a thorough demonstration but the Johnson brothers were doomed to meet another disappointment Under its power for the first time Louis Johnson drove the airship down the field from the tent in which it had been housed Three of the four cylinders were in operation yet it was evident that the Johnson motor was suffishyciently powerful for the purposes of the craft At speed that hurried those who accompanied it the aircraft ran along over the rough ground with little or no vibration from the motor and a steadiness that spelled success Four men hung to it with their weight keeping it from mounting the air while the driver accustomed himself to the situation and watched the engine and the plane

This was the final test of the monoplane before it was entrusted to the element for which it was constructed This test fully demonstrated that the care bestowed upon its construction was not misplaced There was not a flaw noticeable in any of its moving parts There was nothing about its action that indicated a single weakness But one thing marred the success of this test and Thursshyday night saw that one point corrected The long body or frame that extends from the plane to the rudder on the tail was not sufficiently strong to stand the strain of alighting from a height as was shown in its action during this test Immediately the builders prepared to strengthshyen it and all day Thursday they worked on this one part rebracing and adding to the solidity of this frame

has been bitter to them Malaria sent Clarence Johnson the youngest of the camp back to the city unfit to be about Mr Conover succumbed to it one day but was able to throw off the attack The Johnson brothers have all felt the effect of life in the camp and as Louis Johnshyson expressed it Are dead anxious to get to doing something

- shy~~ Monday October 10 1910 MONOPLANE JUSTIFIES EFFORTS OF JOHNSONS AIRCRAFT GOES INTO AIR SEVERAL TIMES AT TESTS MADE SUNDAY- after many weeks of quite work at their camp on the old reservoir prairie 3 miles east of Blackhawk in an effort to perfect the airplane which when first tried out was found to be lacking in a few particulars Louis Harry and Julius Johnson the inventors and builders of the Johnson Bros airplane succeeded in making several lifts with the aircraft at tests made Sunday evening Three tests were made and it was on the third one that the machine lifted from the ground Several times the craft raised for distances of from 15 to 20 Though the height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time this fact was rather to lack in certain details than because the airplane could not raise higher

The craft exhibited a wonderful buoyancy for the test and tended to leave the ground at all times higher than it was allowed to However necessity for certain corrections was manifested before a flight could be safely made and to avoid possible wrecking of the machine it was held down at all times

An assistant of the Johnson boys in their efforts toward perfecting the machine stated Monday that an idea of buoyancy of the machine could be gained from the fact that when starting on the soft dirt just previous to the test that it would leave no track in the soft dirt but that when being brought back for a second test it would plow back into the soil for a depth of 6

Preparations were almost completed Monday after-

Tuesday October II 1910 JOHNSON GIVES EXPRESSION TO SATISFACTION WITH PLANE TEST CONTINUED TO OCCUpy TIME OF BROTHERS AT AVIATION FIELD - Louis Johnson the elder of the Johnson brothers builders of the Johnson Monoplane spent Tuesday in Terre Haute looking after business matters The other two brothers Julius and Harry are at the aviation field making a few required minor changes in the mechanism preparatory to attempting a flight Wednesday or Thursday

Louis will return to the field Tuesday evening to be ready to sit at the wheel of the machine in the initial attempt at flight

We have gone far enough now to see through to the end and we now know that the theory which we have been working is the right one We will fly within a few days possible Wednesday or Thursday The changes now being made are only minor adjustments which were seen to be necessary in our tests as to the lifting power of the machine

-shy~~ Editors Note

The brothers apparently abandoned the attempts to make the 1910 airplane fly shortly after this in October 1910 and started work on an improved design which was successful in the summer of 1911 Between the end of October and the middle of July 1911 they built an entirely new airplane but used the same power plant that had been used in the 1910 version The new airplane was radically different in design using basically a metal framework cloth covered wings and cloth covered tail surfaces which were supported on a single aluminum boom It had a tricycle gear as contrasted with the conventional gear in the 1910 plane It had wing-warping in place of the moveable surfaces at the tips of the wings steerable nose wheel and brakes and many other engineering refinements~

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Ross Smith had never seen an airplane and was attractshyed to one ofthe public displays of the Johnson monoplane the practice being a charge of 25cent to see it in the tent to help alleviate the costs The plane had barely flown and excitement was running high Ross evidently took one look at it and said thats for me Its hard to guess how he convinced the Johnsons that he should take a hand at it however it is very possible that he was the only one with enough nerve and the J ohnsons had spent a great deal of theirs A bird in the hand at this point was probably welcome According to the records the

motor was started and Ross ran the plane up and down the field for some half hour experimenting with the controls learning how to use the throttle steering the airplane accelerating until it was light Evidently Ross had figured play ti me was over and the description states suddenly the plane shot forward and then rose graceshyfully into the air His very first flight lasted for 30 minutes and he thrilled the onlookers as he flew back and forth over the field (I nstructors take note - how many students would you turn loose in a better machine of today with 30 minutes of instruction)

Barely two days atter Rosss first flight he launched into the professional flying ranks in a big way He immeshydiately received an offer from his home town of Mattoon Illinois to engage in some demonstration flights and was paid for three flights at $50000 per flight Airplanes were so rare in these days that people paid to look at them and in most cases such flights were initiated by promotors seeking a quick fortune You would believe that flying such an airplane was enough of a daredevil stunt but not for our friend Ross He managed to concoct stunts that even from this distance

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in time seem absolutely ridiculous Daredevil is too mild a word One of his next exploits was an engagement to fly the monoplane during a 10 day Chautauqua Now for you youngsters youll have to run to the dictionary however Ill save you the effort The name Chautauqua originated in New York where some wise promoter startshyed an educational summer camp Families took their vacations very similar to those going to Oshkosh for the week long fly-in lived in tents in a large tent community that attracted as many as 50000 people during its run This particular Chautauqua that contracted for Rosss services with the Johnson airplane was at Merom Bluff Indiana a high point on the Wabash River The bluff was in Sullivan County and stood 150 above the river on one side while the opposite side fell to flat farm land going away from the river in a flat plain Th is particular Chautauqua was obviously one of great importance for the midwest and attractions included William Jennings Bryan Senator Robert LaFollette William Howard Taft former President of the United States Vice President Thomas R Marshall a gal named Maude Ballington Booth discussing prison reform John Temple Graves a noted orator of the time and Jeanette Rankin the first American Congresswoman The Chautauqua encomshypassed every subject from religion to suffrage child care and anything at all that would interest the family

To spice this particular Chautauqua Ross came up with the idea of building a 250 wooden platform with its far end hanging over the bluff on the river side The intent was to fly the airplane from this platform and fly it he did for many performances Descriptions of the flight states that the airplane labored uphill gained speed and disappeared from the end of the platform in what must have been a free fall until it gained flying speed leveling out some safe distance above the river then circling back over the Chautauqua area like a peacock preening its feathers It must have been a supreme thrill for all to witness There was no possible way to land at the Chautauqua area so Ross would cross the river to the Illinois side and land on a road at the ferry The plane would then be disassembled hauled back across the river pulled back up the winding road to the bluff for its next days operation

I n the eyes of the Chautauqua attendance Ross was no doubt walking mighty tall despite his slight stature It was quite common practice for the Johnson airplane to be engaged for fairs etc at which time it generally flew off the racetrack Evidently by this time a standard stunt

This monoplane piloted by Ross Smith flew off the Merom Bluff daily August 22-37 7973 during the Chautauqua

This was the view from the Merom Bluff The picture is deceiving for it was 750 down to the water Note the Ferry cars and buggies waiting to cross and climb the winding road up the bluff This is the view Ross Smith had as he literally dove his plane off the platform without adequate flying speed The result was a near free fall with flying speed gained in time to narrowly miss striking the water below The flight was enacted daily to please the crowd

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-

Ross Smith preparing for an exhibition flight Note man with ladder at right below wing It was a tall gear and a long climb to mount this machine

had been for the airplane to race a car on the track Dirt track races being part of almost every fair there was always someone present willing to race At one such event it states that Speed in the air and on land thrills thousands Aviator Ross L Smith and Speed King Wild Bob Burman held first place in the hearts of sensation lovers for the wild thrills they gave the thousands at the fairgrounds on Sunday Taking off from the track Ross flew around the track circled the infield and landed directly in front of thegrandstand amid the applause of thousands As an additional build up to the race Burman took Ross for a ride in his 300 hp Blitzen Benz and proceeded to smash the world record for a mile on a half mile dirt track breaking his own former record His

speed was just over 60 mph but this meant that 80 mph must have been his speed on the straight away On the first lap he gave Ross a thrill by hitting the turn too fast and almost losing control in a skid Evidently Ross did not appreciate the ride for when Burman said he would go up with him in his plane Ross calmly said that if he did he would get pushed out Burman of course immeshydiately changed his mind Evidently this was the last of Burmans summer appearances and he was going to spend his time readying himself for the 500 mile motor speedway event He had held the lead the previous year until his machine caught fire and burned while he was many laps ahead

As to the race between the airplane and the car the

airplane invariably won all events in spite of the fact that the cars appeared to be going faster Speed in the air does not seem to be speed compared to a roaring monster of an auto spewing exhaust and throwing large clods of dirt as it rounds every corner Smith evidently thrilled the crowd with a simple thing that today would be called a touch and go Newspaper emotes over the fact that even the French exhibition flyers had not done such a thing stating that Ross had no trouble at all in thrilling the crowd In another engagement it states that Ross L Smith will pilot the Johnson brothers monshyoplane during the Corn Week Show sponsored by the Rotary Club of Terre Haute The big thrill of this event was to be a flight down Wabash Avenue between the

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buildings just above the street car wires It was stated it would be the first time in history that an aviator would attempt such a dangerous feat The plane was to be brought down until the wheels barely cleared the wires then proceed west down the street to the Court House where the plan was to circle the big dome I n a flair of penmanship the author writes it will be unusual for a businessman to see the wings of an airplane almost brushing the windows of his building He further states the trip will be a dangerous one but the aviator and the builders of the machine have such faith in the monshyoplane that they believe that both will stand the test

I n a later account where Smith was engaged to fly an exhibition over Elsworth he decided to give them a new thrill and go for altitude With much circling he reached dizzying height of 2000 where he passed through a cloud bank that confused him for a short time On recovering from the confusion he found himself at 1000 (he invented vertigo no dOUbt)

In still another account it states the Johnson monshyoplane gave one of the best exh ib itions of the art of flying it has been our pleasure to witness There were no death defying stunts just plain flying

The monoplane took off on the back stretch of the race track and for 30 minutes circled dived swooped and turned running up and down the valley for several miles It states the limited space in which he had to land caused him some trouble He had failed to make the first descent (made a go-around - probably the first) When finally on the ground Aviator Ross stated it was the hardest day to fly on he had ever experienced as the air seemed dead and no breeze whatsoever was stirring Density altitude)

About the year 1913 Ross was running out of tricks the bag was getting empty so he decided to scoop them all He announced that he would like to fly the Atlantic and from all records it appears that he was the first to have such serious ideas He was at least 19 years ahead of his time He proposed to fly the flimsy Johnson airplane across the Atlantic alone - a statement that makes Lindshyberghs remarks an echo of the past He approached the Navy Department and asked them to place 10 battleshysh ips at intervals of 300 miles apart figuring that th is would be the maximum load of gasoline possible to carry The Navy of course refused considering the flight across the Atlantic as only a hair brained scheme The Government was not very interested in flying at this time and their decision was certainly not a surprise

~

Evening flights from the field were customary

Ross did not remain silent on this issue and at a later time stated in print when the Atlantic is crossed it will be by a flying boat and not a dirigible

In reading the history of these days all of the emshyphasis on long range travel was transfered to the gas bag History proved Ross to be 100 right and the Navys NC4s were the first to fly across

To further add hues of color to his career Ross was perhaps the first American aviator to get an offer from a foreign government and probably one of the first conceptions of military aviation was born President Huerta of Mexico offered him a high ranking position in the Mexican Army if he would organize an air force for them Ross immediately declined Poncho Villa who was then the bad boy of Mexico and conducting what we would call today Guerilla attack tried to make Ross a better offer of $2000 a month in gold to do the same thing for his side Ross declined that too Time proved how wise he was in declining this offer for one of his best friends was killed - not while he was flying but by Villas own men Four of Rosss friends had decided to fly for Villa but when weeks went by and they received no pay they drew straws to see who would confront Villa with the facts Mickey McGuire (the wild Irish Rose of the skies) was unlucky enough to get the job and foolish enough to make the attempt He faced the illiterate General in his tent and asked for the money

The General promptly whipped out a 45 caliper pistol and shot McGuire through the heart In revenge the remaining three proceeded to burn Villas airplanes saving one to make their escape in They successfully flew that one back to the United States

This was not Rosss last encounter with Army life As World War I came along there were but 50 flyers availshyable for instructors in the US He was one that formed the nucleus of the great Flying Corps This group was called on to also perform test pilot functions and in their vernacular did nose dives tail spins and no doubt were the first creators of aerobatic flying in this country This was no doubt a cup of tea for our adventuresome Mr Ross captivated the services and the record that he established was remarkable General Andrews commenshyded Ross with a citation ending it with a comment Seven years without a serious mishap Ross lived a long and successful life and became very well known in Wash ington and for years was Public Relations Manager for the Hot Shopps a food chain in the East He lived a full life and died on February 19 1959 For an advenshyturesome person who lead such a colorful life and seemingly knew no fear he must have also been blessed with skill and a great amount of common sense In the Hot Shopps Company magazine from which some of this material was gleaned they coined an epitaph for him stating simply An amazing man ~

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the structure and performance but I wish that I could hear from you some anecdotes of the times when you and your brothers were building and flying this airplane You have told me that th is was constructed as an improvement over the one you and your brothers made in 1909 May I suggest that Mrs Johnson and you might have lunch with me We can continue our conversation there

Mr Shaw While you two are at lunch Ill glue these hands together around this wheel

Mr Garber Thanks Win Well be back before long (Later) Mr Garber Now we are back from lunch It was

particularly enjoyable to have Mrs Johnson with us During lunch we spoke further about the airplane Mr Johnson said that there were two things which inshyfluenced their discontinued operations of the airplane and their further interest in aeronautics One factor was a cyclone which demolished their factory and another factor was their hope to get a contract for some airplane engines from Russia That was after the beginning of World War I in Europe 1914 The Johnson airplane had conti nued in flight through 1913 and during that year the brothers were thinking of developing a more powershyful engine The engine as shown in this model had 4 cylinders but the brothers intended to develop the type with 6 8 and possibly 12 cylinders The Russians became interested in the most powerful Johnson engine and the Johnson Brothers invested a great deal of money and effort into the development of the 8 and 12 cylinder engines The Russian government was rather unsettled at that time and it seemed difficult for the agents of that nation to make up their mind When the Johnson Brothers learned that the Russians preferred a 12 cylshyinder engine they decided that it should be of the 4 cycle type but the brothers could not obtain a magneto of sufficient power and reliability to use in the ignition system Had the Russian government ordered the 8 cylshyinder engines in quantity or had the brothers been able to get an experimental contract for development of the 12 cylinder engines and been able to produce a protoshytype that was satisfactory the Johnson Brothers might well have gone into the business of manufacturing airshyplane engines and developing more advanced examples of their airplanes But not receiving such encouragement the brothers decided to concentrate on Marine engi nes Also there were some financiers who were considering investing money in the Johnson Company The investors

believed that aviation was an unstable field and they would not agree to put their money into the Johnson Brothers enterprise when the state of aeronautics was so indefinite and considered to be unreliable Moreover there was the thought on the part of these investors that if any of the Johnson Brothers were injured in the course of their flying that their company would thereby be deprived these services thus reducing or even closing the operations of the Marine engine plant So those three factors the severe damage to their plant by the tornashydo the loss of the Russian contract and the attitude of investors caused the brothers to give up airplanes and airplane engines and concentrate on Marine engines For a while the brothers made a small gasoline-engined unit which was attached to a bicycle and called the Johnson motor wheel (I remember that these were sometimes built into 4-wheel wagons and used by boys for transportation around the neighborhood A friend of mine had one about 1916 which he and I would freshyquently go from my home which was then near the Naval Observatory all the way over to my friends familys summer home in Virginia) After that the brothers got into the making of outboard motors they being the first ones to use a rope for starting the engine Now of course Johnson outboard motors are famous and the company itself is very substantial Mr Louis Johnson and Mr Harry Johnson are retired from their business and Clarence is continuing it Julius Johnson I was told had withdrawn his investment several years ago into another line Clarence was the youngest of a family of 7 children but at the time when the airplane was being made and flown he was too young to participate other than by lighting bonfires so that the pilot could land the airplane when evening was coming on At present time one of the five brothers and one of the two sisters have passed away Mr Johnson is there anything that we havent covered in our discussion here in the shop or at lunch

Mr Johnson How about the springs on the landing gear You notice that they extend upward at an angle from their lower connection near the rear wheels Those springs were very useful when we were rolling over rough ground and then when we landed these springs would stretch upward so that the skid would touch the ground and help to slow us down for landing

Mr Garber I see that you have made miniature springs here and that they operate the same as in the original airplane

Mr Johnson Yes I have put it all in there exactly as it was nearly 50 years ago

Mr Garber I notice that you have some heavy springs up here in the horizontal section of the control cables where they connect to the cables coming off of the control wheel They look like whiffletree springs What were they used for

Mr Johnson Well when the aviator pulled his control wheel back it would tend to shorten this cable here but the springs were so arranged as to take up that extra play and similarly permitted the connections to elongate when the aviator pushed the wheel forward That would keep the chain from coming loose on these sprockets over which the length of chain passed Thus the spring would expand or contract to compensate for the over-all differences in the lengths of the connections to the elevators Now for take-down purposes we could take the wings off and lay them alongside of the body when we were going down the road or moving it from one place to another One end of the wings would rest on this pin here and the other end on this cross bar while the trailing edge would lay against the upper strucshyture of the fuselage We would tie the wings in place and then we could pull the whole machine along acountry road behind a horse-drawn wagon and then bring it into a field where we could take off One of the fields that we used had a bluff there and we would usually take off from the top of the bluff

Mr Garber About dimensions you have told me that the scale of this model is 1 1 O That is 110 size every part being 110 that of the original A decimal scale

Mr Johnson Yes that is right the wing span was 36 feet and the length was 34 feet That was measured from the front of the front wheel to the extreme rear over-all The propeller was 8 feet in diameter and the width of the wing was 8 feet

Mr Garber Do you remember the pitch of the propeller

Mr Johnson Yes that was 4Y2 feet The revolutions per minute were about 1200 on the ground but I dont know how fast the engine turned up when the airplane was in the air In the air it must have been more than on the ground We had no indicator on the machine howshyever Here is another thing I had not mentioned The cables extending from the rear spar connections on the right side of the wing to the corresponding fittings on the left side would pass over the pullies on top of these upright cabane braces here and in that way they would

10

move span wise from side to side when the wing was warped

Mr Garber You told me during lunch that in all of the flights with this airplane there had never been any serious crack-ups You said a few minor damages had occurred that were easily repaired and that the airplane was flown until 1913

Mr Johnson Yes right up to the winter of 1913 but not over into 1914

Mr Garber Was there any change in the design during that period

Mr Johnson No this model shows how it was at the beginning and how it was al l the time we were flying it I dont recall any changes that were made all that time except these flanges here on these longitudinal fuselage pipes At first we didnt have them on and then we added them in order to help make the engine run cooler They were on in 1911 however so we must have put them on rather soon after we built it On the model I have made them out ofrsheet brass but on the airplane they are made of copper and were of L-shaped section On the model it was quite a problem to figure out how to make them but first I ran the brass through a set of gears so as to form these parts that expand up and then I made a tool for pinching those U-shaped parts flat That formed the shape that would fit around the pipe Then I soldered them together soldering the joint on the unerneath line of the tubing on this model but in the original airplane we soldered each piece on separately

Mr Garber That is certainly a wonderful story and I marvel not only at your ingen io us craftsmanship in constructing the original but also in the exquisite jewelshylike precision and beauty with which you made this miniature reproduction Is this to be accessioned as a gift from all three brothers

Mr Johnson Yes thats right from all three of us We are very honored to have it here in the National Air Museum

Mr Garber Well I assure you Mr Johnson and I assure your brothers that we ourselves are honored to accept it from you and to display it I know that our visitors will be thrilled by the excellence of this beautiful model Those brothers are yourself Louis whom I met and Julius who I have not had the pleasure of meeting yet

Mr Johnson Thats right that is Louis J Johnson Harry L Johnson and Julius M Johnson

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Mr Garber The correspondence clearly indicates that th is is being given by the three brothers to the National Air Museum At the time when I had the pleasure of seeing Mr Louis Johnson he mentioned also a trophy and said that would be available and I assured him that we will be pleased to have it I will contact Mr Beldon about that May I confirm the address please

Mr Johnson Yes Louis J Johnson is now at Drumshymond Island Michigan Julius M Johnson is at Meadow Court Hotel Bradenton Florida and after Mrs Johnson and I return from a little trip we are taking we will be back home at R R-1 Culver I ndiana We will stop off at

Washington as we turn back toward home after we visit some friends up North

Mr Garber Thank you again Mr Johnson and Mrs Johnson we are further indebted to your husband for bringing you I hope that you have enjoyed your visit to the Museum We will proceed to put this beautiful model on exhibition so that we and our visitors can enjoy it Again and always our sincere appreciation to you Letters of acknowledgment will be sent to you and to your brothers and we are very grateful to you pershysonal[y for assembling the model here and informing us aboutit~

11

~ife Story of

Lou JOHNSON Pioneer Airplane Manufacshy

turer and Aviator Developer

of the Vee Type Motor and

Modern Outboard Engine

As Recorded in an Interview

By Dorothy Jefferson

Konold

Especially for MoToR BoatinG March 1927

Lou Johnson grinned cheerfully as he answered my questions concerning his initial flight Lou is the eldest and the leader of those four red-headed Johnson brothshyers who designed constructed and flew the first successshyful American monoplane in Terre Haute Indiana eightshyeen years ago and who have taken many remarkable steps in the perfection of V-type motors

Kind of funny he sa id with that quiet reticent humor which is so much a part of his personality When that machine was ready to go up I had not the remotest

(Continued on page 15)

Louis johnson makes first stccessful flight with johnson Aeroplane

12

Vintage Upper Left Note the brass steam condenser (tea kettle) just behind the engine In front of the condenser is the ignition system Large box was magneto and selective cylinder control later substituted for blip switch

Lower Left The johnson Motor wheel served the Company for a period of time - after aeroplanes and before outboards As a child I rememshyber a johnson motor wheel powered buckboard (a bicycle wheeled contrivance about twice the size of a childs wagon accommodating two passengers)

13

Album

Upper Right A good shot of the east side of the engine with Louis Johnsons wife at the controls The propeller was made of alternate strips of spruce and walnut

Lower Right This engine could enhance my living room anytime Everything the Johnshyson brothers did was done to perfection Imagine what a 72 cylinder 2 cycle engine could have done for an aeroplane shytoo bad they were never successfully applied

14

idea how to fly Had to learn that at the same time I was testing out the plane Quite different nowadays learning all the principles in an aviation school and then having a perfectly good standardized thoroughly inspected plane delivered into your hands In the old days you had to keep your wits about you all right You never knew what might happen next Ill never forget the first time I went fifty feet off the ground It was lots more of a surprise to me than it was to the spectators

We were sitting in the cheerful home-like living room where Mr johnson does most of his reading and much of his designing A log fire snapped on the hearth and the atmosphere suggested such peace and retirement that it was almost impossible to see in the modest kindly man who sat before me that rugged grimly determined Hoosier lad who never allowed a class-mate to pass him in school who dreamed fantastic things with his boyish brain and carried them out with his amazingly skillful boyish hands who permitted no failure even heavensent destruction in the form of a tornado that completely wiped out his entire motor plant in a few hours to come between him and his goal and who has accepted success with an unconscious grace known to few At forty-five Louis james johnson occupies an enviable position in the engineering world yet one has only to converse with him a few moments to be certain he feels that only a very small portion of his work has been accompl ished

And what he admits of success he attributes in no great measure to his own ability He tells you gravely of two paramount influences in his youth and insists that a boy given these could not have failed

The first influence as you may have guessed was his home life

Meeting Mr johnsons parents as they are today it is not difficult to understand the reverence that is accordshyed them by all of their five children Father johnson at eighty-four has the keen clear eye of a man of sixty His most prized possession is a motor wheel presented to him when his sons were manufacturing them and he rides daily During the war he was called by the govshyernment to take over an important task in an ammunishytion factory for though he had been long in idleness his ability as an expert tool dresser was well known and they were unable to find skill in younger men that matched his Coming from Denmark when he was nine he went at a very early age into a machine shop reaching the place where he could gauge steel by his senses as accurately as other men ga uged it by instruments And

from the first hi s so ns were benefited by an interest and cooperation which very few fathers know how to give

We always had our own tools and work-benches Lou explained Father indulged us in these things as wealthier men indulge their children in expens ive toys We were encouraged to try our hand at any sort of construction that appealed to us And father was always there to advise and assist No task even the building of a sled was regarded as trivial We were taught to put sincere effort into everything and to finish whatever we began

Mother johnson quietly sitting softly rocking speaks in a low almost awed tone of her boys and you know at once what her part in their story has been

When Lou was only twelve she says he decided he wanted a new sled We couldnt afford to buy him the kind he selected so he took an axe and went out into the woods and cut down a tree He worked at it until he had his lumber ready Then he sat down and drew a design We didnt think he could carry it out he was such a little fellow but first thing we knew he had someshything that looked like a real sled The only trouble was with the runners Finally he took the rim off an old buggy wheel pounded it down flat and fastened it to his wooden runners Father got him some red and black

1paint and I want to tell you he had a sled to be proud of I have it in my attic now and you couldnt buy a A better one shy

The second influence you cannot guess It was the Wabash river When the johnson boys were still youngsters the

family moved from Effingham Illinois to Terre Haute I ndiana All of the boys Lou Harry julius Clarence and Arthur (the latter being the one who lost his life some years ago in a factory accident) were enchanted with the river

Our Danish blood Lou smiles quietly It seemed to them that life would not be worth living until they owned a boat

Make it their parents encouraged So the boat was begun and before the summer ended

it was an admitted success But another summer came and brought new ambitions Lou johnson and Nell Cockerham johnson

Louis and Harry wearied of rowing each other about It is rumored that she flew the johnson airshyone day and began to dream plane The family doubts that she did

If we had a motor - Pictures of her in the plane may have been We couldnt afford to buy one - responsible for the rumor (See page 74) We could race neverything

15

Gee how fast d you suppose we co uld go They approached their father and mother Make it said the parents fi nall y with less enthushy

siasm than they were wont to show Gasoline motors were strange toys in those times

But the moto r slowl y assembled proved the env y of all their small assoc iates It was t he two-horse power inboard type a quaint ancestor for the outboard of today but it chall enged and defeated many a marine moto r of prouder origin

The influence of the Wabash shyHigh School was completed with so exce ll ent a

record in mathematics that Terre Hau te professors still speak of Lo us asto nishing ab ility in that line and the yo ung inventor for he was now recognized as that sought hi s fathers consent to engage in marin e motor man ufacture

As usua l hi s parents nodd ed approval They had a lways wished their boys to be in business for t hemshyselves a nd there was money ready for a sma ll factory

Here it is interesting to make a note on the progress of Louis Jo hnsons education No more schooling yet systematic stud y never neglected in the press of any c irc umstances whatever More mathematics a keener interest in everything pertaining to the mechanical sciences engineeri ng co urses Constant reading evshyid enced today by the books that surround him in his home

A few years of this marine work and then the brain that dreamed and the hands that were ever ready to carry out those dreams united in a burni ng desire to drive something far more romantic than river boats with a gaso line engine

He wanted a sled and made o ne He wanted a laun ch and he made o ne He wanted an airplane and he made one It was Americas first triumph with a monopl ane

No o ne probab ly will ever know just what those broth ers suffered in the way of ridicule disappointment a nd discourage ment in the first period of their struggle with th e unknown air monster But they drove ahead undaunted and fi nally something that resembled an ominous bird of prey was hatched

Not only the Indiana town in whi ch it was bo rn thought thi s creation a fantastic f ledgling Looking over Mr Johnso ns scrap-book one comes to hi ghl y amusing comments by the press in various parts of the country Wright and Curtiss were experimenting at the same time of course but air asce nsion was still regarded in the light

of so rcery Working fever ishly day and night and with th e

utmost secrecy the Johnso n brothers of Terre Haute India na are said to be toiling and scheming to put together a huge bird-like machine which is slated either to fulf ill their fo ndest hopes or prove their bitterest disappointment says a cl ipping of September 26 1909

Desp ite the Jo hnsons effo rts at secrecy spectators began to throng the camp in the old reservoir bed ear ly Saturday afte rnoon and later automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place of the Flyer All the far mers took the afternoo n off to view the mach ine news of which had leaked out in spite of the covered e ntra nce to the farm where the try-out is to be held

This a li tt le later in the Terre Haute Tribune Mr Joh nson ch uckl es soft ly as he reviews these

notices The betting ran high at those fi rst ex hibitions he

says Bets ran about two to one that wed not get off the gro und People a lways paid to see the machine too One day in Hill sboro Illino is we took in 2500 gate admissio ns of twenty-five cents each

Gasoline of course was regarded with much fear and the greatest caution used Before the engine was started a crier ran down the f ield warning spectators of the imminent danger and forbidd ing them to smoke

But the queer creature t hat the Johnson brothers had labored w ith was now winning wagers for those who had faith in it The press spoke of a f light as a lift and fo ll owi ng a discouragingly ra iny sum mer when muddy fields delayed the tests for weeks we read

After a period of experiment covering some time the Jo hnson brothers made a successful lift at their camp Sunday evening The machine was started on the aershyd ro me track from which it was run down the field in an effort which finally succeeded in raising it clear of the ea rth Severa l times the craft raised for d istances of from fifteen to twenty feet though th e height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time

Among the things that the history of tomorrow will carry will be the invention and construction of the first successful American monoplane It will recount the years of unaided struggle by those red-headed Johnson bro thers in Terre Haute I ndiana who brought out of a chaos of thought the most wonderful th ing up to the year 1912 in the way of an aero engine mounted on a steel flyer that really flew

The original motor was mounted on a wooden fra me the wings were of silk and the position of the flyer was perilous The improved monoplane boasted a steel frame stronger win gs and the aviator was pl aced above and behind the machinery eliminating the danger of being crushed by the engine in a fall

This successful ai rplane had a spread of 36 feet a length of 34 feet 260 square feet of plane surface and weighed 750 pou nd s I t had a speed of better than sixty mil es an hour and was driven by a V-type motor which was in the nature of a revolution

Then came the Johnson School of Aviation Now that there were pl anes to fly there must be

av iators to fly them But while many young men took a keen interest in the sport fro m the sidelines most of them were sti ll decided ly earthbo und However there were two immediate ap plicants and Ross L Smith who trained one hundred and fifty men during t he war was Lou Johnsons first pupil Frank Schutt was the other and to him befell the thrill of crashing to ground from a height of 1500 ft and landing unhurt His acc ident was caused by a shortage of gas as were many other similar catastrophies of the time

But there is a more perso na l note to be sounded in connection with Mr Johnsons f lights Something other than motors and his aviatio n schoo l engrossed him Th ere was a charming young person in the hood and dust coat supposed to represent the ideal sport costume of the day always ready to assay the clouds with him Up to now spectators had gazed in obvious ad miratio n at the mother who bade her son such a brave god-speed when he started upo n those fearsome uncharted voyshyages Her gallant bearing unfa ilingly caused a little ripple of com ment But now anoth er woman stood at her side eq ually anxious yet equally hero ic It was whispered that Miss Ne ll Cockerham also of Terre Haute had often been up in the machine with Mr Johnson and that she evidently took a keen interest in monoplanes shy

The story is briefly told in two headlin es from the local paper

DISCOVERED- PRETTY MISS WHO FLEW IS I NTERESTED IN BIRD MAN THEN AVIATOR JOHNSON UP IN AIR- MISSED TRAIN ONWEDDING DAY

A new partnership was formed for it is evident to everyone who contacts the Johnsons in either a business or a social way that theirs had proven a very successful marriage and that Mrs Johnsons intere st has been

16

manifested in every phase of the inventors work But the influence of the Wabash shyFlying was all very well Mr Johnson admitted when

questioned concerning his return to motor-boat building but the call of his first love was too strong to ignore for long Of course during these remarkable three years he had never ceased to manufacture the Johnson marine motor but following his marriage he devoted himself intensively to the development of several ideas he had held in embryo while he sought the conquest of the clouds

Soon the Johnson brothers were offering twenty models of marine motors Racing motors ranged from single cylinder to twelve cylinder type One of these held therecord in the 320 in class for four years

But the fates having accorded this much in justice to the originality persistency and energy of the Johnson family evidently decreed that the number thirteen must cast an ominous influence upon the new industry The tornado of 1913 is well remembered by all who lived in the vicinity of Terre Haute at that time but to none perhaps was it more devastating

Lou and I had been in the theatre while the storm was at its worst said Mrs Johnson when we had come to this part of the narration And Lou spoke of the satisfaction of being in a nice new brick factory We went home and knew nothing of the damage that had been wrought until the following morning Then when the men reported for work they saw a pile of wreckage that would have sickened any heart The highest portion of the plant left standing was a bit of the brick wall three feet above the ground

W ea ker men wou Id have broken perhaps but apparently Lou and his brothers bowed to the will of the gods and accepted their loss calmly I n humbler quarters but with no lessening of spirit they designed something new in the manner of a racing craft

In 1914 Johsons most famous boat Black Demon III entered a special match race against some of the fastest boats in the country on Lake Michigan Disturbshyer I V of Ch icago took first honors but Black Demon was a close second out-classing a number of favorites It was a recognized triumph for the V-type motor which had been exhibited in Chicago a few months before and was causing much comment Black Demon III was a 23-footer powered with two 12-cylinder high speed marine motors each having 180 horse-power

Ever casting about for new transportation methods

Black Demon III was a 23 footer powered with two 2 cycle 72 cylinder high speed marine motors each having 780 horsepower

the red-headed Johnson boys now wondered whether a bicycle driven by their motor would compare favorably with types already on the market Apparently it did for in 1917 the Johnson Motor Wheel Company was a going business with an output of 10000 machines a year and the slogan - SIXTY MILES FOR TEN CENTS was familiar to many of us

Warren Ripple Chicago financier was especially interested in this new venture and through his influence the factory was moved to South Bend in the early part of 1918

In eight years the growth of the Johnson Motor Company has furnished South Benders with an inshyexhaustible subject of conversation First it wasshy

Did you hear about those Johnson people Theyve taken over the od Bottling plant next to them

Then Have you heard the latest about Johnson Theyve

leased that whole block of stores on Lincoln Way and put their offices over there

On and on it went this amazing growth Soon a vacated portion of a large underwear mill across the river was commandeered neighboring houses sheds buildings of any type whatever were given over to the manufacshyture and housing of Johnson motors It was said that one must carry a road map to complete a tour of the plant

The wheel had gone into the discard but there was

never a lull in activities The out-board marine motor had quietly taken the place of the motor-driven bicycle - and Lou Johnson was back again doing homage to his first love

Strange influence-On the Banks of the Wabash - tho now of course it was the St Joe river that knew his experiments

Mr Johnsons smile changed as he finished the little resume of his work and walking to the fire-place framed by the well-filled bookcases looked thoughtfully into the flames for a few seconds

Of course it is only a beginning he said This is the age of mechanical development and no one can foretell the progress that will be made in the next ten years even though one may feel it coming Naturally the thing that interests me most and always has is the improvement of water transportation Better boats fastshyer boats-

He paused and the smile was again in his eyes America is only beginning to enjoy water sports

presume we Johnsons have that in the blood And suddenly I saw him as he is a tall Danishshy

American captain commanding in spite of his reticence who began his voyage about three decades ago on a childishly constructed raft in the Wabash river and has been coming fearless of current and snag upstream ever since ~

17

Wednesday August 3 1910

JOHNSONS PREPARE TEST AIRPLANE - machine stands ready after more than a years work for its initial flight - brothers guard secret of place of first trial Airshyship has as original feature V type 2 cycle engine built for strength and lightness

Harry Louis and Julius Johnson the Johnson Brothshyers who have been at work for more than a year manufacturing an aeroplane at their shop 717 N 10th St have at last completed the machine and will leave Friday for a place in the open country near Terre Haute

to make the first attempt at flying it Thus far the Johnson Brothers have kept the location

of the place where they will try to fly the machine an entire secret It is desired to have no crowd about to bother while the machine is being tried

Everything was completed Wednesday with the exception of putting the parts together The machine which weighs 650 pounds complete will be shipped knocked down to the scene of the first attempted flight The propeller which is over 10 in length the wings seat and balances will not be attached until the scene of

try-out has been reached Wednesday morning the airplane stood in the big

building erected especially for the purpose of building it at the rear of the Johnson home on North 10th St It is 36 in length and measures the same exactly from tip to tip in width Every part of it has been manufactured by the three young men while they at the same time carried on their occupation of gasoline and marine engine manufacturing It was begun just a little less than a year ago

The wings which are to extend on either side from

18

the front of the machine measure 16 Yz x 8 and are made of light waterproof canvas stretched over stout framework The engine is a V type 2 cycle engine the only one of its kind to have ever been made

There are V type engines said Mr Johnson but they are 4 cycle The 2 cycle engines have previously been built straight causing increased weight Everything about the machine has been built for speed and lightmiddot ness

Two 7 gallon gasoline tanks will furnish the propellmiddot ing power for the machine It is expected it will take a day and a half to set the machine up after its been shipped to the place where it will be tested

- ~ shy

Saturday August 6 1910

LOCAL AVIATORS MAKE READY FOR FIRST TRIAL JOHNSON BROTHERS MOVE AIRPLANE TO FIELD NEAR BLACKHAWK AND SET UP MACHINE FOR TESTmiddot everything was hustle and bustle at the Johnson brothers aero camp a few miles from Blackmiddot hawk Saturday where the three young men manufacmiddot turers of engines and incidentally builders of an airplane were engaged in putting together their airplane preparmiddot atory for a trial flight One of the busiest of the workers was Clarence Johnson a 12 year old brother who showed himself a handy man about the place Owing to the fact that due to their hurried move from Terre Haute with their machine Friday the Johnson brothers left behind some necessary blocks and braces and the flight that was scheduled for Saturday will be postponed until some time Sunday The strange man by the name of Zakarius supposed to be from Indianapolis and well versed in aviation was with the three brothers Saturday as they worked on their machine which was enclosed in a 40 tent to shut out the view from the spectators Another important personage at the scene was Dr Dupui of Riley who was on hand in case a flight should be made to see to the injuries of the aviator in case he should meet with an accident

The tryout grounds are admirally situated in the center of a 100 acre farm in the reservoir of the old Wabash and Erie Canal There is a wide stretch of clear country without any woodland within its radius of two miles It is believed the airplane will be assembled and ready for a trial late Saturday afternoon but it is not thought a flight will be attempted before Sunday

- Ii _ ~ ~

Sunday August 7 1910

JOHNSON BROTHERS PREPARE FOR INITIAL TEST OF BIG AIRPLANE CONFIDENCE PERmiddot MEATESCAMP AS TIME FOR TRY-OUT NEARSmiddot the first flight if flight is to be of the Johnson airship now resting in all readiness for its try-out at its camp at southeast of Terre Haute will come at about noon today and the result of a year s work and effort to build a successful airplane will be determined

In spite of the Johnson effort at secrecy spectators began to throng to the camp in the old reservoir bed early Saturday afternoon and later in the evening automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place The farmers also took Saturday evening off to take advantage of the opportunity to see the machine and the men

A heavy steel roller was brought to the scene Satshyurday evening and the Johnsons will layout the course early Sunday morning on which the aviators who drive the machine in the preliminary try-outs will score down for a start The meadow as it stands is rough and trouble was feared when the wheels of the flyer were started over the ground before the machine raised into the air

Just who would be the first man to steer the machine on its initial effort the Johnsons refused to state but the crowd of sightseers who have been watching the progress of the work at the camp picked the man who they believe will be in the seat when the airplane raises first It is William Zachow the stranger from Racine Wisconsin who arrived in this city just in time to take an active part in completing preparations for the try-out Zachow refused to give out his name but the above is the name he registered under at the Philbeck Hotel Gossip has it that the Wisconsin man is an experienced aviator and it is on this fact that the spectators base their belief that he will be the one to drive the machine when it is tried out

There is no spirit of speculation in the air about the Johnson camp but in plain businesslike manner the men are carrying forth the work which is to determine whether or not Terre Haute has produced a parallel to the Wright Brothers There were several men on the ground Saturday afternoon who professed some knowlshyedge of mechanics All the men who have seen the machine since it has been brought near enough to completion for an idea to be formed as to its efficiency has had nothing but praise for the thoroughness with which it has been finished and experienced mechanics say that from a mechanical standpoint the machine looks good

An experienced mechanic who examined the machine Saturday stated that the V type 2 cycle engine a

distinctive feature of the new machine is especially adapted for the use on airplanes The Johnson brothers claim the distinction of having made the first engine of this type and mechanics say that it is the coming engine for use on aerial machines

The Johnsons themselves though they do not talk much have all confidence in their creation The men have had years of experience in the manufacture of all kinds of engines and in addition have put in considershyable time in research work on the subject of airplanes and other flying machines They have been close students to the methods of the Wright Brothers

Ii- _ ~

Monday August 8 1910

MAKER LAYS PLANS TO PILOT AIRPLANE ON INITIAL FLIGHTmiddot with the airplane removed from the tent in which it has been housed and the engine of the plane in perfect running order the Johnson brothers were expected Monday at noon to make an attempted flight at any time

The field located near Blackhawk south of the city where the first trial will take place is in perfect condishytion for the flight The only thing that may cause a delay of the flight is the lightness of the wheels which support the airplane on the ground at the start It was feared Monday that heavier wheels would be necessary In case this is decided on the trial of the machine will not take place for a day or so One of the Johson boys will pilot the machine on its initial attempted flight This was definitely announced Monday It was thought at first that William Zachow who was present at the aviation camp would pilot the machine but it has developed that the stranger is a salesman for an airplane supply comshypany He is said to be thoroughly fa miliar with the mechanism of airplanes however and has been of great value in getting the machine ready for flight

A test of the engine was made Monday morning it developed 40 HP Confidence was expressed by the Johnsons that the engine could develop 20 HP additional if necessary

- ~~

Saturday August 13 1910

WEAK SPRINGS POSTPONE JOHNSONS TRIAL OF FLIGHT CROWDS GATHERED AT AVIATION

19

FIELD TO AGAIN LEARN THAT MACHINES TEST MUST AGAIN BE DELAYED - the Johnson brothers made no attempt to fly this afternoon It is reported that they would make their initial attempt to scale the clouds today A crowd followed in the wake of the rumor and by 200 this afternoon many people swarmshyed down from the meadow

When the Johnson machine was wheeled out at 2 00 it was found by the inventors that an important set of springs were too weak These will be strengthened and it is probable that the apparatus will not be taken out of the tent again until Tuesday of the coming week

Two of the brothers hurried to Terre Haute this aftershynoon as soon as the defect in the machine was discovshyered They will return to the camp Sunday and begin adjustment

_ F A ~~

Sunday August 141910

BROTHER AVIATORS DELAY DEMONSTRATION AGAIN PART OF MACHINE USED IN MAKING LANDING GETS OUT OF ORDER SECOND TIME shythough delayed again in their preparation for the initial flight of the first airplane ever manufactured in Terre Haute the Johnson boys Louis Julius and Harry went to work to remedy the defect which made necessary the postponement of their flight for the second time The defects which they are now forced to repair causes no despair in the Johnson boys or lessens their faith that the machine will fly after they are completed

We have encountered no difficulty whatever as yet which would in any way interfere with the successful flight of the machine said one of the boys Saturday The trouble is only in the wheels and supporting spring those parts of the machine which are used to make a landing on and the defect is not curious in any way though it does take some time to make the necessary changes

The intention of the trio was to fly Saturday and the day was ideal but it was decided at the last minute that the chances of flying and making a safe landing would involve too great a risk

Louis the eldest of the Johnson brothers said to a Tribune representative Saturday I am sorry that we could not fly today In the first place the weather is ideal and in the second place when the statement that we have been halted again appears in print a great many people will believe that the machine is a failure As for us we are certain as we have been all along that the airplane will fly

Ii ~~

Monday August 15 1910

JOHNSON PROMISES TO MAKE AIRPLANE TRIP WEDNESDAY BROTHERS OCCUPY ENTIRE DAY REPAIRING CARRYING TRUCK OF HEAVIER THAN AIR MACHINE - the work of getting ready the remodeled parts of the carrying truck for the airplane occupied the day of the Johnson boys at their work shop on 10th Street on Monday The men expect to have their work completed and will take their remodshyeled parts to the camp near Blackhawk Tuesday eveshyning

Louis Johnson said Monday that they expect to have everything in readiness for the trial by Wednesday One man has been left at the camp while the others came to their home in Terre Haute over Sunday

qp tt ~~

Friday August 19 1910

JOHNSONS WAIT WEATHER FOR FIRST TEST OF FLYER HUGE MONOPLANE GIVES EVERY EVshyIDENCE OF BEING FULLY CAPABLE OF NAVshyIGATING THE AIR - the initial flight of the Johnson monoplane was scheduled to take place Friday aftershynoon but a strong wind swept over the field here and made the test impossible The huge flyer waits serenely for the first chance to take to the air having been thoroughly tested on the ground

Friday afternoon the monoplane was staked to the ground headed into the wind and the engine turned on for the purpose of determining her power Under full speed the flyer acquired the full strength of the helpers to keep her from leaping upward At half speed the power developed was not sufficient to convince the builders that the test would be a success in the wind as it is their desire to fly first under half power leaving the remainder for reserve while in the air

After the test of the engine Louis Johnson expressed himself as being unsatisfied with the condition of the engine and propeller

E ~~

Saturday August 201910

JOHNSON SHIP REFUSES TO QUIT TERRA FIRMA ENGINE FAILS TO DEVELOP SUFFICIENT SPEED

TO LIFT MACHINE INTO AIR - the Johnson brothers have made half a dozen attempts to fly the monoplane upon which they have worked for so many months and in none have they succeeded in getting the big machine into the air

Three times Friday they turned the big propeller under high speed and freed the machine from all restraints At a rate of about 12 mph it tore down a rough field only to be stopped at the limit of the course without having raised from the ground Three of these efforts were made before and three after alterations had been made to the propeller Saturday morning the Johnshysons were not disheartened or discouraged they had come to the realization that they were not as far advancshyed in the building of the machine as they had thought Their attention was turned to alterations that were expected to have a decided affect on the plane and also to the grounds upon which they were flying The aviashytion camp is located on exceedingly poor grounds It is rough and full of ruts and so soft that the tired wheels sink to 1 to 3 in it when the machine is started _Those who have watched the attempts to fly are of the opinion that the nature of the grounds is largely responsible for the failures as it is impossible to start the machine at a pace that will make it rise Whether the Johnsons will move or prepare a smoother runway is a question that has not yet been determined The three efforts to fly Saturday morning were made early while the sun was rising and the wind was low A fairly steady breeze from the south made it necessary to drive the machine up a slight grade into the wind but this was not sufficiently a factor to which to attribute a failure to rise The monoshyplane failed to fly simply because it did not have enough power to raise it from the ground There is no speed indicator in the camp and it is impossible to tell at what rate the propeller is revolved but several have estimated it at about 900 rpm 1500 rpm is considered necessary for success and the Johnsons may have to make radical changes in the propeller before making the desired speed_

Saturday evening before a large crowd they started the engine three times and raced down the field with Louis Johnson in the machine The first was probably the best of all the trials The monoplane attained a good rate of speed but it did not leave the ground The buildshyers decided the trouble was due to the size of the propelshyler and they cut it down several inches The result was the engine operated faster and more smoothly but it was by no means as speedy as necessary and the test made established that more alterations were necessary espicially if attempts to fly are from the present locashytions

20

~ t_F ~~

Sunday August 211910

FOUR DEVOTEES OF AERONAUTICS MAINTAIN CHEERFULNESS IN FACE OF PARTIAL DISshyAPPOINTMENT WAITING FOR CALM JOHNSONS ADVANCE IN CONQUERING AIR SIX TRIALS OF MONOPLANE PROVE MANY THEORIES CORRECT BUT BRING PARTIAL DISAPPOINTMENT LOW SPEED PROPELLER PROVES TOO WEAK TO RAISE WEIGHT DIFFICULTIES AT FIELD AND APPLICAshyTION OF MOTORS ENERGY PRESENT PROBLEMS THAT MUST YIELD BEFORE PERSEVERENCE - Sunshyday the Johnson brothers who are now so earnestly engaged in the attempt to fly a monoplane in the old canal basin near Blackhawk are going to demonstrate that they can build a high power low speed motor fully adapted to the needs of the aviator

Just now they are encountering difficulties that would discourage many with a patience that means success they are working under handicaps that appear as insurmountable but must give way before their detershymination

Saturday morning the last of six attempts to make their machine leave terra firma failed and they went back to their tent disappointed after two weeks of the hardest kind of labor In spite of the cheerful attitude they assumed there was an air of disappointment all around the camp and even the jokes of the jolly party did not dispel it

The disappointment lay not so much in the fact that the machine failed to leave the ground in its trials as in the evidence that higher speed would be necessary for the proper operation of the motor It is the object of the Johnsons to develop a motor that will run a monoplane without the terrific speed common to those in use If they succeed in securing one of this type they have a fortune at their command They do not desire to construct an airplane merely for the purpose of flying If they did they could easily obtain the pattern of the Wright brothers machine or other machines and build accordingly or they could purchase a machine at less cost and trouble than they have encountered But having as their object the development of a low speed motor the failure of the one now in use to do the work expected was disappointing Although it whirled the propeller at a speed that astonished the spectators it was not operated at a rate of which it is capable but at a rate very much lower and which the builders hope would be sufficient for its purpose

Consequently when the speed attained by the motor in the first trials Friday proved insufficient one of the hopes of the Johnsons was dashed

Reluctantly they cut down the size of the propeller knowing that every inch shaved from it would increase the speed of the engine Two inches all around were sacrificed in the desire to raise the skybird and the result was a perceptible increase in the number of revolushytions and consequently a steadier engine Some consolashyLIon was offered by the fact that even with the reduced propeller there was little vibration noticeable about the machine

Late Friday night the airplane was run out of its tent and the motor started The effect was extraordinary and the hopes of the Johnsons that they had accomplished their purpose ran high Saturday morning early the fourth attempt to fly and the first with the reduced propeller was made

Whether the alterations had any effect on the raising power of the motor was difficult to determine because of the conditions under which the trial was made A steady breeze from the south made it necessary to start the machine from the north end of the field at the foot of the small incline and on ground that was wet and soft The machine behaved no better than before bllt whether it was due to the propeller the grade or the soft ground was a question the Johnsons were not ready to answer To eliminate the grade is almost impossible To wait for a more favorable wind is nerve racking yet the Johnsons will have to do all of these things before making sure that they have the propeller rightly proporshytioned for the task

Whatever may be determined regarding the propeller it remains that the Johnsons have demonstrated an engine that is remarkable for its power and speed combined with its steadiness and construction The motor is of the 2 cycle type 4 cylinders This means that an explosion occurs in each cylinder just twice as often as in the more common 4 cycle 4 cylinder type More power is the result and 75 hp is the indication This is accomplished by combining the Johnson patent valve with cylinders set at an angle of 1800 and big carburetors The patent valve is one on which the men have worked for a long time and they have shown by it a method of allowing more gas to enter the cylinders withshyout increasing the size of the valve a point of corisidershyable value in construction Then they have obtained a motor that will run at great speed and create so little vibration that it scarcely causes a tremor in the light wooden frame of the airship All in all the motor has conducted itself in a manner that is deemed most satisfactory It is applying it to the airplane that has

proven the puzzle and that is the very point the Johnshysons are seeking

The Johnson monoplane will fly because it is constructed on the proper principles for flight That it has not been successfully launched as yet is due to two things - the experience in designing and operating of the men in control of it and the unfavorable conditions under which the trials have been made Both of these points will be overcome in time While they are eliminatshying the unfavorable conditions they are learning from experience the points they have overlooked in designing and they are learning rapidly how to operate it

The story of the construction of the Johnson monoshyplane is one of hard work and persistent effort The Johllsons have had no teacher in the art They have studied much observed a great deal and gathered from experience a great deal more than the average man will ever know about airplanes No one realizes more than they that there is a great deal more to be learned That is why after months of work they took their machine to the Blackhawk basin It was two weeks ago today that they arrived there and since that time they have fought mosquitos malaria and rain in a most credible effort to work out the theories they have formed It is not a pleasant task but one that requires thought constant experiment and careful reasoning They are not particshyularly interested in what the public thinks about their work They want to apply the Johnson motor to aeroshynautics

As one enters the aviation field he is greeted by a sign that reads Welcome - Outside the Tent The sign is expressive of the attitude of the Johnson boys They are willing that anyone watch them at work free about giving information when asked but they promise nothing and consequently are not responsible for the disappointment of the many who have come to see them fly and have left without that satisfaction

Julius Johnson expressed their attitude well when he said while waiting for a wind to subside we have waited a year to get to this point with the machine and we can afford to wait another day rather than run the chances of breaking up the airplane

Last weeks activity at the camp became intensive Thursday morning when the machine was run out of its protection for the first time the frame buckled This was immediately repaired and trials of the engine and frame made that evening Friday three unsuccessful attempts to raise the machine were made and Saturday with an altered propeller three more efforts brought no better success

When the last visitor departed from the aviation field Thursday night the Johnsons rested content with their

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preparations for a flight on the early morning air Time work until as the crowd left the field Thursday night noon for further tests to be made solely on the ability of and again the builders had been disappointed in not they saw the end of the last bit of preparation for an air the machine to lift It is expected that the trial will1ake having it ready for flight at the time agreed upon Little test place about an hour before sunset No effort at flightweaknesses that could not be foreseen became apparent While it has been disappointing to visit the aviation will be made at this time the test being confined to when the machine was started across the rough field had field and fail to witness an attempt to fly the chagrin of determining the buoyancy of the machine its balance yielded one by one to careful attention and ingenuity the Johnson brothers and Pearl Conover has been and general fitness for flight Every nut and bolt on the unwieldly looking skybird had greater Living in a single big tent pitched in a malaria been inspected and found in first class condition The breeding district pestered by insects and blistered with rt _ alterations made necessary by faulty calculations as to the heat they have put up with all kinds of inconvenshy ~~ weight and pressure on the running gear were completed iences since leaving Terre Haute and every hours delay and the new woodwork covered with a preserving paint In the center of the structure the light but powerful engine shown in polished brilliancy Just in front of it the big propeller built of many pieces and smoothed to a surface like glass was perfect to the last detail A sliver that had been knocked from it was replaced with cement and its bearing was as true as science could make it Stretching away on each side for 16 were ribbed wings on which so much depends each without a flaw or scratch At their tips hung the balancing planes so delicately fitted that the slightest movement of the operator was reflected by a changed position To the eye the machine was perfect and the builders who worked so patiently at last were satisfied it was ready for its initial trip

It now appeared that nothing stood in the way of a thorough demonstration but the Johnson brothers were doomed to meet another disappointment Under its power for the first time Louis Johnson drove the airship down the field from the tent in which it had been housed Three of the four cylinders were in operation yet it was evident that the Johnson motor was suffishyciently powerful for the purposes of the craft At speed that hurried those who accompanied it the aircraft ran along over the rough ground with little or no vibration from the motor and a steadiness that spelled success Four men hung to it with their weight keeping it from mounting the air while the driver accustomed himself to the situation and watched the engine and the plane

This was the final test of the monoplane before it was entrusted to the element for which it was constructed This test fully demonstrated that the care bestowed upon its construction was not misplaced There was not a flaw noticeable in any of its moving parts There was nothing about its action that indicated a single weakness But one thing marred the success of this test and Thursshyday night saw that one point corrected The long body or frame that extends from the plane to the rudder on the tail was not sufficiently strong to stand the strain of alighting from a height as was shown in its action during this test Immediately the builders prepared to strengthshyen it and all day Thursday they worked on this one part rebracing and adding to the solidity of this frame

has been bitter to them Malaria sent Clarence Johnson the youngest of the camp back to the city unfit to be about Mr Conover succumbed to it one day but was able to throw off the attack The Johnson brothers have all felt the effect of life in the camp and as Louis Johnshyson expressed it Are dead anxious to get to doing something

- shy~~ Monday October 10 1910 MONOPLANE JUSTIFIES EFFORTS OF JOHNSONS AIRCRAFT GOES INTO AIR SEVERAL TIMES AT TESTS MADE SUNDAY- after many weeks of quite work at their camp on the old reservoir prairie 3 miles east of Blackhawk in an effort to perfect the airplane which when first tried out was found to be lacking in a few particulars Louis Harry and Julius Johnson the inventors and builders of the Johnson Bros airplane succeeded in making several lifts with the aircraft at tests made Sunday evening Three tests were made and it was on the third one that the machine lifted from the ground Several times the craft raised for distances of from 15 to 20 Though the height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time this fact was rather to lack in certain details than because the airplane could not raise higher

The craft exhibited a wonderful buoyancy for the test and tended to leave the ground at all times higher than it was allowed to However necessity for certain corrections was manifested before a flight could be safely made and to avoid possible wrecking of the machine it was held down at all times

An assistant of the Johnson boys in their efforts toward perfecting the machine stated Monday that an idea of buoyancy of the machine could be gained from the fact that when starting on the soft dirt just previous to the test that it would leave no track in the soft dirt but that when being brought back for a second test it would plow back into the soil for a depth of 6

Preparations were almost completed Monday after-

Tuesday October II 1910 JOHNSON GIVES EXPRESSION TO SATISFACTION WITH PLANE TEST CONTINUED TO OCCUpy TIME OF BROTHERS AT AVIATION FIELD - Louis Johnson the elder of the Johnson brothers builders of the Johnson Monoplane spent Tuesday in Terre Haute looking after business matters The other two brothers Julius and Harry are at the aviation field making a few required minor changes in the mechanism preparatory to attempting a flight Wednesday or Thursday

Louis will return to the field Tuesday evening to be ready to sit at the wheel of the machine in the initial attempt at flight

We have gone far enough now to see through to the end and we now know that the theory which we have been working is the right one We will fly within a few days possible Wednesday or Thursday The changes now being made are only minor adjustments which were seen to be necessary in our tests as to the lifting power of the machine

-shy~~ Editors Note

The brothers apparently abandoned the attempts to make the 1910 airplane fly shortly after this in October 1910 and started work on an improved design which was successful in the summer of 1911 Between the end of October and the middle of July 1911 they built an entirely new airplane but used the same power plant that had been used in the 1910 version The new airplane was radically different in design using basically a metal framework cloth covered wings and cloth covered tail surfaces which were supported on a single aluminum boom It had a tricycle gear as contrasted with the conventional gear in the 1910 plane It had wing-warping in place of the moveable surfaces at the tips of the wings steerable nose wheel and brakes and many other engineering refinements~

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Ross Smith had never seen an airplane and was attractshyed to one ofthe public displays of the Johnson monoplane the practice being a charge of 25cent to see it in the tent to help alleviate the costs The plane had barely flown and excitement was running high Ross evidently took one look at it and said thats for me Its hard to guess how he convinced the Johnsons that he should take a hand at it however it is very possible that he was the only one with enough nerve and the J ohnsons had spent a great deal of theirs A bird in the hand at this point was probably welcome According to the records the

motor was started and Ross ran the plane up and down the field for some half hour experimenting with the controls learning how to use the throttle steering the airplane accelerating until it was light Evidently Ross had figured play ti me was over and the description states suddenly the plane shot forward and then rose graceshyfully into the air His very first flight lasted for 30 minutes and he thrilled the onlookers as he flew back and forth over the field (I nstructors take note - how many students would you turn loose in a better machine of today with 30 minutes of instruction)

Barely two days atter Rosss first flight he launched into the professional flying ranks in a big way He immeshydiately received an offer from his home town of Mattoon Illinois to engage in some demonstration flights and was paid for three flights at $50000 per flight Airplanes were so rare in these days that people paid to look at them and in most cases such flights were initiated by promotors seeking a quick fortune You would believe that flying such an airplane was enough of a daredevil stunt but not for our friend Ross He managed to concoct stunts that even from this distance

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in time seem absolutely ridiculous Daredevil is too mild a word One of his next exploits was an engagement to fly the monoplane during a 10 day Chautauqua Now for you youngsters youll have to run to the dictionary however Ill save you the effort The name Chautauqua originated in New York where some wise promoter startshyed an educational summer camp Families took their vacations very similar to those going to Oshkosh for the week long fly-in lived in tents in a large tent community that attracted as many as 50000 people during its run This particular Chautauqua that contracted for Rosss services with the Johnson airplane was at Merom Bluff Indiana a high point on the Wabash River The bluff was in Sullivan County and stood 150 above the river on one side while the opposite side fell to flat farm land going away from the river in a flat plain Th is particular Chautauqua was obviously one of great importance for the midwest and attractions included William Jennings Bryan Senator Robert LaFollette William Howard Taft former President of the United States Vice President Thomas R Marshall a gal named Maude Ballington Booth discussing prison reform John Temple Graves a noted orator of the time and Jeanette Rankin the first American Congresswoman The Chautauqua encomshypassed every subject from religion to suffrage child care and anything at all that would interest the family

To spice this particular Chautauqua Ross came up with the idea of building a 250 wooden platform with its far end hanging over the bluff on the river side The intent was to fly the airplane from this platform and fly it he did for many performances Descriptions of the flight states that the airplane labored uphill gained speed and disappeared from the end of the platform in what must have been a free fall until it gained flying speed leveling out some safe distance above the river then circling back over the Chautauqua area like a peacock preening its feathers It must have been a supreme thrill for all to witness There was no possible way to land at the Chautauqua area so Ross would cross the river to the Illinois side and land on a road at the ferry The plane would then be disassembled hauled back across the river pulled back up the winding road to the bluff for its next days operation

I n the eyes of the Chautauqua attendance Ross was no doubt walking mighty tall despite his slight stature It was quite common practice for the Johnson airplane to be engaged for fairs etc at which time it generally flew off the racetrack Evidently by this time a standard stunt

This monoplane piloted by Ross Smith flew off the Merom Bluff daily August 22-37 7973 during the Chautauqua

This was the view from the Merom Bluff The picture is deceiving for it was 750 down to the water Note the Ferry cars and buggies waiting to cross and climb the winding road up the bluff This is the view Ross Smith had as he literally dove his plane off the platform without adequate flying speed The result was a near free fall with flying speed gained in time to narrowly miss striking the water below The flight was enacted daily to please the crowd

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-

Ross Smith preparing for an exhibition flight Note man with ladder at right below wing It was a tall gear and a long climb to mount this machine

had been for the airplane to race a car on the track Dirt track races being part of almost every fair there was always someone present willing to race At one such event it states that Speed in the air and on land thrills thousands Aviator Ross L Smith and Speed King Wild Bob Burman held first place in the hearts of sensation lovers for the wild thrills they gave the thousands at the fairgrounds on Sunday Taking off from the track Ross flew around the track circled the infield and landed directly in front of thegrandstand amid the applause of thousands As an additional build up to the race Burman took Ross for a ride in his 300 hp Blitzen Benz and proceeded to smash the world record for a mile on a half mile dirt track breaking his own former record His

speed was just over 60 mph but this meant that 80 mph must have been his speed on the straight away On the first lap he gave Ross a thrill by hitting the turn too fast and almost losing control in a skid Evidently Ross did not appreciate the ride for when Burman said he would go up with him in his plane Ross calmly said that if he did he would get pushed out Burman of course immeshydiately changed his mind Evidently this was the last of Burmans summer appearances and he was going to spend his time readying himself for the 500 mile motor speedway event He had held the lead the previous year until his machine caught fire and burned while he was many laps ahead

As to the race between the airplane and the car the

airplane invariably won all events in spite of the fact that the cars appeared to be going faster Speed in the air does not seem to be speed compared to a roaring monster of an auto spewing exhaust and throwing large clods of dirt as it rounds every corner Smith evidently thrilled the crowd with a simple thing that today would be called a touch and go Newspaper emotes over the fact that even the French exhibition flyers had not done such a thing stating that Ross had no trouble at all in thrilling the crowd In another engagement it states that Ross L Smith will pilot the Johnson brothers monshyoplane during the Corn Week Show sponsored by the Rotary Club of Terre Haute The big thrill of this event was to be a flight down Wabash Avenue between the

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buildings just above the street car wires It was stated it would be the first time in history that an aviator would attempt such a dangerous feat The plane was to be brought down until the wheels barely cleared the wires then proceed west down the street to the Court House where the plan was to circle the big dome I n a flair of penmanship the author writes it will be unusual for a businessman to see the wings of an airplane almost brushing the windows of his building He further states the trip will be a dangerous one but the aviator and the builders of the machine have such faith in the monshyoplane that they believe that both will stand the test

I n a later account where Smith was engaged to fly an exhibition over Elsworth he decided to give them a new thrill and go for altitude With much circling he reached dizzying height of 2000 where he passed through a cloud bank that confused him for a short time On recovering from the confusion he found himself at 1000 (he invented vertigo no dOUbt)

In still another account it states the Johnson monshyoplane gave one of the best exh ib itions of the art of flying it has been our pleasure to witness There were no death defying stunts just plain flying

The monoplane took off on the back stretch of the race track and for 30 minutes circled dived swooped and turned running up and down the valley for several miles It states the limited space in which he had to land caused him some trouble He had failed to make the first descent (made a go-around - probably the first) When finally on the ground Aviator Ross stated it was the hardest day to fly on he had ever experienced as the air seemed dead and no breeze whatsoever was stirring Density altitude)

About the year 1913 Ross was running out of tricks the bag was getting empty so he decided to scoop them all He announced that he would like to fly the Atlantic and from all records it appears that he was the first to have such serious ideas He was at least 19 years ahead of his time He proposed to fly the flimsy Johnson airplane across the Atlantic alone - a statement that makes Lindshyberghs remarks an echo of the past He approached the Navy Department and asked them to place 10 battleshysh ips at intervals of 300 miles apart figuring that th is would be the maximum load of gasoline possible to carry The Navy of course refused considering the flight across the Atlantic as only a hair brained scheme The Government was not very interested in flying at this time and their decision was certainly not a surprise

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Evening flights from the field were customary

Ross did not remain silent on this issue and at a later time stated in print when the Atlantic is crossed it will be by a flying boat and not a dirigible

In reading the history of these days all of the emshyphasis on long range travel was transfered to the gas bag History proved Ross to be 100 right and the Navys NC4s were the first to fly across

To further add hues of color to his career Ross was perhaps the first American aviator to get an offer from a foreign government and probably one of the first conceptions of military aviation was born President Huerta of Mexico offered him a high ranking position in the Mexican Army if he would organize an air force for them Ross immediately declined Poncho Villa who was then the bad boy of Mexico and conducting what we would call today Guerilla attack tried to make Ross a better offer of $2000 a month in gold to do the same thing for his side Ross declined that too Time proved how wise he was in declining this offer for one of his best friends was killed - not while he was flying but by Villas own men Four of Rosss friends had decided to fly for Villa but when weeks went by and they received no pay they drew straws to see who would confront Villa with the facts Mickey McGuire (the wild Irish Rose of the skies) was unlucky enough to get the job and foolish enough to make the attempt He faced the illiterate General in his tent and asked for the money

The General promptly whipped out a 45 caliper pistol and shot McGuire through the heart In revenge the remaining three proceeded to burn Villas airplanes saving one to make their escape in They successfully flew that one back to the United States

This was not Rosss last encounter with Army life As World War I came along there were but 50 flyers availshyable for instructors in the US He was one that formed the nucleus of the great Flying Corps This group was called on to also perform test pilot functions and in their vernacular did nose dives tail spins and no doubt were the first creators of aerobatic flying in this country This was no doubt a cup of tea for our adventuresome Mr Ross captivated the services and the record that he established was remarkable General Andrews commenshyded Ross with a citation ending it with a comment Seven years without a serious mishap Ross lived a long and successful life and became very well known in Wash ington and for years was Public Relations Manager for the Hot Shopps a food chain in the East He lived a full life and died on February 19 1959 For an advenshyturesome person who lead such a colorful life and seemingly knew no fear he must have also been blessed with skill and a great amount of common sense In the Hot Shopps Company magazine from which some of this material was gleaned they coined an epitaph for him stating simply An amazing man ~

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move span wise from side to side when the wing was warped

Mr Garber You told me during lunch that in all of the flights with this airplane there had never been any serious crack-ups You said a few minor damages had occurred that were easily repaired and that the airplane was flown until 1913

Mr Johnson Yes right up to the winter of 1913 but not over into 1914

Mr Garber Was there any change in the design during that period

Mr Johnson No this model shows how it was at the beginning and how it was al l the time we were flying it I dont recall any changes that were made all that time except these flanges here on these longitudinal fuselage pipes At first we didnt have them on and then we added them in order to help make the engine run cooler They were on in 1911 however so we must have put them on rather soon after we built it On the model I have made them out ofrsheet brass but on the airplane they are made of copper and were of L-shaped section On the model it was quite a problem to figure out how to make them but first I ran the brass through a set of gears so as to form these parts that expand up and then I made a tool for pinching those U-shaped parts flat That formed the shape that would fit around the pipe Then I soldered them together soldering the joint on the unerneath line of the tubing on this model but in the original airplane we soldered each piece on separately

Mr Garber That is certainly a wonderful story and I marvel not only at your ingen io us craftsmanship in constructing the original but also in the exquisite jewelshylike precision and beauty with which you made this miniature reproduction Is this to be accessioned as a gift from all three brothers

Mr Johnson Yes thats right from all three of us We are very honored to have it here in the National Air Museum

Mr Garber Well I assure you Mr Johnson and I assure your brothers that we ourselves are honored to accept it from you and to display it I know that our visitors will be thrilled by the excellence of this beautiful model Those brothers are yourself Louis whom I met and Julius who I have not had the pleasure of meeting yet

Mr Johnson Thats right that is Louis J Johnson Harry L Johnson and Julius M Johnson

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Mr Garber The correspondence clearly indicates that th is is being given by the three brothers to the National Air Museum At the time when I had the pleasure of seeing Mr Louis Johnson he mentioned also a trophy and said that would be available and I assured him that we will be pleased to have it I will contact Mr Beldon about that May I confirm the address please

Mr Johnson Yes Louis J Johnson is now at Drumshymond Island Michigan Julius M Johnson is at Meadow Court Hotel Bradenton Florida and after Mrs Johnson and I return from a little trip we are taking we will be back home at R R-1 Culver I ndiana We will stop off at

Washington as we turn back toward home after we visit some friends up North

Mr Garber Thank you again Mr Johnson and Mrs Johnson we are further indebted to your husband for bringing you I hope that you have enjoyed your visit to the Museum We will proceed to put this beautiful model on exhibition so that we and our visitors can enjoy it Again and always our sincere appreciation to you Letters of acknowledgment will be sent to you and to your brothers and we are very grateful to you pershysonal[y for assembling the model here and informing us aboutit~

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~ife Story of

Lou JOHNSON Pioneer Airplane Manufacshy

turer and Aviator Developer

of the Vee Type Motor and

Modern Outboard Engine

As Recorded in an Interview

By Dorothy Jefferson

Konold

Especially for MoToR BoatinG March 1927

Lou Johnson grinned cheerfully as he answered my questions concerning his initial flight Lou is the eldest and the leader of those four red-headed Johnson brothshyers who designed constructed and flew the first successshyful American monoplane in Terre Haute Indiana eightshyeen years ago and who have taken many remarkable steps in the perfection of V-type motors

Kind of funny he sa id with that quiet reticent humor which is so much a part of his personality When that machine was ready to go up I had not the remotest

(Continued on page 15)

Louis johnson makes first stccessful flight with johnson Aeroplane

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Vintage Upper Left Note the brass steam condenser (tea kettle) just behind the engine In front of the condenser is the ignition system Large box was magneto and selective cylinder control later substituted for blip switch

Lower Left The johnson Motor wheel served the Company for a period of time - after aeroplanes and before outboards As a child I rememshyber a johnson motor wheel powered buckboard (a bicycle wheeled contrivance about twice the size of a childs wagon accommodating two passengers)

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Album

Upper Right A good shot of the east side of the engine with Louis Johnsons wife at the controls The propeller was made of alternate strips of spruce and walnut

Lower Right This engine could enhance my living room anytime Everything the Johnshyson brothers did was done to perfection Imagine what a 72 cylinder 2 cycle engine could have done for an aeroplane shytoo bad they were never successfully applied

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idea how to fly Had to learn that at the same time I was testing out the plane Quite different nowadays learning all the principles in an aviation school and then having a perfectly good standardized thoroughly inspected plane delivered into your hands In the old days you had to keep your wits about you all right You never knew what might happen next Ill never forget the first time I went fifty feet off the ground It was lots more of a surprise to me than it was to the spectators

We were sitting in the cheerful home-like living room where Mr johnson does most of his reading and much of his designing A log fire snapped on the hearth and the atmosphere suggested such peace and retirement that it was almost impossible to see in the modest kindly man who sat before me that rugged grimly determined Hoosier lad who never allowed a class-mate to pass him in school who dreamed fantastic things with his boyish brain and carried them out with his amazingly skillful boyish hands who permitted no failure even heavensent destruction in the form of a tornado that completely wiped out his entire motor plant in a few hours to come between him and his goal and who has accepted success with an unconscious grace known to few At forty-five Louis james johnson occupies an enviable position in the engineering world yet one has only to converse with him a few moments to be certain he feels that only a very small portion of his work has been accompl ished

And what he admits of success he attributes in no great measure to his own ability He tells you gravely of two paramount influences in his youth and insists that a boy given these could not have failed

The first influence as you may have guessed was his home life

Meeting Mr johnsons parents as they are today it is not difficult to understand the reverence that is accordshyed them by all of their five children Father johnson at eighty-four has the keen clear eye of a man of sixty His most prized possession is a motor wheel presented to him when his sons were manufacturing them and he rides daily During the war he was called by the govshyernment to take over an important task in an ammunishytion factory for though he had been long in idleness his ability as an expert tool dresser was well known and they were unable to find skill in younger men that matched his Coming from Denmark when he was nine he went at a very early age into a machine shop reaching the place where he could gauge steel by his senses as accurately as other men ga uged it by instruments And

from the first hi s so ns were benefited by an interest and cooperation which very few fathers know how to give

We always had our own tools and work-benches Lou explained Father indulged us in these things as wealthier men indulge their children in expens ive toys We were encouraged to try our hand at any sort of construction that appealed to us And father was always there to advise and assist No task even the building of a sled was regarded as trivial We were taught to put sincere effort into everything and to finish whatever we began

Mother johnson quietly sitting softly rocking speaks in a low almost awed tone of her boys and you know at once what her part in their story has been

When Lou was only twelve she says he decided he wanted a new sled We couldnt afford to buy him the kind he selected so he took an axe and went out into the woods and cut down a tree He worked at it until he had his lumber ready Then he sat down and drew a design We didnt think he could carry it out he was such a little fellow but first thing we knew he had someshything that looked like a real sled The only trouble was with the runners Finally he took the rim off an old buggy wheel pounded it down flat and fastened it to his wooden runners Father got him some red and black

1paint and I want to tell you he had a sled to be proud of I have it in my attic now and you couldnt buy a A better one shy

The second influence you cannot guess It was the Wabash river When the johnson boys were still youngsters the

family moved from Effingham Illinois to Terre Haute I ndiana All of the boys Lou Harry julius Clarence and Arthur (the latter being the one who lost his life some years ago in a factory accident) were enchanted with the river

Our Danish blood Lou smiles quietly It seemed to them that life would not be worth living until they owned a boat

Make it their parents encouraged So the boat was begun and before the summer ended

it was an admitted success But another summer came and brought new ambitions Lou johnson and Nell Cockerham johnson

Louis and Harry wearied of rowing each other about It is rumored that she flew the johnson airshyone day and began to dream plane The family doubts that she did

If we had a motor - Pictures of her in the plane may have been We couldnt afford to buy one - responsible for the rumor (See page 74) We could race neverything

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Gee how fast d you suppose we co uld go They approached their father and mother Make it said the parents fi nall y with less enthushy

siasm than they were wont to show Gasoline motors were strange toys in those times

But the moto r slowl y assembled proved the env y of all their small assoc iates It was t he two-horse power inboard type a quaint ancestor for the outboard of today but it chall enged and defeated many a marine moto r of prouder origin

The influence of the Wabash shyHigh School was completed with so exce ll ent a

record in mathematics that Terre Hau te professors still speak of Lo us asto nishing ab ility in that line and the yo ung inventor for he was now recognized as that sought hi s fathers consent to engage in marin e motor man ufacture

As usua l hi s parents nodd ed approval They had a lways wished their boys to be in business for t hemshyselves a nd there was money ready for a sma ll factory

Here it is interesting to make a note on the progress of Louis Jo hnsons education No more schooling yet systematic stud y never neglected in the press of any c irc umstances whatever More mathematics a keener interest in everything pertaining to the mechanical sciences engineeri ng co urses Constant reading evshyid enced today by the books that surround him in his home

A few years of this marine work and then the brain that dreamed and the hands that were ever ready to carry out those dreams united in a burni ng desire to drive something far more romantic than river boats with a gaso line engine

He wanted a sled and made o ne He wanted a laun ch and he made o ne He wanted an airplane and he made one It was Americas first triumph with a monopl ane

No o ne probab ly will ever know just what those broth ers suffered in the way of ridicule disappointment a nd discourage ment in the first period of their struggle with th e unknown air monster But they drove ahead undaunted and fi nally something that resembled an ominous bird of prey was hatched

Not only the Indiana town in whi ch it was bo rn thought thi s creation a fantastic f ledgling Looking over Mr Johnso ns scrap-book one comes to hi ghl y amusing comments by the press in various parts of the country Wright and Curtiss were experimenting at the same time of course but air asce nsion was still regarded in the light

of so rcery Working fever ishly day and night and with th e

utmost secrecy the Johnso n brothers of Terre Haute India na are said to be toiling and scheming to put together a huge bird-like machine which is slated either to fulf ill their fo ndest hopes or prove their bitterest disappointment says a cl ipping of September 26 1909

Desp ite the Jo hnsons effo rts at secrecy spectators began to throng the camp in the old reservoir bed ear ly Saturday afte rnoon and later automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place of the Flyer All the far mers took the afternoo n off to view the mach ine news of which had leaked out in spite of the covered e ntra nce to the farm where the try-out is to be held

This a li tt le later in the Terre Haute Tribune Mr Joh nson ch uckl es soft ly as he reviews these

notices The betting ran high at those fi rst ex hibitions he

says Bets ran about two to one that wed not get off the gro und People a lways paid to see the machine too One day in Hill sboro Illino is we took in 2500 gate admissio ns of twenty-five cents each

Gasoline of course was regarded with much fear and the greatest caution used Before the engine was started a crier ran down the f ield warning spectators of the imminent danger and forbidd ing them to smoke

But the queer creature t hat the Johnson brothers had labored w ith was now winning wagers for those who had faith in it The press spoke of a f light as a lift and fo ll owi ng a discouragingly ra iny sum mer when muddy fields delayed the tests for weeks we read

After a period of experiment covering some time the Jo hnson brothers made a successful lift at their camp Sunday evening The machine was started on the aershyd ro me track from which it was run down the field in an effort which finally succeeded in raising it clear of the ea rth Severa l times the craft raised for d istances of from fifteen to twenty feet though th e height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time

Among the things that the history of tomorrow will carry will be the invention and construction of the first successful American monoplane It will recount the years of unaided struggle by those red-headed Johnson bro thers in Terre Haute I ndiana who brought out of a chaos of thought the most wonderful th ing up to the year 1912 in the way of an aero engine mounted on a steel flyer that really flew

The original motor was mounted on a wooden fra me the wings were of silk and the position of the flyer was perilous The improved monoplane boasted a steel frame stronger win gs and the aviator was pl aced above and behind the machinery eliminating the danger of being crushed by the engine in a fall

This successful ai rplane had a spread of 36 feet a length of 34 feet 260 square feet of plane surface and weighed 750 pou nd s I t had a speed of better than sixty mil es an hour and was driven by a V-type motor which was in the nature of a revolution

Then came the Johnson School of Aviation Now that there were pl anes to fly there must be

av iators to fly them But while many young men took a keen interest in the sport fro m the sidelines most of them were sti ll decided ly earthbo und However there were two immediate ap plicants and Ross L Smith who trained one hundred and fifty men during t he war was Lou Johnsons first pupil Frank Schutt was the other and to him befell the thrill of crashing to ground from a height of 1500 ft and landing unhurt His acc ident was caused by a shortage of gas as were many other similar catastrophies of the time

But there is a more perso na l note to be sounded in connection with Mr Johnsons f lights Something other than motors and his aviatio n schoo l engrossed him Th ere was a charming young person in the hood and dust coat supposed to represent the ideal sport costume of the day always ready to assay the clouds with him Up to now spectators had gazed in obvious ad miratio n at the mother who bade her son such a brave god-speed when he started upo n those fearsome uncharted voyshyages Her gallant bearing unfa ilingly caused a little ripple of com ment But now anoth er woman stood at her side eq ually anxious yet equally hero ic It was whispered that Miss Ne ll Cockerham also of Terre Haute had often been up in the machine with Mr Johnson and that she evidently took a keen interest in monoplanes shy

The story is briefly told in two headlin es from the local paper

DISCOVERED- PRETTY MISS WHO FLEW IS I NTERESTED IN BIRD MAN THEN AVIATOR JOHNSON UP IN AIR- MISSED TRAIN ONWEDDING DAY

A new partnership was formed for it is evident to everyone who contacts the Johnsons in either a business or a social way that theirs had proven a very successful marriage and that Mrs Johnsons intere st has been

16

manifested in every phase of the inventors work But the influence of the Wabash shyFlying was all very well Mr Johnson admitted when

questioned concerning his return to motor-boat building but the call of his first love was too strong to ignore for long Of course during these remarkable three years he had never ceased to manufacture the Johnson marine motor but following his marriage he devoted himself intensively to the development of several ideas he had held in embryo while he sought the conquest of the clouds

Soon the Johnson brothers were offering twenty models of marine motors Racing motors ranged from single cylinder to twelve cylinder type One of these held therecord in the 320 in class for four years

But the fates having accorded this much in justice to the originality persistency and energy of the Johnson family evidently decreed that the number thirteen must cast an ominous influence upon the new industry The tornado of 1913 is well remembered by all who lived in the vicinity of Terre Haute at that time but to none perhaps was it more devastating

Lou and I had been in the theatre while the storm was at its worst said Mrs Johnson when we had come to this part of the narration And Lou spoke of the satisfaction of being in a nice new brick factory We went home and knew nothing of the damage that had been wrought until the following morning Then when the men reported for work they saw a pile of wreckage that would have sickened any heart The highest portion of the plant left standing was a bit of the brick wall three feet above the ground

W ea ker men wou Id have broken perhaps but apparently Lou and his brothers bowed to the will of the gods and accepted their loss calmly I n humbler quarters but with no lessening of spirit they designed something new in the manner of a racing craft

In 1914 Johsons most famous boat Black Demon III entered a special match race against some of the fastest boats in the country on Lake Michigan Disturbshyer I V of Ch icago took first honors but Black Demon was a close second out-classing a number of favorites It was a recognized triumph for the V-type motor which had been exhibited in Chicago a few months before and was causing much comment Black Demon III was a 23-footer powered with two 12-cylinder high speed marine motors each having 180 horse-power

Ever casting about for new transportation methods

Black Demon III was a 23 footer powered with two 2 cycle 72 cylinder high speed marine motors each having 780 horsepower

the red-headed Johnson boys now wondered whether a bicycle driven by their motor would compare favorably with types already on the market Apparently it did for in 1917 the Johnson Motor Wheel Company was a going business with an output of 10000 machines a year and the slogan - SIXTY MILES FOR TEN CENTS was familiar to many of us

Warren Ripple Chicago financier was especially interested in this new venture and through his influence the factory was moved to South Bend in the early part of 1918

In eight years the growth of the Johnson Motor Company has furnished South Benders with an inshyexhaustible subject of conversation First it wasshy

Did you hear about those Johnson people Theyve taken over the od Bottling plant next to them

Then Have you heard the latest about Johnson Theyve

leased that whole block of stores on Lincoln Way and put their offices over there

On and on it went this amazing growth Soon a vacated portion of a large underwear mill across the river was commandeered neighboring houses sheds buildings of any type whatever were given over to the manufacshyture and housing of Johnson motors It was said that one must carry a road map to complete a tour of the plant

The wheel had gone into the discard but there was

never a lull in activities The out-board marine motor had quietly taken the place of the motor-driven bicycle - and Lou Johnson was back again doing homage to his first love

Strange influence-On the Banks of the Wabash - tho now of course it was the St Joe river that knew his experiments

Mr Johnsons smile changed as he finished the little resume of his work and walking to the fire-place framed by the well-filled bookcases looked thoughtfully into the flames for a few seconds

Of course it is only a beginning he said This is the age of mechanical development and no one can foretell the progress that will be made in the next ten years even though one may feel it coming Naturally the thing that interests me most and always has is the improvement of water transportation Better boats fastshyer boats-

He paused and the smile was again in his eyes America is only beginning to enjoy water sports

presume we Johnsons have that in the blood And suddenly I saw him as he is a tall Danishshy

American captain commanding in spite of his reticence who began his voyage about three decades ago on a childishly constructed raft in the Wabash river and has been coming fearless of current and snag upstream ever since ~

17

Wednesday August 3 1910

JOHNSONS PREPARE TEST AIRPLANE - machine stands ready after more than a years work for its initial flight - brothers guard secret of place of first trial Airshyship has as original feature V type 2 cycle engine built for strength and lightness

Harry Louis and Julius Johnson the Johnson Brothshyers who have been at work for more than a year manufacturing an aeroplane at their shop 717 N 10th St have at last completed the machine and will leave Friday for a place in the open country near Terre Haute

to make the first attempt at flying it Thus far the Johnson Brothers have kept the location

of the place where they will try to fly the machine an entire secret It is desired to have no crowd about to bother while the machine is being tried

Everything was completed Wednesday with the exception of putting the parts together The machine which weighs 650 pounds complete will be shipped knocked down to the scene of the first attempted flight The propeller which is over 10 in length the wings seat and balances will not be attached until the scene of

try-out has been reached Wednesday morning the airplane stood in the big

building erected especially for the purpose of building it at the rear of the Johnson home on North 10th St It is 36 in length and measures the same exactly from tip to tip in width Every part of it has been manufactured by the three young men while they at the same time carried on their occupation of gasoline and marine engine manufacturing It was begun just a little less than a year ago

The wings which are to extend on either side from

18

the front of the machine measure 16 Yz x 8 and are made of light waterproof canvas stretched over stout framework The engine is a V type 2 cycle engine the only one of its kind to have ever been made

There are V type engines said Mr Johnson but they are 4 cycle The 2 cycle engines have previously been built straight causing increased weight Everything about the machine has been built for speed and lightmiddot ness

Two 7 gallon gasoline tanks will furnish the propellmiddot ing power for the machine It is expected it will take a day and a half to set the machine up after its been shipped to the place where it will be tested

- ~ shy

Saturday August 6 1910

LOCAL AVIATORS MAKE READY FOR FIRST TRIAL JOHNSON BROTHERS MOVE AIRPLANE TO FIELD NEAR BLACKHAWK AND SET UP MACHINE FOR TESTmiddot everything was hustle and bustle at the Johnson brothers aero camp a few miles from Blackmiddot hawk Saturday where the three young men manufacmiddot turers of engines and incidentally builders of an airplane were engaged in putting together their airplane preparmiddot atory for a trial flight One of the busiest of the workers was Clarence Johnson a 12 year old brother who showed himself a handy man about the place Owing to the fact that due to their hurried move from Terre Haute with their machine Friday the Johnson brothers left behind some necessary blocks and braces and the flight that was scheduled for Saturday will be postponed until some time Sunday The strange man by the name of Zakarius supposed to be from Indianapolis and well versed in aviation was with the three brothers Saturday as they worked on their machine which was enclosed in a 40 tent to shut out the view from the spectators Another important personage at the scene was Dr Dupui of Riley who was on hand in case a flight should be made to see to the injuries of the aviator in case he should meet with an accident

The tryout grounds are admirally situated in the center of a 100 acre farm in the reservoir of the old Wabash and Erie Canal There is a wide stretch of clear country without any woodland within its radius of two miles It is believed the airplane will be assembled and ready for a trial late Saturday afternoon but it is not thought a flight will be attempted before Sunday

- Ii _ ~ ~

Sunday August 7 1910

JOHNSON BROTHERS PREPARE FOR INITIAL TEST OF BIG AIRPLANE CONFIDENCE PERmiddot MEATESCAMP AS TIME FOR TRY-OUT NEARSmiddot the first flight if flight is to be of the Johnson airship now resting in all readiness for its try-out at its camp at southeast of Terre Haute will come at about noon today and the result of a year s work and effort to build a successful airplane will be determined

In spite of the Johnson effort at secrecy spectators began to throng to the camp in the old reservoir bed early Saturday afternoon and later in the evening automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place The farmers also took Saturday evening off to take advantage of the opportunity to see the machine and the men

A heavy steel roller was brought to the scene Satshyurday evening and the Johnsons will layout the course early Sunday morning on which the aviators who drive the machine in the preliminary try-outs will score down for a start The meadow as it stands is rough and trouble was feared when the wheels of the flyer were started over the ground before the machine raised into the air

Just who would be the first man to steer the machine on its initial effort the Johnsons refused to state but the crowd of sightseers who have been watching the progress of the work at the camp picked the man who they believe will be in the seat when the airplane raises first It is William Zachow the stranger from Racine Wisconsin who arrived in this city just in time to take an active part in completing preparations for the try-out Zachow refused to give out his name but the above is the name he registered under at the Philbeck Hotel Gossip has it that the Wisconsin man is an experienced aviator and it is on this fact that the spectators base their belief that he will be the one to drive the machine when it is tried out

There is no spirit of speculation in the air about the Johnson camp but in plain businesslike manner the men are carrying forth the work which is to determine whether or not Terre Haute has produced a parallel to the Wright Brothers There were several men on the ground Saturday afternoon who professed some knowlshyedge of mechanics All the men who have seen the machine since it has been brought near enough to completion for an idea to be formed as to its efficiency has had nothing but praise for the thoroughness with which it has been finished and experienced mechanics say that from a mechanical standpoint the machine looks good

An experienced mechanic who examined the machine Saturday stated that the V type 2 cycle engine a

distinctive feature of the new machine is especially adapted for the use on airplanes The Johnson brothers claim the distinction of having made the first engine of this type and mechanics say that it is the coming engine for use on aerial machines

The Johnsons themselves though they do not talk much have all confidence in their creation The men have had years of experience in the manufacture of all kinds of engines and in addition have put in considershyable time in research work on the subject of airplanes and other flying machines They have been close students to the methods of the Wright Brothers

Ii- _ ~

Monday August 8 1910

MAKER LAYS PLANS TO PILOT AIRPLANE ON INITIAL FLIGHTmiddot with the airplane removed from the tent in which it has been housed and the engine of the plane in perfect running order the Johnson brothers were expected Monday at noon to make an attempted flight at any time

The field located near Blackhawk south of the city where the first trial will take place is in perfect condishytion for the flight The only thing that may cause a delay of the flight is the lightness of the wheels which support the airplane on the ground at the start It was feared Monday that heavier wheels would be necessary In case this is decided on the trial of the machine will not take place for a day or so One of the Johson boys will pilot the machine on its initial attempted flight This was definitely announced Monday It was thought at first that William Zachow who was present at the aviation camp would pilot the machine but it has developed that the stranger is a salesman for an airplane supply comshypany He is said to be thoroughly fa miliar with the mechanism of airplanes however and has been of great value in getting the machine ready for flight

A test of the engine was made Monday morning it developed 40 HP Confidence was expressed by the Johnsons that the engine could develop 20 HP additional if necessary

- ~~

Saturday August 13 1910

WEAK SPRINGS POSTPONE JOHNSONS TRIAL OF FLIGHT CROWDS GATHERED AT AVIATION

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FIELD TO AGAIN LEARN THAT MACHINES TEST MUST AGAIN BE DELAYED - the Johnson brothers made no attempt to fly this afternoon It is reported that they would make their initial attempt to scale the clouds today A crowd followed in the wake of the rumor and by 200 this afternoon many people swarmshyed down from the meadow

When the Johnson machine was wheeled out at 2 00 it was found by the inventors that an important set of springs were too weak These will be strengthened and it is probable that the apparatus will not be taken out of the tent again until Tuesday of the coming week

Two of the brothers hurried to Terre Haute this aftershynoon as soon as the defect in the machine was discovshyered They will return to the camp Sunday and begin adjustment

_ F A ~~

Sunday August 141910

BROTHER AVIATORS DELAY DEMONSTRATION AGAIN PART OF MACHINE USED IN MAKING LANDING GETS OUT OF ORDER SECOND TIME shythough delayed again in their preparation for the initial flight of the first airplane ever manufactured in Terre Haute the Johnson boys Louis Julius and Harry went to work to remedy the defect which made necessary the postponement of their flight for the second time The defects which they are now forced to repair causes no despair in the Johnson boys or lessens their faith that the machine will fly after they are completed

We have encountered no difficulty whatever as yet which would in any way interfere with the successful flight of the machine said one of the boys Saturday The trouble is only in the wheels and supporting spring those parts of the machine which are used to make a landing on and the defect is not curious in any way though it does take some time to make the necessary changes

The intention of the trio was to fly Saturday and the day was ideal but it was decided at the last minute that the chances of flying and making a safe landing would involve too great a risk

Louis the eldest of the Johnson brothers said to a Tribune representative Saturday I am sorry that we could not fly today In the first place the weather is ideal and in the second place when the statement that we have been halted again appears in print a great many people will believe that the machine is a failure As for us we are certain as we have been all along that the airplane will fly

Ii ~~

Monday August 15 1910

JOHNSON PROMISES TO MAKE AIRPLANE TRIP WEDNESDAY BROTHERS OCCUPY ENTIRE DAY REPAIRING CARRYING TRUCK OF HEAVIER THAN AIR MACHINE - the work of getting ready the remodeled parts of the carrying truck for the airplane occupied the day of the Johnson boys at their work shop on 10th Street on Monday The men expect to have their work completed and will take their remodshyeled parts to the camp near Blackhawk Tuesday eveshyning

Louis Johnson said Monday that they expect to have everything in readiness for the trial by Wednesday One man has been left at the camp while the others came to their home in Terre Haute over Sunday

qp tt ~~

Friday August 19 1910

JOHNSONS WAIT WEATHER FOR FIRST TEST OF FLYER HUGE MONOPLANE GIVES EVERY EVshyIDENCE OF BEING FULLY CAPABLE OF NAVshyIGATING THE AIR - the initial flight of the Johnson monoplane was scheduled to take place Friday aftershynoon but a strong wind swept over the field here and made the test impossible The huge flyer waits serenely for the first chance to take to the air having been thoroughly tested on the ground

Friday afternoon the monoplane was staked to the ground headed into the wind and the engine turned on for the purpose of determining her power Under full speed the flyer acquired the full strength of the helpers to keep her from leaping upward At half speed the power developed was not sufficient to convince the builders that the test would be a success in the wind as it is their desire to fly first under half power leaving the remainder for reserve while in the air

After the test of the engine Louis Johnson expressed himself as being unsatisfied with the condition of the engine and propeller

E ~~

Saturday August 201910

JOHNSON SHIP REFUSES TO QUIT TERRA FIRMA ENGINE FAILS TO DEVELOP SUFFICIENT SPEED

TO LIFT MACHINE INTO AIR - the Johnson brothers have made half a dozen attempts to fly the monoplane upon which they have worked for so many months and in none have they succeeded in getting the big machine into the air

Three times Friday they turned the big propeller under high speed and freed the machine from all restraints At a rate of about 12 mph it tore down a rough field only to be stopped at the limit of the course without having raised from the ground Three of these efforts were made before and three after alterations had been made to the propeller Saturday morning the Johnshysons were not disheartened or discouraged they had come to the realization that they were not as far advancshyed in the building of the machine as they had thought Their attention was turned to alterations that were expected to have a decided affect on the plane and also to the grounds upon which they were flying The aviashytion camp is located on exceedingly poor grounds It is rough and full of ruts and so soft that the tired wheels sink to 1 to 3 in it when the machine is started _Those who have watched the attempts to fly are of the opinion that the nature of the grounds is largely responsible for the failures as it is impossible to start the machine at a pace that will make it rise Whether the Johnsons will move or prepare a smoother runway is a question that has not yet been determined The three efforts to fly Saturday morning were made early while the sun was rising and the wind was low A fairly steady breeze from the south made it necessary to drive the machine up a slight grade into the wind but this was not sufficiently a factor to which to attribute a failure to rise The monoshyplane failed to fly simply because it did not have enough power to raise it from the ground There is no speed indicator in the camp and it is impossible to tell at what rate the propeller is revolved but several have estimated it at about 900 rpm 1500 rpm is considered necessary for success and the Johnsons may have to make radical changes in the propeller before making the desired speed_

Saturday evening before a large crowd they started the engine three times and raced down the field with Louis Johnson in the machine The first was probably the best of all the trials The monoplane attained a good rate of speed but it did not leave the ground The buildshyers decided the trouble was due to the size of the propelshyler and they cut it down several inches The result was the engine operated faster and more smoothly but it was by no means as speedy as necessary and the test made established that more alterations were necessary espicially if attempts to fly are from the present locashytions

20

~ t_F ~~

Sunday August 211910

FOUR DEVOTEES OF AERONAUTICS MAINTAIN CHEERFULNESS IN FACE OF PARTIAL DISshyAPPOINTMENT WAITING FOR CALM JOHNSONS ADVANCE IN CONQUERING AIR SIX TRIALS OF MONOPLANE PROVE MANY THEORIES CORRECT BUT BRING PARTIAL DISAPPOINTMENT LOW SPEED PROPELLER PROVES TOO WEAK TO RAISE WEIGHT DIFFICULTIES AT FIELD AND APPLICAshyTION OF MOTORS ENERGY PRESENT PROBLEMS THAT MUST YIELD BEFORE PERSEVERENCE - Sunshyday the Johnson brothers who are now so earnestly engaged in the attempt to fly a monoplane in the old canal basin near Blackhawk are going to demonstrate that they can build a high power low speed motor fully adapted to the needs of the aviator

Just now they are encountering difficulties that would discourage many with a patience that means success they are working under handicaps that appear as insurmountable but must give way before their detershymination

Saturday morning the last of six attempts to make their machine leave terra firma failed and they went back to their tent disappointed after two weeks of the hardest kind of labor In spite of the cheerful attitude they assumed there was an air of disappointment all around the camp and even the jokes of the jolly party did not dispel it

The disappointment lay not so much in the fact that the machine failed to leave the ground in its trials as in the evidence that higher speed would be necessary for the proper operation of the motor It is the object of the Johnsons to develop a motor that will run a monoplane without the terrific speed common to those in use If they succeed in securing one of this type they have a fortune at their command They do not desire to construct an airplane merely for the purpose of flying If they did they could easily obtain the pattern of the Wright brothers machine or other machines and build accordingly or they could purchase a machine at less cost and trouble than they have encountered But having as their object the development of a low speed motor the failure of the one now in use to do the work expected was disappointing Although it whirled the propeller at a speed that astonished the spectators it was not operated at a rate of which it is capable but at a rate very much lower and which the builders hope would be sufficient for its purpose

Consequently when the speed attained by the motor in the first trials Friday proved insufficient one of the hopes of the Johnsons was dashed

Reluctantly they cut down the size of the propeller knowing that every inch shaved from it would increase the speed of the engine Two inches all around were sacrificed in the desire to raise the skybird and the result was a perceptible increase in the number of revolushytions and consequently a steadier engine Some consolashyLIon was offered by the fact that even with the reduced propeller there was little vibration noticeable about the machine

Late Friday night the airplane was run out of its tent and the motor started The effect was extraordinary and the hopes of the Johnsons that they had accomplished their purpose ran high Saturday morning early the fourth attempt to fly and the first with the reduced propeller was made

Whether the alterations had any effect on the raising power of the motor was difficult to determine because of the conditions under which the trial was made A steady breeze from the south made it necessary to start the machine from the north end of the field at the foot of the small incline and on ground that was wet and soft The machine behaved no better than before bllt whether it was due to the propeller the grade or the soft ground was a question the Johnsons were not ready to answer To eliminate the grade is almost impossible To wait for a more favorable wind is nerve racking yet the Johnsons will have to do all of these things before making sure that they have the propeller rightly proporshytioned for the task

Whatever may be determined regarding the propeller it remains that the Johnsons have demonstrated an engine that is remarkable for its power and speed combined with its steadiness and construction The motor is of the 2 cycle type 4 cylinders This means that an explosion occurs in each cylinder just twice as often as in the more common 4 cycle 4 cylinder type More power is the result and 75 hp is the indication This is accomplished by combining the Johnson patent valve with cylinders set at an angle of 1800 and big carburetors The patent valve is one on which the men have worked for a long time and they have shown by it a method of allowing more gas to enter the cylinders withshyout increasing the size of the valve a point of corisidershyable value in construction Then they have obtained a motor that will run at great speed and create so little vibration that it scarcely causes a tremor in the light wooden frame of the airship All in all the motor has conducted itself in a manner that is deemed most satisfactory It is applying it to the airplane that has

proven the puzzle and that is the very point the Johnshysons are seeking

The Johnson monoplane will fly because it is constructed on the proper principles for flight That it has not been successfully launched as yet is due to two things - the experience in designing and operating of the men in control of it and the unfavorable conditions under which the trials have been made Both of these points will be overcome in time While they are eliminatshying the unfavorable conditions they are learning from experience the points they have overlooked in designing and they are learning rapidly how to operate it

The story of the construction of the Johnson monoshyplane is one of hard work and persistent effort The Johllsons have had no teacher in the art They have studied much observed a great deal and gathered from experience a great deal more than the average man will ever know about airplanes No one realizes more than they that there is a great deal more to be learned That is why after months of work they took their machine to the Blackhawk basin It was two weeks ago today that they arrived there and since that time they have fought mosquitos malaria and rain in a most credible effort to work out the theories they have formed It is not a pleasant task but one that requires thought constant experiment and careful reasoning They are not particshyularly interested in what the public thinks about their work They want to apply the Johnson motor to aeroshynautics

As one enters the aviation field he is greeted by a sign that reads Welcome - Outside the Tent The sign is expressive of the attitude of the Johnson boys They are willing that anyone watch them at work free about giving information when asked but they promise nothing and consequently are not responsible for the disappointment of the many who have come to see them fly and have left without that satisfaction

Julius Johnson expressed their attitude well when he said while waiting for a wind to subside we have waited a year to get to this point with the machine and we can afford to wait another day rather than run the chances of breaking up the airplane

Last weeks activity at the camp became intensive Thursday morning when the machine was run out of its protection for the first time the frame buckled This was immediately repaired and trials of the engine and frame made that evening Friday three unsuccessful attempts to raise the machine were made and Saturday with an altered propeller three more efforts brought no better success

When the last visitor departed from the aviation field Thursday night the Johnsons rested content with their

21

preparations for a flight on the early morning air Time work until as the crowd left the field Thursday night noon for further tests to be made solely on the ability of and again the builders had been disappointed in not they saw the end of the last bit of preparation for an air the machine to lift It is expected that the trial will1ake having it ready for flight at the time agreed upon Little test place about an hour before sunset No effort at flightweaknesses that could not be foreseen became apparent While it has been disappointing to visit the aviation will be made at this time the test being confined to when the machine was started across the rough field had field and fail to witness an attempt to fly the chagrin of determining the buoyancy of the machine its balance yielded one by one to careful attention and ingenuity the Johnson brothers and Pearl Conover has been and general fitness for flight Every nut and bolt on the unwieldly looking skybird had greater Living in a single big tent pitched in a malaria been inspected and found in first class condition The breeding district pestered by insects and blistered with rt _ alterations made necessary by faulty calculations as to the heat they have put up with all kinds of inconvenshy ~~ weight and pressure on the running gear were completed iences since leaving Terre Haute and every hours delay and the new woodwork covered with a preserving paint In the center of the structure the light but powerful engine shown in polished brilliancy Just in front of it the big propeller built of many pieces and smoothed to a surface like glass was perfect to the last detail A sliver that had been knocked from it was replaced with cement and its bearing was as true as science could make it Stretching away on each side for 16 were ribbed wings on which so much depends each without a flaw or scratch At their tips hung the balancing planes so delicately fitted that the slightest movement of the operator was reflected by a changed position To the eye the machine was perfect and the builders who worked so patiently at last were satisfied it was ready for its initial trip

It now appeared that nothing stood in the way of a thorough demonstration but the Johnson brothers were doomed to meet another disappointment Under its power for the first time Louis Johnson drove the airship down the field from the tent in which it had been housed Three of the four cylinders were in operation yet it was evident that the Johnson motor was suffishyciently powerful for the purposes of the craft At speed that hurried those who accompanied it the aircraft ran along over the rough ground with little or no vibration from the motor and a steadiness that spelled success Four men hung to it with their weight keeping it from mounting the air while the driver accustomed himself to the situation and watched the engine and the plane

This was the final test of the monoplane before it was entrusted to the element for which it was constructed This test fully demonstrated that the care bestowed upon its construction was not misplaced There was not a flaw noticeable in any of its moving parts There was nothing about its action that indicated a single weakness But one thing marred the success of this test and Thursshyday night saw that one point corrected The long body or frame that extends from the plane to the rudder on the tail was not sufficiently strong to stand the strain of alighting from a height as was shown in its action during this test Immediately the builders prepared to strengthshyen it and all day Thursday they worked on this one part rebracing and adding to the solidity of this frame

has been bitter to them Malaria sent Clarence Johnson the youngest of the camp back to the city unfit to be about Mr Conover succumbed to it one day but was able to throw off the attack The Johnson brothers have all felt the effect of life in the camp and as Louis Johnshyson expressed it Are dead anxious to get to doing something

- shy~~ Monday October 10 1910 MONOPLANE JUSTIFIES EFFORTS OF JOHNSONS AIRCRAFT GOES INTO AIR SEVERAL TIMES AT TESTS MADE SUNDAY- after many weeks of quite work at their camp on the old reservoir prairie 3 miles east of Blackhawk in an effort to perfect the airplane which when first tried out was found to be lacking in a few particulars Louis Harry and Julius Johnson the inventors and builders of the Johnson Bros airplane succeeded in making several lifts with the aircraft at tests made Sunday evening Three tests were made and it was on the third one that the machine lifted from the ground Several times the craft raised for distances of from 15 to 20 Though the height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time this fact was rather to lack in certain details than because the airplane could not raise higher

The craft exhibited a wonderful buoyancy for the test and tended to leave the ground at all times higher than it was allowed to However necessity for certain corrections was manifested before a flight could be safely made and to avoid possible wrecking of the machine it was held down at all times

An assistant of the Johnson boys in their efforts toward perfecting the machine stated Monday that an idea of buoyancy of the machine could be gained from the fact that when starting on the soft dirt just previous to the test that it would leave no track in the soft dirt but that when being brought back for a second test it would plow back into the soil for a depth of 6

Preparations were almost completed Monday after-

Tuesday October II 1910 JOHNSON GIVES EXPRESSION TO SATISFACTION WITH PLANE TEST CONTINUED TO OCCUpy TIME OF BROTHERS AT AVIATION FIELD - Louis Johnson the elder of the Johnson brothers builders of the Johnson Monoplane spent Tuesday in Terre Haute looking after business matters The other two brothers Julius and Harry are at the aviation field making a few required minor changes in the mechanism preparatory to attempting a flight Wednesday or Thursday

Louis will return to the field Tuesday evening to be ready to sit at the wheel of the machine in the initial attempt at flight

We have gone far enough now to see through to the end and we now know that the theory which we have been working is the right one We will fly within a few days possible Wednesday or Thursday The changes now being made are only minor adjustments which were seen to be necessary in our tests as to the lifting power of the machine

-shy~~ Editors Note

The brothers apparently abandoned the attempts to make the 1910 airplane fly shortly after this in October 1910 and started work on an improved design which was successful in the summer of 1911 Between the end of October and the middle of July 1911 they built an entirely new airplane but used the same power plant that had been used in the 1910 version The new airplane was radically different in design using basically a metal framework cloth covered wings and cloth covered tail surfaces which were supported on a single aluminum boom It had a tricycle gear as contrasted with the conventional gear in the 1910 plane It had wing-warping in place of the moveable surfaces at the tips of the wings steerable nose wheel and brakes and many other engineering refinements~

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Ross Smith had never seen an airplane and was attractshyed to one ofthe public displays of the Johnson monoplane the practice being a charge of 25cent to see it in the tent to help alleviate the costs The plane had barely flown and excitement was running high Ross evidently took one look at it and said thats for me Its hard to guess how he convinced the Johnsons that he should take a hand at it however it is very possible that he was the only one with enough nerve and the J ohnsons had spent a great deal of theirs A bird in the hand at this point was probably welcome According to the records the

motor was started and Ross ran the plane up and down the field for some half hour experimenting with the controls learning how to use the throttle steering the airplane accelerating until it was light Evidently Ross had figured play ti me was over and the description states suddenly the plane shot forward and then rose graceshyfully into the air His very first flight lasted for 30 minutes and he thrilled the onlookers as he flew back and forth over the field (I nstructors take note - how many students would you turn loose in a better machine of today with 30 minutes of instruction)

Barely two days atter Rosss first flight he launched into the professional flying ranks in a big way He immeshydiately received an offer from his home town of Mattoon Illinois to engage in some demonstration flights and was paid for three flights at $50000 per flight Airplanes were so rare in these days that people paid to look at them and in most cases such flights were initiated by promotors seeking a quick fortune You would believe that flying such an airplane was enough of a daredevil stunt but not for our friend Ross He managed to concoct stunts that even from this distance

23

in time seem absolutely ridiculous Daredevil is too mild a word One of his next exploits was an engagement to fly the monoplane during a 10 day Chautauqua Now for you youngsters youll have to run to the dictionary however Ill save you the effort The name Chautauqua originated in New York where some wise promoter startshyed an educational summer camp Families took their vacations very similar to those going to Oshkosh for the week long fly-in lived in tents in a large tent community that attracted as many as 50000 people during its run This particular Chautauqua that contracted for Rosss services with the Johnson airplane was at Merom Bluff Indiana a high point on the Wabash River The bluff was in Sullivan County and stood 150 above the river on one side while the opposite side fell to flat farm land going away from the river in a flat plain Th is particular Chautauqua was obviously one of great importance for the midwest and attractions included William Jennings Bryan Senator Robert LaFollette William Howard Taft former President of the United States Vice President Thomas R Marshall a gal named Maude Ballington Booth discussing prison reform John Temple Graves a noted orator of the time and Jeanette Rankin the first American Congresswoman The Chautauqua encomshypassed every subject from religion to suffrage child care and anything at all that would interest the family

To spice this particular Chautauqua Ross came up with the idea of building a 250 wooden platform with its far end hanging over the bluff on the river side The intent was to fly the airplane from this platform and fly it he did for many performances Descriptions of the flight states that the airplane labored uphill gained speed and disappeared from the end of the platform in what must have been a free fall until it gained flying speed leveling out some safe distance above the river then circling back over the Chautauqua area like a peacock preening its feathers It must have been a supreme thrill for all to witness There was no possible way to land at the Chautauqua area so Ross would cross the river to the Illinois side and land on a road at the ferry The plane would then be disassembled hauled back across the river pulled back up the winding road to the bluff for its next days operation

I n the eyes of the Chautauqua attendance Ross was no doubt walking mighty tall despite his slight stature It was quite common practice for the Johnson airplane to be engaged for fairs etc at which time it generally flew off the racetrack Evidently by this time a standard stunt

This monoplane piloted by Ross Smith flew off the Merom Bluff daily August 22-37 7973 during the Chautauqua

This was the view from the Merom Bluff The picture is deceiving for it was 750 down to the water Note the Ferry cars and buggies waiting to cross and climb the winding road up the bluff This is the view Ross Smith had as he literally dove his plane off the platform without adequate flying speed The result was a near free fall with flying speed gained in time to narrowly miss striking the water below The flight was enacted daily to please the crowd

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-

Ross Smith preparing for an exhibition flight Note man with ladder at right below wing It was a tall gear and a long climb to mount this machine

had been for the airplane to race a car on the track Dirt track races being part of almost every fair there was always someone present willing to race At one such event it states that Speed in the air and on land thrills thousands Aviator Ross L Smith and Speed King Wild Bob Burman held first place in the hearts of sensation lovers for the wild thrills they gave the thousands at the fairgrounds on Sunday Taking off from the track Ross flew around the track circled the infield and landed directly in front of thegrandstand amid the applause of thousands As an additional build up to the race Burman took Ross for a ride in his 300 hp Blitzen Benz and proceeded to smash the world record for a mile on a half mile dirt track breaking his own former record His

speed was just over 60 mph but this meant that 80 mph must have been his speed on the straight away On the first lap he gave Ross a thrill by hitting the turn too fast and almost losing control in a skid Evidently Ross did not appreciate the ride for when Burman said he would go up with him in his plane Ross calmly said that if he did he would get pushed out Burman of course immeshydiately changed his mind Evidently this was the last of Burmans summer appearances and he was going to spend his time readying himself for the 500 mile motor speedway event He had held the lead the previous year until his machine caught fire and burned while he was many laps ahead

As to the race between the airplane and the car the

airplane invariably won all events in spite of the fact that the cars appeared to be going faster Speed in the air does not seem to be speed compared to a roaring monster of an auto spewing exhaust and throwing large clods of dirt as it rounds every corner Smith evidently thrilled the crowd with a simple thing that today would be called a touch and go Newspaper emotes over the fact that even the French exhibition flyers had not done such a thing stating that Ross had no trouble at all in thrilling the crowd In another engagement it states that Ross L Smith will pilot the Johnson brothers monshyoplane during the Corn Week Show sponsored by the Rotary Club of Terre Haute The big thrill of this event was to be a flight down Wabash Avenue between the

25

buildings just above the street car wires It was stated it would be the first time in history that an aviator would attempt such a dangerous feat The plane was to be brought down until the wheels barely cleared the wires then proceed west down the street to the Court House where the plan was to circle the big dome I n a flair of penmanship the author writes it will be unusual for a businessman to see the wings of an airplane almost brushing the windows of his building He further states the trip will be a dangerous one but the aviator and the builders of the machine have such faith in the monshyoplane that they believe that both will stand the test

I n a later account where Smith was engaged to fly an exhibition over Elsworth he decided to give them a new thrill and go for altitude With much circling he reached dizzying height of 2000 where he passed through a cloud bank that confused him for a short time On recovering from the confusion he found himself at 1000 (he invented vertigo no dOUbt)

In still another account it states the Johnson monshyoplane gave one of the best exh ib itions of the art of flying it has been our pleasure to witness There were no death defying stunts just plain flying

The monoplane took off on the back stretch of the race track and for 30 minutes circled dived swooped and turned running up and down the valley for several miles It states the limited space in which he had to land caused him some trouble He had failed to make the first descent (made a go-around - probably the first) When finally on the ground Aviator Ross stated it was the hardest day to fly on he had ever experienced as the air seemed dead and no breeze whatsoever was stirring Density altitude)

About the year 1913 Ross was running out of tricks the bag was getting empty so he decided to scoop them all He announced that he would like to fly the Atlantic and from all records it appears that he was the first to have such serious ideas He was at least 19 years ahead of his time He proposed to fly the flimsy Johnson airplane across the Atlantic alone - a statement that makes Lindshyberghs remarks an echo of the past He approached the Navy Department and asked them to place 10 battleshysh ips at intervals of 300 miles apart figuring that th is would be the maximum load of gasoline possible to carry The Navy of course refused considering the flight across the Atlantic as only a hair brained scheme The Government was not very interested in flying at this time and their decision was certainly not a surprise

~

Evening flights from the field were customary

Ross did not remain silent on this issue and at a later time stated in print when the Atlantic is crossed it will be by a flying boat and not a dirigible

In reading the history of these days all of the emshyphasis on long range travel was transfered to the gas bag History proved Ross to be 100 right and the Navys NC4s were the first to fly across

To further add hues of color to his career Ross was perhaps the first American aviator to get an offer from a foreign government and probably one of the first conceptions of military aviation was born President Huerta of Mexico offered him a high ranking position in the Mexican Army if he would organize an air force for them Ross immediately declined Poncho Villa who was then the bad boy of Mexico and conducting what we would call today Guerilla attack tried to make Ross a better offer of $2000 a month in gold to do the same thing for his side Ross declined that too Time proved how wise he was in declining this offer for one of his best friends was killed - not while he was flying but by Villas own men Four of Rosss friends had decided to fly for Villa but when weeks went by and they received no pay they drew straws to see who would confront Villa with the facts Mickey McGuire (the wild Irish Rose of the skies) was unlucky enough to get the job and foolish enough to make the attempt He faced the illiterate General in his tent and asked for the money

The General promptly whipped out a 45 caliper pistol and shot McGuire through the heart In revenge the remaining three proceeded to burn Villas airplanes saving one to make their escape in They successfully flew that one back to the United States

This was not Rosss last encounter with Army life As World War I came along there were but 50 flyers availshyable for instructors in the US He was one that formed the nucleus of the great Flying Corps This group was called on to also perform test pilot functions and in their vernacular did nose dives tail spins and no doubt were the first creators of aerobatic flying in this country This was no doubt a cup of tea for our adventuresome Mr Ross captivated the services and the record that he established was remarkable General Andrews commenshyded Ross with a citation ending it with a comment Seven years without a serious mishap Ross lived a long and successful life and became very well known in Wash ington and for years was Public Relations Manager for the Hot Shopps a food chain in the East He lived a full life and died on February 19 1959 For an advenshyturesome person who lead such a colorful life and seemingly knew no fear he must have also been blessed with skill and a great amount of common sense In the Hot Shopps Company magazine from which some of this material was gleaned they coined an epitaph for him stating simply An amazing man ~

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~ife Story of

Lou JOHNSON Pioneer Airplane Manufacshy

turer and Aviator Developer

of the Vee Type Motor and

Modern Outboard Engine

As Recorded in an Interview

By Dorothy Jefferson

Konold

Especially for MoToR BoatinG March 1927

Lou Johnson grinned cheerfully as he answered my questions concerning his initial flight Lou is the eldest and the leader of those four red-headed Johnson brothshyers who designed constructed and flew the first successshyful American monoplane in Terre Haute Indiana eightshyeen years ago and who have taken many remarkable steps in the perfection of V-type motors

Kind of funny he sa id with that quiet reticent humor which is so much a part of his personality When that machine was ready to go up I had not the remotest

(Continued on page 15)

Louis johnson makes first stccessful flight with johnson Aeroplane

12

Vintage Upper Left Note the brass steam condenser (tea kettle) just behind the engine In front of the condenser is the ignition system Large box was magneto and selective cylinder control later substituted for blip switch

Lower Left The johnson Motor wheel served the Company for a period of time - after aeroplanes and before outboards As a child I rememshyber a johnson motor wheel powered buckboard (a bicycle wheeled contrivance about twice the size of a childs wagon accommodating two passengers)

13

Album

Upper Right A good shot of the east side of the engine with Louis Johnsons wife at the controls The propeller was made of alternate strips of spruce and walnut

Lower Right This engine could enhance my living room anytime Everything the Johnshyson brothers did was done to perfection Imagine what a 72 cylinder 2 cycle engine could have done for an aeroplane shytoo bad they were never successfully applied

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idea how to fly Had to learn that at the same time I was testing out the plane Quite different nowadays learning all the principles in an aviation school and then having a perfectly good standardized thoroughly inspected plane delivered into your hands In the old days you had to keep your wits about you all right You never knew what might happen next Ill never forget the first time I went fifty feet off the ground It was lots more of a surprise to me than it was to the spectators

We were sitting in the cheerful home-like living room where Mr johnson does most of his reading and much of his designing A log fire snapped on the hearth and the atmosphere suggested such peace and retirement that it was almost impossible to see in the modest kindly man who sat before me that rugged grimly determined Hoosier lad who never allowed a class-mate to pass him in school who dreamed fantastic things with his boyish brain and carried them out with his amazingly skillful boyish hands who permitted no failure even heavensent destruction in the form of a tornado that completely wiped out his entire motor plant in a few hours to come between him and his goal and who has accepted success with an unconscious grace known to few At forty-five Louis james johnson occupies an enviable position in the engineering world yet one has only to converse with him a few moments to be certain he feels that only a very small portion of his work has been accompl ished

And what he admits of success he attributes in no great measure to his own ability He tells you gravely of two paramount influences in his youth and insists that a boy given these could not have failed

The first influence as you may have guessed was his home life

Meeting Mr johnsons parents as they are today it is not difficult to understand the reverence that is accordshyed them by all of their five children Father johnson at eighty-four has the keen clear eye of a man of sixty His most prized possession is a motor wheel presented to him when his sons were manufacturing them and he rides daily During the war he was called by the govshyernment to take over an important task in an ammunishytion factory for though he had been long in idleness his ability as an expert tool dresser was well known and they were unable to find skill in younger men that matched his Coming from Denmark when he was nine he went at a very early age into a machine shop reaching the place where he could gauge steel by his senses as accurately as other men ga uged it by instruments And

from the first hi s so ns were benefited by an interest and cooperation which very few fathers know how to give

We always had our own tools and work-benches Lou explained Father indulged us in these things as wealthier men indulge their children in expens ive toys We were encouraged to try our hand at any sort of construction that appealed to us And father was always there to advise and assist No task even the building of a sled was regarded as trivial We were taught to put sincere effort into everything and to finish whatever we began

Mother johnson quietly sitting softly rocking speaks in a low almost awed tone of her boys and you know at once what her part in their story has been

When Lou was only twelve she says he decided he wanted a new sled We couldnt afford to buy him the kind he selected so he took an axe and went out into the woods and cut down a tree He worked at it until he had his lumber ready Then he sat down and drew a design We didnt think he could carry it out he was such a little fellow but first thing we knew he had someshything that looked like a real sled The only trouble was with the runners Finally he took the rim off an old buggy wheel pounded it down flat and fastened it to his wooden runners Father got him some red and black

1paint and I want to tell you he had a sled to be proud of I have it in my attic now and you couldnt buy a A better one shy

The second influence you cannot guess It was the Wabash river When the johnson boys were still youngsters the

family moved from Effingham Illinois to Terre Haute I ndiana All of the boys Lou Harry julius Clarence and Arthur (the latter being the one who lost his life some years ago in a factory accident) were enchanted with the river

Our Danish blood Lou smiles quietly It seemed to them that life would not be worth living until they owned a boat

Make it their parents encouraged So the boat was begun and before the summer ended

it was an admitted success But another summer came and brought new ambitions Lou johnson and Nell Cockerham johnson

Louis and Harry wearied of rowing each other about It is rumored that she flew the johnson airshyone day and began to dream plane The family doubts that she did

If we had a motor - Pictures of her in the plane may have been We couldnt afford to buy one - responsible for the rumor (See page 74) We could race neverything

15

Gee how fast d you suppose we co uld go They approached their father and mother Make it said the parents fi nall y with less enthushy

siasm than they were wont to show Gasoline motors were strange toys in those times

But the moto r slowl y assembled proved the env y of all their small assoc iates It was t he two-horse power inboard type a quaint ancestor for the outboard of today but it chall enged and defeated many a marine moto r of prouder origin

The influence of the Wabash shyHigh School was completed with so exce ll ent a

record in mathematics that Terre Hau te professors still speak of Lo us asto nishing ab ility in that line and the yo ung inventor for he was now recognized as that sought hi s fathers consent to engage in marin e motor man ufacture

As usua l hi s parents nodd ed approval They had a lways wished their boys to be in business for t hemshyselves a nd there was money ready for a sma ll factory

Here it is interesting to make a note on the progress of Louis Jo hnsons education No more schooling yet systematic stud y never neglected in the press of any c irc umstances whatever More mathematics a keener interest in everything pertaining to the mechanical sciences engineeri ng co urses Constant reading evshyid enced today by the books that surround him in his home

A few years of this marine work and then the brain that dreamed and the hands that were ever ready to carry out those dreams united in a burni ng desire to drive something far more romantic than river boats with a gaso line engine

He wanted a sled and made o ne He wanted a laun ch and he made o ne He wanted an airplane and he made one It was Americas first triumph with a monopl ane

No o ne probab ly will ever know just what those broth ers suffered in the way of ridicule disappointment a nd discourage ment in the first period of their struggle with th e unknown air monster But they drove ahead undaunted and fi nally something that resembled an ominous bird of prey was hatched

Not only the Indiana town in whi ch it was bo rn thought thi s creation a fantastic f ledgling Looking over Mr Johnso ns scrap-book one comes to hi ghl y amusing comments by the press in various parts of the country Wright and Curtiss were experimenting at the same time of course but air asce nsion was still regarded in the light

of so rcery Working fever ishly day and night and with th e

utmost secrecy the Johnso n brothers of Terre Haute India na are said to be toiling and scheming to put together a huge bird-like machine which is slated either to fulf ill their fo ndest hopes or prove their bitterest disappointment says a cl ipping of September 26 1909

Desp ite the Jo hnsons effo rts at secrecy spectators began to throng the camp in the old reservoir bed ear ly Saturday afte rnoon and later automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place of the Flyer All the far mers took the afternoo n off to view the mach ine news of which had leaked out in spite of the covered e ntra nce to the farm where the try-out is to be held

This a li tt le later in the Terre Haute Tribune Mr Joh nson ch uckl es soft ly as he reviews these

notices The betting ran high at those fi rst ex hibitions he

says Bets ran about two to one that wed not get off the gro und People a lways paid to see the machine too One day in Hill sboro Illino is we took in 2500 gate admissio ns of twenty-five cents each

Gasoline of course was regarded with much fear and the greatest caution used Before the engine was started a crier ran down the f ield warning spectators of the imminent danger and forbidd ing them to smoke

But the queer creature t hat the Johnson brothers had labored w ith was now winning wagers for those who had faith in it The press spoke of a f light as a lift and fo ll owi ng a discouragingly ra iny sum mer when muddy fields delayed the tests for weeks we read

After a period of experiment covering some time the Jo hnson brothers made a successful lift at their camp Sunday evening The machine was started on the aershyd ro me track from which it was run down the field in an effort which finally succeeded in raising it clear of the ea rth Severa l times the craft raised for d istances of from fifteen to twenty feet though th e height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time

Among the things that the history of tomorrow will carry will be the invention and construction of the first successful American monoplane It will recount the years of unaided struggle by those red-headed Johnson bro thers in Terre Haute I ndiana who brought out of a chaos of thought the most wonderful th ing up to the year 1912 in the way of an aero engine mounted on a steel flyer that really flew

The original motor was mounted on a wooden fra me the wings were of silk and the position of the flyer was perilous The improved monoplane boasted a steel frame stronger win gs and the aviator was pl aced above and behind the machinery eliminating the danger of being crushed by the engine in a fall

This successful ai rplane had a spread of 36 feet a length of 34 feet 260 square feet of plane surface and weighed 750 pou nd s I t had a speed of better than sixty mil es an hour and was driven by a V-type motor which was in the nature of a revolution

Then came the Johnson School of Aviation Now that there were pl anes to fly there must be

av iators to fly them But while many young men took a keen interest in the sport fro m the sidelines most of them were sti ll decided ly earthbo und However there were two immediate ap plicants and Ross L Smith who trained one hundred and fifty men during t he war was Lou Johnsons first pupil Frank Schutt was the other and to him befell the thrill of crashing to ground from a height of 1500 ft and landing unhurt His acc ident was caused by a shortage of gas as were many other similar catastrophies of the time

But there is a more perso na l note to be sounded in connection with Mr Johnsons f lights Something other than motors and his aviatio n schoo l engrossed him Th ere was a charming young person in the hood and dust coat supposed to represent the ideal sport costume of the day always ready to assay the clouds with him Up to now spectators had gazed in obvious ad miratio n at the mother who bade her son such a brave god-speed when he started upo n those fearsome uncharted voyshyages Her gallant bearing unfa ilingly caused a little ripple of com ment But now anoth er woman stood at her side eq ually anxious yet equally hero ic It was whispered that Miss Ne ll Cockerham also of Terre Haute had often been up in the machine with Mr Johnson and that she evidently took a keen interest in monoplanes shy

The story is briefly told in two headlin es from the local paper

DISCOVERED- PRETTY MISS WHO FLEW IS I NTERESTED IN BIRD MAN THEN AVIATOR JOHNSON UP IN AIR- MISSED TRAIN ONWEDDING DAY

A new partnership was formed for it is evident to everyone who contacts the Johnsons in either a business or a social way that theirs had proven a very successful marriage and that Mrs Johnsons intere st has been

16

manifested in every phase of the inventors work But the influence of the Wabash shyFlying was all very well Mr Johnson admitted when

questioned concerning his return to motor-boat building but the call of his first love was too strong to ignore for long Of course during these remarkable three years he had never ceased to manufacture the Johnson marine motor but following his marriage he devoted himself intensively to the development of several ideas he had held in embryo while he sought the conquest of the clouds

Soon the Johnson brothers were offering twenty models of marine motors Racing motors ranged from single cylinder to twelve cylinder type One of these held therecord in the 320 in class for four years

But the fates having accorded this much in justice to the originality persistency and energy of the Johnson family evidently decreed that the number thirteen must cast an ominous influence upon the new industry The tornado of 1913 is well remembered by all who lived in the vicinity of Terre Haute at that time but to none perhaps was it more devastating

Lou and I had been in the theatre while the storm was at its worst said Mrs Johnson when we had come to this part of the narration And Lou spoke of the satisfaction of being in a nice new brick factory We went home and knew nothing of the damage that had been wrought until the following morning Then when the men reported for work they saw a pile of wreckage that would have sickened any heart The highest portion of the plant left standing was a bit of the brick wall three feet above the ground

W ea ker men wou Id have broken perhaps but apparently Lou and his brothers bowed to the will of the gods and accepted their loss calmly I n humbler quarters but with no lessening of spirit they designed something new in the manner of a racing craft

In 1914 Johsons most famous boat Black Demon III entered a special match race against some of the fastest boats in the country on Lake Michigan Disturbshyer I V of Ch icago took first honors but Black Demon was a close second out-classing a number of favorites It was a recognized triumph for the V-type motor which had been exhibited in Chicago a few months before and was causing much comment Black Demon III was a 23-footer powered with two 12-cylinder high speed marine motors each having 180 horse-power

Ever casting about for new transportation methods

Black Demon III was a 23 footer powered with two 2 cycle 72 cylinder high speed marine motors each having 780 horsepower

the red-headed Johnson boys now wondered whether a bicycle driven by their motor would compare favorably with types already on the market Apparently it did for in 1917 the Johnson Motor Wheel Company was a going business with an output of 10000 machines a year and the slogan - SIXTY MILES FOR TEN CENTS was familiar to many of us

Warren Ripple Chicago financier was especially interested in this new venture and through his influence the factory was moved to South Bend in the early part of 1918

In eight years the growth of the Johnson Motor Company has furnished South Benders with an inshyexhaustible subject of conversation First it wasshy

Did you hear about those Johnson people Theyve taken over the od Bottling plant next to them

Then Have you heard the latest about Johnson Theyve

leased that whole block of stores on Lincoln Way and put their offices over there

On and on it went this amazing growth Soon a vacated portion of a large underwear mill across the river was commandeered neighboring houses sheds buildings of any type whatever were given over to the manufacshyture and housing of Johnson motors It was said that one must carry a road map to complete a tour of the plant

The wheel had gone into the discard but there was

never a lull in activities The out-board marine motor had quietly taken the place of the motor-driven bicycle - and Lou Johnson was back again doing homage to his first love

Strange influence-On the Banks of the Wabash - tho now of course it was the St Joe river that knew his experiments

Mr Johnsons smile changed as he finished the little resume of his work and walking to the fire-place framed by the well-filled bookcases looked thoughtfully into the flames for a few seconds

Of course it is only a beginning he said This is the age of mechanical development and no one can foretell the progress that will be made in the next ten years even though one may feel it coming Naturally the thing that interests me most and always has is the improvement of water transportation Better boats fastshyer boats-

He paused and the smile was again in his eyes America is only beginning to enjoy water sports

presume we Johnsons have that in the blood And suddenly I saw him as he is a tall Danishshy

American captain commanding in spite of his reticence who began his voyage about three decades ago on a childishly constructed raft in the Wabash river and has been coming fearless of current and snag upstream ever since ~

17

Wednesday August 3 1910

JOHNSONS PREPARE TEST AIRPLANE - machine stands ready after more than a years work for its initial flight - brothers guard secret of place of first trial Airshyship has as original feature V type 2 cycle engine built for strength and lightness

Harry Louis and Julius Johnson the Johnson Brothshyers who have been at work for more than a year manufacturing an aeroplane at their shop 717 N 10th St have at last completed the machine and will leave Friday for a place in the open country near Terre Haute

to make the first attempt at flying it Thus far the Johnson Brothers have kept the location

of the place where they will try to fly the machine an entire secret It is desired to have no crowd about to bother while the machine is being tried

Everything was completed Wednesday with the exception of putting the parts together The machine which weighs 650 pounds complete will be shipped knocked down to the scene of the first attempted flight The propeller which is over 10 in length the wings seat and balances will not be attached until the scene of

try-out has been reached Wednesday morning the airplane stood in the big

building erected especially for the purpose of building it at the rear of the Johnson home on North 10th St It is 36 in length and measures the same exactly from tip to tip in width Every part of it has been manufactured by the three young men while they at the same time carried on their occupation of gasoline and marine engine manufacturing It was begun just a little less than a year ago

The wings which are to extend on either side from

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the front of the machine measure 16 Yz x 8 and are made of light waterproof canvas stretched over stout framework The engine is a V type 2 cycle engine the only one of its kind to have ever been made

There are V type engines said Mr Johnson but they are 4 cycle The 2 cycle engines have previously been built straight causing increased weight Everything about the machine has been built for speed and lightmiddot ness

Two 7 gallon gasoline tanks will furnish the propellmiddot ing power for the machine It is expected it will take a day and a half to set the machine up after its been shipped to the place where it will be tested

- ~ shy

Saturday August 6 1910

LOCAL AVIATORS MAKE READY FOR FIRST TRIAL JOHNSON BROTHERS MOVE AIRPLANE TO FIELD NEAR BLACKHAWK AND SET UP MACHINE FOR TESTmiddot everything was hustle and bustle at the Johnson brothers aero camp a few miles from Blackmiddot hawk Saturday where the three young men manufacmiddot turers of engines and incidentally builders of an airplane were engaged in putting together their airplane preparmiddot atory for a trial flight One of the busiest of the workers was Clarence Johnson a 12 year old brother who showed himself a handy man about the place Owing to the fact that due to their hurried move from Terre Haute with their machine Friday the Johnson brothers left behind some necessary blocks and braces and the flight that was scheduled for Saturday will be postponed until some time Sunday The strange man by the name of Zakarius supposed to be from Indianapolis and well versed in aviation was with the three brothers Saturday as they worked on their machine which was enclosed in a 40 tent to shut out the view from the spectators Another important personage at the scene was Dr Dupui of Riley who was on hand in case a flight should be made to see to the injuries of the aviator in case he should meet with an accident

The tryout grounds are admirally situated in the center of a 100 acre farm in the reservoir of the old Wabash and Erie Canal There is a wide stretch of clear country without any woodland within its radius of two miles It is believed the airplane will be assembled and ready for a trial late Saturday afternoon but it is not thought a flight will be attempted before Sunday

- Ii _ ~ ~

Sunday August 7 1910

JOHNSON BROTHERS PREPARE FOR INITIAL TEST OF BIG AIRPLANE CONFIDENCE PERmiddot MEATESCAMP AS TIME FOR TRY-OUT NEARSmiddot the first flight if flight is to be of the Johnson airship now resting in all readiness for its try-out at its camp at southeast of Terre Haute will come at about noon today and the result of a year s work and effort to build a successful airplane will be determined

In spite of the Johnson effort at secrecy spectators began to throng to the camp in the old reservoir bed early Saturday afternoon and later in the evening automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place The farmers also took Saturday evening off to take advantage of the opportunity to see the machine and the men

A heavy steel roller was brought to the scene Satshyurday evening and the Johnsons will layout the course early Sunday morning on which the aviators who drive the machine in the preliminary try-outs will score down for a start The meadow as it stands is rough and trouble was feared when the wheels of the flyer were started over the ground before the machine raised into the air

Just who would be the first man to steer the machine on its initial effort the Johnsons refused to state but the crowd of sightseers who have been watching the progress of the work at the camp picked the man who they believe will be in the seat when the airplane raises first It is William Zachow the stranger from Racine Wisconsin who arrived in this city just in time to take an active part in completing preparations for the try-out Zachow refused to give out his name but the above is the name he registered under at the Philbeck Hotel Gossip has it that the Wisconsin man is an experienced aviator and it is on this fact that the spectators base their belief that he will be the one to drive the machine when it is tried out

There is no spirit of speculation in the air about the Johnson camp but in plain businesslike manner the men are carrying forth the work which is to determine whether or not Terre Haute has produced a parallel to the Wright Brothers There were several men on the ground Saturday afternoon who professed some knowlshyedge of mechanics All the men who have seen the machine since it has been brought near enough to completion for an idea to be formed as to its efficiency has had nothing but praise for the thoroughness with which it has been finished and experienced mechanics say that from a mechanical standpoint the machine looks good

An experienced mechanic who examined the machine Saturday stated that the V type 2 cycle engine a

distinctive feature of the new machine is especially adapted for the use on airplanes The Johnson brothers claim the distinction of having made the first engine of this type and mechanics say that it is the coming engine for use on aerial machines

The Johnsons themselves though they do not talk much have all confidence in their creation The men have had years of experience in the manufacture of all kinds of engines and in addition have put in considershyable time in research work on the subject of airplanes and other flying machines They have been close students to the methods of the Wright Brothers

Ii- _ ~

Monday August 8 1910

MAKER LAYS PLANS TO PILOT AIRPLANE ON INITIAL FLIGHTmiddot with the airplane removed from the tent in which it has been housed and the engine of the plane in perfect running order the Johnson brothers were expected Monday at noon to make an attempted flight at any time

The field located near Blackhawk south of the city where the first trial will take place is in perfect condishytion for the flight The only thing that may cause a delay of the flight is the lightness of the wheels which support the airplane on the ground at the start It was feared Monday that heavier wheels would be necessary In case this is decided on the trial of the machine will not take place for a day or so One of the Johson boys will pilot the machine on its initial attempted flight This was definitely announced Monday It was thought at first that William Zachow who was present at the aviation camp would pilot the machine but it has developed that the stranger is a salesman for an airplane supply comshypany He is said to be thoroughly fa miliar with the mechanism of airplanes however and has been of great value in getting the machine ready for flight

A test of the engine was made Monday morning it developed 40 HP Confidence was expressed by the Johnsons that the engine could develop 20 HP additional if necessary

- ~~

Saturday August 13 1910

WEAK SPRINGS POSTPONE JOHNSONS TRIAL OF FLIGHT CROWDS GATHERED AT AVIATION

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FIELD TO AGAIN LEARN THAT MACHINES TEST MUST AGAIN BE DELAYED - the Johnson brothers made no attempt to fly this afternoon It is reported that they would make their initial attempt to scale the clouds today A crowd followed in the wake of the rumor and by 200 this afternoon many people swarmshyed down from the meadow

When the Johnson machine was wheeled out at 2 00 it was found by the inventors that an important set of springs were too weak These will be strengthened and it is probable that the apparatus will not be taken out of the tent again until Tuesday of the coming week

Two of the brothers hurried to Terre Haute this aftershynoon as soon as the defect in the machine was discovshyered They will return to the camp Sunday and begin adjustment

_ F A ~~

Sunday August 141910

BROTHER AVIATORS DELAY DEMONSTRATION AGAIN PART OF MACHINE USED IN MAKING LANDING GETS OUT OF ORDER SECOND TIME shythough delayed again in their preparation for the initial flight of the first airplane ever manufactured in Terre Haute the Johnson boys Louis Julius and Harry went to work to remedy the defect which made necessary the postponement of their flight for the second time The defects which they are now forced to repair causes no despair in the Johnson boys or lessens their faith that the machine will fly after they are completed

We have encountered no difficulty whatever as yet which would in any way interfere with the successful flight of the machine said one of the boys Saturday The trouble is only in the wheels and supporting spring those parts of the machine which are used to make a landing on and the defect is not curious in any way though it does take some time to make the necessary changes

The intention of the trio was to fly Saturday and the day was ideal but it was decided at the last minute that the chances of flying and making a safe landing would involve too great a risk

Louis the eldest of the Johnson brothers said to a Tribune representative Saturday I am sorry that we could not fly today In the first place the weather is ideal and in the second place when the statement that we have been halted again appears in print a great many people will believe that the machine is a failure As for us we are certain as we have been all along that the airplane will fly

Ii ~~

Monday August 15 1910

JOHNSON PROMISES TO MAKE AIRPLANE TRIP WEDNESDAY BROTHERS OCCUPY ENTIRE DAY REPAIRING CARRYING TRUCK OF HEAVIER THAN AIR MACHINE - the work of getting ready the remodeled parts of the carrying truck for the airplane occupied the day of the Johnson boys at their work shop on 10th Street on Monday The men expect to have their work completed and will take their remodshyeled parts to the camp near Blackhawk Tuesday eveshyning

Louis Johnson said Monday that they expect to have everything in readiness for the trial by Wednesday One man has been left at the camp while the others came to their home in Terre Haute over Sunday

qp tt ~~

Friday August 19 1910

JOHNSONS WAIT WEATHER FOR FIRST TEST OF FLYER HUGE MONOPLANE GIVES EVERY EVshyIDENCE OF BEING FULLY CAPABLE OF NAVshyIGATING THE AIR - the initial flight of the Johnson monoplane was scheduled to take place Friday aftershynoon but a strong wind swept over the field here and made the test impossible The huge flyer waits serenely for the first chance to take to the air having been thoroughly tested on the ground

Friday afternoon the monoplane was staked to the ground headed into the wind and the engine turned on for the purpose of determining her power Under full speed the flyer acquired the full strength of the helpers to keep her from leaping upward At half speed the power developed was not sufficient to convince the builders that the test would be a success in the wind as it is their desire to fly first under half power leaving the remainder for reserve while in the air

After the test of the engine Louis Johnson expressed himself as being unsatisfied with the condition of the engine and propeller

E ~~

Saturday August 201910

JOHNSON SHIP REFUSES TO QUIT TERRA FIRMA ENGINE FAILS TO DEVELOP SUFFICIENT SPEED

TO LIFT MACHINE INTO AIR - the Johnson brothers have made half a dozen attempts to fly the monoplane upon which they have worked for so many months and in none have they succeeded in getting the big machine into the air

Three times Friday they turned the big propeller under high speed and freed the machine from all restraints At a rate of about 12 mph it tore down a rough field only to be stopped at the limit of the course without having raised from the ground Three of these efforts were made before and three after alterations had been made to the propeller Saturday morning the Johnshysons were not disheartened or discouraged they had come to the realization that they were not as far advancshyed in the building of the machine as they had thought Their attention was turned to alterations that were expected to have a decided affect on the plane and also to the grounds upon which they were flying The aviashytion camp is located on exceedingly poor grounds It is rough and full of ruts and so soft that the tired wheels sink to 1 to 3 in it when the machine is started _Those who have watched the attempts to fly are of the opinion that the nature of the grounds is largely responsible for the failures as it is impossible to start the machine at a pace that will make it rise Whether the Johnsons will move or prepare a smoother runway is a question that has not yet been determined The three efforts to fly Saturday morning were made early while the sun was rising and the wind was low A fairly steady breeze from the south made it necessary to drive the machine up a slight grade into the wind but this was not sufficiently a factor to which to attribute a failure to rise The monoshyplane failed to fly simply because it did not have enough power to raise it from the ground There is no speed indicator in the camp and it is impossible to tell at what rate the propeller is revolved but several have estimated it at about 900 rpm 1500 rpm is considered necessary for success and the Johnsons may have to make radical changes in the propeller before making the desired speed_

Saturday evening before a large crowd they started the engine three times and raced down the field with Louis Johnson in the machine The first was probably the best of all the trials The monoplane attained a good rate of speed but it did not leave the ground The buildshyers decided the trouble was due to the size of the propelshyler and they cut it down several inches The result was the engine operated faster and more smoothly but it was by no means as speedy as necessary and the test made established that more alterations were necessary espicially if attempts to fly are from the present locashytions

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~ t_F ~~

Sunday August 211910

FOUR DEVOTEES OF AERONAUTICS MAINTAIN CHEERFULNESS IN FACE OF PARTIAL DISshyAPPOINTMENT WAITING FOR CALM JOHNSONS ADVANCE IN CONQUERING AIR SIX TRIALS OF MONOPLANE PROVE MANY THEORIES CORRECT BUT BRING PARTIAL DISAPPOINTMENT LOW SPEED PROPELLER PROVES TOO WEAK TO RAISE WEIGHT DIFFICULTIES AT FIELD AND APPLICAshyTION OF MOTORS ENERGY PRESENT PROBLEMS THAT MUST YIELD BEFORE PERSEVERENCE - Sunshyday the Johnson brothers who are now so earnestly engaged in the attempt to fly a monoplane in the old canal basin near Blackhawk are going to demonstrate that they can build a high power low speed motor fully adapted to the needs of the aviator

Just now they are encountering difficulties that would discourage many with a patience that means success they are working under handicaps that appear as insurmountable but must give way before their detershymination

Saturday morning the last of six attempts to make their machine leave terra firma failed and they went back to their tent disappointed after two weeks of the hardest kind of labor In spite of the cheerful attitude they assumed there was an air of disappointment all around the camp and even the jokes of the jolly party did not dispel it

The disappointment lay not so much in the fact that the machine failed to leave the ground in its trials as in the evidence that higher speed would be necessary for the proper operation of the motor It is the object of the Johnsons to develop a motor that will run a monoplane without the terrific speed common to those in use If they succeed in securing one of this type they have a fortune at their command They do not desire to construct an airplane merely for the purpose of flying If they did they could easily obtain the pattern of the Wright brothers machine or other machines and build accordingly or they could purchase a machine at less cost and trouble than they have encountered But having as their object the development of a low speed motor the failure of the one now in use to do the work expected was disappointing Although it whirled the propeller at a speed that astonished the spectators it was not operated at a rate of which it is capable but at a rate very much lower and which the builders hope would be sufficient for its purpose

Consequently when the speed attained by the motor in the first trials Friday proved insufficient one of the hopes of the Johnsons was dashed

Reluctantly they cut down the size of the propeller knowing that every inch shaved from it would increase the speed of the engine Two inches all around were sacrificed in the desire to raise the skybird and the result was a perceptible increase in the number of revolushytions and consequently a steadier engine Some consolashyLIon was offered by the fact that even with the reduced propeller there was little vibration noticeable about the machine

Late Friday night the airplane was run out of its tent and the motor started The effect was extraordinary and the hopes of the Johnsons that they had accomplished their purpose ran high Saturday morning early the fourth attempt to fly and the first with the reduced propeller was made

Whether the alterations had any effect on the raising power of the motor was difficult to determine because of the conditions under which the trial was made A steady breeze from the south made it necessary to start the machine from the north end of the field at the foot of the small incline and on ground that was wet and soft The machine behaved no better than before bllt whether it was due to the propeller the grade or the soft ground was a question the Johnsons were not ready to answer To eliminate the grade is almost impossible To wait for a more favorable wind is nerve racking yet the Johnsons will have to do all of these things before making sure that they have the propeller rightly proporshytioned for the task

Whatever may be determined regarding the propeller it remains that the Johnsons have demonstrated an engine that is remarkable for its power and speed combined with its steadiness and construction The motor is of the 2 cycle type 4 cylinders This means that an explosion occurs in each cylinder just twice as often as in the more common 4 cycle 4 cylinder type More power is the result and 75 hp is the indication This is accomplished by combining the Johnson patent valve with cylinders set at an angle of 1800 and big carburetors The patent valve is one on which the men have worked for a long time and they have shown by it a method of allowing more gas to enter the cylinders withshyout increasing the size of the valve a point of corisidershyable value in construction Then they have obtained a motor that will run at great speed and create so little vibration that it scarcely causes a tremor in the light wooden frame of the airship All in all the motor has conducted itself in a manner that is deemed most satisfactory It is applying it to the airplane that has

proven the puzzle and that is the very point the Johnshysons are seeking

The Johnson monoplane will fly because it is constructed on the proper principles for flight That it has not been successfully launched as yet is due to two things - the experience in designing and operating of the men in control of it and the unfavorable conditions under which the trials have been made Both of these points will be overcome in time While they are eliminatshying the unfavorable conditions they are learning from experience the points they have overlooked in designing and they are learning rapidly how to operate it

The story of the construction of the Johnson monoshyplane is one of hard work and persistent effort The Johllsons have had no teacher in the art They have studied much observed a great deal and gathered from experience a great deal more than the average man will ever know about airplanes No one realizes more than they that there is a great deal more to be learned That is why after months of work they took their machine to the Blackhawk basin It was two weeks ago today that they arrived there and since that time they have fought mosquitos malaria and rain in a most credible effort to work out the theories they have formed It is not a pleasant task but one that requires thought constant experiment and careful reasoning They are not particshyularly interested in what the public thinks about their work They want to apply the Johnson motor to aeroshynautics

As one enters the aviation field he is greeted by a sign that reads Welcome - Outside the Tent The sign is expressive of the attitude of the Johnson boys They are willing that anyone watch them at work free about giving information when asked but they promise nothing and consequently are not responsible for the disappointment of the many who have come to see them fly and have left without that satisfaction

Julius Johnson expressed their attitude well when he said while waiting for a wind to subside we have waited a year to get to this point with the machine and we can afford to wait another day rather than run the chances of breaking up the airplane

Last weeks activity at the camp became intensive Thursday morning when the machine was run out of its protection for the first time the frame buckled This was immediately repaired and trials of the engine and frame made that evening Friday three unsuccessful attempts to raise the machine were made and Saturday with an altered propeller three more efforts brought no better success

When the last visitor departed from the aviation field Thursday night the Johnsons rested content with their

21

preparations for a flight on the early morning air Time work until as the crowd left the field Thursday night noon for further tests to be made solely on the ability of and again the builders had been disappointed in not they saw the end of the last bit of preparation for an air the machine to lift It is expected that the trial will1ake having it ready for flight at the time agreed upon Little test place about an hour before sunset No effort at flightweaknesses that could not be foreseen became apparent While it has been disappointing to visit the aviation will be made at this time the test being confined to when the machine was started across the rough field had field and fail to witness an attempt to fly the chagrin of determining the buoyancy of the machine its balance yielded one by one to careful attention and ingenuity the Johnson brothers and Pearl Conover has been and general fitness for flight Every nut and bolt on the unwieldly looking skybird had greater Living in a single big tent pitched in a malaria been inspected and found in first class condition The breeding district pestered by insects and blistered with rt _ alterations made necessary by faulty calculations as to the heat they have put up with all kinds of inconvenshy ~~ weight and pressure on the running gear were completed iences since leaving Terre Haute and every hours delay and the new woodwork covered with a preserving paint In the center of the structure the light but powerful engine shown in polished brilliancy Just in front of it the big propeller built of many pieces and smoothed to a surface like glass was perfect to the last detail A sliver that had been knocked from it was replaced with cement and its bearing was as true as science could make it Stretching away on each side for 16 were ribbed wings on which so much depends each without a flaw or scratch At their tips hung the balancing planes so delicately fitted that the slightest movement of the operator was reflected by a changed position To the eye the machine was perfect and the builders who worked so patiently at last were satisfied it was ready for its initial trip

It now appeared that nothing stood in the way of a thorough demonstration but the Johnson brothers were doomed to meet another disappointment Under its power for the first time Louis Johnson drove the airship down the field from the tent in which it had been housed Three of the four cylinders were in operation yet it was evident that the Johnson motor was suffishyciently powerful for the purposes of the craft At speed that hurried those who accompanied it the aircraft ran along over the rough ground with little or no vibration from the motor and a steadiness that spelled success Four men hung to it with their weight keeping it from mounting the air while the driver accustomed himself to the situation and watched the engine and the plane

This was the final test of the monoplane before it was entrusted to the element for which it was constructed This test fully demonstrated that the care bestowed upon its construction was not misplaced There was not a flaw noticeable in any of its moving parts There was nothing about its action that indicated a single weakness But one thing marred the success of this test and Thursshyday night saw that one point corrected The long body or frame that extends from the plane to the rudder on the tail was not sufficiently strong to stand the strain of alighting from a height as was shown in its action during this test Immediately the builders prepared to strengthshyen it and all day Thursday they worked on this one part rebracing and adding to the solidity of this frame

has been bitter to them Malaria sent Clarence Johnson the youngest of the camp back to the city unfit to be about Mr Conover succumbed to it one day but was able to throw off the attack The Johnson brothers have all felt the effect of life in the camp and as Louis Johnshyson expressed it Are dead anxious to get to doing something

- shy~~ Monday October 10 1910 MONOPLANE JUSTIFIES EFFORTS OF JOHNSONS AIRCRAFT GOES INTO AIR SEVERAL TIMES AT TESTS MADE SUNDAY- after many weeks of quite work at their camp on the old reservoir prairie 3 miles east of Blackhawk in an effort to perfect the airplane which when first tried out was found to be lacking in a few particulars Louis Harry and Julius Johnson the inventors and builders of the Johnson Bros airplane succeeded in making several lifts with the aircraft at tests made Sunday evening Three tests were made and it was on the third one that the machine lifted from the ground Several times the craft raised for distances of from 15 to 20 Though the height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time this fact was rather to lack in certain details than because the airplane could not raise higher

The craft exhibited a wonderful buoyancy for the test and tended to leave the ground at all times higher than it was allowed to However necessity for certain corrections was manifested before a flight could be safely made and to avoid possible wrecking of the machine it was held down at all times

An assistant of the Johnson boys in their efforts toward perfecting the machine stated Monday that an idea of buoyancy of the machine could be gained from the fact that when starting on the soft dirt just previous to the test that it would leave no track in the soft dirt but that when being brought back for a second test it would plow back into the soil for a depth of 6

Preparations were almost completed Monday after-

Tuesday October II 1910 JOHNSON GIVES EXPRESSION TO SATISFACTION WITH PLANE TEST CONTINUED TO OCCUpy TIME OF BROTHERS AT AVIATION FIELD - Louis Johnson the elder of the Johnson brothers builders of the Johnson Monoplane spent Tuesday in Terre Haute looking after business matters The other two brothers Julius and Harry are at the aviation field making a few required minor changes in the mechanism preparatory to attempting a flight Wednesday or Thursday

Louis will return to the field Tuesday evening to be ready to sit at the wheel of the machine in the initial attempt at flight

We have gone far enough now to see through to the end and we now know that the theory which we have been working is the right one We will fly within a few days possible Wednesday or Thursday The changes now being made are only minor adjustments which were seen to be necessary in our tests as to the lifting power of the machine

-shy~~ Editors Note

The brothers apparently abandoned the attempts to make the 1910 airplane fly shortly after this in October 1910 and started work on an improved design which was successful in the summer of 1911 Between the end of October and the middle of July 1911 they built an entirely new airplane but used the same power plant that had been used in the 1910 version The new airplane was radically different in design using basically a metal framework cloth covered wings and cloth covered tail surfaces which were supported on a single aluminum boom It had a tricycle gear as contrasted with the conventional gear in the 1910 plane It had wing-warping in place of the moveable surfaces at the tips of the wings steerable nose wheel and brakes and many other engineering refinements~

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Ross Smith had never seen an airplane and was attractshyed to one ofthe public displays of the Johnson monoplane the practice being a charge of 25cent to see it in the tent to help alleviate the costs The plane had barely flown and excitement was running high Ross evidently took one look at it and said thats for me Its hard to guess how he convinced the Johnsons that he should take a hand at it however it is very possible that he was the only one with enough nerve and the J ohnsons had spent a great deal of theirs A bird in the hand at this point was probably welcome According to the records the

motor was started and Ross ran the plane up and down the field for some half hour experimenting with the controls learning how to use the throttle steering the airplane accelerating until it was light Evidently Ross had figured play ti me was over and the description states suddenly the plane shot forward and then rose graceshyfully into the air His very first flight lasted for 30 minutes and he thrilled the onlookers as he flew back and forth over the field (I nstructors take note - how many students would you turn loose in a better machine of today with 30 minutes of instruction)

Barely two days atter Rosss first flight he launched into the professional flying ranks in a big way He immeshydiately received an offer from his home town of Mattoon Illinois to engage in some demonstration flights and was paid for three flights at $50000 per flight Airplanes were so rare in these days that people paid to look at them and in most cases such flights were initiated by promotors seeking a quick fortune You would believe that flying such an airplane was enough of a daredevil stunt but not for our friend Ross He managed to concoct stunts that even from this distance

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in time seem absolutely ridiculous Daredevil is too mild a word One of his next exploits was an engagement to fly the monoplane during a 10 day Chautauqua Now for you youngsters youll have to run to the dictionary however Ill save you the effort The name Chautauqua originated in New York where some wise promoter startshyed an educational summer camp Families took their vacations very similar to those going to Oshkosh for the week long fly-in lived in tents in a large tent community that attracted as many as 50000 people during its run This particular Chautauqua that contracted for Rosss services with the Johnson airplane was at Merom Bluff Indiana a high point on the Wabash River The bluff was in Sullivan County and stood 150 above the river on one side while the opposite side fell to flat farm land going away from the river in a flat plain Th is particular Chautauqua was obviously one of great importance for the midwest and attractions included William Jennings Bryan Senator Robert LaFollette William Howard Taft former President of the United States Vice President Thomas R Marshall a gal named Maude Ballington Booth discussing prison reform John Temple Graves a noted orator of the time and Jeanette Rankin the first American Congresswoman The Chautauqua encomshypassed every subject from religion to suffrage child care and anything at all that would interest the family

To spice this particular Chautauqua Ross came up with the idea of building a 250 wooden platform with its far end hanging over the bluff on the river side The intent was to fly the airplane from this platform and fly it he did for many performances Descriptions of the flight states that the airplane labored uphill gained speed and disappeared from the end of the platform in what must have been a free fall until it gained flying speed leveling out some safe distance above the river then circling back over the Chautauqua area like a peacock preening its feathers It must have been a supreme thrill for all to witness There was no possible way to land at the Chautauqua area so Ross would cross the river to the Illinois side and land on a road at the ferry The plane would then be disassembled hauled back across the river pulled back up the winding road to the bluff for its next days operation

I n the eyes of the Chautauqua attendance Ross was no doubt walking mighty tall despite his slight stature It was quite common practice for the Johnson airplane to be engaged for fairs etc at which time it generally flew off the racetrack Evidently by this time a standard stunt

This monoplane piloted by Ross Smith flew off the Merom Bluff daily August 22-37 7973 during the Chautauqua

This was the view from the Merom Bluff The picture is deceiving for it was 750 down to the water Note the Ferry cars and buggies waiting to cross and climb the winding road up the bluff This is the view Ross Smith had as he literally dove his plane off the platform without adequate flying speed The result was a near free fall with flying speed gained in time to narrowly miss striking the water below The flight was enacted daily to please the crowd

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-

Ross Smith preparing for an exhibition flight Note man with ladder at right below wing It was a tall gear and a long climb to mount this machine

had been for the airplane to race a car on the track Dirt track races being part of almost every fair there was always someone present willing to race At one such event it states that Speed in the air and on land thrills thousands Aviator Ross L Smith and Speed King Wild Bob Burman held first place in the hearts of sensation lovers for the wild thrills they gave the thousands at the fairgrounds on Sunday Taking off from the track Ross flew around the track circled the infield and landed directly in front of thegrandstand amid the applause of thousands As an additional build up to the race Burman took Ross for a ride in his 300 hp Blitzen Benz and proceeded to smash the world record for a mile on a half mile dirt track breaking his own former record His

speed was just over 60 mph but this meant that 80 mph must have been his speed on the straight away On the first lap he gave Ross a thrill by hitting the turn too fast and almost losing control in a skid Evidently Ross did not appreciate the ride for when Burman said he would go up with him in his plane Ross calmly said that if he did he would get pushed out Burman of course immeshydiately changed his mind Evidently this was the last of Burmans summer appearances and he was going to spend his time readying himself for the 500 mile motor speedway event He had held the lead the previous year until his machine caught fire and burned while he was many laps ahead

As to the race between the airplane and the car the

airplane invariably won all events in spite of the fact that the cars appeared to be going faster Speed in the air does not seem to be speed compared to a roaring monster of an auto spewing exhaust and throwing large clods of dirt as it rounds every corner Smith evidently thrilled the crowd with a simple thing that today would be called a touch and go Newspaper emotes over the fact that even the French exhibition flyers had not done such a thing stating that Ross had no trouble at all in thrilling the crowd In another engagement it states that Ross L Smith will pilot the Johnson brothers monshyoplane during the Corn Week Show sponsored by the Rotary Club of Terre Haute The big thrill of this event was to be a flight down Wabash Avenue between the

25

buildings just above the street car wires It was stated it would be the first time in history that an aviator would attempt such a dangerous feat The plane was to be brought down until the wheels barely cleared the wires then proceed west down the street to the Court House where the plan was to circle the big dome I n a flair of penmanship the author writes it will be unusual for a businessman to see the wings of an airplane almost brushing the windows of his building He further states the trip will be a dangerous one but the aviator and the builders of the machine have such faith in the monshyoplane that they believe that both will stand the test

I n a later account where Smith was engaged to fly an exhibition over Elsworth he decided to give them a new thrill and go for altitude With much circling he reached dizzying height of 2000 where he passed through a cloud bank that confused him for a short time On recovering from the confusion he found himself at 1000 (he invented vertigo no dOUbt)

In still another account it states the Johnson monshyoplane gave one of the best exh ib itions of the art of flying it has been our pleasure to witness There were no death defying stunts just plain flying

The monoplane took off on the back stretch of the race track and for 30 minutes circled dived swooped and turned running up and down the valley for several miles It states the limited space in which he had to land caused him some trouble He had failed to make the first descent (made a go-around - probably the first) When finally on the ground Aviator Ross stated it was the hardest day to fly on he had ever experienced as the air seemed dead and no breeze whatsoever was stirring Density altitude)

About the year 1913 Ross was running out of tricks the bag was getting empty so he decided to scoop them all He announced that he would like to fly the Atlantic and from all records it appears that he was the first to have such serious ideas He was at least 19 years ahead of his time He proposed to fly the flimsy Johnson airplane across the Atlantic alone - a statement that makes Lindshyberghs remarks an echo of the past He approached the Navy Department and asked them to place 10 battleshysh ips at intervals of 300 miles apart figuring that th is would be the maximum load of gasoline possible to carry The Navy of course refused considering the flight across the Atlantic as only a hair brained scheme The Government was not very interested in flying at this time and their decision was certainly not a surprise

~

Evening flights from the field were customary

Ross did not remain silent on this issue and at a later time stated in print when the Atlantic is crossed it will be by a flying boat and not a dirigible

In reading the history of these days all of the emshyphasis on long range travel was transfered to the gas bag History proved Ross to be 100 right and the Navys NC4s were the first to fly across

To further add hues of color to his career Ross was perhaps the first American aviator to get an offer from a foreign government and probably one of the first conceptions of military aviation was born President Huerta of Mexico offered him a high ranking position in the Mexican Army if he would organize an air force for them Ross immediately declined Poncho Villa who was then the bad boy of Mexico and conducting what we would call today Guerilla attack tried to make Ross a better offer of $2000 a month in gold to do the same thing for his side Ross declined that too Time proved how wise he was in declining this offer for one of his best friends was killed - not while he was flying but by Villas own men Four of Rosss friends had decided to fly for Villa but when weeks went by and they received no pay they drew straws to see who would confront Villa with the facts Mickey McGuire (the wild Irish Rose of the skies) was unlucky enough to get the job and foolish enough to make the attempt He faced the illiterate General in his tent and asked for the money

The General promptly whipped out a 45 caliper pistol and shot McGuire through the heart In revenge the remaining three proceeded to burn Villas airplanes saving one to make their escape in They successfully flew that one back to the United States

This was not Rosss last encounter with Army life As World War I came along there were but 50 flyers availshyable for instructors in the US He was one that formed the nucleus of the great Flying Corps This group was called on to also perform test pilot functions and in their vernacular did nose dives tail spins and no doubt were the first creators of aerobatic flying in this country This was no doubt a cup of tea for our adventuresome Mr Ross captivated the services and the record that he established was remarkable General Andrews commenshyded Ross with a citation ending it with a comment Seven years without a serious mishap Ross lived a long and successful life and became very well known in Wash ington and for years was Public Relations Manager for the Hot Shopps a food chain in the East He lived a full life and died on February 19 1959 For an advenshyturesome person who lead such a colorful life and seemingly knew no fear he must have also been blessed with skill and a great amount of common sense In the Hot Shopps Company magazine from which some of this material was gleaned they coined an epitaph for him stating simply An amazing man ~

26

Vintage Upper Left Note the brass steam condenser (tea kettle) just behind the engine In front of the condenser is the ignition system Large box was magneto and selective cylinder control later substituted for blip switch

Lower Left The johnson Motor wheel served the Company for a period of time - after aeroplanes and before outboards As a child I rememshyber a johnson motor wheel powered buckboard (a bicycle wheeled contrivance about twice the size of a childs wagon accommodating two passengers)

13

Album

Upper Right A good shot of the east side of the engine with Louis Johnsons wife at the controls The propeller was made of alternate strips of spruce and walnut

Lower Right This engine could enhance my living room anytime Everything the Johnshyson brothers did was done to perfection Imagine what a 72 cylinder 2 cycle engine could have done for an aeroplane shytoo bad they were never successfully applied

14

idea how to fly Had to learn that at the same time I was testing out the plane Quite different nowadays learning all the principles in an aviation school and then having a perfectly good standardized thoroughly inspected plane delivered into your hands In the old days you had to keep your wits about you all right You never knew what might happen next Ill never forget the first time I went fifty feet off the ground It was lots more of a surprise to me than it was to the spectators

We were sitting in the cheerful home-like living room where Mr johnson does most of his reading and much of his designing A log fire snapped on the hearth and the atmosphere suggested such peace and retirement that it was almost impossible to see in the modest kindly man who sat before me that rugged grimly determined Hoosier lad who never allowed a class-mate to pass him in school who dreamed fantastic things with his boyish brain and carried them out with his amazingly skillful boyish hands who permitted no failure even heavensent destruction in the form of a tornado that completely wiped out his entire motor plant in a few hours to come between him and his goal and who has accepted success with an unconscious grace known to few At forty-five Louis james johnson occupies an enviable position in the engineering world yet one has only to converse with him a few moments to be certain he feels that only a very small portion of his work has been accompl ished

And what he admits of success he attributes in no great measure to his own ability He tells you gravely of two paramount influences in his youth and insists that a boy given these could not have failed

The first influence as you may have guessed was his home life

Meeting Mr johnsons parents as they are today it is not difficult to understand the reverence that is accordshyed them by all of their five children Father johnson at eighty-four has the keen clear eye of a man of sixty His most prized possession is a motor wheel presented to him when his sons were manufacturing them and he rides daily During the war he was called by the govshyernment to take over an important task in an ammunishytion factory for though he had been long in idleness his ability as an expert tool dresser was well known and they were unable to find skill in younger men that matched his Coming from Denmark when he was nine he went at a very early age into a machine shop reaching the place where he could gauge steel by his senses as accurately as other men ga uged it by instruments And

from the first hi s so ns were benefited by an interest and cooperation which very few fathers know how to give

We always had our own tools and work-benches Lou explained Father indulged us in these things as wealthier men indulge their children in expens ive toys We were encouraged to try our hand at any sort of construction that appealed to us And father was always there to advise and assist No task even the building of a sled was regarded as trivial We were taught to put sincere effort into everything and to finish whatever we began

Mother johnson quietly sitting softly rocking speaks in a low almost awed tone of her boys and you know at once what her part in their story has been

When Lou was only twelve she says he decided he wanted a new sled We couldnt afford to buy him the kind he selected so he took an axe and went out into the woods and cut down a tree He worked at it until he had his lumber ready Then he sat down and drew a design We didnt think he could carry it out he was such a little fellow but first thing we knew he had someshything that looked like a real sled The only trouble was with the runners Finally he took the rim off an old buggy wheel pounded it down flat and fastened it to his wooden runners Father got him some red and black

1paint and I want to tell you he had a sled to be proud of I have it in my attic now and you couldnt buy a A better one shy

The second influence you cannot guess It was the Wabash river When the johnson boys were still youngsters the

family moved from Effingham Illinois to Terre Haute I ndiana All of the boys Lou Harry julius Clarence and Arthur (the latter being the one who lost his life some years ago in a factory accident) were enchanted with the river

Our Danish blood Lou smiles quietly It seemed to them that life would not be worth living until they owned a boat

Make it their parents encouraged So the boat was begun and before the summer ended

it was an admitted success But another summer came and brought new ambitions Lou johnson and Nell Cockerham johnson

Louis and Harry wearied of rowing each other about It is rumored that she flew the johnson airshyone day and began to dream plane The family doubts that she did

If we had a motor - Pictures of her in the plane may have been We couldnt afford to buy one - responsible for the rumor (See page 74) We could race neverything

15

Gee how fast d you suppose we co uld go They approached their father and mother Make it said the parents fi nall y with less enthushy

siasm than they were wont to show Gasoline motors were strange toys in those times

But the moto r slowl y assembled proved the env y of all their small assoc iates It was t he two-horse power inboard type a quaint ancestor for the outboard of today but it chall enged and defeated many a marine moto r of prouder origin

The influence of the Wabash shyHigh School was completed with so exce ll ent a

record in mathematics that Terre Hau te professors still speak of Lo us asto nishing ab ility in that line and the yo ung inventor for he was now recognized as that sought hi s fathers consent to engage in marin e motor man ufacture

As usua l hi s parents nodd ed approval They had a lways wished their boys to be in business for t hemshyselves a nd there was money ready for a sma ll factory

Here it is interesting to make a note on the progress of Louis Jo hnsons education No more schooling yet systematic stud y never neglected in the press of any c irc umstances whatever More mathematics a keener interest in everything pertaining to the mechanical sciences engineeri ng co urses Constant reading evshyid enced today by the books that surround him in his home

A few years of this marine work and then the brain that dreamed and the hands that were ever ready to carry out those dreams united in a burni ng desire to drive something far more romantic than river boats with a gaso line engine

He wanted a sled and made o ne He wanted a laun ch and he made o ne He wanted an airplane and he made one It was Americas first triumph with a monopl ane

No o ne probab ly will ever know just what those broth ers suffered in the way of ridicule disappointment a nd discourage ment in the first period of their struggle with th e unknown air monster But they drove ahead undaunted and fi nally something that resembled an ominous bird of prey was hatched

Not only the Indiana town in whi ch it was bo rn thought thi s creation a fantastic f ledgling Looking over Mr Johnso ns scrap-book one comes to hi ghl y amusing comments by the press in various parts of the country Wright and Curtiss were experimenting at the same time of course but air asce nsion was still regarded in the light

of so rcery Working fever ishly day and night and with th e

utmost secrecy the Johnso n brothers of Terre Haute India na are said to be toiling and scheming to put together a huge bird-like machine which is slated either to fulf ill their fo ndest hopes or prove their bitterest disappointment says a cl ipping of September 26 1909

Desp ite the Jo hnsons effo rts at secrecy spectators began to throng the camp in the old reservoir bed ear ly Saturday afte rnoon and later automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place of the Flyer All the far mers took the afternoo n off to view the mach ine news of which had leaked out in spite of the covered e ntra nce to the farm where the try-out is to be held

This a li tt le later in the Terre Haute Tribune Mr Joh nson ch uckl es soft ly as he reviews these

notices The betting ran high at those fi rst ex hibitions he

says Bets ran about two to one that wed not get off the gro und People a lways paid to see the machine too One day in Hill sboro Illino is we took in 2500 gate admissio ns of twenty-five cents each

Gasoline of course was regarded with much fear and the greatest caution used Before the engine was started a crier ran down the f ield warning spectators of the imminent danger and forbidd ing them to smoke

But the queer creature t hat the Johnson brothers had labored w ith was now winning wagers for those who had faith in it The press spoke of a f light as a lift and fo ll owi ng a discouragingly ra iny sum mer when muddy fields delayed the tests for weeks we read

After a period of experiment covering some time the Jo hnson brothers made a successful lift at their camp Sunday evening The machine was started on the aershyd ro me track from which it was run down the field in an effort which finally succeeded in raising it clear of the ea rth Severa l times the craft raised for d istances of from fifteen to twenty feet though th e height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time

Among the things that the history of tomorrow will carry will be the invention and construction of the first successful American monoplane It will recount the years of unaided struggle by those red-headed Johnson bro thers in Terre Haute I ndiana who brought out of a chaos of thought the most wonderful th ing up to the year 1912 in the way of an aero engine mounted on a steel flyer that really flew

The original motor was mounted on a wooden fra me the wings were of silk and the position of the flyer was perilous The improved monoplane boasted a steel frame stronger win gs and the aviator was pl aced above and behind the machinery eliminating the danger of being crushed by the engine in a fall

This successful ai rplane had a spread of 36 feet a length of 34 feet 260 square feet of plane surface and weighed 750 pou nd s I t had a speed of better than sixty mil es an hour and was driven by a V-type motor which was in the nature of a revolution

Then came the Johnson School of Aviation Now that there were pl anes to fly there must be

av iators to fly them But while many young men took a keen interest in the sport fro m the sidelines most of them were sti ll decided ly earthbo und However there were two immediate ap plicants and Ross L Smith who trained one hundred and fifty men during t he war was Lou Johnsons first pupil Frank Schutt was the other and to him befell the thrill of crashing to ground from a height of 1500 ft and landing unhurt His acc ident was caused by a shortage of gas as were many other similar catastrophies of the time

But there is a more perso na l note to be sounded in connection with Mr Johnsons f lights Something other than motors and his aviatio n schoo l engrossed him Th ere was a charming young person in the hood and dust coat supposed to represent the ideal sport costume of the day always ready to assay the clouds with him Up to now spectators had gazed in obvious ad miratio n at the mother who bade her son such a brave god-speed when he started upo n those fearsome uncharted voyshyages Her gallant bearing unfa ilingly caused a little ripple of com ment But now anoth er woman stood at her side eq ually anxious yet equally hero ic It was whispered that Miss Ne ll Cockerham also of Terre Haute had often been up in the machine with Mr Johnson and that she evidently took a keen interest in monoplanes shy

The story is briefly told in two headlin es from the local paper

DISCOVERED- PRETTY MISS WHO FLEW IS I NTERESTED IN BIRD MAN THEN AVIATOR JOHNSON UP IN AIR- MISSED TRAIN ONWEDDING DAY

A new partnership was formed for it is evident to everyone who contacts the Johnsons in either a business or a social way that theirs had proven a very successful marriage and that Mrs Johnsons intere st has been

16

manifested in every phase of the inventors work But the influence of the Wabash shyFlying was all very well Mr Johnson admitted when

questioned concerning his return to motor-boat building but the call of his first love was too strong to ignore for long Of course during these remarkable three years he had never ceased to manufacture the Johnson marine motor but following his marriage he devoted himself intensively to the development of several ideas he had held in embryo while he sought the conquest of the clouds

Soon the Johnson brothers were offering twenty models of marine motors Racing motors ranged from single cylinder to twelve cylinder type One of these held therecord in the 320 in class for four years

But the fates having accorded this much in justice to the originality persistency and energy of the Johnson family evidently decreed that the number thirteen must cast an ominous influence upon the new industry The tornado of 1913 is well remembered by all who lived in the vicinity of Terre Haute at that time but to none perhaps was it more devastating

Lou and I had been in the theatre while the storm was at its worst said Mrs Johnson when we had come to this part of the narration And Lou spoke of the satisfaction of being in a nice new brick factory We went home and knew nothing of the damage that had been wrought until the following morning Then when the men reported for work they saw a pile of wreckage that would have sickened any heart The highest portion of the plant left standing was a bit of the brick wall three feet above the ground

W ea ker men wou Id have broken perhaps but apparently Lou and his brothers bowed to the will of the gods and accepted their loss calmly I n humbler quarters but with no lessening of spirit they designed something new in the manner of a racing craft

In 1914 Johsons most famous boat Black Demon III entered a special match race against some of the fastest boats in the country on Lake Michigan Disturbshyer I V of Ch icago took first honors but Black Demon was a close second out-classing a number of favorites It was a recognized triumph for the V-type motor which had been exhibited in Chicago a few months before and was causing much comment Black Demon III was a 23-footer powered with two 12-cylinder high speed marine motors each having 180 horse-power

Ever casting about for new transportation methods

Black Demon III was a 23 footer powered with two 2 cycle 72 cylinder high speed marine motors each having 780 horsepower

the red-headed Johnson boys now wondered whether a bicycle driven by their motor would compare favorably with types already on the market Apparently it did for in 1917 the Johnson Motor Wheel Company was a going business with an output of 10000 machines a year and the slogan - SIXTY MILES FOR TEN CENTS was familiar to many of us

Warren Ripple Chicago financier was especially interested in this new venture and through his influence the factory was moved to South Bend in the early part of 1918

In eight years the growth of the Johnson Motor Company has furnished South Benders with an inshyexhaustible subject of conversation First it wasshy

Did you hear about those Johnson people Theyve taken over the od Bottling plant next to them

Then Have you heard the latest about Johnson Theyve

leased that whole block of stores on Lincoln Way and put their offices over there

On and on it went this amazing growth Soon a vacated portion of a large underwear mill across the river was commandeered neighboring houses sheds buildings of any type whatever were given over to the manufacshyture and housing of Johnson motors It was said that one must carry a road map to complete a tour of the plant

The wheel had gone into the discard but there was

never a lull in activities The out-board marine motor had quietly taken the place of the motor-driven bicycle - and Lou Johnson was back again doing homage to his first love

Strange influence-On the Banks of the Wabash - tho now of course it was the St Joe river that knew his experiments

Mr Johnsons smile changed as he finished the little resume of his work and walking to the fire-place framed by the well-filled bookcases looked thoughtfully into the flames for a few seconds

Of course it is only a beginning he said This is the age of mechanical development and no one can foretell the progress that will be made in the next ten years even though one may feel it coming Naturally the thing that interests me most and always has is the improvement of water transportation Better boats fastshyer boats-

He paused and the smile was again in his eyes America is only beginning to enjoy water sports

presume we Johnsons have that in the blood And suddenly I saw him as he is a tall Danishshy

American captain commanding in spite of his reticence who began his voyage about three decades ago on a childishly constructed raft in the Wabash river and has been coming fearless of current and snag upstream ever since ~

17

Wednesday August 3 1910

JOHNSONS PREPARE TEST AIRPLANE - machine stands ready after more than a years work for its initial flight - brothers guard secret of place of first trial Airshyship has as original feature V type 2 cycle engine built for strength and lightness

Harry Louis and Julius Johnson the Johnson Brothshyers who have been at work for more than a year manufacturing an aeroplane at their shop 717 N 10th St have at last completed the machine and will leave Friday for a place in the open country near Terre Haute

to make the first attempt at flying it Thus far the Johnson Brothers have kept the location

of the place where they will try to fly the machine an entire secret It is desired to have no crowd about to bother while the machine is being tried

Everything was completed Wednesday with the exception of putting the parts together The machine which weighs 650 pounds complete will be shipped knocked down to the scene of the first attempted flight The propeller which is over 10 in length the wings seat and balances will not be attached until the scene of

try-out has been reached Wednesday morning the airplane stood in the big

building erected especially for the purpose of building it at the rear of the Johnson home on North 10th St It is 36 in length and measures the same exactly from tip to tip in width Every part of it has been manufactured by the three young men while they at the same time carried on their occupation of gasoline and marine engine manufacturing It was begun just a little less than a year ago

The wings which are to extend on either side from

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the front of the machine measure 16 Yz x 8 and are made of light waterproof canvas stretched over stout framework The engine is a V type 2 cycle engine the only one of its kind to have ever been made

There are V type engines said Mr Johnson but they are 4 cycle The 2 cycle engines have previously been built straight causing increased weight Everything about the machine has been built for speed and lightmiddot ness

Two 7 gallon gasoline tanks will furnish the propellmiddot ing power for the machine It is expected it will take a day and a half to set the machine up after its been shipped to the place where it will be tested

- ~ shy

Saturday August 6 1910

LOCAL AVIATORS MAKE READY FOR FIRST TRIAL JOHNSON BROTHERS MOVE AIRPLANE TO FIELD NEAR BLACKHAWK AND SET UP MACHINE FOR TESTmiddot everything was hustle and bustle at the Johnson brothers aero camp a few miles from Blackmiddot hawk Saturday where the three young men manufacmiddot turers of engines and incidentally builders of an airplane were engaged in putting together their airplane preparmiddot atory for a trial flight One of the busiest of the workers was Clarence Johnson a 12 year old brother who showed himself a handy man about the place Owing to the fact that due to their hurried move from Terre Haute with their machine Friday the Johnson brothers left behind some necessary blocks and braces and the flight that was scheduled for Saturday will be postponed until some time Sunday The strange man by the name of Zakarius supposed to be from Indianapolis and well versed in aviation was with the three brothers Saturday as they worked on their machine which was enclosed in a 40 tent to shut out the view from the spectators Another important personage at the scene was Dr Dupui of Riley who was on hand in case a flight should be made to see to the injuries of the aviator in case he should meet with an accident

The tryout grounds are admirally situated in the center of a 100 acre farm in the reservoir of the old Wabash and Erie Canal There is a wide stretch of clear country without any woodland within its radius of two miles It is believed the airplane will be assembled and ready for a trial late Saturday afternoon but it is not thought a flight will be attempted before Sunday

- Ii _ ~ ~

Sunday August 7 1910

JOHNSON BROTHERS PREPARE FOR INITIAL TEST OF BIG AIRPLANE CONFIDENCE PERmiddot MEATESCAMP AS TIME FOR TRY-OUT NEARSmiddot the first flight if flight is to be of the Johnson airship now resting in all readiness for its try-out at its camp at southeast of Terre Haute will come at about noon today and the result of a year s work and effort to build a successful airplane will be determined

In spite of the Johnson effort at secrecy spectators began to throng to the camp in the old reservoir bed early Saturday afternoon and later in the evening automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place The farmers also took Saturday evening off to take advantage of the opportunity to see the machine and the men

A heavy steel roller was brought to the scene Satshyurday evening and the Johnsons will layout the course early Sunday morning on which the aviators who drive the machine in the preliminary try-outs will score down for a start The meadow as it stands is rough and trouble was feared when the wheels of the flyer were started over the ground before the machine raised into the air

Just who would be the first man to steer the machine on its initial effort the Johnsons refused to state but the crowd of sightseers who have been watching the progress of the work at the camp picked the man who they believe will be in the seat when the airplane raises first It is William Zachow the stranger from Racine Wisconsin who arrived in this city just in time to take an active part in completing preparations for the try-out Zachow refused to give out his name but the above is the name he registered under at the Philbeck Hotel Gossip has it that the Wisconsin man is an experienced aviator and it is on this fact that the spectators base their belief that he will be the one to drive the machine when it is tried out

There is no spirit of speculation in the air about the Johnson camp but in plain businesslike manner the men are carrying forth the work which is to determine whether or not Terre Haute has produced a parallel to the Wright Brothers There were several men on the ground Saturday afternoon who professed some knowlshyedge of mechanics All the men who have seen the machine since it has been brought near enough to completion for an idea to be formed as to its efficiency has had nothing but praise for the thoroughness with which it has been finished and experienced mechanics say that from a mechanical standpoint the machine looks good

An experienced mechanic who examined the machine Saturday stated that the V type 2 cycle engine a

distinctive feature of the new machine is especially adapted for the use on airplanes The Johnson brothers claim the distinction of having made the first engine of this type and mechanics say that it is the coming engine for use on aerial machines

The Johnsons themselves though they do not talk much have all confidence in their creation The men have had years of experience in the manufacture of all kinds of engines and in addition have put in considershyable time in research work on the subject of airplanes and other flying machines They have been close students to the methods of the Wright Brothers

Ii- _ ~

Monday August 8 1910

MAKER LAYS PLANS TO PILOT AIRPLANE ON INITIAL FLIGHTmiddot with the airplane removed from the tent in which it has been housed and the engine of the plane in perfect running order the Johnson brothers were expected Monday at noon to make an attempted flight at any time

The field located near Blackhawk south of the city where the first trial will take place is in perfect condishytion for the flight The only thing that may cause a delay of the flight is the lightness of the wheels which support the airplane on the ground at the start It was feared Monday that heavier wheels would be necessary In case this is decided on the trial of the machine will not take place for a day or so One of the Johson boys will pilot the machine on its initial attempted flight This was definitely announced Monday It was thought at first that William Zachow who was present at the aviation camp would pilot the machine but it has developed that the stranger is a salesman for an airplane supply comshypany He is said to be thoroughly fa miliar with the mechanism of airplanes however and has been of great value in getting the machine ready for flight

A test of the engine was made Monday morning it developed 40 HP Confidence was expressed by the Johnsons that the engine could develop 20 HP additional if necessary

- ~~

Saturday August 13 1910

WEAK SPRINGS POSTPONE JOHNSONS TRIAL OF FLIGHT CROWDS GATHERED AT AVIATION

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FIELD TO AGAIN LEARN THAT MACHINES TEST MUST AGAIN BE DELAYED - the Johnson brothers made no attempt to fly this afternoon It is reported that they would make their initial attempt to scale the clouds today A crowd followed in the wake of the rumor and by 200 this afternoon many people swarmshyed down from the meadow

When the Johnson machine was wheeled out at 2 00 it was found by the inventors that an important set of springs were too weak These will be strengthened and it is probable that the apparatus will not be taken out of the tent again until Tuesday of the coming week

Two of the brothers hurried to Terre Haute this aftershynoon as soon as the defect in the machine was discovshyered They will return to the camp Sunday and begin adjustment

_ F A ~~

Sunday August 141910

BROTHER AVIATORS DELAY DEMONSTRATION AGAIN PART OF MACHINE USED IN MAKING LANDING GETS OUT OF ORDER SECOND TIME shythough delayed again in their preparation for the initial flight of the first airplane ever manufactured in Terre Haute the Johnson boys Louis Julius and Harry went to work to remedy the defect which made necessary the postponement of their flight for the second time The defects which they are now forced to repair causes no despair in the Johnson boys or lessens their faith that the machine will fly after they are completed

We have encountered no difficulty whatever as yet which would in any way interfere with the successful flight of the machine said one of the boys Saturday The trouble is only in the wheels and supporting spring those parts of the machine which are used to make a landing on and the defect is not curious in any way though it does take some time to make the necessary changes

The intention of the trio was to fly Saturday and the day was ideal but it was decided at the last minute that the chances of flying and making a safe landing would involve too great a risk

Louis the eldest of the Johnson brothers said to a Tribune representative Saturday I am sorry that we could not fly today In the first place the weather is ideal and in the second place when the statement that we have been halted again appears in print a great many people will believe that the machine is a failure As for us we are certain as we have been all along that the airplane will fly

Ii ~~

Monday August 15 1910

JOHNSON PROMISES TO MAKE AIRPLANE TRIP WEDNESDAY BROTHERS OCCUPY ENTIRE DAY REPAIRING CARRYING TRUCK OF HEAVIER THAN AIR MACHINE - the work of getting ready the remodeled parts of the carrying truck for the airplane occupied the day of the Johnson boys at their work shop on 10th Street on Monday The men expect to have their work completed and will take their remodshyeled parts to the camp near Blackhawk Tuesday eveshyning

Louis Johnson said Monday that they expect to have everything in readiness for the trial by Wednesday One man has been left at the camp while the others came to their home in Terre Haute over Sunday

qp tt ~~

Friday August 19 1910

JOHNSONS WAIT WEATHER FOR FIRST TEST OF FLYER HUGE MONOPLANE GIVES EVERY EVshyIDENCE OF BEING FULLY CAPABLE OF NAVshyIGATING THE AIR - the initial flight of the Johnson monoplane was scheduled to take place Friday aftershynoon but a strong wind swept over the field here and made the test impossible The huge flyer waits serenely for the first chance to take to the air having been thoroughly tested on the ground

Friday afternoon the monoplane was staked to the ground headed into the wind and the engine turned on for the purpose of determining her power Under full speed the flyer acquired the full strength of the helpers to keep her from leaping upward At half speed the power developed was not sufficient to convince the builders that the test would be a success in the wind as it is their desire to fly first under half power leaving the remainder for reserve while in the air

After the test of the engine Louis Johnson expressed himself as being unsatisfied with the condition of the engine and propeller

E ~~

Saturday August 201910

JOHNSON SHIP REFUSES TO QUIT TERRA FIRMA ENGINE FAILS TO DEVELOP SUFFICIENT SPEED

TO LIFT MACHINE INTO AIR - the Johnson brothers have made half a dozen attempts to fly the monoplane upon which they have worked for so many months and in none have they succeeded in getting the big machine into the air

Three times Friday they turned the big propeller under high speed and freed the machine from all restraints At a rate of about 12 mph it tore down a rough field only to be stopped at the limit of the course without having raised from the ground Three of these efforts were made before and three after alterations had been made to the propeller Saturday morning the Johnshysons were not disheartened or discouraged they had come to the realization that they were not as far advancshyed in the building of the machine as they had thought Their attention was turned to alterations that were expected to have a decided affect on the plane and also to the grounds upon which they were flying The aviashytion camp is located on exceedingly poor grounds It is rough and full of ruts and so soft that the tired wheels sink to 1 to 3 in it when the machine is started _Those who have watched the attempts to fly are of the opinion that the nature of the grounds is largely responsible for the failures as it is impossible to start the machine at a pace that will make it rise Whether the Johnsons will move or prepare a smoother runway is a question that has not yet been determined The three efforts to fly Saturday morning were made early while the sun was rising and the wind was low A fairly steady breeze from the south made it necessary to drive the machine up a slight grade into the wind but this was not sufficiently a factor to which to attribute a failure to rise The monoshyplane failed to fly simply because it did not have enough power to raise it from the ground There is no speed indicator in the camp and it is impossible to tell at what rate the propeller is revolved but several have estimated it at about 900 rpm 1500 rpm is considered necessary for success and the Johnsons may have to make radical changes in the propeller before making the desired speed_

Saturday evening before a large crowd they started the engine three times and raced down the field with Louis Johnson in the machine The first was probably the best of all the trials The monoplane attained a good rate of speed but it did not leave the ground The buildshyers decided the trouble was due to the size of the propelshyler and they cut it down several inches The result was the engine operated faster and more smoothly but it was by no means as speedy as necessary and the test made established that more alterations were necessary espicially if attempts to fly are from the present locashytions

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~ t_F ~~

Sunday August 211910

FOUR DEVOTEES OF AERONAUTICS MAINTAIN CHEERFULNESS IN FACE OF PARTIAL DISshyAPPOINTMENT WAITING FOR CALM JOHNSONS ADVANCE IN CONQUERING AIR SIX TRIALS OF MONOPLANE PROVE MANY THEORIES CORRECT BUT BRING PARTIAL DISAPPOINTMENT LOW SPEED PROPELLER PROVES TOO WEAK TO RAISE WEIGHT DIFFICULTIES AT FIELD AND APPLICAshyTION OF MOTORS ENERGY PRESENT PROBLEMS THAT MUST YIELD BEFORE PERSEVERENCE - Sunshyday the Johnson brothers who are now so earnestly engaged in the attempt to fly a monoplane in the old canal basin near Blackhawk are going to demonstrate that they can build a high power low speed motor fully adapted to the needs of the aviator

Just now they are encountering difficulties that would discourage many with a patience that means success they are working under handicaps that appear as insurmountable but must give way before their detershymination

Saturday morning the last of six attempts to make their machine leave terra firma failed and they went back to their tent disappointed after two weeks of the hardest kind of labor In spite of the cheerful attitude they assumed there was an air of disappointment all around the camp and even the jokes of the jolly party did not dispel it

The disappointment lay not so much in the fact that the machine failed to leave the ground in its trials as in the evidence that higher speed would be necessary for the proper operation of the motor It is the object of the Johnsons to develop a motor that will run a monoplane without the terrific speed common to those in use If they succeed in securing one of this type they have a fortune at their command They do not desire to construct an airplane merely for the purpose of flying If they did they could easily obtain the pattern of the Wright brothers machine or other machines and build accordingly or they could purchase a machine at less cost and trouble than they have encountered But having as their object the development of a low speed motor the failure of the one now in use to do the work expected was disappointing Although it whirled the propeller at a speed that astonished the spectators it was not operated at a rate of which it is capable but at a rate very much lower and which the builders hope would be sufficient for its purpose

Consequently when the speed attained by the motor in the first trials Friday proved insufficient one of the hopes of the Johnsons was dashed

Reluctantly they cut down the size of the propeller knowing that every inch shaved from it would increase the speed of the engine Two inches all around were sacrificed in the desire to raise the skybird and the result was a perceptible increase in the number of revolushytions and consequently a steadier engine Some consolashyLIon was offered by the fact that even with the reduced propeller there was little vibration noticeable about the machine

Late Friday night the airplane was run out of its tent and the motor started The effect was extraordinary and the hopes of the Johnsons that they had accomplished their purpose ran high Saturday morning early the fourth attempt to fly and the first with the reduced propeller was made

Whether the alterations had any effect on the raising power of the motor was difficult to determine because of the conditions under which the trial was made A steady breeze from the south made it necessary to start the machine from the north end of the field at the foot of the small incline and on ground that was wet and soft The machine behaved no better than before bllt whether it was due to the propeller the grade or the soft ground was a question the Johnsons were not ready to answer To eliminate the grade is almost impossible To wait for a more favorable wind is nerve racking yet the Johnsons will have to do all of these things before making sure that they have the propeller rightly proporshytioned for the task

Whatever may be determined regarding the propeller it remains that the Johnsons have demonstrated an engine that is remarkable for its power and speed combined with its steadiness and construction The motor is of the 2 cycle type 4 cylinders This means that an explosion occurs in each cylinder just twice as often as in the more common 4 cycle 4 cylinder type More power is the result and 75 hp is the indication This is accomplished by combining the Johnson patent valve with cylinders set at an angle of 1800 and big carburetors The patent valve is one on which the men have worked for a long time and they have shown by it a method of allowing more gas to enter the cylinders withshyout increasing the size of the valve a point of corisidershyable value in construction Then they have obtained a motor that will run at great speed and create so little vibration that it scarcely causes a tremor in the light wooden frame of the airship All in all the motor has conducted itself in a manner that is deemed most satisfactory It is applying it to the airplane that has

proven the puzzle and that is the very point the Johnshysons are seeking

The Johnson monoplane will fly because it is constructed on the proper principles for flight That it has not been successfully launched as yet is due to two things - the experience in designing and operating of the men in control of it and the unfavorable conditions under which the trials have been made Both of these points will be overcome in time While they are eliminatshying the unfavorable conditions they are learning from experience the points they have overlooked in designing and they are learning rapidly how to operate it

The story of the construction of the Johnson monoshyplane is one of hard work and persistent effort The Johllsons have had no teacher in the art They have studied much observed a great deal and gathered from experience a great deal more than the average man will ever know about airplanes No one realizes more than they that there is a great deal more to be learned That is why after months of work they took their machine to the Blackhawk basin It was two weeks ago today that they arrived there and since that time they have fought mosquitos malaria and rain in a most credible effort to work out the theories they have formed It is not a pleasant task but one that requires thought constant experiment and careful reasoning They are not particshyularly interested in what the public thinks about their work They want to apply the Johnson motor to aeroshynautics

As one enters the aviation field he is greeted by a sign that reads Welcome - Outside the Tent The sign is expressive of the attitude of the Johnson boys They are willing that anyone watch them at work free about giving information when asked but they promise nothing and consequently are not responsible for the disappointment of the many who have come to see them fly and have left without that satisfaction

Julius Johnson expressed their attitude well when he said while waiting for a wind to subside we have waited a year to get to this point with the machine and we can afford to wait another day rather than run the chances of breaking up the airplane

Last weeks activity at the camp became intensive Thursday morning when the machine was run out of its protection for the first time the frame buckled This was immediately repaired and trials of the engine and frame made that evening Friday three unsuccessful attempts to raise the machine were made and Saturday with an altered propeller three more efforts brought no better success

When the last visitor departed from the aviation field Thursday night the Johnsons rested content with their

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preparations for a flight on the early morning air Time work until as the crowd left the field Thursday night noon for further tests to be made solely on the ability of and again the builders had been disappointed in not they saw the end of the last bit of preparation for an air the machine to lift It is expected that the trial will1ake having it ready for flight at the time agreed upon Little test place about an hour before sunset No effort at flightweaknesses that could not be foreseen became apparent While it has been disappointing to visit the aviation will be made at this time the test being confined to when the machine was started across the rough field had field and fail to witness an attempt to fly the chagrin of determining the buoyancy of the machine its balance yielded one by one to careful attention and ingenuity the Johnson brothers and Pearl Conover has been and general fitness for flight Every nut and bolt on the unwieldly looking skybird had greater Living in a single big tent pitched in a malaria been inspected and found in first class condition The breeding district pestered by insects and blistered with rt _ alterations made necessary by faulty calculations as to the heat they have put up with all kinds of inconvenshy ~~ weight and pressure on the running gear were completed iences since leaving Terre Haute and every hours delay and the new woodwork covered with a preserving paint In the center of the structure the light but powerful engine shown in polished brilliancy Just in front of it the big propeller built of many pieces and smoothed to a surface like glass was perfect to the last detail A sliver that had been knocked from it was replaced with cement and its bearing was as true as science could make it Stretching away on each side for 16 were ribbed wings on which so much depends each without a flaw or scratch At their tips hung the balancing planes so delicately fitted that the slightest movement of the operator was reflected by a changed position To the eye the machine was perfect and the builders who worked so patiently at last were satisfied it was ready for its initial trip

It now appeared that nothing stood in the way of a thorough demonstration but the Johnson brothers were doomed to meet another disappointment Under its power for the first time Louis Johnson drove the airship down the field from the tent in which it had been housed Three of the four cylinders were in operation yet it was evident that the Johnson motor was suffishyciently powerful for the purposes of the craft At speed that hurried those who accompanied it the aircraft ran along over the rough ground with little or no vibration from the motor and a steadiness that spelled success Four men hung to it with their weight keeping it from mounting the air while the driver accustomed himself to the situation and watched the engine and the plane

This was the final test of the monoplane before it was entrusted to the element for which it was constructed This test fully demonstrated that the care bestowed upon its construction was not misplaced There was not a flaw noticeable in any of its moving parts There was nothing about its action that indicated a single weakness But one thing marred the success of this test and Thursshyday night saw that one point corrected The long body or frame that extends from the plane to the rudder on the tail was not sufficiently strong to stand the strain of alighting from a height as was shown in its action during this test Immediately the builders prepared to strengthshyen it and all day Thursday they worked on this one part rebracing and adding to the solidity of this frame

has been bitter to them Malaria sent Clarence Johnson the youngest of the camp back to the city unfit to be about Mr Conover succumbed to it one day but was able to throw off the attack The Johnson brothers have all felt the effect of life in the camp and as Louis Johnshyson expressed it Are dead anxious to get to doing something

- shy~~ Monday October 10 1910 MONOPLANE JUSTIFIES EFFORTS OF JOHNSONS AIRCRAFT GOES INTO AIR SEVERAL TIMES AT TESTS MADE SUNDAY- after many weeks of quite work at their camp on the old reservoir prairie 3 miles east of Blackhawk in an effort to perfect the airplane which when first tried out was found to be lacking in a few particulars Louis Harry and Julius Johnson the inventors and builders of the Johnson Bros airplane succeeded in making several lifts with the aircraft at tests made Sunday evening Three tests were made and it was on the third one that the machine lifted from the ground Several times the craft raised for distances of from 15 to 20 Though the height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time this fact was rather to lack in certain details than because the airplane could not raise higher

The craft exhibited a wonderful buoyancy for the test and tended to leave the ground at all times higher than it was allowed to However necessity for certain corrections was manifested before a flight could be safely made and to avoid possible wrecking of the machine it was held down at all times

An assistant of the Johnson boys in their efforts toward perfecting the machine stated Monday that an idea of buoyancy of the machine could be gained from the fact that when starting on the soft dirt just previous to the test that it would leave no track in the soft dirt but that when being brought back for a second test it would plow back into the soil for a depth of 6

Preparations were almost completed Monday after-

Tuesday October II 1910 JOHNSON GIVES EXPRESSION TO SATISFACTION WITH PLANE TEST CONTINUED TO OCCUpy TIME OF BROTHERS AT AVIATION FIELD - Louis Johnson the elder of the Johnson brothers builders of the Johnson Monoplane spent Tuesday in Terre Haute looking after business matters The other two brothers Julius and Harry are at the aviation field making a few required minor changes in the mechanism preparatory to attempting a flight Wednesday or Thursday

Louis will return to the field Tuesday evening to be ready to sit at the wheel of the machine in the initial attempt at flight

We have gone far enough now to see through to the end and we now know that the theory which we have been working is the right one We will fly within a few days possible Wednesday or Thursday The changes now being made are only minor adjustments which were seen to be necessary in our tests as to the lifting power of the machine

-shy~~ Editors Note

The brothers apparently abandoned the attempts to make the 1910 airplane fly shortly after this in October 1910 and started work on an improved design which was successful in the summer of 1911 Between the end of October and the middle of July 1911 they built an entirely new airplane but used the same power plant that had been used in the 1910 version The new airplane was radically different in design using basically a metal framework cloth covered wings and cloth covered tail surfaces which were supported on a single aluminum boom It had a tricycle gear as contrasted with the conventional gear in the 1910 plane It had wing-warping in place of the moveable surfaces at the tips of the wings steerable nose wheel and brakes and many other engineering refinements~

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Ross Smith had never seen an airplane and was attractshyed to one ofthe public displays of the Johnson monoplane the practice being a charge of 25cent to see it in the tent to help alleviate the costs The plane had barely flown and excitement was running high Ross evidently took one look at it and said thats for me Its hard to guess how he convinced the Johnsons that he should take a hand at it however it is very possible that he was the only one with enough nerve and the J ohnsons had spent a great deal of theirs A bird in the hand at this point was probably welcome According to the records the

motor was started and Ross ran the plane up and down the field for some half hour experimenting with the controls learning how to use the throttle steering the airplane accelerating until it was light Evidently Ross had figured play ti me was over and the description states suddenly the plane shot forward and then rose graceshyfully into the air His very first flight lasted for 30 minutes and he thrilled the onlookers as he flew back and forth over the field (I nstructors take note - how many students would you turn loose in a better machine of today with 30 minutes of instruction)

Barely two days atter Rosss first flight he launched into the professional flying ranks in a big way He immeshydiately received an offer from his home town of Mattoon Illinois to engage in some demonstration flights and was paid for three flights at $50000 per flight Airplanes were so rare in these days that people paid to look at them and in most cases such flights were initiated by promotors seeking a quick fortune You would believe that flying such an airplane was enough of a daredevil stunt but not for our friend Ross He managed to concoct stunts that even from this distance

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in time seem absolutely ridiculous Daredevil is too mild a word One of his next exploits was an engagement to fly the monoplane during a 10 day Chautauqua Now for you youngsters youll have to run to the dictionary however Ill save you the effort The name Chautauqua originated in New York where some wise promoter startshyed an educational summer camp Families took their vacations very similar to those going to Oshkosh for the week long fly-in lived in tents in a large tent community that attracted as many as 50000 people during its run This particular Chautauqua that contracted for Rosss services with the Johnson airplane was at Merom Bluff Indiana a high point on the Wabash River The bluff was in Sullivan County and stood 150 above the river on one side while the opposite side fell to flat farm land going away from the river in a flat plain Th is particular Chautauqua was obviously one of great importance for the midwest and attractions included William Jennings Bryan Senator Robert LaFollette William Howard Taft former President of the United States Vice President Thomas R Marshall a gal named Maude Ballington Booth discussing prison reform John Temple Graves a noted orator of the time and Jeanette Rankin the first American Congresswoman The Chautauqua encomshypassed every subject from religion to suffrage child care and anything at all that would interest the family

To spice this particular Chautauqua Ross came up with the idea of building a 250 wooden platform with its far end hanging over the bluff on the river side The intent was to fly the airplane from this platform and fly it he did for many performances Descriptions of the flight states that the airplane labored uphill gained speed and disappeared from the end of the platform in what must have been a free fall until it gained flying speed leveling out some safe distance above the river then circling back over the Chautauqua area like a peacock preening its feathers It must have been a supreme thrill for all to witness There was no possible way to land at the Chautauqua area so Ross would cross the river to the Illinois side and land on a road at the ferry The plane would then be disassembled hauled back across the river pulled back up the winding road to the bluff for its next days operation

I n the eyes of the Chautauqua attendance Ross was no doubt walking mighty tall despite his slight stature It was quite common practice for the Johnson airplane to be engaged for fairs etc at which time it generally flew off the racetrack Evidently by this time a standard stunt

This monoplane piloted by Ross Smith flew off the Merom Bluff daily August 22-37 7973 during the Chautauqua

This was the view from the Merom Bluff The picture is deceiving for it was 750 down to the water Note the Ferry cars and buggies waiting to cross and climb the winding road up the bluff This is the view Ross Smith had as he literally dove his plane off the platform without adequate flying speed The result was a near free fall with flying speed gained in time to narrowly miss striking the water below The flight was enacted daily to please the crowd

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-

Ross Smith preparing for an exhibition flight Note man with ladder at right below wing It was a tall gear and a long climb to mount this machine

had been for the airplane to race a car on the track Dirt track races being part of almost every fair there was always someone present willing to race At one such event it states that Speed in the air and on land thrills thousands Aviator Ross L Smith and Speed King Wild Bob Burman held first place in the hearts of sensation lovers for the wild thrills they gave the thousands at the fairgrounds on Sunday Taking off from the track Ross flew around the track circled the infield and landed directly in front of thegrandstand amid the applause of thousands As an additional build up to the race Burman took Ross for a ride in his 300 hp Blitzen Benz and proceeded to smash the world record for a mile on a half mile dirt track breaking his own former record His

speed was just over 60 mph but this meant that 80 mph must have been his speed on the straight away On the first lap he gave Ross a thrill by hitting the turn too fast and almost losing control in a skid Evidently Ross did not appreciate the ride for when Burman said he would go up with him in his plane Ross calmly said that if he did he would get pushed out Burman of course immeshydiately changed his mind Evidently this was the last of Burmans summer appearances and he was going to spend his time readying himself for the 500 mile motor speedway event He had held the lead the previous year until his machine caught fire and burned while he was many laps ahead

As to the race between the airplane and the car the

airplane invariably won all events in spite of the fact that the cars appeared to be going faster Speed in the air does not seem to be speed compared to a roaring monster of an auto spewing exhaust and throwing large clods of dirt as it rounds every corner Smith evidently thrilled the crowd with a simple thing that today would be called a touch and go Newspaper emotes over the fact that even the French exhibition flyers had not done such a thing stating that Ross had no trouble at all in thrilling the crowd In another engagement it states that Ross L Smith will pilot the Johnson brothers monshyoplane during the Corn Week Show sponsored by the Rotary Club of Terre Haute The big thrill of this event was to be a flight down Wabash Avenue between the

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buildings just above the street car wires It was stated it would be the first time in history that an aviator would attempt such a dangerous feat The plane was to be brought down until the wheels barely cleared the wires then proceed west down the street to the Court House where the plan was to circle the big dome I n a flair of penmanship the author writes it will be unusual for a businessman to see the wings of an airplane almost brushing the windows of his building He further states the trip will be a dangerous one but the aviator and the builders of the machine have such faith in the monshyoplane that they believe that both will stand the test

I n a later account where Smith was engaged to fly an exhibition over Elsworth he decided to give them a new thrill and go for altitude With much circling he reached dizzying height of 2000 where he passed through a cloud bank that confused him for a short time On recovering from the confusion he found himself at 1000 (he invented vertigo no dOUbt)

In still another account it states the Johnson monshyoplane gave one of the best exh ib itions of the art of flying it has been our pleasure to witness There were no death defying stunts just plain flying

The monoplane took off on the back stretch of the race track and for 30 minutes circled dived swooped and turned running up and down the valley for several miles It states the limited space in which he had to land caused him some trouble He had failed to make the first descent (made a go-around - probably the first) When finally on the ground Aviator Ross stated it was the hardest day to fly on he had ever experienced as the air seemed dead and no breeze whatsoever was stirring Density altitude)

About the year 1913 Ross was running out of tricks the bag was getting empty so he decided to scoop them all He announced that he would like to fly the Atlantic and from all records it appears that he was the first to have such serious ideas He was at least 19 years ahead of his time He proposed to fly the flimsy Johnson airplane across the Atlantic alone - a statement that makes Lindshyberghs remarks an echo of the past He approached the Navy Department and asked them to place 10 battleshysh ips at intervals of 300 miles apart figuring that th is would be the maximum load of gasoline possible to carry The Navy of course refused considering the flight across the Atlantic as only a hair brained scheme The Government was not very interested in flying at this time and their decision was certainly not a surprise

~

Evening flights from the field were customary

Ross did not remain silent on this issue and at a later time stated in print when the Atlantic is crossed it will be by a flying boat and not a dirigible

In reading the history of these days all of the emshyphasis on long range travel was transfered to the gas bag History proved Ross to be 100 right and the Navys NC4s were the first to fly across

To further add hues of color to his career Ross was perhaps the first American aviator to get an offer from a foreign government and probably one of the first conceptions of military aviation was born President Huerta of Mexico offered him a high ranking position in the Mexican Army if he would organize an air force for them Ross immediately declined Poncho Villa who was then the bad boy of Mexico and conducting what we would call today Guerilla attack tried to make Ross a better offer of $2000 a month in gold to do the same thing for his side Ross declined that too Time proved how wise he was in declining this offer for one of his best friends was killed - not while he was flying but by Villas own men Four of Rosss friends had decided to fly for Villa but when weeks went by and they received no pay they drew straws to see who would confront Villa with the facts Mickey McGuire (the wild Irish Rose of the skies) was unlucky enough to get the job and foolish enough to make the attempt He faced the illiterate General in his tent and asked for the money

The General promptly whipped out a 45 caliper pistol and shot McGuire through the heart In revenge the remaining three proceeded to burn Villas airplanes saving one to make their escape in They successfully flew that one back to the United States

This was not Rosss last encounter with Army life As World War I came along there were but 50 flyers availshyable for instructors in the US He was one that formed the nucleus of the great Flying Corps This group was called on to also perform test pilot functions and in their vernacular did nose dives tail spins and no doubt were the first creators of aerobatic flying in this country This was no doubt a cup of tea for our adventuresome Mr Ross captivated the services and the record that he established was remarkable General Andrews commenshyded Ross with a citation ending it with a comment Seven years without a serious mishap Ross lived a long and successful life and became very well known in Wash ington and for years was Public Relations Manager for the Hot Shopps a food chain in the East He lived a full life and died on February 19 1959 For an advenshyturesome person who lead such a colorful life and seemingly knew no fear he must have also been blessed with skill and a great amount of common sense In the Hot Shopps Company magazine from which some of this material was gleaned they coined an epitaph for him stating simply An amazing man ~

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Album

Upper Right A good shot of the east side of the engine with Louis Johnsons wife at the controls The propeller was made of alternate strips of spruce and walnut

Lower Right This engine could enhance my living room anytime Everything the Johnshyson brothers did was done to perfection Imagine what a 72 cylinder 2 cycle engine could have done for an aeroplane shytoo bad they were never successfully applied

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idea how to fly Had to learn that at the same time I was testing out the plane Quite different nowadays learning all the principles in an aviation school and then having a perfectly good standardized thoroughly inspected plane delivered into your hands In the old days you had to keep your wits about you all right You never knew what might happen next Ill never forget the first time I went fifty feet off the ground It was lots more of a surprise to me than it was to the spectators

We were sitting in the cheerful home-like living room where Mr johnson does most of his reading and much of his designing A log fire snapped on the hearth and the atmosphere suggested such peace and retirement that it was almost impossible to see in the modest kindly man who sat before me that rugged grimly determined Hoosier lad who never allowed a class-mate to pass him in school who dreamed fantastic things with his boyish brain and carried them out with his amazingly skillful boyish hands who permitted no failure even heavensent destruction in the form of a tornado that completely wiped out his entire motor plant in a few hours to come between him and his goal and who has accepted success with an unconscious grace known to few At forty-five Louis james johnson occupies an enviable position in the engineering world yet one has only to converse with him a few moments to be certain he feels that only a very small portion of his work has been accompl ished

And what he admits of success he attributes in no great measure to his own ability He tells you gravely of two paramount influences in his youth and insists that a boy given these could not have failed

The first influence as you may have guessed was his home life

Meeting Mr johnsons parents as they are today it is not difficult to understand the reverence that is accordshyed them by all of their five children Father johnson at eighty-four has the keen clear eye of a man of sixty His most prized possession is a motor wheel presented to him when his sons were manufacturing them and he rides daily During the war he was called by the govshyernment to take over an important task in an ammunishytion factory for though he had been long in idleness his ability as an expert tool dresser was well known and they were unable to find skill in younger men that matched his Coming from Denmark when he was nine he went at a very early age into a machine shop reaching the place where he could gauge steel by his senses as accurately as other men ga uged it by instruments And

from the first hi s so ns were benefited by an interest and cooperation which very few fathers know how to give

We always had our own tools and work-benches Lou explained Father indulged us in these things as wealthier men indulge their children in expens ive toys We were encouraged to try our hand at any sort of construction that appealed to us And father was always there to advise and assist No task even the building of a sled was regarded as trivial We were taught to put sincere effort into everything and to finish whatever we began

Mother johnson quietly sitting softly rocking speaks in a low almost awed tone of her boys and you know at once what her part in their story has been

When Lou was only twelve she says he decided he wanted a new sled We couldnt afford to buy him the kind he selected so he took an axe and went out into the woods and cut down a tree He worked at it until he had his lumber ready Then he sat down and drew a design We didnt think he could carry it out he was such a little fellow but first thing we knew he had someshything that looked like a real sled The only trouble was with the runners Finally he took the rim off an old buggy wheel pounded it down flat and fastened it to his wooden runners Father got him some red and black

1paint and I want to tell you he had a sled to be proud of I have it in my attic now and you couldnt buy a A better one shy

The second influence you cannot guess It was the Wabash river When the johnson boys were still youngsters the

family moved from Effingham Illinois to Terre Haute I ndiana All of the boys Lou Harry julius Clarence and Arthur (the latter being the one who lost his life some years ago in a factory accident) were enchanted with the river

Our Danish blood Lou smiles quietly It seemed to them that life would not be worth living until they owned a boat

Make it their parents encouraged So the boat was begun and before the summer ended

it was an admitted success But another summer came and brought new ambitions Lou johnson and Nell Cockerham johnson

Louis and Harry wearied of rowing each other about It is rumored that she flew the johnson airshyone day and began to dream plane The family doubts that she did

If we had a motor - Pictures of her in the plane may have been We couldnt afford to buy one - responsible for the rumor (See page 74) We could race neverything

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Gee how fast d you suppose we co uld go They approached their father and mother Make it said the parents fi nall y with less enthushy

siasm than they were wont to show Gasoline motors were strange toys in those times

But the moto r slowl y assembled proved the env y of all their small assoc iates It was t he two-horse power inboard type a quaint ancestor for the outboard of today but it chall enged and defeated many a marine moto r of prouder origin

The influence of the Wabash shyHigh School was completed with so exce ll ent a

record in mathematics that Terre Hau te professors still speak of Lo us asto nishing ab ility in that line and the yo ung inventor for he was now recognized as that sought hi s fathers consent to engage in marin e motor man ufacture

As usua l hi s parents nodd ed approval They had a lways wished their boys to be in business for t hemshyselves a nd there was money ready for a sma ll factory

Here it is interesting to make a note on the progress of Louis Jo hnsons education No more schooling yet systematic stud y never neglected in the press of any c irc umstances whatever More mathematics a keener interest in everything pertaining to the mechanical sciences engineeri ng co urses Constant reading evshyid enced today by the books that surround him in his home

A few years of this marine work and then the brain that dreamed and the hands that were ever ready to carry out those dreams united in a burni ng desire to drive something far more romantic than river boats with a gaso line engine

He wanted a sled and made o ne He wanted a laun ch and he made o ne He wanted an airplane and he made one It was Americas first triumph with a monopl ane

No o ne probab ly will ever know just what those broth ers suffered in the way of ridicule disappointment a nd discourage ment in the first period of their struggle with th e unknown air monster But they drove ahead undaunted and fi nally something that resembled an ominous bird of prey was hatched

Not only the Indiana town in whi ch it was bo rn thought thi s creation a fantastic f ledgling Looking over Mr Johnso ns scrap-book one comes to hi ghl y amusing comments by the press in various parts of the country Wright and Curtiss were experimenting at the same time of course but air asce nsion was still regarded in the light

of so rcery Working fever ishly day and night and with th e

utmost secrecy the Johnso n brothers of Terre Haute India na are said to be toiling and scheming to put together a huge bird-like machine which is slated either to fulf ill their fo ndest hopes or prove their bitterest disappointment says a cl ipping of September 26 1909

Desp ite the Jo hnsons effo rts at secrecy spectators began to throng the camp in the old reservoir bed ear ly Saturday afte rnoon and later automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place of the Flyer All the far mers took the afternoo n off to view the mach ine news of which had leaked out in spite of the covered e ntra nce to the farm where the try-out is to be held

This a li tt le later in the Terre Haute Tribune Mr Joh nson ch uckl es soft ly as he reviews these

notices The betting ran high at those fi rst ex hibitions he

says Bets ran about two to one that wed not get off the gro und People a lways paid to see the machine too One day in Hill sboro Illino is we took in 2500 gate admissio ns of twenty-five cents each

Gasoline of course was regarded with much fear and the greatest caution used Before the engine was started a crier ran down the f ield warning spectators of the imminent danger and forbidd ing them to smoke

But the queer creature t hat the Johnson brothers had labored w ith was now winning wagers for those who had faith in it The press spoke of a f light as a lift and fo ll owi ng a discouragingly ra iny sum mer when muddy fields delayed the tests for weeks we read

After a period of experiment covering some time the Jo hnson brothers made a successful lift at their camp Sunday evening The machine was started on the aershyd ro me track from which it was run down the field in an effort which finally succeeded in raising it clear of the ea rth Severa l times the craft raised for d istances of from fifteen to twenty feet though th e height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time

Among the things that the history of tomorrow will carry will be the invention and construction of the first successful American monoplane It will recount the years of unaided struggle by those red-headed Johnson bro thers in Terre Haute I ndiana who brought out of a chaos of thought the most wonderful th ing up to the year 1912 in the way of an aero engine mounted on a steel flyer that really flew

The original motor was mounted on a wooden fra me the wings were of silk and the position of the flyer was perilous The improved monoplane boasted a steel frame stronger win gs and the aviator was pl aced above and behind the machinery eliminating the danger of being crushed by the engine in a fall

This successful ai rplane had a spread of 36 feet a length of 34 feet 260 square feet of plane surface and weighed 750 pou nd s I t had a speed of better than sixty mil es an hour and was driven by a V-type motor which was in the nature of a revolution

Then came the Johnson School of Aviation Now that there were pl anes to fly there must be

av iators to fly them But while many young men took a keen interest in the sport fro m the sidelines most of them were sti ll decided ly earthbo und However there were two immediate ap plicants and Ross L Smith who trained one hundred and fifty men during t he war was Lou Johnsons first pupil Frank Schutt was the other and to him befell the thrill of crashing to ground from a height of 1500 ft and landing unhurt His acc ident was caused by a shortage of gas as were many other similar catastrophies of the time

But there is a more perso na l note to be sounded in connection with Mr Johnsons f lights Something other than motors and his aviatio n schoo l engrossed him Th ere was a charming young person in the hood and dust coat supposed to represent the ideal sport costume of the day always ready to assay the clouds with him Up to now spectators had gazed in obvious ad miratio n at the mother who bade her son such a brave god-speed when he started upo n those fearsome uncharted voyshyages Her gallant bearing unfa ilingly caused a little ripple of com ment But now anoth er woman stood at her side eq ually anxious yet equally hero ic It was whispered that Miss Ne ll Cockerham also of Terre Haute had often been up in the machine with Mr Johnson and that she evidently took a keen interest in monoplanes shy

The story is briefly told in two headlin es from the local paper

DISCOVERED- PRETTY MISS WHO FLEW IS I NTERESTED IN BIRD MAN THEN AVIATOR JOHNSON UP IN AIR- MISSED TRAIN ONWEDDING DAY

A new partnership was formed for it is evident to everyone who contacts the Johnsons in either a business or a social way that theirs had proven a very successful marriage and that Mrs Johnsons intere st has been

16

manifested in every phase of the inventors work But the influence of the Wabash shyFlying was all very well Mr Johnson admitted when

questioned concerning his return to motor-boat building but the call of his first love was too strong to ignore for long Of course during these remarkable three years he had never ceased to manufacture the Johnson marine motor but following his marriage he devoted himself intensively to the development of several ideas he had held in embryo while he sought the conquest of the clouds

Soon the Johnson brothers were offering twenty models of marine motors Racing motors ranged from single cylinder to twelve cylinder type One of these held therecord in the 320 in class for four years

But the fates having accorded this much in justice to the originality persistency and energy of the Johnson family evidently decreed that the number thirteen must cast an ominous influence upon the new industry The tornado of 1913 is well remembered by all who lived in the vicinity of Terre Haute at that time but to none perhaps was it more devastating

Lou and I had been in the theatre while the storm was at its worst said Mrs Johnson when we had come to this part of the narration And Lou spoke of the satisfaction of being in a nice new brick factory We went home and knew nothing of the damage that had been wrought until the following morning Then when the men reported for work they saw a pile of wreckage that would have sickened any heart The highest portion of the plant left standing was a bit of the brick wall three feet above the ground

W ea ker men wou Id have broken perhaps but apparently Lou and his brothers bowed to the will of the gods and accepted their loss calmly I n humbler quarters but with no lessening of spirit they designed something new in the manner of a racing craft

In 1914 Johsons most famous boat Black Demon III entered a special match race against some of the fastest boats in the country on Lake Michigan Disturbshyer I V of Ch icago took first honors but Black Demon was a close second out-classing a number of favorites It was a recognized triumph for the V-type motor which had been exhibited in Chicago a few months before and was causing much comment Black Demon III was a 23-footer powered with two 12-cylinder high speed marine motors each having 180 horse-power

Ever casting about for new transportation methods

Black Demon III was a 23 footer powered with two 2 cycle 72 cylinder high speed marine motors each having 780 horsepower

the red-headed Johnson boys now wondered whether a bicycle driven by their motor would compare favorably with types already on the market Apparently it did for in 1917 the Johnson Motor Wheel Company was a going business with an output of 10000 machines a year and the slogan - SIXTY MILES FOR TEN CENTS was familiar to many of us

Warren Ripple Chicago financier was especially interested in this new venture and through his influence the factory was moved to South Bend in the early part of 1918

In eight years the growth of the Johnson Motor Company has furnished South Benders with an inshyexhaustible subject of conversation First it wasshy

Did you hear about those Johnson people Theyve taken over the od Bottling plant next to them

Then Have you heard the latest about Johnson Theyve

leased that whole block of stores on Lincoln Way and put their offices over there

On and on it went this amazing growth Soon a vacated portion of a large underwear mill across the river was commandeered neighboring houses sheds buildings of any type whatever were given over to the manufacshyture and housing of Johnson motors It was said that one must carry a road map to complete a tour of the plant

The wheel had gone into the discard but there was

never a lull in activities The out-board marine motor had quietly taken the place of the motor-driven bicycle - and Lou Johnson was back again doing homage to his first love

Strange influence-On the Banks of the Wabash - tho now of course it was the St Joe river that knew his experiments

Mr Johnsons smile changed as he finished the little resume of his work and walking to the fire-place framed by the well-filled bookcases looked thoughtfully into the flames for a few seconds

Of course it is only a beginning he said This is the age of mechanical development and no one can foretell the progress that will be made in the next ten years even though one may feel it coming Naturally the thing that interests me most and always has is the improvement of water transportation Better boats fastshyer boats-

He paused and the smile was again in his eyes America is only beginning to enjoy water sports

presume we Johnsons have that in the blood And suddenly I saw him as he is a tall Danishshy

American captain commanding in spite of his reticence who began his voyage about three decades ago on a childishly constructed raft in the Wabash river and has been coming fearless of current and snag upstream ever since ~

17

Wednesday August 3 1910

JOHNSONS PREPARE TEST AIRPLANE - machine stands ready after more than a years work for its initial flight - brothers guard secret of place of first trial Airshyship has as original feature V type 2 cycle engine built for strength and lightness

Harry Louis and Julius Johnson the Johnson Brothshyers who have been at work for more than a year manufacturing an aeroplane at their shop 717 N 10th St have at last completed the machine and will leave Friday for a place in the open country near Terre Haute

to make the first attempt at flying it Thus far the Johnson Brothers have kept the location

of the place where they will try to fly the machine an entire secret It is desired to have no crowd about to bother while the machine is being tried

Everything was completed Wednesday with the exception of putting the parts together The machine which weighs 650 pounds complete will be shipped knocked down to the scene of the first attempted flight The propeller which is over 10 in length the wings seat and balances will not be attached until the scene of

try-out has been reached Wednesday morning the airplane stood in the big

building erected especially for the purpose of building it at the rear of the Johnson home on North 10th St It is 36 in length and measures the same exactly from tip to tip in width Every part of it has been manufactured by the three young men while they at the same time carried on their occupation of gasoline and marine engine manufacturing It was begun just a little less than a year ago

The wings which are to extend on either side from

18

the front of the machine measure 16 Yz x 8 and are made of light waterproof canvas stretched over stout framework The engine is a V type 2 cycle engine the only one of its kind to have ever been made

There are V type engines said Mr Johnson but they are 4 cycle The 2 cycle engines have previously been built straight causing increased weight Everything about the machine has been built for speed and lightmiddot ness

Two 7 gallon gasoline tanks will furnish the propellmiddot ing power for the machine It is expected it will take a day and a half to set the machine up after its been shipped to the place where it will be tested

- ~ shy

Saturday August 6 1910

LOCAL AVIATORS MAKE READY FOR FIRST TRIAL JOHNSON BROTHERS MOVE AIRPLANE TO FIELD NEAR BLACKHAWK AND SET UP MACHINE FOR TESTmiddot everything was hustle and bustle at the Johnson brothers aero camp a few miles from Blackmiddot hawk Saturday where the three young men manufacmiddot turers of engines and incidentally builders of an airplane were engaged in putting together their airplane preparmiddot atory for a trial flight One of the busiest of the workers was Clarence Johnson a 12 year old brother who showed himself a handy man about the place Owing to the fact that due to their hurried move from Terre Haute with their machine Friday the Johnson brothers left behind some necessary blocks and braces and the flight that was scheduled for Saturday will be postponed until some time Sunday The strange man by the name of Zakarius supposed to be from Indianapolis and well versed in aviation was with the three brothers Saturday as they worked on their machine which was enclosed in a 40 tent to shut out the view from the spectators Another important personage at the scene was Dr Dupui of Riley who was on hand in case a flight should be made to see to the injuries of the aviator in case he should meet with an accident

The tryout grounds are admirally situated in the center of a 100 acre farm in the reservoir of the old Wabash and Erie Canal There is a wide stretch of clear country without any woodland within its radius of two miles It is believed the airplane will be assembled and ready for a trial late Saturday afternoon but it is not thought a flight will be attempted before Sunday

- Ii _ ~ ~

Sunday August 7 1910

JOHNSON BROTHERS PREPARE FOR INITIAL TEST OF BIG AIRPLANE CONFIDENCE PERmiddot MEATESCAMP AS TIME FOR TRY-OUT NEARSmiddot the first flight if flight is to be of the Johnson airship now resting in all readiness for its try-out at its camp at southeast of Terre Haute will come at about noon today and the result of a year s work and effort to build a successful airplane will be determined

In spite of the Johnson effort at secrecy spectators began to throng to the camp in the old reservoir bed early Saturday afternoon and later in the evening automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place The farmers also took Saturday evening off to take advantage of the opportunity to see the machine and the men

A heavy steel roller was brought to the scene Satshyurday evening and the Johnsons will layout the course early Sunday morning on which the aviators who drive the machine in the preliminary try-outs will score down for a start The meadow as it stands is rough and trouble was feared when the wheels of the flyer were started over the ground before the machine raised into the air

Just who would be the first man to steer the machine on its initial effort the Johnsons refused to state but the crowd of sightseers who have been watching the progress of the work at the camp picked the man who they believe will be in the seat when the airplane raises first It is William Zachow the stranger from Racine Wisconsin who arrived in this city just in time to take an active part in completing preparations for the try-out Zachow refused to give out his name but the above is the name he registered under at the Philbeck Hotel Gossip has it that the Wisconsin man is an experienced aviator and it is on this fact that the spectators base their belief that he will be the one to drive the machine when it is tried out

There is no spirit of speculation in the air about the Johnson camp but in plain businesslike manner the men are carrying forth the work which is to determine whether or not Terre Haute has produced a parallel to the Wright Brothers There were several men on the ground Saturday afternoon who professed some knowlshyedge of mechanics All the men who have seen the machine since it has been brought near enough to completion for an idea to be formed as to its efficiency has had nothing but praise for the thoroughness with which it has been finished and experienced mechanics say that from a mechanical standpoint the machine looks good

An experienced mechanic who examined the machine Saturday stated that the V type 2 cycle engine a

distinctive feature of the new machine is especially adapted for the use on airplanes The Johnson brothers claim the distinction of having made the first engine of this type and mechanics say that it is the coming engine for use on aerial machines

The Johnsons themselves though they do not talk much have all confidence in their creation The men have had years of experience in the manufacture of all kinds of engines and in addition have put in considershyable time in research work on the subject of airplanes and other flying machines They have been close students to the methods of the Wright Brothers

Ii- _ ~

Monday August 8 1910

MAKER LAYS PLANS TO PILOT AIRPLANE ON INITIAL FLIGHTmiddot with the airplane removed from the tent in which it has been housed and the engine of the plane in perfect running order the Johnson brothers were expected Monday at noon to make an attempted flight at any time

The field located near Blackhawk south of the city where the first trial will take place is in perfect condishytion for the flight The only thing that may cause a delay of the flight is the lightness of the wheels which support the airplane on the ground at the start It was feared Monday that heavier wheels would be necessary In case this is decided on the trial of the machine will not take place for a day or so One of the Johson boys will pilot the machine on its initial attempted flight This was definitely announced Monday It was thought at first that William Zachow who was present at the aviation camp would pilot the machine but it has developed that the stranger is a salesman for an airplane supply comshypany He is said to be thoroughly fa miliar with the mechanism of airplanes however and has been of great value in getting the machine ready for flight

A test of the engine was made Monday morning it developed 40 HP Confidence was expressed by the Johnsons that the engine could develop 20 HP additional if necessary

- ~~

Saturday August 13 1910

WEAK SPRINGS POSTPONE JOHNSONS TRIAL OF FLIGHT CROWDS GATHERED AT AVIATION

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FIELD TO AGAIN LEARN THAT MACHINES TEST MUST AGAIN BE DELAYED - the Johnson brothers made no attempt to fly this afternoon It is reported that they would make their initial attempt to scale the clouds today A crowd followed in the wake of the rumor and by 200 this afternoon many people swarmshyed down from the meadow

When the Johnson machine was wheeled out at 2 00 it was found by the inventors that an important set of springs were too weak These will be strengthened and it is probable that the apparatus will not be taken out of the tent again until Tuesday of the coming week

Two of the brothers hurried to Terre Haute this aftershynoon as soon as the defect in the machine was discovshyered They will return to the camp Sunday and begin adjustment

_ F A ~~

Sunday August 141910

BROTHER AVIATORS DELAY DEMONSTRATION AGAIN PART OF MACHINE USED IN MAKING LANDING GETS OUT OF ORDER SECOND TIME shythough delayed again in their preparation for the initial flight of the first airplane ever manufactured in Terre Haute the Johnson boys Louis Julius and Harry went to work to remedy the defect which made necessary the postponement of their flight for the second time The defects which they are now forced to repair causes no despair in the Johnson boys or lessens their faith that the machine will fly after they are completed

We have encountered no difficulty whatever as yet which would in any way interfere with the successful flight of the machine said one of the boys Saturday The trouble is only in the wheels and supporting spring those parts of the machine which are used to make a landing on and the defect is not curious in any way though it does take some time to make the necessary changes

The intention of the trio was to fly Saturday and the day was ideal but it was decided at the last minute that the chances of flying and making a safe landing would involve too great a risk

Louis the eldest of the Johnson brothers said to a Tribune representative Saturday I am sorry that we could not fly today In the first place the weather is ideal and in the second place when the statement that we have been halted again appears in print a great many people will believe that the machine is a failure As for us we are certain as we have been all along that the airplane will fly

Ii ~~

Monday August 15 1910

JOHNSON PROMISES TO MAKE AIRPLANE TRIP WEDNESDAY BROTHERS OCCUPY ENTIRE DAY REPAIRING CARRYING TRUCK OF HEAVIER THAN AIR MACHINE - the work of getting ready the remodeled parts of the carrying truck for the airplane occupied the day of the Johnson boys at their work shop on 10th Street on Monday The men expect to have their work completed and will take their remodshyeled parts to the camp near Blackhawk Tuesday eveshyning

Louis Johnson said Monday that they expect to have everything in readiness for the trial by Wednesday One man has been left at the camp while the others came to their home in Terre Haute over Sunday

qp tt ~~

Friday August 19 1910

JOHNSONS WAIT WEATHER FOR FIRST TEST OF FLYER HUGE MONOPLANE GIVES EVERY EVshyIDENCE OF BEING FULLY CAPABLE OF NAVshyIGATING THE AIR - the initial flight of the Johnson monoplane was scheduled to take place Friday aftershynoon but a strong wind swept over the field here and made the test impossible The huge flyer waits serenely for the first chance to take to the air having been thoroughly tested on the ground

Friday afternoon the monoplane was staked to the ground headed into the wind and the engine turned on for the purpose of determining her power Under full speed the flyer acquired the full strength of the helpers to keep her from leaping upward At half speed the power developed was not sufficient to convince the builders that the test would be a success in the wind as it is their desire to fly first under half power leaving the remainder for reserve while in the air

After the test of the engine Louis Johnson expressed himself as being unsatisfied with the condition of the engine and propeller

E ~~

Saturday August 201910

JOHNSON SHIP REFUSES TO QUIT TERRA FIRMA ENGINE FAILS TO DEVELOP SUFFICIENT SPEED

TO LIFT MACHINE INTO AIR - the Johnson brothers have made half a dozen attempts to fly the monoplane upon which they have worked for so many months and in none have they succeeded in getting the big machine into the air

Three times Friday they turned the big propeller under high speed and freed the machine from all restraints At a rate of about 12 mph it tore down a rough field only to be stopped at the limit of the course without having raised from the ground Three of these efforts were made before and three after alterations had been made to the propeller Saturday morning the Johnshysons were not disheartened or discouraged they had come to the realization that they were not as far advancshyed in the building of the machine as they had thought Their attention was turned to alterations that were expected to have a decided affect on the plane and also to the grounds upon which they were flying The aviashytion camp is located on exceedingly poor grounds It is rough and full of ruts and so soft that the tired wheels sink to 1 to 3 in it when the machine is started _Those who have watched the attempts to fly are of the opinion that the nature of the grounds is largely responsible for the failures as it is impossible to start the machine at a pace that will make it rise Whether the Johnsons will move or prepare a smoother runway is a question that has not yet been determined The three efforts to fly Saturday morning were made early while the sun was rising and the wind was low A fairly steady breeze from the south made it necessary to drive the machine up a slight grade into the wind but this was not sufficiently a factor to which to attribute a failure to rise The monoshyplane failed to fly simply because it did not have enough power to raise it from the ground There is no speed indicator in the camp and it is impossible to tell at what rate the propeller is revolved but several have estimated it at about 900 rpm 1500 rpm is considered necessary for success and the Johnsons may have to make radical changes in the propeller before making the desired speed_

Saturday evening before a large crowd they started the engine three times and raced down the field with Louis Johnson in the machine The first was probably the best of all the trials The monoplane attained a good rate of speed but it did not leave the ground The buildshyers decided the trouble was due to the size of the propelshyler and they cut it down several inches The result was the engine operated faster and more smoothly but it was by no means as speedy as necessary and the test made established that more alterations were necessary espicially if attempts to fly are from the present locashytions

20

~ t_F ~~

Sunday August 211910

FOUR DEVOTEES OF AERONAUTICS MAINTAIN CHEERFULNESS IN FACE OF PARTIAL DISshyAPPOINTMENT WAITING FOR CALM JOHNSONS ADVANCE IN CONQUERING AIR SIX TRIALS OF MONOPLANE PROVE MANY THEORIES CORRECT BUT BRING PARTIAL DISAPPOINTMENT LOW SPEED PROPELLER PROVES TOO WEAK TO RAISE WEIGHT DIFFICULTIES AT FIELD AND APPLICAshyTION OF MOTORS ENERGY PRESENT PROBLEMS THAT MUST YIELD BEFORE PERSEVERENCE - Sunshyday the Johnson brothers who are now so earnestly engaged in the attempt to fly a monoplane in the old canal basin near Blackhawk are going to demonstrate that they can build a high power low speed motor fully adapted to the needs of the aviator

Just now they are encountering difficulties that would discourage many with a patience that means success they are working under handicaps that appear as insurmountable but must give way before their detershymination

Saturday morning the last of six attempts to make their machine leave terra firma failed and they went back to their tent disappointed after two weeks of the hardest kind of labor In spite of the cheerful attitude they assumed there was an air of disappointment all around the camp and even the jokes of the jolly party did not dispel it

The disappointment lay not so much in the fact that the machine failed to leave the ground in its trials as in the evidence that higher speed would be necessary for the proper operation of the motor It is the object of the Johnsons to develop a motor that will run a monoplane without the terrific speed common to those in use If they succeed in securing one of this type they have a fortune at their command They do not desire to construct an airplane merely for the purpose of flying If they did they could easily obtain the pattern of the Wright brothers machine or other machines and build accordingly or they could purchase a machine at less cost and trouble than they have encountered But having as their object the development of a low speed motor the failure of the one now in use to do the work expected was disappointing Although it whirled the propeller at a speed that astonished the spectators it was not operated at a rate of which it is capable but at a rate very much lower and which the builders hope would be sufficient for its purpose

Consequently when the speed attained by the motor in the first trials Friday proved insufficient one of the hopes of the Johnsons was dashed

Reluctantly they cut down the size of the propeller knowing that every inch shaved from it would increase the speed of the engine Two inches all around were sacrificed in the desire to raise the skybird and the result was a perceptible increase in the number of revolushytions and consequently a steadier engine Some consolashyLIon was offered by the fact that even with the reduced propeller there was little vibration noticeable about the machine

Late Friday night the airplane was run out of its tent and the motor started The effect was extraordinary and the hopes of the Johnsons that they had accomplished their purpose ran high Saturday morning early the fourth attempt to fly and the first with the reduced propeller was made

Whether the alterations had any effect on the raising power of the motor was difficult to determine because of the conditions under which the trial was made A steady breeze from the south made it necessary to start the machine from the north end of the field at the foot of the small incline and on ground that was wet and soft The machine behaved no better than before bllt whether it was due to the propeller the grade or the soft ground was a question the Johnsons were not ready to answer To eliminate the grade is almost impossible To wait for a more favorable wind is nerve racking yet the Johnsons will have to do all of these things before making sure that they have the propeller rightly proporshytioned for the task

Whatever may be determined regarding the propeller it remains that the Johnsons have demonstrated an engine that is remarkable for its power and speed combined with its steadiness and construction The motor is of the 2 cycle type 4 cylinders This means that an explosion occurs in each cylinder just twice as often as in the more common 4 cycle 4 cylinder type More power is the result and 75 hp is the indication This is accomplished by combining the Johnson patent valve with cylinders set at an angle of 1800 and big carburetors The patent valve is one on which the men have worked for a long time and they have shown by it a method of allowing more gas to enter the cylinders withshyout increasing the size of the valve a point of corisidershyable value in construction Then they have obtained a motor that will run at great speed and create so little vibration that it scarcely causes a tremor in the light wooden frame of the airship All in all the motor has conducted itself in a manner that is deemed most satisfactory It is applying it to the airplane that has

proven the puzzle and that is the very point the Johnshysons are seeking

The Johnson monoplane will fly because it is constructed on the proper principles for flight That it has not been successfully launched as yet is due to two things - the experience in designing and operating of the men in control of it and the unfavorable conditions under which the trials have been made Both of these points will be overcome in time While they are eliminatshying the unfavorable conditions they are learning from experience the points they have overlooked in designing and they are learning rapidly how to operate it

The story of the construction of the Johnson monoshyplane is one of hard work and persistent effort The Johllsons have had no teacher in the art They have studied much observed a great deal and gathered from experience a great deal more than the average man will ever know about airplanes No one realizes more than they that there is a great deal more to be learned That is why after months of work they took their machine to the Blackhawk basin It was two weeks ago today that they arrived there and since that time they have fought mosquitos malaria and rain in a most credible effort to work out the theories they have formed It is not a pleasant task but one that requires thought constant experiment and careful reasoning They are not particshyularly interested in what the public thinks about their work They want to apply the Johnson motor to aeroshynautics

As one enters the aviation field he is greeted by a sign that reads Welcome - Outside the Tent The sign is expressive of the attitude of the Johnson boys They are willing that anyone watch them at work free about giving information when asked but they promise nothing and consequently are not responsible for the disappointment of the many who have come to see them fly and have left without that satisfaction

Julius Johnson expressed their attitude well when he said while waiting for a wind to subside we have waited a year to get to this point with the machine and we can afford to wait another day rather than run the chances of breaking up the airplane

Last weeks activity at the camp became intensive Thursday morning when the machine was run out of its protection for the first time the frame buckled This was immediately repaired and trials of the engine and frame made that evening Friday three unsuccessful attempts to raise the machine were made and Saturday with an altered propeller three more efforts brought no better success

When the last visitor departed from the aviation field Thursday night the Johnsons rested content with their

21

preparations for a flight on the early morning air Time work until as the crowd left the field Thursday night noon for further tests to be made solely on the ability of and again the builders had been disappointed in not they saw the end of the last bit of preparation for an air the machine to lift It is expected that the trial will1ake having it ready for flight at the time agreed upon Little test place about an hour before sunset No effort at flightweaknesses that could not be foreseen became apparent While it has been disappointing to visit the aviation will be made at this time the test being confined to when the machine was started across the rough field had field and fail to witness an attempt to fly the chagrin of determining the buoyancy of the machine its balance yielded one by one to careful attention and ingenuity the Johnson brothers and Pearl Conover has been and general fitness for flight Every nut and bolt on the unwieldly looking skybird had greater Living in a single big tent pitched in a malaria been inspected and found in first class condition The breeding district pestered by insects and blistered with rt _ alterations made necessary by faulty calculations as to the heat they have put up with all kinds of inconvenshy ~~ weight and pressure on the running gear were completed iences since leaving Terre Haute and every hours delay and the new woodwork covered with a preserving paint In the center of the structure the light but powerful engine shown in polished brilliancy Just in front of it the big propeller built of many pieces and smoothed to a surface like glass was perfect to the last detail A sliver that had been knocked from it was replaced with cement and its bearing was as true as science could make it Stretching away on each side for 16 were ribbed wings on which so much depends each without a flaw or scratch At their tips hung the balancing planes so delicately fitted that the slightest movement of the operator was reflected by a changed position To the eye the machine was perfect and the builders who worked so patiently at last were satisfied it was ready for its initial trip

It now appeared that nothing stood in the way of a thorough demonstration but the Johnson brothers were doomed to meet another disappointment Under its power for the first time Louis Johnson drove the airship down the field from the tent in which it had been housed Three of the four cylinders were in operation yet it was evident that the Johnson motor was suffishyciently powerful for the purposes of the craft At speed that hurried those who accompanied it the aircraft ran along over the rough ground with little or no vibration from the motor and a steadiness that spelled success Four men hung to it with their weight keeping it from mounting the air while the driver accustomed himself to the situation and watched the engine and the plane

This was the final test of the monoplane before it was entrusted to the element for which it was constructed This test fully demonstrated that the care bestowed upon its construction was not misplaced There was not a flaw noticeable in any of its moving parts There was nothing about its action that indicated a single weakness But one thing marred the success of this test and Thursshyday night saw that one point corrected The long body or frame that extends from the plane to the rudder on the tail was not sufficiently strong to stand the strain of alighting from a height as was shown in its action during this test Immediately the builders prepared to strengthshyen it and all day Thursday they worked on this one part rebracing and adding to the solidity of this frame

has been bitter to them Malaria sent Clarence Johnson the youngest of the camp back to the city unfit to be about Mr Conover succumbed to it one day but was able to throw off the attack The Johnson brothers have all felt the effect of life in the camp and as Louis Johnshyson expressed it Are dead anxious to get to doing something

- shy~~ Monday October 10 1910 MONOPLANE JUSTIFIES EFFORTS OF JOHNSONS AIRCRAFT GOES INTO AIR SEVERAL TIMES AT TESTS MADE SUNDAY- after many weeks of quite work at their camp on the old reservoir prairie 3 miles east of Blackhawk in an effort to perfect the airplane which when first tried out was found to be lacking in a few particulars Louis Harry and Julius Johnson the inventors and builders of the Johnson Bros airplane succeeded in making several lifts with the aircraft at tests made Sunday evening Three tests were made and it was on the third one that the machine lifted from the ground Several times the craft raised for distances of from 15 to 20 Though the height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time this fact was rather to lack in certain details than because the airplane could not raise higher

The craft exhibited a wonderful buoyancy for the test and tended to leave the ground at all times higher than it was allowed to However necessity for certain corrections was manifested before a flight could be safely made and to avoid possible wrecking of the machine it was held down at all times

An assistant of the Johnson boys in their efforts toward perfecting the machine stated Monday that an idea of buoyancy of the machine could be gained from the fact that when starting on the soft dirt just previous to the test that it would leave no track in the soft dirt but that when being brought back for a second test it would plow back into the soil for a depth of 6

Preparations were almost completed Monday after-

Tuesday October II 1910 JOHNSON GIVES EXPRESSION TO SATISFACTION WITH PLANE TEST CONTINUED TO OCCUpy TIME OF BROTHERS AT AVIATION FIELD - Louis Johnson the elder of the Johnson brothers builders of the Johnson Monoplane spent Tuesday in Terre Haute looking after business matters The other two brothers Julius and Harry are at the aviation field making a few required minor changes in the mechanism preparatory to attempting a flight Wednesday or Thursday

Louis will return to the field Tuesday evening to be ready to sit at the wheel of the machine in the initial attempt at flight

We have gone far enough now to see through to the end and we now know that the theory which we have been working is the right one We will fly within a few days possible Wednesday or Thursday The changes now being made are only minor adjustments which were seen to be necessary in our tests as to the lifting power of the machine

-shy~~ Editors Note

The brothers apparently abandoned the attempts to make the 1910 airplane fly shortly after this in October 1910 and started work on an improved design which was successful in the summer of 1911 Between the end of October and the middle of July 1911 they built an entirely new airplane but used the same power plant that had been used in the 1910 version The new airplane was radically different in design using basically a metal framework cloth covered wings and cloth covered tail surfaces which were supported on a single aluminum boom It had a tricycle gear as contrasted with the conventional gear in the 1910 plane It had wing-warping in place of the moveable surfaces at the tips of the wings steerable nose wheel and brakes and many other engineering refinements~

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Ross Smith had never seen an airplane and was attractshyed to one ofthe public displays of the Johnson monoplane the practice being a charge of 25cent to see it in the tent to help alleviate the costs The plane had barely flown and excitement was running high Ross evidently took one look at it and said thats for me Its hard to guess how he convinced the Johnsons that he should take a hand at it however it is very possible that he was the only one with enough nerve and the J ohnsons had spent a great deal of theirs A bird in the hand at this point was probably welcome According to the records the

motor was started and Ross ran the plane up and down the field for some half hour experimenting with the controls learning how to use the throttle steering the airplane accelerating until it was light Evidently Ross had figured play ti me was over and the description states suddenly the plane shot forward and then rose graceshyfully into the air His very first flight lasted for 30 minutes and he thrilled the onlookers as he flew back and forth over the field (I nstructors take note - how many students would you turn loose in a better machine of today with 30 minutes of instruction)

Barely two days atter Rosss first flight he launched into the professional flying ranks in a big way He immeshydiately received an offer from his home town of Mattoon Illinois to engage in some demonstration flights and was paid for three flights at $50000 per flight Airplanes were so rare in these days that people paid to look at them and in most cases such flights were initiated by promotors seeking a quick fortune You would believe that flying such an airplane was enough of a daredevil stunt but not for our friend Ross He managed to concoct stunts that even from this distance

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in time seem absolutely ridiculous Daredevil is too mild a word One of his next exploits was an engagement to fly the monoplane during a 10 day Chautauqua Now for you youngsters youll have to run to the dictionary however Ill save you the effort The name Chautauqua originated in New York where some wise promoter startshyed an educational summer camp Families took their vacations very similar to those going to Oshkosh for the week long fly-in lived in tents in a large tent community that attracted as many as 50000 people during its run This particular Chautauqua that contracted for Rosss services with the Johnson airplane was at Merom Bluff Indiana a high point on the Wabash River The bluff was in Sullivan County and stood 150 above the river on one side while the opposite side fell to flat farm land going away from the river in a flat plain Th is particular Chautauqua was obviously one of great importance for the midwest and attractions included William Jennings Bryan Senator Robert LaFollette William Howard Taft former President of the United States Vice President Thomas R Marshall a gal named Maude Ballington Booth discussing prison reform John Temple Graves a noted orator of the time and Jeanette Rankin the first American Congresswoman The Chautauqua encomshypassed every subject from religion to suffrage child care and anything at all that would interest the family

To spice this particular Chautauqua Ross came up with the idea of building a 250 wooden platform with its far end hanging over the bluff on the river side The intent was to fly the airplane from this platform and fly it he did for many performances Descriptions of the flight states that the airplane labored uphill gained speed and disappeared from the end of the platform in what must have been a free fall until it gained flying speed leveling out some safe distance above the river then circling back over the Chautauqua area like a peacock preening its feathers It must have been a supreme thrill for all to witness There was no possible way to land at the Chautauqua area so Ross would cross the river to the Illinois side and land on a road at the ferry The plane would then be disassembled hauled back across the river pulled back up the winding road to the bluff for its next days operation

I n the eyes of the Chautauqua attendance Ross was no doubt walking mighty tall despite his slight stature It was quite common practice for the Johnson airplane to be engaged for fairs etc at which time it generally flew off the racetrack Evidently by this time a standard stunt

This monoplane piloted by Ross Smith flew off the Merom Bluff daily August 22-37 7973 during the Chautauqua

This was the view from the Merom Bluff The picture is deceiving for it was 750 down to the water Note the Ferry cars and buggies waiting to cross and climb the winding road up the bluff This is the view Ross Smith had as he literally dove his plane off the platform without adequate flying speed The result was a near free fall with flying speed gained in time to narrowly miss striking the water below The flight was enacted daily to please the crowd

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-

Ross Smith preparing for an exhibition flight Note man with ladder at right below wing It was a tall gear and a long climb to mount this machine

had been for the airplane to race a car on the track Dirt track races being part of almost every fair there was always someone present willing to race At one such event it states that Speed in the air and on land thrills thousands Aviator Ross L Smith and Speed King Wild Bob Burman held first place in the hearts of sensation lovers for the wild thrills they gave the thousands at the fairgrounds on Sunday Taking off from the track Ross flew around the track circled the infield and landed directly in front of thegrandstand amid the applause of thousands As an additional build up to the race Burman took Ross for a ride in his 300 hp Blitzen Benz and proceeded to smash the world record for a mile on a half mile dirt track breaking his own former record His

speed was just over 60 mph but this meant that 80 mph must have been his speed on the straight away On the first lap he gave Ross a thrill by hitting the turn too fast and almost losing control in a skid Evidently Ross did not appreciate the ride for when Burman said he would go up with him in his plane Ross calmly said that if he did he would get pushed out Burman of course immeshydiately changed his mind Evidently this was the last of Burmans summer appearances and he was going to spend his time readying himself for the 500 mile motor speedway event He had held the lead the previous year until his machine caught fire and burned while he was many laps ahead

As to the race between the airplane and the car the

airplane invariably won all events in spite of the fact that the cars appeared to be going faster Speed in the air does not seem to be speed compared to a roaring monster of an auto spewing exhaust and throwing large clods of dirt as it rounds every corner Smith evidently thrilled the crowd with a simple thing that today would be called a touch and go Newspaper emotes over the fact that even the French exhibition flyers had not done such a thing stating that Ross had no trouble at all in thrilling the crowd In another engagement it states that Ross L Smith will pilot the Johnson brothers monshyoplane during the Corn Week Show sponsored by the Rotary Club of Terre Haute The big thrill of this event was to be a flight down Wabash Avenue between the

25

buildings just above the street car wires It was stated it would be the first time in history that an aviator would attempt such a dangerous feat The plane was to be brought down until the wheels barely cleared the wires then proceed west down the street to the Court House where the plan was to circle the big dome I n a flair of penmanship the author writes it will be unusual for a businessman to see the wings of an airplane almost brushing the windows of his building He further states the trip will be a dangerous one but the aviator and the builders of the machine have such faith in the monshyoplane that they believe that both will stand the test

I n a later account where Smith was engaged to fly an exhibition over Elsworth he decided to give them a new thrill and go for altitude With much circling he reached dizzying height of 2000 where he passed through a cloud bank that confused him for a short time On recovering from the confusion he found himself at 1000 (he invented vertigo no dOUbt)

In still another account it states the Johnson monshyoplane gave one of the best exh ib itions of the art of flying it has been our pleasure to witness There were no death defying stunts just plain flying

The monoplane took off on the back stretch of the race track and for 30 minutes circled dived swooped and turned running up and down the valley for several miles It states the limited space in which he had to land caused him some trouble He had failed to make the first descent (made a go-around - probably the first) When finally on the ground Aviator Ross stated it was the hardest day to fly on he had ever experienced as the air seemed dead and no breeze whatsoever was stirring Density altitude)

About the year 1913 Ross was running out of tricks the bag was getting empty so he decided to scoop them all He announced that he would like to fly the Atlantic and from all records it appears that he was the first to have such serious ideas He was at least 19 years ahead of his time He proposed to fly the flimsy Johnson airplane across the Atlantic alone - a statement that makes Lindshyberghs remarks an echo of the past He approached the Navy Department and asked them to place 10 battleshysh ips at intervals of 300 miles apart figuring that th is would be the maximum load of gasoline possible to carry The Navy of course refused considering the flight across the Atlantic as only a hair brained scheme The Government was not very interested in flying at this time and their decision was certainly not a surprise

~

Evening flights from the field were customary

Ross did not remain silent on this issue and at a later time stated in print when the Atlantic is crossed it will be by a flying boat and not a dirigible

In reading the history of these days all of the emshyphasis on long range travel was transfered to the gas bag History proved Ross to be 100 right and the Navys NC4s were the first to fly across

To further add hues of color to his career Ross was perhaps the first American aviator to get an offer from a foreign government and probably one of the first conceptions of military aviation was born President Huerta of Mexico offered him a high ranking position in the Mexican Army if he would organize an air force for them Ross immediately declined Poncho Villa who was then the bad boy of Mexico and conducting what we would call today Guerilla attack tried to make Ross a better offer of $2000 a month in gold to do the same thing for his side Ross declined that too Time proved how wise he was in declining this offer for one of his best friends was killed - not while he was flying but by Villas own men Four of Rosss friends had decided to fly for Villa but when weeks went by and they received no pay they drew straws to see who would confront Villa with the facts Mickey McGuire (the wild Irish Rose of the skies) was unlucky enough to get the job and foolish enough to make the attempt He faced the illiterate General in his tent and asked for the money

The General promptly whipped out a 45 caliper pistol and shot McGuire through the heart In revenge the remaining three proceeded to burn Villas airplanes saving one to make their escape in They successfully flew that one back to the United States

This was not Rosss last encounter with Army life As World War I came along there were but 50 flyers availshyable for instructors in the US He was one that formed the nucleus of the great Flying Corps This group was called on to also perform test pilot functions and in their vernacular did nose dives tail spins and no doubt were the first creators of aerobatic flying in this country This was no doubt a cup of tea for our adventuresome Mr Ross captivated the services and the record that he established was remarkable General Andrews commenshyded Ross with a citation ending it with a comment Seven years without a serious mishap Ross lived a long and successful life and became very well known in Wash ington and for years was Public Relations Manager for the Hot Shopps a food chain in the East He lived a full life and died on February 19 1959 For an advenshyturesome person who lead such a colorful life and seemingly knew no fear he must have also been blessed with skill and a great amount of common sense In the Hot Shopps Company magazine from which some of this material was gleaned they coined an epitaph for him stating simply An amazing man ~

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idea how to fly Had to learn that at the same time I was testing out the plane Quite different nowadays learning all the principles in an aviation school and then having a perfectly good standardized thoroughly inspected plane delivered into your hands In the old days you had to keep your wits about you all right You never knew what might happen next Ill never forget the first time I went fifty feet off the ground It was lots more of a surprise to me than it was to the spectators

We were sitting in the cheerful home-like living room where Mr johnson does most of his reading and much of his designing A log fire snapped on the hearth and the atmosphere suggested such peace and retirement that it was almost impossible to see in the modest kindly man who sat before me that rugged grimly determined Hoosier lad who never allowed a class-mate to pass him in school who dreamed fantastic things with his boyish brain and carried them out with his amazingly skillful boyish hands who permitted no failure even heavensent destruction in the form of a tornado that completely wiped out his entire motor plant in a few hours to come between him and his goal and who has accepted success with an unconscious grace known to few At forty-five Louis james johnson occupies an enviable position in the engineering world yet one has only to converse with him a few moments to be certain he feels that only a very small portion of his work has been accompl ished

And what he admits of success he attributes in no great measure to his own ability He tells you gravely of two paramount influences in his youth and insists that a boy given these could not have failed

The first influence as you may have guessed was his home life

Meeting Mr johnsons parents as they are today it is not difficult to understand the reverence that is accordshyed them by all of their five children Father johnson at eighty-four has the keen clear eye of a man of sixty His most prized possession is a motor wheel presented to him when his sons were manufacturing them and he rides daily During the war he was called by the govshyernment to take over an important task in an ammunishytion factory for though he had been long in idleness his ability as an expert tool dresser was well known and they were unable to find skill in younger men that matched his Coming from Denmark when he was nine he went at a very early age into a machine shop reaching the place where he could gauge steel by his senses as accurately as other men ga uged it by instruments And

from the first hi s so ns were benefited by an interest and cooperation which very few fathers know how to give

We always had our own tools and work-benches Lou explained Father indulged us in these things as wealthier men indulge their children in expens ive toys We were encouraged to try our hand at any sort of construction that appealed to us And father was always there to advise and assist No task even the building of a sled was regarded as trivial We were taught to put sincere effort into everything and to finish whatever we began

Mother johnson quietly sitting softly rocking speaks in a low almost awed tone of her boys and you know at once what her part in their story has been

When Lou was only twelve she says he decided he wanted a new sled We couldnt afford to buy him the kind he selected so he took an axe and went out into the woods and cut down a tree He worked at it until he had his lumber ready Then he sat down and drew a design We didnt think he could carry it out he was such a little fellow but first thing we knew he had someshything that looked like a real sled The only trouble was with the runners Finally he took the rim off an old buggy wheel pounded it down flat and fastened it to his wooden runners Father got him some red and black

1paint and I want to tell you he had a sled to be proud of I have it in my attic now and you couldnt buy a A better one shy

The second influence you cannot guess It was the Wabash river When the johnson boys were still youngsters the

family moved from Effingham Illinois to Terre Haute I ndiana All of the boys Lou Harry julius Clarence and Arthur (the latter being the one who lost his life some years ago in a factory accident) were enchanted with the river

Our Danish blood Lou smiles quietly It seemed to them that life would not be worth living until they owned a boat

Make it their parents encouraged So the boat was begun and before the summer ended

it was an admitted success But another summer came and brought new ambitions Lou johnson and Nell Cockerham johnson

Louis and Harry wearied of rowing each other about It is rumored that she flew the johnson airshyone day and began to dream plane The family doubts that she did

If we had a motor - Pictures of her in the plane may have been We couldnt afford to buy one - responsible for the rumor (See page 74) We could race neverything

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Gee how fast d you suppose we co uld go They approached their father and mother Make it said the parents fi nall y with less enthushy

siasm than they were wont to show Gasoline motors were strange toys in those times

But the moto r slowl y assembled proved the env y of all their small assoc iates It was t he two-horse power inboard type a quaint ancestor for the outboard of today but it chall enged and defeated many a marine moto r of prouder origin

The influence of the Wabash shyHigh School was completed with so exce ll ent a

record in mathematics that Terre Hau te professors still speak of Lo us asto nishing ab ility in that line and the yo ung inventor for he was now recognized as that sought hi s fathers consent to engage in marin e motor man ufacture

As usua l hi s parents nodd ed approval They had a lways wished their boys to be in business for t hemshyselves a nd there was money ready for a sma ll factory

Here it is interesting to make a note on the progress of Louis Jo hnsons education No more schooling yet systematic stud y never neglected in the press of any c irc umstances whatever More mathematics a keener interest in everything pertaining to the mechanical sciences engineeri ng co urses Constant reading evshyid enced today by the books that surround him in his home

A few years of this marine work and then the brain that dreamed and the hands that were ever ready to carry out those dreams united in a burni ng desire to drive something far more romantic than river boats with a gaso line engine

He wanted a sled and made o ne He wanted a laun ch and he made o ne He wanted an airplane and he made one It was Americas first triumph with a monopl ane

No o ne probab ly will ever know just what those broth ers suffered in the way of ridicule disappointment a nd discourage ment in the first period of their struggle with th e unknown air monster But they drove ahead undaunted and fi nally something that resembled an ominous bird of prey was hatched

Not only the Indiana town in whi ch it was bo rn thought thi s creation a fantastic f ledgling Looking over Mr Johnso ns scrap-book one comes to hi ghl y amusing comments by the press in various parts of the country Wright and Curtiss were experimenting at the same time of course but air asce nsion was still regarded in the light

of so rcery Working fever ishly day and night and with th e

utmost secrecy the Johnso n brothers of Terre Haute India na are said to be toiling and scheming to put together a huge bird-like machine which is slated either to fulf ill their fo ndest hopes or prove their bitterest disappointment says a cl ipping of September 26 1909

Desp ite the Jo hnsons effo rts at secrecy spectators began to throng the camp in the old reservoir bed ear ly Saturday afte rnoon and later automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place of the Flyer All the far mers took the afternoo n off to view the mach ine news of which had leaked out in spite of the covered e ntra nce to the farm where the try-out is to be held

This a li tt le later in the Terre Haute Tribune Mr Joh nson ch uckl es soft ly as he reviews these

notices The betting ran high at those fi rst ex hibitions he

says Bets ran about two to one that wed not get off the gro und People a lways paid to see the machine too One day in Hill sboro Illino is we took in 2500 gate admissio ns of twenty-five cents each

Gasoline of course was regarded with much fear and the greatest caution used Before the engine was started a crier ran down the f ield warning spectators of the imminent danger and forbidd ing them to smoke

But the queer creature t hat the Johnson brothers had labored w ith was now winning wagers for those who had faith in it The press spoke of a f light as a lift and fo ll owi ng a discouragingly ra iny sum mer when muddy fields delayed the tests for weeks we read

After a period of experiment covering some time the Jo hnson brothers made a successful lift at their camp Sunday evening The machine was started on the aershyd ro me track from which it was run down the field in an effort which finally succeeded in raising it clear of the ea rth Severa l times the craft raised for d istances of from fifteen to twenty feet though th e height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time

Among the things that the history of tomorrow will carry will be the invention and construction of the first successful American monoplane It will recount the years of unaided struggle by those red-headed Johnson bro thers in Terre Haute I ndiana who brought out of a chaos of thought the most wonderful th ing up to the year 1912 in the way of an aero engine mounted on a steel flyer that really flew

The original motor was mounted on a wooden fra me the wings were of silk and the position of the flyer was perilous The improved monoplane boasted a steel frame stronger win gs and the aviator was pl aced above and behind the machinery eliminating the danger of being crushed by the engine in a fall

This successful ai rplane had a spread of 36 feet a length of 34 feet 260 square feet of plane surface and weighed 750 pou nd s I t had a speed of better than sixty mil es an hour and was driven by a V-type motor which was in the nature of a revolution

Then came the Johnson School of Aviation Now that there were pl anes to fly there must be

av iators to fly them But while many young men took a keen interest in the sport fro m the sidelines most of them were sti ll decided ly earthbo und However there were two immediate ap plicants and Ross L Smith who trained one hundred and fifty men during t he war was Lou Johnsons first pupil Frank Schutt was the other and to him befell the thrill of crashing to ground from a height of 1500 ft and landing unhurt His acc ident was caused by a shortage of gas as were many other similar catastrophies of the time

But there is a more perso na l note to be sounded in connection with Mr Johnsons f lights Something other than motors and his aviatio n schoo l engrossed him Th ere was a charming young person in the hood and dust coat supposed to represent the ideal sport costume of the day always ready to assay the clouds with him Up to now spectators had gazed in obvious ad miratio n at the mother who bade her son such a brave god-speed when he started upo n those fearsome uncharted voyshyages Her gallant bearing unfa ilingly caused a little ripple of com ment But now anoth er woman stood at her side eq ually anxious yet equally hero ic It was whispered that Miss Ne ll Cockerham also of Terre Haute had often been up in the machine with Mr Johnson and that she evidently took a keen interest in monoplanes shy

The story is briefly told in two headlin es from the local paper

DISCOVERED- PRETTY MISS WHO FLEW IS I NTERESTED IN BIRD MAN THEN AVIATOR JOHNSON UP IN AIR- MISSED TRAIN ONWEDDING DAY

A new partnership was formed for it is evident to everyone who contacts the Johnsons in either a business or a social way that theirs had proven a very successful marriage and that Mrs Johnsons intere st has been

16

manifested in every phase of the inventors work But the influence of the Wabash shyFlying was all very well Mr Johnson admitted when

questioned concerning his return to motor-boat building but the call of his first love was too strong to ignore for long Of course during these remarkable three years he had never ceased to manufacture the Johnson marine motor but following his marriage he devoted himself intensively to the development of several ideas he had held in embryo while he sought the conquest of the clouds

Soon the Johnson brothers were offering twenty models of marine motors Racing motors ranged from single cylinder to twelve cylinder type One of these held therecord in the 320 in class for four years

But the fates having accorded this much in justice to the originality persistency and energy of the Johnson family evidently decreed that the number thirteen must cast an ominous influence upon the new industry The tornado of 1913 is well remembered by all who lived in the vicinity of Terre Haute at that time but to none perhaps was it more devastating

Lou and I had been in the theatre while the storm was at its worst said Mrs Johnson when we had come to this part of the narration And Lou spoke of the satisfaction of being in a nice new brick factory We went home and knew nothing of the damage that had been wrought until the following morning Then when the men reported for work they saw a pile of wreckage that would have sickened any heart The highest portion of the plant left standing was a bit of the brick wall three feet above the ground

W ea ker men wou Id have broken perhaps but apparently Lou and his brothers bowed to the will of the gods and accepted their loss calmly I n humbler quarters but with no lessening of spirit they designed something new in the manner of a racing craft

In 1914 Johsons most famous boat Black Demon III entered a special match race against some of the fastest boats in the country on Lake Michigan Disturbshyer I V of Ch icago took first honors but Black Demon was a close second out-classing a number of favorites It was a recognized triumph for the V-type motor which had been exhibited in Chicago a few months before and was causing much comment Black Demon III was a 23-footer powered with two 12-cylinder high speed marine motors each having 180 horse-power

Ever casting about for new transportation methods

Black Demon III was a 23 footer powered with two 2 cycle 72 cylinder high speed marine motors each having 780 horsepower

the red-headed Johnson boys now wondered whether a bicycle driven by their motor would compare favorably with types already on the market Apparently it did for in 1917 the Johnson Motor Wheel Company was a going business with an output of 10000 machines a year and the slogan - SIXTY MILES FOR TEN CENTS was familiar to many of us

Warren Ripple Chicago financier was especially interested in this new venture and through his influence the factory was moved to South Bend in the early part of 1918

In eight years the growth of the Johnson Motor Company has furnished South Benders with an inshyexhaustible subject of conversation First it wasshy

Did you hear about those Johnson people Theyve taken over the od Bottling plant next to them

Then Have you heard the latest about Johnson Theyve

leased that whole block of stores on Lincoln Way and put their offices over there

On and on it went this amazing growth Soon a vacated portion of a large underwear mill across the river was commandeered neighboring houses sheds buildings of any type whatever were given over to the manufacshyture and housing of Johnson motors It was said that one must carry a road map to complete a tour of the plant

The wheel had gone into the discard but there was

never a lull in activities The out-board marine motor had quietly taken the place of the motor-driven bicycle - and Lou Johnson was back again doing homage to his first love

Strange influence-On the Banks of the Wabash - tho now of course it was the St Joe river that knew his experiments

Mr Johnsons smile changed as he finished the little resume of his work and walking to the fire-place framed by the well-filled bookcases looked thoughtfully into the flames for a few seconds

Of course it is only a beginning he said This is the age of mechanical development and no one can foretell the progress that will be made in the next ten years even though one may feel it coming Naturally the thing that interests me most and always has is the improvement of water transportation Better boats fastshyer boats-

He paused and the smile was again in his eyes America is only beginning to enjoy water sports

presume we Johnsons have that in the blood And suddenly I saw him as he is a tall Danishshy

American captain commanding in spite of his reticence who began his voyage about three decades ago on a childishly constructed raft in the Wabash river and has been coming fearless of current and snag upstream ever since ~

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Wednesday August 3 1910

JOHNSONS PREPARE TEST AIRPLANE - machine stands ready after more than a years work for its initial flight - brothers guard secret of place of first trial Airshyship has as original feature V type 2 cycle engine built for strength and lightness

Harry Louis and Julius Johnson the Johnson Brothshyers who have been at work for more than a year manufacturing an aeroplane at their shop 717 N 10th St have at last completed the machine and will leave Friday for a place in the open country near Terre Haute

to make the first attempt at flying it Thus far the Johnson Brothers have kept the location

of the place where they will try to fly the machine an entire secret It is desired to have no crowd about to bother while the machine is being tried

Everything was completed Wednesday with the exception of putting the parts together The machine which weighs 650 pounds complete will be shipped knocked down to the scene of the first attempted flight The propeller which is over 10 in length the wings seat and balances will not be attached until the scene of

try-out has been reached Wednesday morning the airplane stood in the big

building erected especially for the purpose of building it at the rear of the Johnson home on North 10th St It is 36 in length and measures the same exactly from tip to tip in width Every part of it has been manufactured by the three young men while they at the same time carried on their occupation of gasoline and marine engine manufacturing It was begun just a little less than a year ago

The wings which are to extend on either side from

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the front of the machine measure 16 Yz x 8 and are made of light waterproof canvas stretched over stout framework The engine is a V type 2 cycle engine the only one of its kind to have ever been made

There are V type engines said Mr Johnson but they are 4 cycle The 2 cycle engines have previously been built straight causing increased weight Everything about the machine has been built for speed and lightmiddot ness

Two 7 gallon gasoline tanks will furnish the propellmiddot ing power for the machine It is expected it will take a day and a half to set the machine up after its been shipped to the place where it will be tested

- ~ shy

Saturday August 6 1910

LOCAL AVIATORS MAKE READY FOR FIRST TRIAL JOHNSON BROTHERS MOVE AIRPLANE TO FIELD NEAR BLACKHAWK AND SET UP MACHINE FOR TESTmiddot everything was hustle and bustle at the Johnson brothers aero camp a few miles from Blackmiddot hawk Saturday where the three young men manufacmiddot turers of engines and incidentally builders of an airplane were engaged in putting together their airplane preparmiddot atory for a trial flight One of the busiest of the workers was Clarence Johnson a 12 year old brother who showed himself a handy man about the place Owing to the fact that due to their hurried move from Terre Haute with their machine Friday the Johnson brothers left behind some necessary blocks and braces and the flight that was scheduled for Saturday will be postponed until some time Sunday The strange man by the name of Zakarius supposed to be from Indianapolis and well versed in aviation was with the three brothers Saturday as they worked on their machine which was enclosed in a 40 tent to shut out the view from the spectators Another important personage at the scene was Dr Dupui of Riley who was on hand in case a flight should be made to see to the injuries of the aviator in case he should meet with an accident

The tryout grounds are admirally situated in the center of a 100 acre farm in the reservoir of the old Wabash and Erie Canal There is a wide stretch of clear country without any woodland within its radius of two miles It is believed the airplane will be assembled and ready for a trial late Saturday afternoon but it is not thought a flight will be attempted before Sunday

- Ii _ ~ ~

Sunday August 7 1910

JOHNSON BROTHERS PREPARE FOR INITIAL TEST OF BIG AIRPLANE CONFIDENCE PERmiddot MEATESCAMP AS TIME FOR TRY-OUT NEARSmiddot the first flight if flight is to be of the Johnson airship now resting in all readiness for its try-out at its camp at southeast of Terre Haute will come at about noon today and the result of a year s work and effort to build a successful airplane will be determined

In spite of the Johnson effort at secrecy spectators began to throng to the camp in the old reservoir bed early Saturday afternoon and later in the evening automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place The farmers also took Saturday evening off to take advantage of the opportunity to see the machine and the men

A heavy steel roller was brought to the scene Satshyurday evening and the Johnsons will layout the course early Sunday morning on which the aviators who drive the machine in the preliminary try-outs will score down for a start The meadow as it stands is rough and trouble was feared when the wheels of the flyer were started over the ground before the machine raised into the air

Just who would be the first man to steer the machine on its initial effort the Johnsons refused to state but the crowd of sightseers who have been watching the progress of the work at the camp picked the man who they believe will be in the seat when the airplane raises first It is William Zachow the stranger from Racine Wisconsin who arrived in this city just in time to take an active part in completing preparations for the try-out Zachow refused to give out his name but the above is the name he registered under at the Philbeck Hotel Gossip has it that the Wisconsin man is an experienced aviator and it is on this fact that the spectators base their belief that he will be the one to drive the machine when it is tried out

There is no spirit of speculation in the air about the Johnson camp but in plain businesslike manner the men are carrying forth the work which is to determine whether or not Terre Haute has produced a parallel to the Wright Brothers There were several men on the ground Saturday afternoon who professed some knowlshyedge of mechanics All the men who have seen the machine since it has been brought near enough to completion for an idea to be formed as to its efficiency has had nothing but praise for the thoroughness with which it has been finished and experienced mechanics say that from a mechanical standpoint the machine looks good

An experienced mechanic who examined the machine Saturday stated that the V type 2 cycle engine a

distinctive feature of the new machine is especially adapted for the use on airplanes The Johnson brothers claim the distinction of having made the first engine of this type and mechanics say that it is the coming engine for use on aerial machines

The Johnsons themselves though they do not talk much have all confidence in their creation The men have had years of experience in the manufacture of all kinds of engines and in addition have put in considershyable time in research work on the subject of airplanes and other flying machines They have been close students to the methods of the Wright Brothers

Ii- _ ~

Monday August 8 1910

MAKER LAYS PLANS TO PILOT AIRPLANE ON INITIAL FLIGHTmiddot with the airplane removed from the tent in which it has been housed and the engine of the plane in perfect running order the Johnson brothers were expected Monday at noon to make an attempted flight at any time

The field located near Blackhawk south of the city where the first trial will take place is in perfect condishytion for the flight The only thing that may cause a delay of the flight is the lightness of the wheels which support the airplane on the ground at the start It was feared Monday that heavier wheels would be necessary In case this is decided on the trial of the machine will not take place for a day or so One of the Johson boys will pilot the machine on its initial attempted flight This was definitely announced Monday It was thought at first that William Zachow who was present at the aviation camp would pilot the machine but it has developed that the stranger is a salesman for an airplane supply comshypany He is said to be thoroughly fa miliar with the mechanism of airplanes however and has been of great value in getting the machine ready for flight

A test of the engine was made Monday morning it developed 40 HP Confidence was expressed by the Johnsons that the engine could develop 20 HP additional if necessary

- ~~

Saturday August 13 1910

WEAK SPRINGS POSTPONE JOHNSONS TRIAL OF FLIGHT CROWDS GATHERED AT AVIATION

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FIELD TO AGAIN LEARN THAT MACHINES TEST MUST AGAIN BE DELAYED - the Johnson brothers made no attempt to fly this afternoon It is reported that they would make their initial attempt to scale the clouds today A crowd followed in the wake of the rumor and by 200 this afternoon many people swarmshyed down from the meadow

When the Johnson machine was wheeled out at 2 00 it was found by the inventors that an important set of springs were too weak These will be strengthened and it is probable that the apparatus will not be taken out of the tent again until Tuesday of the coming week

Two of the brothers hurried to Terre Haute this aftershynoon as soon as the defect in the machine was discovshyered They will return to the camp Sunday and begin adjustment

_ F A ~~

Sunday August 141910

BROTHER AVIATORS DELAY DEMONSTRATION AGAIN PART OF MACHINE USED IN MAKING LANDING GETS OUT OF ORDER SECOND TIME shythough delayed again in their preparation for the initial flight of the first airplane ever manufactured in Terre Haute the Johnson boys Louis Julius and Harry went to work to remedy the defect which made necessary the postponement of their flight for the second time The defects which they are now forced to repair causes no despair in the Johnson boys or lessens their faith that the machine will fly after they are completed

We have encountered no difficulty whatever as yet which would in any way interfere with the successful flight of the machine said one of the boys Saturday The trouble is only in the wheels and supporting spring those parts of the machine which are used to make a landing on and the defect is not curious in any way though it does take some time to make the necessary changes

The intention of the trio was to fly Saturday and the day was ideal but it was decided at the last minute that the chances of flying and making a safe landing would involve too great a risk

Louis the eldest of the Johnson brothers said to a Tribune representative Saturday I am sorry that we could not fly today In the first place the weather is ideal and in the second place when the statement that we have been halted again appears in print a great many people will believe that the machine is a failure As for us we are certain as we have been all along that the airplane will fly

Ii ~~

Monday August 15 1910

JOHNSON PROMISES TO MAKE AIRPLANE TRIP WEDNESDAY BROTHERS OCCUPY ENTIRE DAY REPAIRING CARRYING TRUCK OF HEAVIER THAN AIR MACHINE - the work of getting ready the remodeled parts of the carrying truck for the airplane occupied the day of the Johnson boys at their work shop on 10th Street on Monday The men expect to have their work completed and will take their remodshyeled parts to the camp near Blackhawk Tuesday eveshyning

Louis Johnson said Monday that they expect to have everything in readiness for the trial by Wednesday One man has been left at the camp while the others came to their home in Terre Haute over Sunday

qp tt ~~

Friday August 19 1910

JOHNSONS WAIT WEATHER FOR FIRST TEST OF FLYER HUGE MONOPLANE GIVES EVERY EVshyIDENCE OF BEING FULLY CAPABLE OF NAVshyIGATING THE AIR - the initial flight of the Johnson monoplane was scheduled to take place Friday aftershynoon but a strong wind swept over the field here and made the test impossible The huge flyer waits serenely for the first chance to take to the air having been thoroughly tested on the ground

Friday afternoon the monoplane was staked to the ground headed into the wind and the engine turned on for the purpose of determining her power Under full speed the flyer acquired the full strength of the helpers to keep her from leaping upward At half speed the power developed was not sufficient to convince the builders that the test would be a success in the wind as it is their desire to fly first under half power leaving the remainder for reserve while in the air

After the test of the engine Louis Johnson expressed himself as being unsatisfied with the condition of the engine and propeller

E ~~

Saturday August 201910

JOHNSON SHIP REFUSES TO QUIT TERRA FIRMA ENGINE FAILS TO DEVELOP SUFFICIENT SPEED

TO LIFT MACHINE INTO AIR - the Johnson brothers have made half a dozen attempts to fly the monoplane upon which they have worked for so many months and in none have they succeeded in getting the big machine into the air

Three times Friday they turned the big propeller under high speed and freed the machine from all restraints At a rate of about 12 mph it tore down a rough field only to be stopped at the limit of the course without having raised from the ground Three of these efforts were made before and three after alterations had been made to the propeller Saturday morning the Johnshysons were not disheartened or discouraged they had come to the realization that they were not as far advancshyed in the building of the machine as they had thought Their attention was turned to alterations that were expected to have a decided affect on the plane and also to the grounds upon which they were flying The aviashytion camp is located on exceedingly poor grounds It is rough and full of ruts and so soft that the tired wheels sink to 1 to 3 in it when the machine is started _Those who have watched the attempts to fly are of the opinion that the nature of the grounds is largely responsible for the failures as it is impossible to start the machine at a pace that will make it rise Whether the Johnsons will move or prepare a smoother runway is a question that has not yet been determined The three efforts to fly Saturday morning were made early while the sun was rising and the wind was low A fairly steady breeze from the south made it necessary to drive the machine up a slight grade into the wind but this was not sufficiently a factor to which to attribute a failure to rise The monoshyplane failed to fly simply because it did not have enough power to raise it from the ground There is no speed indicator in the camp and it is impossible to tell at what rate the propeller is revolved but several have estimated it at about 900 rpm 1500 rpm is considered necessary for success and the Johnsons may have to make radical changes in the propeller before making the desired speed_

Saturday evening before a large crowd they started the engine three times and raced down the field with Louis Johnson in the machine The first was probably the best of all the trials The monoplane attained a good rate of speed but it did not leave the ground The buildshyers decided the trouble was due to the size of the propelshyler and they cut it down several inches The result was the engine operated faster and more smoothly but it was by no means as speedy as necessary and the test made established that more alterations were necessary espicially if attempts to fly are from the present locashytions

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~ t_F ~~

Sunday August 211910

FOUR DEVOTEES OF AERONAUTICS MAINTAIN CHEERFULNESS IN FACE OF PARTIAL DISshyAPPOINTMENT WAITING FOR CALM JOHNSONS ADVANCE IN CONQUERING AIR SIX TRIALS OF MONOPLANE PROVE MANY THEORIES CORRECT BUT BRING PARTIAL DISAPPOINTMENT LOW SPEED PROPELLER PROVES TOO WEAK TO RAISE WEIGHT DIFFICULTIES AT FIELD AND APPLICAshyTION OF MOTORS ENERGY PRESENT PROBLEMS THAT MUST YIELD BEFORE PERSEVERENCE - Sunshyday the Johnson brothers who are now so earnestly engaged in the attempt to fly a monoplane in the old canal basin near Blackhawk are going to demonstrate that they can build a high power low speed motor fully adapted to the needs of the aviator

Just now they are encountering difficulties that would discourage many with a patience that means success they are working under handicaps that appear as insurmountable but must give way before their detershymination

Saturday morning the last of six attempts to make their machine leave terra firma failed and they went back to their tent disappointed after two weeks of the hardest kind of labor In spite of the cheerful attitude they assumed there was an air of disappointment all around the camp and even the jokes of the jolly party did not dispel it

The disappointment lay not so much in the fact that the machine failed to leave the ground in its trials as in the evidence that higher speed would be necessary for the proper operation of the motor It is the object of the Johnsons to develop a motor that will run a monoplane without the terrific speed common to those in use If they succeed in securing one of this type they have a fortune at their command They do not desire to construct an airplane merely for the purpose of flying If they did they could easily obtain the pattern of the Wright brothers machine or other machines and build accordingly or they could purchase a machine at less cost and trouble than they have encountered But having as their object the development of a low speed motor the failure of the one now in use to do the work expected was disappointing Although it whirled the propeller at a speed that astonished the spectators it was not operated at a rate of which it is capable but at a rate very much lower and which the builders hope would be sufficient for its purpose

Consequently when the speed attained by the motor in the first trials Friday proved insufficient one of the hopes of the Johnsons was dashed

Reluctantly they cut down the size of the propeller knowing that every inch shaved from it would increase the speed of the engine Two inches all around were sacrificed in the desire to raise the skybird and the result was a perceptible increase in the number of revolushytions and consequently a steadier engine Some consolashyLIon was offered by the fact that even with the reduced propeller there was little vibration noticeable about the machine

Late Friday night the airplane was run out of its tent and the motor started The effect was extraordinary and the hopes of the Johnsons that they had accomplished their purpose ran high Saturday morning early the fourth attempt to fly and the first with the reduced propeller was made

Whether the alterations had any effect on the raising power of the motor was difficult to determine because of the conditions under which the trial was made A steady breeze from the south made it necessary to start the machine from the north end of the field at the foot of the small incline and on ground that was wet and soft The machine behaved no better than before bllt whether it was due to the propeller the grade or the soft ground was a question the Johnsons were not ready to answer To eliminate the grade is almost impossible To wait for a more favorable wind is nerve racking yet the Johnsons will have to do all of these things before making sure that they have the propeller rightly proporshytioned for the task

Whatever may be determined regarding the propeller it remains that the Johnsons have demonstrated an engine that is remarkable for its power and speed combined with its steadiness and construction The motor is of the 2 cycle type 4 cylinders This means that an explosion occurs in each cylinder just twice as often as in the more common 4 cycle 4 cylinder type More power is the result and 75 hp is the indication This is accomplished by combining the Johnson patent valve with cylinders set at an angle of 1800 and big carburetors The patent valve is one on which the men have worked for a long time and they have shown by it a method of allowing more gas to enter the cylinders withshyout increasing the size of the valve a point of corisidershyable value in construction Then they have obtained a motor that will run at great speed and create so little vibration that it scarcely causes a tremor in the light wooden frame of the airship All in all the motor has conducted itself in a manner that is deemed most satisfactory It is applying it to the airplane that has

proven the puzzle and that is the very point the Johnshysons are seeking

The Johnson monoplane will fly because it is constructed on the proper principles for flight That it has not been successfully launched as yet is due to two things - the experience in designing and operating of the men in control of it and the unfavorable conditions under which the trials have been made Both of these points will be overcome in time While they are eliminatshying the unfavorable conditions they are learning from experience the points they have overlooked in designing and they are learning rapidly how to operate it

The story of the construction of the Johnson monoshyplane is one of hard work and persistent effort The Johllsons have had no teacher in the art They have studied much observed a great deal and gathered from experience a great deal more than the average man will ever know about airplanes No one realizes more than they that there is a great deal more to be learned That is why after months of work they took their machine to the Blackhawk basin It was two weeks ago today that they arrived there and since that time they have fought mosquitos malaria and rain in a most credible effort to work out the theories they have formed It is not a pleasant task but one that requires thought constant experiment and careful reasoning They are not particshyularly interested in what the public thinks about their work They want to apply the Johnson motor to aeroshynautics

As one enters the aviation field he is greeted by a sign that reads Welcome - Outside the Tent The sign is expressive of the attitude of the Johnson boys They are willing that anyone watch them at work free about giving information when asked but they promise nothing and consequently are not responsible for the disappointment of the many who have come to see them fly and have left without that satisfaction

Julius Johnson expressed their attitude well when he said while waiting for a wind to subside we have waited a year to get to this point with the machine and we can afford to wait another day rather than run the chances of breaking up the airplane

Last weeks activity at the camp became intensive Thursday morning when the machine was run out of its protection for the first time the frame buckled This was immediately repaired and trials of the engine and frame made that evening Friday three unsuccessful attempts to raise the machine were made and Saturday with an altered propeller three more efforts brought no better success

When the last visitor departed from the aviation field Thursday night the Johnsons rested content with their

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preparations for a flight on the early morning air Time work until as the crowd left the field Thursday night noon for further tests to be made solely on the ability of and again the builders had been disappointed in not they saw the end of the last bit of preparation for an air the machine to lift It is expected that the trial will1ake having it ready for flight at the time agreed upon Little test place about an hour before sunset No effort at flightweaknesses that could not be foreseen became apparent While it has been disappointing to visit the aviation will be made at this time the test being confined to when the machine was started across the rough field had field and fail to witness an attempt to fly the chagrin of determining the buoyancy of the machine its balance yielded one by one to careful attention and ingenuity the Johnson brothers and Pearl Conover has been and general fitness for flight Every nut and bolt on the unwieldly looking skybird had greater Living in a single big tent pitched in a malaria been inspected and found in first class condition The breeding district pestered by insects and blistered with rt _ alterations made necessary by faulty calculations as to the heat they have put up with all kinds of inconvenshy ~~ weight and pressure on the running gear were completed iences since leaving Terre Haute and every hours delay and the new woodwork covered with a preserving paint In the center of the structure the light but powerful engine shown in polished brilliancy Just in front of it the big propeller built of many pieces and smoothed to a surface like glass was perfect to the last detail A sliver that had been knocked from it was replaced with cement and its bearing was as true as science could make it Stretching away on each side for 16 were ribbed wings on which so much depends each without a flaw or scratch At their tips hung the balancing planes so delicately fitted that the slightest movement of the operator was reflected by a changed position To the eye the machine was perfect and the builders who worked so patiently at last were satisfied it was ready for its initial trip

It now appeared that nothing stood in the way of a thorough demonstration but the Johnson brothers were doomed to meet another disappointment Under its power for the first time Louis Johnson drove the airship down the field from the tent in which it had been housed Three of the four cylinders were in operation yet it was evident that the Johnson motor was suffishyciently powerful for the purposes of the craft At speed that hurried those who accompanied it the aircraft ran along over the rough ground with little or no vibration from the motor and a steadiness that spelled success Four men hung to it with their weight keeping it from mounting the air while the driver accustomed himself to the situation and watched the engine and the plane

This was the final test of the monoplane before it was entrusted to the element for which it was constructed This test fully demonstrated that the care bestowed upon its construction was not misplaced There was not a flaw noticeable in any of its moving parts There was nothing about its action that indicated a single weakness But one thing marred the success of this test and Thursshyday night saw that one point corrected The long body or frame that extends from the plane to the rudder on the tail was not sufficiently strong to stand the strain of alighting from a height as was shown in its action during this test Immediately the builders prepared to strengthshyen it and all day Thursday they worked on this one part rebracing and adding to the solidity of this frame

has been bitter to them Malaria sent Clarence Johnson the youngest of the camp back to the city unfit to be about Mr Conover succumbed to it one day but was able to throw off the attack The Johnson brothers have all felt the effect of life in the camp and as Louis Johnshyson expressed it Are dead anxious to get to doing something

- shy~~ Monday October 10 1910 MONOPLANE JUSTIFIES EFFORTS OF JOHNSONS AIRCRAFT GOES INTO AIR SEVERAL TIMES AT TESTS MADE SUNDAY- after many weeks of quite work at their camp on the old reservoir prairie 3 miles east of Blackhawk in an effort to perfect the airplane which when first tried out was found to be lacking in a few particulars Louis Harry and Julius Johnson the inventors and builders of the Johnson Bros airplane succeeded in making several lifts with the aircraft at tests made Sunday evening Three tests were made and it was on the third one that the machine lifted from the ground Several times the craft raised for distances of from 15 to 20 Though the height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time this fact was rather to lack in certain details than because the airplane could not raise higher

The craft exhibited a wonderful buoyancy for the test and tended to leave the ground at all times higher than it was allowed to However necessity for certain corrections was manifested before a flight could be safely made and to avoid possible wrecking of the machine it was held down at all times

An assistant of the Johnson boys in their efforts toward perfecting the machine stated Monday that an idea of buoyancy of the machine could be gained from the fact that when starting on the soft dirt just previous to the test that it would leave no track in the soft dirt but that when being brought back for a second test it would plow back into the soil for a depth of 6

Preparations were almost completed Monday after-

Tuesday October II 1910 JOHNSON GIVES EXPRESSION TO SATISFACTION WITH PLANE TEST CONTINUED TO OCCUpy TIME OF BROTHERS AT AVIATION FIELD - Louis Johnson the elder of the Johnson brothers builders of the Johnson Monoplane spent Tuesday in Terre Haute looking after business matters The other two brothers Julius and Harry are at the aviation field making a few required minor changes in the mechanism preparatory to attempting a flight Wednesday or Thursday

Louis will return to the field Tuesday evening to be ready to sit at the wheel of the machine in the initial attempt at flight

We have gone far enough now to see through to the end and we now know that the theory which we have been working is the right one We will fly within a few days possible Wednesday or Thursday The changes now being made are only minor adjustments which were seen to be necessary in our tests as to the lifting power of the machine

-shy~~ Editors Note

The brothers apparently abandoned the attempts to make the 1910 airplane fly shortly after this in October 1910 and started work on an improved design which was successful in the summer of 1911 Between the end of October and the middle of July 1911 they built an entirely new airplane but used the same power plant that had been used in the 1910 version The new airplane was radically different in design using basically a metal framework cloth covered wings and cloth covered tail surfaces which were supported on a single aluminum boom It had a tricycle gear as contrasted with the conventional gear in the 1910 plane It had wing-warping in place of the moveable surfaces at the tips of the wings steerable nose wheel and brakes and many other engineering refinements~

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Ross Smith had never seen an airplane and was attractshyed to one ofthe public displays of the Johnson monoplane the practice being a charge of 25cent to see it in the tent to help alleviate the costs The plane had barely flown and excitement was running high Ross evidently took one look at it and said thats for me Its hard to guess how he convinced the Johnsons that he should take a hand at it however it is very possible that he was the only one with enough nerve and the J ohnsons had spent a great deal of theirs A bird in the hand at this point was probably welcome According to the records the

motor was started and Ross ran the plane up and down the field for some half hour experimenting with the controls learning how to use the throttle steering the airplane accelerating until it was light Evidently Ross had figured play ti me was over and the description states suddenly the plane shot forward and then rose graceshyfully into the air His very first flight lasted for 30 minutes and he thrilled the onlookers as he flew back and forth over the field (I nstructors take note - how many students would you turn loose in a better machine of today with 30 minutes of instruction)

Barely two days atter Rosss first flight he launched into the professional flying ranks in a big way He immeshydiately received an offer from his home town of Mattoon Illinois to engage in some demonstration flights and was paid for three flights at $50000 per flight Airplanes were so rare in these days that people paid to look at them and in most cases such flights were initiated by promotors seeking a quick fortune You would believe that flying such an airplane was enough of a daredevil stunt but not for our friend Ross He managed to concoct stunts that even from this distance

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in time seem absolutely ridiculous Daredevil is too mild a word One of his next exploits was an engagement to fly the monoplane during a 10 day Chautauqua Now for you youngsters youll have to run to the dictionary however Ill save you the effort The name Chautauqua originated in New York where some wise promoter startshyed an educational summer camp Families took their vacations very similar to those going to Oshkosh for the week long fly-in lived in tents in a large tent community that attracted as many as 50000 people during its run This particular Chautauqua that contracted for Rosss services with the Johnson airplane was at Merom Bluff Indiana a high point on the Wabash River The bluff was in Sullivan County and stood 150 above the river on one side while the opposite side fell to flat farm land going away from the river in a flat plain Th is particular Chautauqua was obviously one of great importance for the midwest and attractions included William Jennings Bryan Senator Robert LaFollette William Howard Taft former President of the United States Vice President Thomas R Marshall a gal named Maude Ballington Booth discussing prison reform John Temple Graves a noted orator of the time and Jeanette Rankin the first American Congresswoman The Chautauqua encomshypassed every subject from religion to suffrage child care and anything at all that would interest the family

To spice this particular Chautauqua Ross came up with the idea of building a 250 wooden platform with its far end hanging over the bluff on the river side The intent was to fly the airplane from this platform and fly it he did for many performances Descriptions of the flight states that the airplane labored uphill gained speed and disappeared from the end of the platform in what must have been a free fall until it gained flying speed leveling out some safe distance above the river then circling back over the Chautauqua area like a peacock preening its feathers It must have been a supreme thrill for all to witness There was no possible way to land at the Chautauqua area so Ross would cross the river to the Illinois side and land on a road at the ferry The plane would then be disassembled hauled back across the river pulled back up the winding road to the bluff for its next days operation

I n the eyes of the Chautauqua attendance Ross was no doubt walking mighty tall despite his slight stature It was quite common practice for the Johnson airplane to be engaged for fairs etc at which time it generally flew off the racetrack Evidently by this time a standard stunt

This monoplane piloted by Ross Smith flew off the Merom Bluff daily August 22-37 7973 during the Chautauqua

This was the view from the Merom Bluff The picture is deceiving for it was 750 down to the water Note the Ferry cars and buggies waiting to cross and climb the winding road up the bluff This is the view Ross Smith had as he literally dove his plane off the platform without adequate flying speed The result was a near free fall with flying speed gained in time to narrowly miss striking the water below The flight was enacted daily to please the crowd

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-

Ross Smith preparing for an exhibition flight Note man with ladder at right below wing It was a tall gear and a long climb to mount this machine

had been for the airplane to race a car on the track Dirt track races being part of almost every fair there was always someone present willing to race At one such event it states that Speed in the air and on land thrills thousands Aviator Ross L Smith and Speed King Wild Bob Burman held first place in the hearts of sensation lovers for the wild thrills they gave the thousands at the fairgrounds on Sunday Taking off from the track Ross flew around the track circled the infield and landed directly in front of thegrandstand amid the applause of thousands As an additional build up to the race Burman took Ross for a ride in his 300 hp Blitzen Benz and proceeded to smash the world record for a mile on a half mile dirt track breaking his own former record His

speed was just over 60 mph but this meant that 80 mph must have been his speed on the straight away On the first lap he gave Ross a thrill by hitting the turn too fast and almost losing control in a skid Evidently Ross did not appreciate the ride for when Burman said he would go up with him in his plane Ross calmly said that if he did he would get pushed out Burman of course immeshydiately changed his mind Evidently this was the last of Burmans summer appearances and he was going to spend his time readying himself for the 500 mile motor speedway event He had held the lead the previous year until his machine caught fire and burned while he was many laps ahead

As to the race between the airplane and the car the

airplane invariably won all events in spite of the fact that the cars appeared to be going faster Speed in the air does not seem to be speed compared to a roaring monster of an auto spewing exhaust and throwing large clods of dirt as it rounds every corner Smith evidently thrilled the crowd with a simple thing that today would be called a touch and go Newspaper emotes over the fact that even the French exhibition flyers had not done such a thing stating that Ross had no trouble at all in thrilling the crowd In another engagement it states that Ross L Smith will pilot the Johnson brothers monshyoplane during the Corn Week Show sponsored by the Rotary Club of Terre Haute The big thrill of this event was to be a flight down Wabash Avenue between the

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buildings just above the street car wires It was stated it would be the first time in history that an aviator would attempt such a dangerous feat The plane was to be brought down until the wheels barely cleared the wires then proceed west down the street to the Court House where the plan was to circle the big dome I n a flair of penmanship the author writes it will be unusual for a businessman to see the wings of an airplane almost brushing the windows of his building He further states the trip will be a dangerous one but the aviator and the builders of the machine have such faith in the monshyoplane that they believe that both will stand the test

I n a later account where Smith was engaged to fly an exhibition over Elsworth he decided to give them a new thrill and go for altitude With much circling he reached dizzying height of 2000 where he passed through a cloud bank that confused him for a short time On recovering from the confusion he found himself at 1000 (he invented vertigo no dOUbt)

In still another account it states the Johnson monshyoplane gave one of the best exh ib itions of the art of flying it has been our pleasure to witness There were no death defying stunts just plain flying

The monoplane took off on the back stretch of the race track and for 30 minutes circled dived swooped and turned running up and down the valley for several miles It states the limited space in which he had to land caused him some trouble He had failed to make the first descent (made a go-around - probably the first) When finally on the ground Aviator Ross stated it was the hardest day to fly on he had ever experienced as the air seemed dead and no breeze whatsoever was stirring Density altitude)

About the year 1913 Ross was running out of tricks the bag was getting empty so he decided to scoop them all He announced that he would like to fly the Atlantic and from all records it appears that he was the first to have such serious ideas He was at least 19 years ahead of his time He proposed to fly the flimsy Johnson airplane across the Atlantic alone - a statement that makes Lindshyberghs remarks an echo of the past He approached the Navy Department and asked them to place 10 battleshysh ips at intervals of 300 miles apart figuring that th is would be the maximum load of gasoline possible to carry The Navy of course refused considering the flight across the Atlantic as only a hair brained scheme The Government was not very interested in flying at this time and their decision was certainly not a surprise

~

Evening flights from the field were customary

Ross did not remain silent on this issue and at a later time stated in print when the Atlantic is crossed it will be by a flying boat and not a dirigible

In reading the history of these days all of the emshyphasis on long range travel was transfered to the gas bag History proved Ross to be 100 right and the Navys NC4s were the first to fly across

To further add hues of color to his career Ross was perhaps the first American aviator to get an offer from a foreign government and probably one of the first conceptions of military aviation was born President Huerta of Mexico offered him a high ranking position in the Mexican Army if he would organize an air force for them Ross immediately declined Poncho Villa who was then the bad boy of Mexico and conducting what we would call today Guerilla attack tried to make Ross a better offer of $2000 a month in gold to do the same thing for his side Ross declined that too Time proved how wise he was in declining this offer for one of his best friends was killed - not while he was flying but by Villas own men Four of Rosss friends had decided to fly for Villa but when weeks went by and they received no pay they drew straws to see who would confront Villa with the facts Mickey McGuire (the wild Irish Rose of the skies) was unlucky enough to get the job and foolish enough to make the attempt He faced the illiterate General in his tent and asked for the money

The General promptly whipped out a 45 caliper pistol and shot McGuire through the heart In revenge the remaining three proceeded to burn Villas airplanes saving one to make their escape in They successfully flew that one back to the United States

This was not Rosss last encounter with Army life As World War I came along there were but 50 flyers availshyable for instructors in the US He was one that formed the nucleus of the great Flying Corps This group was called on to also perform test pilot functions and in their vernacular did nose dives tail spins and no doubt were the first creators of aerobatic flying in this country This was no doubt a cup of tea for our adventuresome Mr Ross captivated the services and the record that he established was remarkable General Andrews commenshyded Ross with a citation ending it with a comment Seven years without a serious mishap Ross lived a long and successful life and became very well known in Wash ington and for years was Public Relations Manager for the Hot Shopps a food chain in the East He lived a full life and died on February 19 1959 For an advenshyturesome person who lead such a colorful life and seemingly knew no fear he must have also been blessed with skill and a great amount of common sense In the Hot Shopps Company magazine from which some of this material was gleaned they coined an epitaph for him stating simply An amazing man ~

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Gee how fast d you suppose we co uld go They approached their father and mother Make it said the parents fi nall y with less enthushy

siasm than they were wont to show Gasoline motors were strange toys in those times

But the moto r slowl y assembled proved the env y of all their small assoc iates It was t he two-horse power inboard type a quaint ancestor for the outboard of today but it chall enged and defeated many a marine moto r of prouder origin

The influence of the Wabash shyHigh School was completed with so exce ll ent a

record in mathematics that Terre Hau te professors still speak of Lo us asto nishing ab ility in that line and the yo ung inventor for he was now recognized as that sought hi s fathers consent to engage in marin e motor man ufacture

As usua l hi s parents nodd ed approval They had a lways wished their boys to be in business for t hemshyselves a nd there was money ready for a sma ll factory

Here it is interesting to make a note on the progress of Louis Jo hnsons education No more schooling yet systematic stud y never neglected in the press of any c irc umstances whatever More mathematics a keener interest in everything pertaining to the mechanical sciences engineeri ng co urses Constant reading evshyid enced today by the books that surround him in his home

A few years of this marine work and then the brain that dreamed and the hands that were ever ready to carry out those dreams united in a burni ng desire to drive something far more romantic than river boats with a gaso line engine

He wanted a sled and made o ne He wanted a laun ch and he made o ne He wanted an airplane and he made one It was Americas first triumph with a monopl ane

No o ne probab ly will ever know just what those broth ers suffered in the way of ridicule disappointment a nd discourage ment in the first period of their struggle with th e unknown air monster But they drove ahead undaunted and fi nally something that resembled an ominous bird of prey was hatched

Not only the Indiana town in whi ch it was bo rn thought thi s creation a fantastic f ledgling Looking over Mr Johnso ns scrap-book one comes to hi ghl y amusing comments by the press in various parts of the country Wright and Curtiss were experimenting at the same time of course but air asce nsion was still regarded in the light

of so rcery Working fever ishly day and night and with th e

utmost secrecy the Johnso n brothers of Terre Haute India na are said to be toiling and scheming to put together a huge bird-like machine which is slated either to fulf ill their fo ndest hopes or prove their bitterest disappointment says a cl ipping of September 26 1909

Desp ite the Jo hnsons effo rts at secrecy spectators began to throng the camp in the old reservoir bed ear ly Saturday afte rnoon and later automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place of the Flyer All the far mers took the afternoo n off to view the mach ine news of which had leaked out in spite of the covered e ntra nce to the farm where the try-out is to be held

This a li tt le later in the Terre Haute Tribune Mr Joh nson ch uckl es soft ly as he reviews these

notices The betting ran high at those fi rst ex hibitions he

says Bets ran about two to one that wed not get off the gro und People a lways paid to see the machine too One day in Hill sboro Illino is we took in 2500 gate admissio ns of twenty-five cents each

Gasoline of course was regarded with much fear and the greatest caution used Before the engine was started a crier ran down the f ield warning spectators of the imminent danger and forbidd ing them to smoke

But the queer creature t hat the Johnson brothers had labored w ith was now winning wagers for those who had faith in it The press spoke of a f light as a lift and fo ll owi ng a discouragingly ra iny sum mer when muddy fields delayed the tests for weeks we read

After a period of experiment covering some time the Jo hnson brothers made a successful lift at their camp Sunday evening The machine was started on the aershyd ro me track from which it was run down the field in an effort which finally succeeded in raising it clear of the ea rth Severa l times the craft raised for d istances of from fifteen to twenty feet though th e height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time

Among the things that the history of tomorrow will carry will be the invention and construction of the first successful American monoplane It will recount the years of unaided struggle by those red-headed Johnson bro thers in Terre Haute I ndiana who brought out of a chaos of thought the most wonderful th ing up to the year 1912 in the way of an aero engine mounted on a steel flyer that really flew

The original motor was mounted on a wooden fra me the wings were of silk and the position of the flyer was perilous The improved monoplane boasted a steel frame stronger win gs and the aviator was pl aced above and behind the machinery eliminating the danger of being crushed by the engine in a fall

This successful ai rplane had a spread of 36 feet a length of 34 feet 260 square feet of plane surface and weighed 750 pou nd s I t had a speed of better than sixty mil es an hour and was driven by a V-type motor which was in the nature of a revolution

Then came the Johnson School of Aviation Now that there were pl anes to fly there must be

av iators to fly them But while many young men took a keen interest in the sport fro m the sidelines most of them were sti ll decided ly earthbo und However there were two immediate ap plicants and Ross L Smith who trained one hundred and fifty men during t he war was Lou Johnsons first pupil Frank Schutt was the other and to him befell the thrill of crashing to ground from a height of 1500 ft and landing unhurt His acc ident was caused by a shortage of gas as were many other similar catastrophies of the time

But there is a more perso na l note to be sounded in connection with Mr Johnsons f lights Something other than motors and his aviatio n schoo l engrossed him Th ere was a charming young person in the hood and dust coat supposed to represent the ideal sport costume of the day always ready to assay the clouds with him Up to now spectators had gazed in obvious ad miratio n at the mother who bade her son such a brave god-speed when he started upo n those fearsome uncharted voyshyages Her gallant bearing unfa ilingly caused a little ripple of com ment But now anoth er woman stood at her side eq ually anxious yet equally hero ic It was whispered that Miss Ne ll Cockerham also of Terre Haute had often been up in the machine with Mr Johnson and that she evidently took a keen interest in monoplanes shy

The story is briefly told in two headlin es from the local paper

DISCOVERED- PRETTY MISS WHO FLEW IS I NTERESTED IN BIRD MAN THEN AVIATOR JOHNSON UP IN AIR- MISSED TRAIN ONWEDDING DAY

A new partnership was formed for it is evident to everyone who contacts the Johnsons in either a business or a social way that theirs had proven a very successful marriage and that Mrs Johnsons intere st has been

16

manifested in every phase of the inventors work But the influence of the Wabash shyFlying was all very well Mr Johnson admitted when

questioned concerning his return to motor-boat building but the call of his first love was too strong to ignore for long Of course during these remarkable three years he had never ceased to manufacture the Johnson marine motor but following his marriage he devoted himself intensively to the development of several ideas he had held in embryo while he sought the conquest of the clouds

Soon the Johnson brothers were offering twenty models of marine motors Racing motors ranged from single cylinder to twelve cylinder type One of these held therecord in the 320 in class for four years

But the fates having accorded this much in justice to the originality persistency and energy of the Johnson family evidently decreed that the number thirteen must cast an ominous influence upon the new industry The tornado of 1913 is well remembered by all who lived in the vicinity of Terre Haute at that time but to none perhaps was it more devastating

Lou and I had been in the theatre while the storm was at its worst said Mrs Johnson when we had come to this part of the narration And Lou spoke of the satisfaction of being in a nice new brick factory We went home and knew nothing of the damage that had been wrought until the following morning Then when the men reported for work they saw a pile of wreckage that would have sickened any heart The highest portion of the plant left standing was a bit of the brick wall three feet above the ground

W ea ker men wou Id have broken perhaps but apparently Lou and his brothers bowed to the will of the gods and accepted their loss calmly I n humbler quarters but with no lessening of spirit they designed something new in the manner of a racing craft

In 1914 Johsons most famous boat Black Demon III entered a special match race against some of the fastest boats in the country on Lake Michigan Disturbshyer I V of Ch icago took first honors but Black Demon was a close second out-classing a number of favorites It was a recognized triumph for the V-type motor which had been exhibited in Chicago a few months before and was causing much comment Black Demon III was a 23-footer powered with two 12-cylinder high speed marine motors each having 180 horse-power

Ever casting about for new transportation methods

Black Demon III was a 23 footer powered with two 2 cycle 72 cylinder high speed marine motors each having 780 horsepower

the red-headed Johnson boys now wondered whether a bicycle driven by their motor would compare favorably with types already on the market Apparently it did for in 1917 the Johnson Motor Wheel Company was a going business with an output of 10000 machines a year and the slogan - SIXTY MILES FOR TEN CENTS was familiar to many of us

Warren Ripple Chicago financier was especially interested in this new venture and through his influence the factory was moved to South Bend in the early part of 1918

In eight years the growth of the Johnson Motor Company has furnished South Benders with an inshyexhaustible subject of conversation First it wasshy

Did you hear about those Johnson people Theyve taken over the od Bottling plant next to them

Then Have you heard the latest about Johnson Theyve

leased that whole block of stores on Lincoln Way and put their offices over there

On and on it went this amazing growth Soon a vacated portion of a large underwear mill across the river was commandeered neighboring houses sheds buildings of any type whatever were given over to the manufacshyture and housing of Johnson motors It was said that one must carry a road map to complete a tour of the plant

The wheel had gone into the discard but there was

never a lull in activities The out-board marine motor had quietly taken the place of the motor-driven bicycle - and Lou Johnson was back again doing homage to his first love

Strange influence-On the Banks of the Wabash - tho now of course it was the St Joe river that knew his experiments

Mr Johnsons smile changed as he finished the little resume of his work and walking to the fire-place framed by the well-filled bookcases looked thoughtfully into the flames for a few seconds

Of course it is only a beginning he said This is the age of mechanical development and no one can foretell the progress that will be made in the next ten years even though one may feel it coming Naturally the thing that interests me most and always has is the improvement of water transportation Better boats fastshyer boats-

He paused and the smile was again in his eyes America is only beginning to enjoy water sports

presume we Johnsons have that in the blood And suddenly I saw him as he is a tall Danishshy

American captain commanding in spite of his reticence who began his voyage about three decades ago on a childishly constructed raft in the Wabash river and has been coming fearless of current and snag upstream ever since ~

17

Wednesday August 3 1910

JOHNSONS PREPARE TEST AIRPLANE - machine stands ready after more than a years work for its initial flight - brothers guard secret of place of first trial Airshyship has as original feature V type 2 cycle engine built for strength and lightness

Harry Louis and Julius Johnson the Johnson Brothshyers who have been at work for more than a year manufacturing an aeroplane at their shop 717 N 10th St have at last completed the machine and will leave Friday for a place in the open country near Terre Haute

to make the first attempt at flying it Thus far the Johnson Brothers have kept the location

of the place where they will try to fly the machine an entire secret It is desired to have no crowd about to bother while the machine is being tried

Everything was completed Wednesday with the exception of putting the parts together The machine which weighs 650 pounds complete will be shipped knocked down to the scene of the first attempted flight The propeller which is over 10 in length the wings seat and balances will not be attached until the scene of

try-out has been reached Wednesday morning the airplane stood in the big

building erected especially for the purpose of building it at the rear of the Johnson home on North 10th St It is 36 in length and measures the same exactly from tip to tip in width Every part of it has been manufactured by the three young men while they at the same time carried on their occupation of gasoline and marine engine manufacturing It was begun just a little less than a year ago

The wings which are to extend on either side from

18

the front of the machine measure 16 Yz x 8 and are made of light waterproof canvas stretched over stout framework The engine is a V type 2 cycle engine the only one of its kind to have ever been made

There are V type engines said Mr Johnson but they are 4 cycle The 2 cycle engines have previously been built straight causing increased weight Everything about the machine has been built for speed and lightmiddot ness

Two 7 gallon gasoline tanks will furnish the propellmiddot ing power for the machine It is expected it will take a day and a half to set the machine up after its been shipped to the place where it will be tested

- ~ shy

Saturday August 6 1910

LOCAL AVIATORS MAKE READY FOR FIRST TRIAL JOHNSON BROTHERS MOVE AIRPLANE TO FIELD NEAR BLACKHAWK AND SET UP MACHINE FOR TESTmiddot everything was hustle and bustle at the Johnson brothers aero camp a few miles from Blackmiddot hawk Saturday where the three young men manufacmiddot turers of engines and incidentally builders of an airplane were engaged in putting together their airplane preparmiddot atory for a trial flight One of the busiest of the workers was Clarence Johnson a 12 year old brother who showed himself a handy man about the place Owing to the fact that due to their hurried move from Terre Haute with their machine Friday the Johnson brothers left behind some necessary blocks and braces and the flight that was scheduled for Saturday will be postponed until some time Sunday The strange man by the name of Zakarius supposed to be from Indianapolis and well versed in aviation was with the three brothers Saturday as they worked on their machine which was enclosed in a 40 tent to shut out the view from the spectators Another important personage at the scene was Dr Dupui of Riley who was on hand in case a flight should be made to see to the injuries of the aviator in case he should meet with an accident

The tryout grounds are admirally situated in the center of a 100 acre farm in the reservoir of the old Wabash and Erie Canal There is a wide stretch of clear country without any woodland within its radius of two miles It is believed the airplane will be assembled and ready for a trial late Saturday afternoon but it is not thought a flight will be attempted before Sunday

- Ii _ ~ ~

Sunday August 7 1910

JOHNSON BROTHERS PREPARE FOR INITIAL TEST OF BIG AIRPLANE CONFIDENCE PERmiddot MEATESCAMP AS TIME FOR TRY-OUT NEARSmiddot the first flight if flight is to be of the Johnson airship now resting in all readiness for its try-out at its camp at southeast of Terre Haute will come at about noon today and the result of a year s work and effort to build a successful airplane will be determined

In spite of the Johnson effort at secrecy spectators began to throng to the camp in the old reservoir bed early Saturday afternoon and later in the evening automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place The farmers also took Saturday evening off to take advantage of the opportunity to see the machine and the men

A heavy steel roller was brought to the scene Satshyurday evening and the Johnsons will layout the course early Sunday morning on which the aviators who drive the machine in the preliminary try-outs will score down for a start The meadow as it stands is rough and trouble was feared when the wheels of the flyer were started over the ground before the machine raised into the air

Just who would be the first man to steer the machine on its initial effort the Johnsons refused to state but the crowd of sightseers who have been watching the progress of the work at the camp picked the man who they believe will be in the seat when the airplane raises first It is William Zachow the stranger from Racine Wisconsin who arrived in this city just in time to take an active part in completing preparations for the try-out Zachow refused to give out his name but the above is the name he registered under at the Philbeck Hotel Gossip has it that the Wisconsin man is an experienced aviator and it is on this fact that the spectators base their belief that he will be the one to drive the machine when it is tried out

There is no spirit of speculation in the air about the Johnson camp but in plain businesslike manner the men are carrying forth the work which is to determine whether or not Terre Haute has produced a parallel to the Wright Brothers There were several men on the ground Saturday afternoon who professed some knowlshyedge of mechanics All the men who have seen the machine since it has been brought near enough to completion for an idea to be formed as to its efficiency has had nothing but praise for the thoroughness with which it has been finished and experienced mechanics say that from a mechanical standpoint the machine looks good

An experienced mechanic who examined the machine Saturday stated that the V type 2 cycle engine a

distinctive feature of the new machine is especially adapted for the use on airplanes The Johnson brothers claim the distinction of having made the first engine of this type and mechanics say that it is the coming engine for use on aerial machines

The Johnsons themselves though they do not talk much have all confidence in their creation The men have had years of experience in the manufacture of all kinds of engines and in addition have put in considershyable time in research work on the subject of airplanes and other flying machines They have been close students to the methods of the Wright Brothers

Ii- _ ~

Monday August 8 1910

MAKER LAYS PLANS TO PILOT AIRPLANE ON INITIAL FLIGHTmiddot with the airplane removed from the tent in which it has been housed and the engine of the plane in perfect running order the Johnson brothers were expected Monday at noon to make an attempted flight at any time

The field located near Blackhawk south of the city where the first trial will take place is in perfect condishytion for the flight The only thing that may cause a delay of the flight is the lightness of the wheels which support the airplane on the ground at the start It was feared Monday that heavier wheels would be necessary In case this is decided on the trial of the machine will not take place for a day or so One of the Johson boys will pilot the machine on its initial attempted flight This was definitely announced Monday It was thought at first that William Zachow who was present at the aviation camp would pilot the machine but it has developed that the stranger is a salesman for an airplane supply comshypany He is said to be thoroughly fa miliar with the mechanism of airplanes however and has been of great value in getting the machine ready for flight

A test of the engine was made Monday morning it developed 40 HP Confidence was expressed by the Johnsons that the engine could develop 20 HP additional if necessary

- ~~

Saturday August 13 1910

WEAK SPRINGS POSTPONE JOHNSONS TRIAL OF FLIGHT CROWDS GATHERED AT AVIATION

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FIELD TO AGAIN LEARN THAT MACHINES TEST MUST AGAIN BE DELAYED - the Johnson brothers made no attempt to fly this afternoon It is reported that they would make their initial attempt to scale the clouds today A crowd followed in the wake of the rumor and by 200 this afternoon many people swarmshyed down from the meadow

When the Johnson machine was wheeled out at 2 00 it was found by the inventors that an important set of springs were too weak These will be strengthened and it is probable that the apparatus will not be taken out of the tent again until Tuesday of the coming week

Two of the brothers hurried to Terre Haute this aftershynoon as soon as the defect in the machine was discovshyered They will return to the camp Sunday and begin adjustment

_ F A ~~

Sunday August 141910

BROTHER AVIATORS DELAY DEMONSTRATION AGAIN PART OF MACHINE USED IN MAKING LANDING GETS OUT OF ORDER SECOND TIME shythough delayed again in their preparation for the initial flight of the first airplane ever manufactured in Terre Haute the Johnson boys Louis Julius and Harry went to work to remedy the defect which made necessary the postponement of their flight for the second time The defects which they are now forced to repair causes no despair in the Johnson boys or lessens their faith that the machine will fly after they are completed

We have encountered no difficulty whatever as yet which would in any way interfere with the successful flight of the machine said one of the boys Saturday The trouble is only in the wheels and supporting spring those parts of the machine which are used to make a landing on and the defect is not curious in any way though it does take some time to make the necessary changes

The intention of the trio was to fly Saturday and the day was ideal but it was decided at the last minute that the chances of flying and making a safe landing would involve too great a risk

Louis the eldest of the Johnson brothers said to a Tribune representative Saturday I am sorry that we could not fly today In the first place the weather is ideal and in the second place when the statement that we have been halted again appears in print a great many people will believe that the machine is a failure As for us we are certain as we have been all along that the airplane will fly

Ii ~~

Monday August 15 1910

JOHNSON PROMISES TO MAKE AIRPLANE TRIP WEDNESDAY BROTHERS OCCUPY ENTIRE DAY REPAIRING CARRYING TRUCK OF HEAVIER THAN AIR MACHINE - the work of getting ready the remodeled parts of the carrying truck for the airplane occupied the day of the Johnson boys at their work shop on 10th Street on Monday The men expect to have their work completed and will take their remodshyeled parts to the camp near Blackhawk Tuesday eveshyning

Louis Johnson said Monday that they expect to have everything in readiness for the trial by Wednesday One man has been left at the camp while the others came to their home in Terre Haute over Sunday

qp tt ~~

Friday August 19 1910

JOHNSONS WAIT WEATHER FOR FIRST TEST OF FLYER HUGE MONOPLANE GIVES EVERY EVshyIDENCE OF BEING FULLY CAPABLE OF NAVshyIGATING THE AIR - the initial flight of the Johnson monoplane was scheduled to take place Friday aftershynoon but a strong wind swept over the field here and made the test impossible The huge flyer waits serenely for the first chance to take to the air having been thoroughly tested on the ground

Friday afternoon the monoplane was staked to the ground headed into the wind and the engine turned on for the purpose of determining her power Under full speed the flyer acquired the full strength of the helpers to keep her from leaping upward At half speed the power developed was not sufficient to convince the builders that the test would be a success in the wind as it is their desire to fly first under half power leaving the remainder for reserve while in the air

After the test of the engine Louis Johnson expressed himself as being unsatisfied with the condition of the engine and propeller

E ~~

Saturday August 201910

JOHNSON SHIP REFUSES TO QUIT TERRA FIRMA ENGINE FAILS TO DEVELOP SUFFICIENT SPEED

TO LIFT MACHINE INTO AIR - the Johnson brothers have made half a dozen attempts to fly the monoplane upon which they have worked for so many months and in none have they succeeded in getting the big machine into the air

Three times Friday they turned the big propeller under high speed and freed the machine from all restraints At a rate of about 12 mph it tore down a rough field only to be stopped at the limit of the course without having raised from the ground Three of these efforts were made before and three after alterations had been made to the propeller Saturday morning the Johnshysons were not disheartened or discouraged they had come to the realization that they were not as far advancshyed in the building of the machine as they had thought Their attention was turned to alterations that were expected to have a decided affect on the plane and also to the grounds upon which they were flying The aviashytion camp is located on exceedingly poor grounds It is rough and full of ruts and so soft that the tired wheels sink to 1 to 3 in it when the machine is started _Those who have watched the attempts to fly are of the opinion that the nature of the grounds is largely responsible for the failures as it is impossible to start the machine at a pace that will make it rise Whether the Johnsons will move or prepare a smoother runway is a question that has not yet been determined The three efforts to fly Saturday morning were made early while the sun was rising and the wind was low A fairly steady breeze from the south made it necessary to drive the machine up a slight grade into the wind but this was not sufficiently a factor to which to attribute a failure to rise The monoshyplane failed to fly simply because it did not have enough power to raise it from the ground There is no speed indicator in the camp and it is impossible to tell at what rate the propeller is revolved but several have estimated it at about 900 rpm 1500 rpm is considered necessary for success and the Johnsons may have to make radical changes in the propeller before making the desired speed_

Saturday evening before a large crowd they started the engine three times and raced down the field with Louis Johnson in the machine The first was probably the best of all the trials The monoplane attained a good rate of speed but it did not leave the ground The buildshyers decided the trouble was due to the size of the propelshyler and they cut it down several inches The result was the engine operated faster and more smoothly but it was by no means as speedy as necessary and the test made established that more alterations were necessary espicially if attempts to fly are from the present locashytions

20

~ t_F ~~

Sunday August 211910

FOUR DEVOTEES OF AERONAUTICS MAINTAIN CHEERFULNESS IN FACE OF PARTIAL DISshyAPPOINTMENT WAITING FOR CALM JOHNSONS ADVANCE IN CONQUERING AIR SIX TRIALS OF MONOPLANE PROVE MANY THEORIES CORRECT BUT BRING PARTIAL DISAPPOINTMENT LOW SPEED PROPELLER PROVES TOO WEAK TO RAISE WEIGHT DIFFICULTIES AT FIELD AND APPLICAshyTION OF MOTORS ENERGY PRESENT PROBLEMS THAT MUST YIELD BEFORE PERSEVERENCE - Sunshyday the Johnson brothers who are now so earnestly engaged in the attempt to fly a monoplane in the old canal basin near Blackhawk are going to demonstrate that they can build a high power low speed motor fully adapted to the needs of the aviator

Just now they are encountering difficulties that would discourage many with a patience that means success they are working under handicaps that appear as insurmountable but must give way before their detershymination

Saturday morning the last of six attempts to make their machine leave terra firma failed and they went back to their tent disappointed after two weeks of the hardest kind of labor In spite of the cheerful attitude they assumed there was an air of disappointment all around the camp and even the jokes of the jolly party did not dispel it

The disappointment lay not so much in the fact that the machine failed to leave the ground in its trials as in the evidence that higher speed would be necessary for the proper operation of the motor It is the object of the Johnsons to develop a motor that will run a monoplane without the terrific speed common to those in use If they succeed in securing one of this type they have a fortune at their command They do not desire to construct an airplane merely for the purpose of flying If they did they could easily obtain the pattern of the Wright brothers machine or other machines and build accordingly or they could purchase a machine at less cost and trouble than they have encountered But having as their object the development of a low speed motor the failure of the one now in use to do the work expected was disappointing Although it whirled the propeller at a speed that astonished the spectators it was not operated at a rate of which it is capable but at a rate very much lower and which the builders hope would be sufficient for its purpose

Consequently when the speed attained by the motor in the first trials Friday proved insufficient one of the hopes of the Johnsons was dashed

Reluctantly they cut down the size of the propeller knowing that every inch shaved from it would increase the speed of the engine Two inches all around were sacrificed in the desire to raise the skybird and the result was a perceptible increase in the number of revolushytions and consequently a steadier engine Some consolashyLIon was offered by the fact that even with the reduced propeller there was little vibration noticeable about the machine

Late Friday night the airplane was run out of its tent and the motor started The effect was extraordinary and the hopes of the Johnsons that they had accomplished their purpose ran high Saturday morning early the fourth attempt to fly and the first with the reduced propeller was made

Whether the alterations had any effect on the raising power of the motor was difficult to determine because of the conditions under which the trial was made A steady breeze from the south made it necessary to start the machine from the north end of the field at the foot of the small incline and on ground that was wet and soft The machine behaved no better than before bllt whether it was due to the propeller the grade or the soft ground was a question the Johnsons were not ready to answer To eliminate the grade is almost impossible To wait for a more favorable wind is nerve racking yet the Johnsons will have to do all of these things before making sure that they have the propeller rightly proporshytioned for the task

Whatever may be determined regarding the propeller it remains that the Johnsons have demonstrated an engine that is remarkable for its power and speed combined with its steadiness and construction The motor is of the 2 cycle type 4 cylinders This means that an explosion occurs in each cylinder just twice as often as in the more common 4 cycle 4 cylinder type More power is the result and 75 hp is the indication This is accomplished by combining the Johnson patent valve with cylinders set at an angle of 1800 and big carburetors The patent valve is one on which the men have worked for a long time and they have shown by it a method of allowing more gas to enter the cylinders withshyout increasing the size of the valve a point of corisidershyable value in construction Then they have obtained a motor that will run at great speed and create so little vibration that it scarcely causes a tremor in the light wooden frame of the airship All in all the motor has conducted itself in a manner that is deemed most satisfactory It is applying it to the airplane that has

proven the puzzle and that is the very point the Johnshysons are seeking

The Johnson monoplane will fly because it is constructed on the proper principles for flight That it has not been successfully launched as yet is due to two things - the experience in designing and operating of the men in control of it and the unfavorable conditions under which the trials have been made Both of these points will be overcome in time While they are eliminatshying the unfavorable conditions they are learning from experience the points they have overlooked in designing and they are learning rapidly how to operate it

The story of the construction of the Johnson monoshyplane is one of hard work and persistent effort The Johllsons have had no teacher in the art They have studied much observed a great deal and gathered from experience a great deal more than the average man will ever know about airplanes No one realizes more than they that there is a great deal more to be learned That is why after months of work they took their machine to the Blackhawk basin It was two weeks ago today that they arrived there and since that time they have fought mosquitos malaria and rain in a most credible effort to work out the theories they have formed It is not a pleasant task but one that requires thought constant experiment and careful reasoning They are not particshyularly interested in what the public thinks about their work They want to apply the Johnson motor to aeroshynautics

As one enters the aviation field he is greeted by a sign that reads Welcome - Outside the Tent The sign is expressive of the attitude of the Johnson boys They are willing that anyone watch them at work free about giving information when asked but they promise nothing and consequently are not responsible for the disappointment of the many who have come to see them fly and have left without that satisfaction

Julius Johnson expressed their attitude well when he said while waiting for a wind to subside we have waited a year to get to this point with the machine and we can afford to wait another day rather than run the chances of breaking up the airplane

Last weeks activity at the camp became intensive Thursday morning when the machine was run out of its protection for the first time the frame buckled This was immediately repaired and trials of the engine and frame made that evening Friday three unsuccessful attempts to raise the machine were made and Saturday with an altered propeller three more efforts brought no better success

When the last visitor departed from the aviation field Thursday night the Johnsons rested content with their

21

preparations for a flight on the early morning air Time work until as the crowd left the field Thursday night noon for further tests to be made solely on the ability of and again the builders had been disappointed in not they saw the end of the last bit of preparation for an air the machine to lift It is expected that the trial will1ake having it ready for flight at the time agreed upon Little test place about an hour before sunset No effort at flightweaknesses that could not be foreseen became apparent While it has been disappointing to visit the aviation will be made at this time the test being confined to when the machine was started across the rough field had field and fail to witness an attempt to fly the chagrin of determining the buoyancy of the machine its balance yielded one by one to careful attention and ingenuity the Johnson brothers and Pearl Conover has been and general fitness for flight Every nut and bolt on the unwieldly looking skybird had greater Living in a single big tent pitched in a malaria been inspected and found in first class condition The breeding district pestered by insects and blistered with rt _ alterations made necessary by faulty calculations as to the heat they have put up with all kinds of inconvenshy ~~ weight and pressure on the running gear were completed iences since leaving Terre Haute and every hours delay and the new woodwork covered with a preserving paint In the center of the structure the light but powerful engine shown in polished brilliancy Just in front of it the big propeller built of many pieces and smoothed to a surface like glass was perfect to the last detail A sliver that had been knocked from it was replaced with cement and its bearing was as true as science could make it Stretching away on each side for 16 were ribbed wings on which so much depends each without a flaw or scratch At their tips hung the balancing planes so delicately fitted that the slightest movement of the operator was reflected by a changed position To the eye the machine was perfect and the builders who worked so patiently at last were satisfied it was ready for its initial trip

It now appeared that nothing stood in the way of a thorough demonstration but the Johnson brothers were doomed to meet another disappointment Under its power for the first time Louis Johnson drove the airship down the field from the tent in which it had been housed Three of the four cylinders were in operation yet it was evident that the Johnson motor was suffishyciently powerful for the purposes of the craft At speed that hurried those who accompanied it the aircraft ran along over the rough ground with little or no vibration from the motor and a steadiness that spelled success Four men hung to it with their weight keeping it from mounting the air while the driver accustomed himself to the situation and watched the engine and the plane

This was the final test of the monoplane before it was entrusted to the element for which it was constructed This test fully demonstrated that the care bestowed upon its construction was not misplaced There was not a flaw noticeable in any of its moving parts There was nothing about its action that indicated a single weakness But one thing marred the success of this test and Thursshyday night saw that one point corrected The long body or frame that extends from the plane to the rudder on the tail was not sufficiently strong to stand the strain of alighting from a height as was shown in its action during this test Immediately the builders prepared to strengthshyen it and all day Thursday they worked on this one part rebracing and adding to the solidity of this frame

has been bitter to them Malaria sent Clarence Johnson the youngest of the camp back to the city unfit to be about Mr Conover succumbed to it one day but was able to throw off the attack The Johnson brothers have all felt the effect of life in the camp and as Louis Johnshyson expressed it Are dead anxious to get to doing something

- shy~~ Monday October 10 1910 MONOPLANE JUSTIFIES EFFORTS OF JOHNSONS AIRCRAFT GOES INTO AIR SEVERAL TIMES AT TESTS MADE SUNDAY- after many weeks of quite work at their camp on the old reservoir prairie 3 miles east of Blackhawk in an effort to perfect the airplane which when first tried out was found to be lacking in a few particulars Louis Harry and Julius Johnson the inventors and builders of the Johnson Bros airplane succeeded in making several lifts with the aircraft at tests made Sunday evening Three tests were made and it was on the third one that the machine lifted from the ground Several times the craft raised for distances of from 15 to 20 Though the height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time this fact was rather to lack in certain details than because the airplane could not raise higher

The craft exhibited a wonderful buoyancy for the test and tended to leave the ground at all times higher than it was allowed to However necessity for certain corrections was manifested before a flight could be safely made and to avoid possible wrecking of the machine it was held down at all times

An assistant of the Johnson boys in their efforts toward perfecting the machine stated Monday that an idea of buoyancy of the machine could be gained from the fact that when starting on the soft dirt just previous to the test that it would leave no track in the soft dirt but that when being brought back for a second test it would plow back into the soil for a depth of 6

Preparations were almost completed Monday after-

Tuesday October II 1910 JOHNSON GIVES EXPRESSION TO SATISFACTION WITH PLANE TEST CONTINUED TO OCCUpy TIME OF BROTHERS AT AVIATION FIELD - Louis Johnson the elder of the Johnson brothers builders of the Johnson Monoplane spent Tuesday in Terre Haute looking after business matters The other two brothers Julius and Harry are at the aviation field making a few required minor changes in the mechanism preparatory to attempting a flight Wednesday or Thursday

Louis will return to the field Tuesday evening to be ready to sit at the wheel of the machine in the initial attempt at flight

We have gone far enough now to see through to the end and we now know that the theory which we have been working is the right one We will fly within a few days possible Wednesday or Thursday The changes now being made are only minor adjustments which were seen to be necessary in our tests as to the lifting power of the machine

-shy~~ Editors Note

The brothers apparently abandoned the attempts to make the 1910 airplane fly shortly after this in October 1910 and started work on an improved design which was successful in the summer of 1911 Between the end of October and the middle of July 1911 they built an entirely new airplane but used the same power plant that had been used in the 1910 version The new airplane was radically different in design using basically a metal framework cloth covered wings and cloth covered tail surfaces which were supported on a single aluminum boom It had a tricycle gear as contrasted with the conventional gear in the 1910 plane It had wing-warping in place of the moveable surfaces at the tips of the wings steerable nose wheel and brakes and many other engineering refinements~

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Ross Smith had never seen an airplane and was attractshyed to one ofthe public displays of the Johnson monoplane the practice being a charge of 25cent to see it in the tent to help alleviate the costs The plane had barely flown and excitement was running high Ross evidently took one look at it and said thats for me Its hard to guess how he convinced the Johnsons that he should take a hand at it however it is very possible that he was the only one with enough nerve and the J ohnsons had spent a great deal of theirs A bird in the hand at this point was probably welcome According to the records the

motor was started and Ross ran the plane up and down the field for some half hour experimenting with the controls learning how to use the throttle steering the airplane accelerating until it was light Evidently Ross had figured play ti me was over and the description states suddenly the plane shot forward and then rose graceshyfully into the air His very first flight lasted for 30 minutes and he thrilled the onlookers as he flew back and forth over the field (I nstructors take note - how many students would you turn loose in a better machine of today with 30 minutes of instruction)

Barely two days atter Rosss first flight he launched into the professional flying ranks in a big way He immeshydiately received an offer from his home town of Mattoon Illinois to engage in some demonstration flights and was paid for three flights at $50000 per flight Airplanes were so rare in these days that people paid to look at them and in most cases such flights were initiated by promotors seeking a quick fortune You would believe that flying such an airplane was enough of a daredevil stunt but not for our friend Ross He managed to concoct stunts that even from this distance

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in time seem absolutely ridiculous Daredevil is too mild a word One of his next exploits was an engagement to fly the monoplane during a 10 day Chautauqua Now for you youngsters youll have to run to the dictionary however Ill save you the effort The name Chautauqua originated in New York where some wise promoter startshyed an educational summer camp Families took their vacations very similar to those going to Oshkosh for the week long fly-in lived in tents in a large tent community that attracted as many as 50000 people during its run This particular Chautauqua that contracted for Rosss services with the Johnson airplane was at Merom Bluff Indiana a high point on the Wabash River The bluff was in Sullivan County and stood 150 above the river on one side while the opposite side fell to flat farm land going away from the river in a flat plain Th is particular Chautauqua was obviously one of great importance for the midwest and attractions included William Jennings Bryan Senator Robert LaFollette William Howard Taft former President of the United States Vice President Thomas R Marshall a gal named Maude Ballington Booth discussing prison reform John Temple Graves a noted orator of the time and Jeanette Rankin the first American Congresswoman The Chautauqua encomshypassed every subject from religion to suffrage child care and anything at all that would interest the family

To spice this particular Chautauqua Ross came up with the idea of building a 250 wooden platform with its far end hanging over the bluff on the river side The intent was to fly the airplane from this platform and fly it he did for many performances Descriptions of the flight states that the airplane labored uphill gained speed and disappeared from the end of the platform in what must have been a free fall until it gained flying speed leveling out some safe distance above the river then circling back over the Chautauqua area like a peacock preening its feathers It must have been a supreme thrill for all to witness There was no possible way to land at the Chautauqua area so Ross would cross the river to the Illinois side and land on a road at the ferry The plane would then be disassembled hauled back across the river pulled back up the winding road to the bluff for its next days operation

I n the eyes of the Chautauqua attendance Ross was no doubt walking mighty tall despite his slight stature It was quite common practice for the Johnson airplane to be engaged for fairs etc at which time it generally flew off the racetrack Evidently by this time a standard stunt

This monoplane piloted by Ross Smith flew off the Merom Bluff daily August 22-37 7973 during the Chautauqua

This was the view from the Merom Bluff The picture is deceiving for it was 750 down to the water Note the Ferry cars and buggies waiting to cross and climb the winding road up the bluff This is the view Ross Smith had as he literally dove his plane off the platform without adequate flying speed The result was a near free fall with flying speed gained in time to narrowly miss striking the water below The flight was enacted daily to please the crowd

24

-

Ross Smith preparing for an exhibition flight Note man with ladder at right below wing It was a tall gear and a long climb to mount this machine

had been for the airplane to race a car on the track Dirt track races being part of almost every fair there was always someone present willing to race At one such event it states that Speed in the air and on land thrills thousands Aviator Ross L Smith and Speed King Wild Bob Burman held first place in the hearts of sensation lovers for the wild thrills they gave the thousands at the fairgrounds on Sunday Taking off from the track Ross flew around the track circled the infield and landed directly in front of thegrandstand amid the applause of thousands As an additional build up to the race Burman took Ross for a ride in his 300 hp Blitzen Benz and proceeded to smash the world record for a mile on a half mile dirt track breaking his own former record His

speed was just over 60 mph but this meant that 80 mph must have been his speed on the straight away On the first lap he gave Ross a thrill by hitting the turn too fast and almost losing control in a skid Evidently Ross did not appreciate the ride for when Burman said he would go up with him in his plane Ross calmly said that if he did he would get pushed out Burman of course immeshydiately changed his mind Evidently this was the last of Burmans summer appearances and he was going to spend his time readying himself for the 500 mile motor speedway event He had held the lead the previous year until his machine caught fire and burned while he was many laps ahead

As to the race between the airplane and the car the

airplane invariably won all events in spite of the fact that the cars appeared to be going faster Speed in the air does not seem to be speed compared to a roaring monster of an auto spewing exhaust and throwing large clods of dirt as it rounds every corner Smith evidently thrilled the crowd with a simple thing that today would be called a touch and go Newspaper emotes over the fact that even the French exhibition flyers had not done such a thing stating that Ross had no trouble at all in thrilling the crowd In another engagement it states that Ross L Smith will pilot the Johnson brothers monshyoplane during the Corn Week Show sponsored by the Rotary Club of Terre Haute The big thrill of this event was to be a flight down Wabash Avenue between the

25

buildings just above the street car wires It was stated it would be the first time in history that an aviator would attempt such a dangerous feat The plane was to be brought down until the wheels barely cleared the wires then proceed west down the street to the Court House where the plan was to circle the big dome I n a flair of penmanship the author writes it will be unusual for a businessman to see the wings of an airplane almost brushing the windows of his building He further states the trip will be a dangerous one but the aviator and the builders of the machine have such faith in the monshyoplane that they believe that both will stand the test

I n a later account where Smith was engaged to fly an exhibition over Elsworth he decided to give them a new thrill and go for altitude With much circling he reached dizzying height of 2000 where he passed through a cloud bank that confused him for a short time On recovering from the confusion he found himself at 1000 (he invented vertigo no dOUbt)

In still another account it states the Johnson monshyoplane gave one of the best exh ib itions of the art of flying it has been our pleasure to witness There were no death defying stunts just plain flying

The monoplane took off on the back stretch of the race track and for 30 minutes circled dived swooped and turned running up and down the valley for several miles It states the limited space in which he had to land caused him some trouble He had failed to make the first descent (made a go-around - probably the first) When finally on the ground Aviator Ross stated it was the hardest day to fly on he had ever experienced as the air seemed dead and no breeze whatsoever was stirring Density altitude)

About the year 1913 Ross was running out of tricks the bag was getting empty so he decided to scoop them all He announced that he would like to fly the Atlantic and from all records it appears that he was the first to have such serious ideas He was at least 19 years ahead of his time He proposed to fly the flimsy Johnson airplane across the Atlantic alone - a statement that makes Lindshyberghs remarks an echo of the past He approached the Navy Department and asked them to place 10 battleshysh ips at intervals of 300 miles apart figuring that th is would be the maximum load of gasoline possible to carry The Navy of course refused considering the flight across the Atlantic as only a hair brained scheme The Government was not very interested in flying at this time and their decision was certainly not a surprise

~

Evening flights from the field were customary

Ross did not remain silent on this issue and at a later time stated in print when the Atlantic is crossed it will be by a flying boat and not a dirigible

In reading the history of these days all of the emshyphasis on long range travel was transfered to the gas bag History proved Ross to be 100 right and the Navys NC4s were the first to fly across

To further add hues of color to his career Ross was perhaps the first American aviator to get an offer from a foreign government and probably one of the first conceptions of military aviation was born President Huerta of Mexico offered him a high ranking position in the Mexican Army if he would organize an air force for them Ross immediately declined Poncho Villa who was then the bad boy of Mexico and conducting what we would call today Guerilla attack tried to make Ross a better offer of $2000 a month in gold to do the same thing for his side Ross declined that too Time proved how wise he was in declining this offer for one of his best friends was killed - not while he was flying but by Villas own men Four of Rosss friends had decided to fly for Villa but when weeks went by and they received no pay they drew straws to see who would confront Villa with the facts Mickey McGuire (the wild Irish Rose of the skies) was unlucky enough to get the job and foolish enough to make the attempt He faced the illiterate General in his tent and asked for the money

The General promptly whipped out a 45 caliper pistol and shot McGuire through the heart In revenge the remaining three proceeded to burn Villas airplanes saving one to make their escape in They successfully flew that one back to the United States

This was not Rosss last encounter with Army life As World War I came along there were but 50 flyers availshyable for instructors in the US He was one that formed the nucleus of the great Flying Corps This group was called on to also perform test pilot functions and in their vernacular did nose dives tail spins and no doubt were the first creators of aerobatic flying in this country This was no doubt a cup of tea for our adventuresome Mr Ross captivated the services and the record that he established was remarkable General Andrews commenshyded Ross with a citation ending it with a comment Seven years without a serious mishap Ross lived a long and successful life and became very well known in Wash ington and for years was Public Relations Manager for the Hot Shopps a food chain in the East He lived a full life and died on February 19 1959 For an advenshyturesome person who lead such a colorful life and seemingly knew no fear he must have also been blessed with skill and a great amount of common sense In the Hot Shopps Company magazine from which some of this material was gleaned they coined an epitaph for him stating simply An amazing man ~

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manifested in every phase of the inventors work But the influence of the Wabash shyFlying was all very well Mr Johnson admitted when

questioned concerning his return to motor-boat building but the call of his first love was too strong to ignore for long Of course during these remarkable three years he had never ceased to manufacture the Johnson marine motor but following his marriage he devoted himself intensively to the development of several ideas he had held in embryo while he sought the conquest of the clouds

Soon the Johnson brothers were offering twenty models of marine motors Racing motors ranged from single cylinder to twelve cylinder type One of these held therecord in the 320 in class for four years

But the fates having accorded this much in justice to the originality persistency and energy of the Johnson family evidently decreed that the number thirteen must cast an ominous influence upon the new industry The tornado of 1913 is well remembered by all who lived in the vicinity of Terre Haute at that time but to none perhaps was it more devastating

Lou and I had been in the theatre while the storm was at its worst said Mrs Johnson when we had come to this part of the narration And Lou spoke of the satisfaction of being in a nice new brick factory We went home and knew nothing of the damage that had been wrought until the following morning Then when the men reported for work they saw a pile of wreckage that would have sickened any heart The highest portion of the plant left standing was a bit of the brick wall three feet above the ground

W ea ker men wou Id have broken perhaps but apparently Lou and his brothers bowed to the will of the gods and accepted their loss calmly I n humbler quarters but with no lessening of spirit they designed something new in the manner of a racing craft

In 1914 Johsons most famous boat Black Demon III entered a special match race against some of the fastest boats in the country on Lake Michigan Disturbshyer I V of Ch icago took first honors but Black Demon was a close second out-classing a number of favorites It was a recognized triumph for the V-type motor which had been exhibited in Chicago a few months before and was causing much comment Black Demon III was a 23-footer powered with two 12-cylinder high speed marine motors each having 180 horse-power

Ever casting about for new transportation methods

Black Demon III was a 23 footer powered with two 2 cycle 72 cylinder high speed marine motors each having 780 horsepower

the red-headed Johnson boys now wondered whether a bicycle driven by their motor would compare favorably with types already on the market Apparently it did for in 1917 the Johnson Motor Wheel Company was a going business with an output of 10000 machines a year and the slogan - SIXTY MILES FOR TEN CENTS was familiar to many of us

Warren Ripple Chicago financier was especially interested in this new venture and through his influence the factory was moved to South Bend in the early part of 1918

In eight years the growth of the Johnson Motor Company has furnished South Benders with an inshyexhaustible subject of conversation First it wasshy

Did you hear about those Johnson people Theyve taken over the od Bottling plant next to them

Then Have you heard the latest about Johnson Theyve

leased that whole block of stores on Lincoln Way and put their offices over there

On and on it went this amazing growth Soon a vacated portion of a large underwear mill across the river was commandeered neighboring houses sheds buildings of any type whatever were given over to the manufacshyture and housing of Johnson motors It was said that one must carry a road map to complete a tour of the plant

The wheel had gone into the discard but there was

never a lull in activities The out-board marine motor had quietly taken the place of the motor-driven bicycle - and Lou Johnson was back again doing homage to his first love

Strange influence-On the Banks of the Wabash - tho now of course it was the St Joe river that knew his experiments

Mr Johnsons smile changed as he finished the little resume of his work and walking to the fire-place framed by the well-filled bookcases looked thoughtfully into the flames for a few seconds

Of course it is only a beginning he said This is the age of mechanical development and no one can foretell the progress that will be made in the next ten years even though one may feel it coming Naturally the thing that interests me most and always has is the improvement of water transportation Better boats fastshyer boats-

He paused and the smile was again in his eyes America is only beginning to enjoy water sports

presume we Johnsons have that in the blood And suddenly I saw him as he is a tall Danishshy

American captain commanding in spite of his reticence who began his voyage about three decades ago on a childishly constructed raft in the Wabash river and has been coming fearless of current and snag upstream ever since ~

17

Wednesday August 3 1910

JOHNSONS PREPARE TEST AIRPLANE - machine stands ready after more than a years work for its initial flight - brothers guard secret of place of first trial Airshyship has as original feature V type 2 cycle engine built for strength and lightness

Harry Louis and Julius Johnson the Johnson Brothshyers who have been at work for more than a year manufacturing an aeroplane at their shop 717 N 10th St have at last completed the machine and will leave Friday for a place in the open country near Terre Haute

to make the first attempt at flying it Thus far the Johnson Brothers have kept the location

of the place where they will try to fly the machine an entire secret It is desired to have no crowd about to bother while the machine is being tried

Everything was completed Wednesday with the exception of putting the parts together The machine which weighs 650 pounds complete will be shipped knocked down to the scene of the first attempted flight The propeller which is over 10 in length the wings seat and balances will not be attached until the scene of

try-out has been reached Wednesday morning the airplane stood in the big

building erected especially for the purpose of building it at the rear of the Johnson home on North 10th St It is 36 in length and measures the same exactly from tip to tip in width Every part of it has been manufactured by the three young men while they at the same time carried on their occupation of gasoline and marine engine manufacturing It was begun just a little less than a year ago

The wings which are to extend on either side from

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the front of the machine measure 16 Yz x 8 and are made of light waterproof canvas stretched over stout framework The engine is a V type 2 cycle engine the only one of its kind to have ever been made

There are V type engines said Mr Johnson but they are 4 cycle The 2 cycle engines have previously been built straight causing increased weight Everything about the machine has been built for speed and lightmiddot ness

Two 7 gallon gasoline tanks will furnish the propellmiddot ing power for the machine It is expected it will take a day and a half to set the machine up after its been shipped to the place where it will be tested

- ~ shy

Saturday August 6 1910

LOCAL AVIATORS MAKE READY FOR FIRST TRIAL JOHNSON BROTHERS MOVE AIRPLANE TO FIELD NEAR BLACKHAWK AND SET UP MACHINE FOR TESTmiddot everything was hustle and bustle at the Johnson brothers aero camp a few miles from Blackmiddot hawk Saturday where the three young men manufacmiddot turers of engines and incidentally builders of an airplane were engaged in putting together their airplane preparmiddot atory for a trial flight One of the busiest of the workers was Clarence Johnson a 12 year old brother who showed himself a handy man about the place Owing to the fact that due to their hurried move from Terre Haute with their machine Friday the Johnson brothers left behind some necessary blocks and braces and the flight that was scheduled for Saturday will be postponed until some time Sunday The strange man by the name of Zakarius supposed to be from Indianapolis and well versed in aviation was with the three brothers Saturday as they worked on their machine which was enclosed in a 40 tent to shut out the view from the spectators Another important personage at the scene was Dr Dupui of Riley who was on hand in case a flight should be made to see to the injuries of the aviator in case he should meet with an accident

The tryout grounds are admirally situated in the center of a 100 acre farm in the reservoir of the old Wabash and Erie Canal There is a wide stretch of clear country without any woodland within its radius of two miles It is believed the airplane will be assembled and ready for a trial late Saturday afternoon but it is not thought a flight will be attempted before Sunday

- Ii _ ~ ~

Sunday August 7 1910

JOHNSON BROTHERS PREPARE FOR INITIAL TEST OF BIG AIRPLANE CONFIDENCE PERmiddot MEATESCAMP AS TIME FOR TRY-OUT NEARSmiddot the first flight if flight is to be of the Johnson airship now resting in all readiness for its try-out at its camp at southeast of Terre Haute will come at about noon today and the result of a year s work and effort to build a successful airplane will be determined

In spite of the Johnson effort at secrecy spectators began to throng to the camp in the old reservoir bed early Saturday afternoon and later in the evening automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place The farmers also took Saturday evening off to take advantage of the opportunity to see the machine and the men

A heavy steel roller was brought to the scene Satshyurday evening and the Johnsons will layout the course early Sunday morning on which the aviators who drive the machine in the preliminary try-outs will score down for a start The meadow as it stands is rough and trouble was feared when the wheels of the flyer were started over the ground before the machine raised into the air

Just who would be the first man to steer the machine on its initial effort the Johnsons refused to state but the crowd of sightseers who have been watching the progress of the work at the camp picked the man who they believe will be in the seat when the airplane raises first It is William Zachow the stranger from Racine Wisconsin who arrived in this city just in time to take an active part in completing preparations for the try-out Zachow refused to give out his name but the above is the name he registered under at the Philbeck Hotel Gossip has it that the Wisconsin man is an experienced aviator and it is on this fact that the spectators base their belief that he will be the one to drive the machine when it is tried out

There is no spirit of speculation in the air about the Johnson camp but in plain businesslike manner the men are carrying forth the work which is to determine whether or not Terre Haute has produced a parallel to the Wright Brothers There were several men on the ground Saturday afternoon who professed some knowlshyedge of mechanics All the men who have seen the machine since it has been brought near enough to completion for an idea to be formed as to its efficiency has had nothing but praise for the thoroughness with which it has been finished and experienced mechanics say that from a mechanical standpoint the machine looks good

An experienced mechanic who examined the machine Saturday stated that the V type 2 cycle engine a

distinctive feature of the new machine is especially adapted for the use on airplanes The Johnson brothers claim the distinction of having made the first engine of this type and mechanics say that it is the coming engine for use on aerial machines

The Johnsons themselves though they do not talk much have all confidence in their creation The men have had years of experience in the manufacture of all kinds of engines and in addition have put in considershyable time in research work on the subject of airplanes and other flying machines They have been close students to the methods of the Wright Brothers

Ii- _ ~

Monday August 8 1910

MAKER LAYS PLANS TO PILOT AIRPLANE ON INITIAL FLIGHTmiddot with the airplane removed from the tent in which it has been housed and the engine of the plane in perfect running order the Johnson brothers were expected Monday at noon to make an attempted flight at any time

The field located near Blackhawk south of the city where the first trial will take place is in perfect condishytion for the flight The only thing that may cause a delay of the flight is the lightness of the wheels which support the airplane on the ground at the start It was feared Monday that heavier wheels would be necessary In case this is decided on the trial of the machine will not take place for a day or so One of the Johson boys will pilot the machine on its initial attempted flight This was definitely announced Monday It was thought at first that William Zachow who was present at the aviation camp would pilot the machine but it has developed that the stranger is a salesman for an airplane supply comshypany He is said to be thoroughly fa miliar with the mechanism of airplanes however and has been of great value in getting the machine ready for flight

A test of the engine was made Monday morning it developed 40 HP Confidence was expressed by the Johnsons that the engine could develop 20 HP additional if necessary

- ~~

Saturday August 13 1910

WEAK SPRINGS POSTPONE JOHNSONS TRIAL OF FLIGHT CROWDS GATHERED AT AVIATION

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FIELD TO AGAIN LEARN THAT MACHINES TEST MUST AGAIN BE DELAYED - the Johnson brothers made no attempt to fly this afternoon It is reported that they would make their initial attempt to scale the clouds today A crowd followed in the wake of the rumor and by 200 this afternoon many people swarmshyed down from the meadow

When the Johnson machine was wheeled out at 2 00 it was found by the inventors that an important set of springs were too weak These will be strengthened and it is probable that the apparatus will not be taken out of the tent again until Tuesday of the coming week

Two of the brothers hurried to Terre Haute this aftershynoon as soon as the defect in the machine was discovshyered They will return to the camp Sunday and begin adjustment

_ F A ~~

Sunday August 141910

BROTHER AVIATORS DELAY DEMONSTRATION AGAIN PART OF MACHINE USED IN MAKING LANDING GETS OUT OF ORDER SECOND TIME shythough delayed again in their preparation for the initial flight of the first airplane ever manufactured in Terre Haute the Johnson boys Louis Julius and Harry went to work to remedy the defect which made necessary the postponement of their flight for the second time The defects which they are now forced to repair causes no despair in the Johnson boys or lessens their faith that the machine will fly after they are completed

We have encountered no difficulty whatever as yet which would in any way interfere with the successful flight of the machine said one of the boys Saturday The trouble is only in the wheels and supporting spring those parts of the machine which are used to make a landing on and the defect is not curious in any way though it does take some time to make the necessary changes

The intention of the trio was to fly Saturday and the day was ideal but it was decided at the last minute that the chances of flying and making a safe landing would involve too great a risk

Louis the eldest of the Johnson brothers said to a Tribune representative Saturday I am sorry that we could not fly today In the first place the weather is ideal and in the second place when the statement that we have been halted again appears in print a great many people will believe that the machine is a failure As for us we are certain as we have been all along that the airplane will fly

Ii ~~

Monday August 15 1910

JOHNSON PROMISES TO MAKE AIRPLANE TRIP WEDNESDAY BROTHERS OCCUPY ENTIRE DAY REPAIRING CARRYING TRUCK OF HEAVIER THAN AIR MACHINE - the work of getting ready the remodeled parts of the carrying truck for the airplane occupied the day of the Johnson boys at their work shop on 10th Street on Monday The men expect to have their work completed and will take their remodshyeled parts to the camp near Blackhawk Tuesday eveshyning

Louis Johnson said Monday that they expect to have everything in readiness for the trial by Wednesday One man has been left at the camp while the others came to their home in Terre Haute over Sunday

qp tt ~~

Friday August 19 1910

JOHNSONS WAIT WEATHER FOR FIRST TEST OF FLYER HUGE MONOPLANE GIVES EVERY EVshyIDENCE OF BEING FULLY CAPABLE OF NAVshyIGATING THE AIR - the initial flight of the Johnson monoplane was scheduled to take place Friday aftershynoon but a strong wind swept over the field here and made the test impossible The huge flyer waits serenely for the first chance to take to the air having been thoroughly tested on the ground

Friday afternoon the monoplane was staked to the ground headed into the wind and the engine turned on for the purpose of determining her power Under full speed the flyer acquired the full strength of the helpers to keep her from leaping upward At half speed the power developed was not sufficient to convince the builders that the test would be a success in the wind as it is their desire to fly first under half power leaving the remainder for reserve while in the air

After the test of the engine Louis Johnson expressed himself as being unsatisfied with the condition of the engine and propeller

E ~~

Saturday August 201910

JOHNSON SHIP REFUSES TO QUIT TERRA FIRMA ENGINE FAILS TO DEVELOP SUFFICIENT SPEED

TO LIFT MACHINE INTO AIR - the Johnson brothers have made half a dozen attempts to fly the monoplane upon which they have worked for so many months and in none have they succeeded in getting the big machine into the air

Three times Friday they turned the big propeller under high speed and freed the machine from all restraints At a rate of about 12 mph it tore down a rough field only to be stopped at the limit of the course without having raised from the ground Three of these efforts were made before and three after alterations had been made to the propeller Saturday morning the Johnshysons were not disheartened or discouraged they had come to the realization that they were not as far advancshyed in the building of the machine as they had thought Their attention was turned to alterations that were expected to have a decided affect on the plane and also to the grounds upon which they were flying The aviashytion camp is located on exceedingly poor grounds It is rough and full of ruts and so soft that the tired wheels sink to 1 to 3 in it when the machine is started _Those who have watched the attempts to fly are of the opinion that the nature of the grounds is largely responsible for the failures as it is impossible to start the machine at a pace that will make it rise Whether the Johnsons will move or prepare a smoother runway is a question that has not yet been determined The three efforts to fly Saturday morning were made early while the sun was rising and the wind was low A fairly steady breeze from the south made it necessary to drive the machine up a slight grade into the wind but this was not sufficiently a factor to which to attribute a failure to rise The monoshyplane failed to fly simply because it did not have enough power to raise it from the ground There is no speed indicator in the camp and it is impossible to tell at what rate the propeller is revolved but several have estimated it at about 900 rpm 1500 rpm is considered necessary for success and the Johnsons may have to make radical changes in the propeller before making the desired speed_

Saturday evening before a large crowd they started the engine three times and raced down the field with Louis Johnson in the machine The first was probably the best of all the trials The monoplane attained a good rate of speed but it did not leave the ground The buildshyers decided the trouble was due to the size of the propelshyler and they cut it down several inches The result was the engine operated faster and more smoothly but it was by no means as speedy as necessary and the test made established that more alterations were necessary espicially if attempts to fly are from the present locashytions

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~ t_F ~~

Sunday August 211910

FOUR DEVOTEES OF AERONAUTICS MAINTAIN CHEERFULNESS IN FACE OF PARTIAL DISshyAPPOINTMENT WAITING FOR CALM JOHNSONS ADVANCE IN CONQUERING AIR SIX TRIALS OF MONOPLANE PROVE MANY THEORIES CORRECT BUT BRING PARTIAL DISAPPOINTMENT LOW SPEED PROPELLER PROVES TOO WEAK TO RAISE WEIGHT DIFFICULTIES AT FIELD AND APPLICAshyTION OF MOTORS ENERGY PRESENT PROBLEMS THAT MUST YIELD BEFORE PERSEVERENCE - Sunshyday the Johnson brothers who are now so earnestly engaged in the attempt to fly a monoplane in the old canal basin near Blackhawk are going to demonstrate that they can build a high power low speed motor fully adapted to the needs of the aviator

Just now they are encountering difficulties that would discourage many with a patience that means success they are working under handicaps that appear as insurmountable but must give way before their detershymination

Saturday morning the last of six attempts to make their machine leave terra firma failed and they went back to their tent disappointed after two weeks of the hardest kind of labor In spite of the cheerful attitude they assumed there was an air of disappointment all around the camp and even the jokes of the jolly party did not dispel it

The disappointment lay not so much in the fact that the machine failed to leave the ground in its trials as in the evidence that higher speed would be necessary for the proper operation of the motor It is the object of the Johnsons to develop a motor that will run a monoplane without the terrific speed common to those in use If they succeed in securing one of this type they have a fortune at their command They do not desire to construct an airplane merely for the purpose of flying If they did they could easily obtain the pattern of the Wright brothers machine or other machines and build accordingly or they could purchase a machine at less cost and trouble than they have encountered But having as their object the development of a low speed motor the failure of the one now in use to do the work expected was disappointing Although it whirled the propeller at a speed that astonished the spectators it was not operated at a rate of which it is capable but at a rate very much lower and which the builders hope would be sufficient for its purpose

Consequently when the speed attained by the motor in the first trials Friday proved insufficient one of the hopes of the Johnsons was dashed

Reluctantly they cut down the size of the propeller knowing that every inch shaved from it would increase the speed of the engine Two inches all around were sacrificed in the desire to raise the skybird and the result was a perceptible increase in the number of revolushytions and consequently a steadier engine Some consolashyLIon was offered by the fact that even with the reduced propeller there was little vibration noticeable about the machine

Late Friday night the airplane was run out of its tent and the motor started The effect was extraordinary and the hopes of the Johnsons that they had accomplished their purpose ran high Saturday morning early the fourth attempt to fly and the first with the reduced propeller was made

Whether the alterations had any effect on the raising power of the motor was difficult to determine because of the conditions under which the trial was made A steady breeze from the south made it necessary to start the machine from the north end of the field at the foot of the small incline and on ground that was wet and soft The machine behaved no better than before bllt whether it was due to the propeller the grade or the soft ground was a question the Johnsons were not ready to answer To eliminate the grade is almost impossible To wait for a more favorable wind is nerve racking yet the Johnsons will have to do all of these things before making sure that they have the propeller rightly proporshytioned for the task

Whatever may be determined regarding the propeller it remains that the Johnsons have demonstrated an engine that is remarkable for its power and speed combined with its steadiness and construction The motor is of the 2 cycle type 4 cylinders This means that an explosion occurs in each cylinder just twice as often as in the more common 4 cycle 4 cylinder type More power is the result and 75 hp is the indication This is accomplished by combining the Johnson patent valve with cylinders set at an angle of 1800 and big carburetors The patent valve is one on which the men have worked for a long time and they have shown by it a method of allowing more gas to enter the cylinders withshyout increasing the size of the valve a point of corisidershyable value in construction Then they have obtained a motor that will run at great speed and create so little vibration that it scarcely causes a tremor in the light wooden frame of the airship All in all the motor has conducted itself in a manner that is deemed most satisfactory It is applying it to the airplane that has

proven the puzzle and that is the very point the Johnshysons are seeking

The Johnson monoplane will fly because it is constructed on the proper principles for flight That it has not been successfully launched as yet is due to two things - the experience in designing and operating of the men in control of it and the unfavorable conditions under which the trials have been made Both of these points will be overcome in time While they are eliminatshying the unfavorable conditions they are learning from experience the points they have overlooked in designing and they are learning rapidly how to operate it

The story of the construction of the Johnson monoshyplane is one of hard work and persistent effort The Johllsons have had no teacher in the art They have studied much observed a great deal and gathered from experience a great deal more than the average man will ever know about airplanes No one realizes more than they that there is a great deal more to be learned That is why after months of work they took their machine to the Blackhawk basin It was two weeks ago today that they arrived there and since that time they have fought mosquitos malaria and rain in a most credible effort to work out the theories they have formed It is not a pleasant task but one that requires thought constant experiment and careful reasoning They are not particshyularly interested in what the public thinks about their work They want to apply the Johnson motor to aeroshynautics

As one enters the aviation field he is greeted by a sign that reads Welcome - Outside the Tent The sign is expressive of the attitude of the Johnson boys They are willing that anyone watch them at work free about giving information when asked but they promise nothing and consequently are not responsible for the disappointment of the many who have come to see them fly and have left without that satisfaction

Julius Johnson expressed their attitude well when he said while waiting for a wind to subside we have waited a year to get to this point with the machine and we can afford to wait another day rather than run the chances of breaking up the airplane

Last weeks activity at the camp became intensive Thursday morning when the machine was run out of its protection for the first time the frame buckled This was immediately repaired and trials of the engine and frame made that evening Friday three unsuccessful attempts to raise the machine were made and Saturday with an altered propeller three more efforts brought no better success

When the last visitor departed from the aviation field Thursday night the Johnsons rested content with their

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preparations for a flight on the early morning air Time work until as the crowd left the field Thursday night noon for further tests to be made solely on the ability of and again the builders had been disappointed in not they saw the end of the last bit of preparation for an air the machine to lift It is expected that the trial will1ake having it ready for flight at the time agreed upon Little test place about an hour before sunset No effort at flightweaknesses that could not be foreseen became apparent While it has been disappointing to visit the aviation will be made at this time the test being confined to when the machine was started across the rough field had field and fail to witness an attempt to fly the chagrin of determining the buoyancy of the machine its balance yielded one by one to careful attention and ingenuity the Johnson brothers and Pearl Conover has been and general fitness for flight Every nut and bolt on the unwieldly looking skybird had greater Living in a single big tent pitched in a malaria been inspected and found in first class condition The breeding district pestered by insects and blistered with rt _ alterations made necessary by faulty calculations as to the heat they have put up with all kinds of inconvenshy ~~ weight and pressure on the running gear were completed iences since leaving Terre Haute and every hours delay and the new woodwork covered with a preserving paint In the center of the structure the light but powerful engine shown in polished brilliancy Just in front of it the big propeller built of many pieces and smoothed to a surface like glass was perfect to the last detail A sliver that had been knocked from it was replaced with cement and its bearing was as true as science could make it Stretching away on each side for 16 were ribbed wings on which so much depends each without a flaw or scratch At their tips hung the balancing planes so delicately fitted that the slightest movement of the operator was reflected by a changed position To the eye the machine was perfect and the builders who worked so patiently at last were satisfied it was ready for its initial trip

It now appeared that nothing stood in the way of a thorough demonstration but the Johnson brothers were doomed to meet another disappointment Under its power for the first time Louis Johnson drove the airship down the field from the tent in which it had been housed Three of the four cylinders were in operation yet it was evident that the Johnson motor was suffishyciently powerful for the purposes of the craft At speed that hurried those who accompanied it the aircraft ran along over the rough ground with little or no vibration from the motor and a steadiness that spelled success Four men hung to it with their weight keeping it from mounting the air while the driver accustomed himself to the situation and watched the engine and the plane

This was the final test of the monoplane before it was entrusted to the element for which it was constructed This test fully demonstrated that the care bestowed upon its construction was not misplaced There was not a flaw noticeable in any of its moving parts There was nothing about its action that indicated a single weakness But one thing marred the success of this test and Thursshyday night saw that one point corrected The long body or frame that extends from the plane to the rudder on the tail was not sufficiently strong to stand the strain of alighting from a height as was shown in its action during this test Immediately the builders prepared to strengthshyen it and all day Thursday they worked on this one part rebracing and adding to the solidity of this frame

has been bitter to them Malaria sent Clarence Johnson the youngest of the camp back to the city unfit to be about Mr Conover succumbed to it one day but was able to throw off the attack The Johnson brothers have all felt the effect of life in the camp and as Louis Johnshyson expressed it Are dead anxious to get to doing something

- shy~~ Monday October 10 1910 MONOPLANE JUSTIFIES EFFORTS OF JOHNSONS AIRCRAFT GOES INTO AIR SEVERAL TIMES AT TESTS MADE SUNDAY- after many weeks of quite work at their camp on the old reservoir prairie 3 miles east of Blackhawk in an effort to perfect the airplane which when first tried out was found to be lacking in a few particulars Louis Harry and Julius Johnson the inventors and builders of the Johnson Bros airplane succeeded in making several lifts with the aircraft at tests made Sunday evening Three tests were made and it was on the third one that the machine lifted from the ground Several times the craft raised for distances of from 15 to 20 Though the height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time this fact was rather to lack in certain details than because the airplane could not raise higher

The craft exhibited a wonderful buoyancy for the test and tended to leave the ground at all times higher than it was allowed to However necessity for certain corrections was manifested before a flight could be safely made and to avoid possible wrecking of the machine it was held down at all times

An assistant of the Johnson boys in their efforts toward perfecting the machine stated Monday that an idea of buoyancy of the machine could be gained from the fact that when starting on the soft dirt just previous to the test that it would leave no track in the soft dirt but that when being brought back for a second test it would plow back into the soil for a depth of 6

Preparations were almost completed Monday after-

Tuesday October II 1910 JOHNSON GIVES EXPRESSION TO SATISFACTION WITH PLANE TEST CONTINUED TO OCCUpy TIME OF BROTHERS AT AVIATION FIELD - Louis Johnson the elder of the Johnson brothers builders of the Johnson Monoplane spent Tuesday in Terre Haute looking after business matters The other two brothers Julius and Harry are at the aviation field making a few required minor changes in the mechanism preparatory to attempting a flight Wednesday or Thursday

Louis will return to the field Tuesday evening to be ready to sit at the wheel of the machine in the initial attempt at flight

We have gone far enough now to see through to the end and we now know that the theory which we have been working is the right one We will fly within a few days possible Wednesday or Thursday The changes now being made are only minor adjustments which were seen to be necessary in our tests as to the lifting power of the machine

-shy~~ Editors Note

The brothers apparently abandoned the attempts to make the 1910 airplane fly shortly after this in October 1910 and started work on an improved design which was successful in the summer of 1911 Between the end of October and the middle of July 1911 they built an entirely new airplane but used the same power plant that had been used in the 1910 version The new airplane was radically different in design using basically a metal framework cloth covered wings and cloth covered tail surfaces which were supported on a single aluminum boom It had a tricycle gear as contrasted with the conventional gear in the 1910 plane It had wing-warping in place of the moveable surfaces at the tips of the wings steerable nose wheel and brakes and many other engineering refinements~

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Ross Smith had never seen an airplane and was attractshyed to one ofthe public displays of the Johnson monoplane the practice being a charge of 25cent to see it in the tent to help alleviate the costs The plane had barely flown and excitement was running high Ross evidently took one look at it and said thats for me Its hard to guess how he convinced the Johnsons that he should take a hand at it however it is very possible that he was the only one with enough nerve and the J ohnsons had spent a great deal of theirs A bird in the hand at this point was probably welcome According to the records the

motor was started and Ross ran the plane up and down the field for some half hour experimenting with the controls learning how to use the throttle steering the airplane accelerating until it was light Evidently Ross had figured play ti me was over and the description states suddenly the plane shot forward and then rose graceshyfully into the air His very first flight lasted for 30 minutes and he thrilled the onlookers as he flew back and forth over the field (I nstructors take note - how many students would you turn loose in a better machine of today with 30 minutes of instruction)

Barely two days atter Rosss first flight he launched into the professional flying ranks in a big way He immeshydiately received an offer from his home town of Mattoon Illinois to engage in some demonstration flights and was paid for three flights at $50000 per flight Airplanes were so rare in these days that people paid to look at them and in most cases such flights were initiated by promotors seeking a quick fortune You would believe that flying such an airplane was enough of a daredevil stunt but not for our friend Ross He managed to concoct stunts that even from this distance

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in time seem absolutely ridiculous Daredevil is too mild a word One of his next exploits was an engagement to fly the monoplane during a 10 day Chautauqua Now for you youngsters youll have to run to the dictionary however Ill save you the effort The name Chautauqua originated in New York where some wise promoter startshyed an educational summer camp Families took their vacations very similar to those going to Oshkosh for the week long fly-in lived in tents in a large tent community that attracted as many as 50000 people during its run This particular Chautauqua that contracted for Rosss services with the Johnson airplane was at Merom Bluff Indiana a high point on the Wabash River The bluff was in Sullivan County and stood 150 above the river on one side while the opposite side fell to flat farm land going away from the river in a flat plain Th is particular Chautauqua was obviously one of great importance for the midwest and attractions included William Jennings Bryan Senator Robert LaFollette William Howard Taft former President of the United States Vice President Thomas R Marshall a gal named Maude Ballington Booth discussing prison reform John Temple Graves a noted orator of the time and Jeanette Rankin the first American Congresswoman The Chautauqua encomshypassed every subject from religion to suffrage child care and anything at all that would interest the family

To spice this particular Chautauqua Ross came up with the idea of building a 250 wooden platform with its far end hanging over the bluff on the river side The intent was to fly the airplane from this platform and fly it he did for many performances Descriptions of the flight states that the airplane labored uphill gained speed and disappeared from the end of the platform in what must have been a free fall until it gained flying speed leveling out some safe distance above the river then circling back over the Chautauqua area like a peacock preening its feathers It must have been a supreme thrill for all to witness There was no possible way to land at the Chautauqua area so Ross would cross the river to the Illinois side and land on a road at the ferry The plane would then be disassembled hauled back across the river pulled back up the winding road to the bluff for its next days operation

I n the eyes of the Chautauqua attendance Ross was no doubt walking mighty tall despite his slight stature It was quite common practice for the Johnson airplane to be engaged for fairs etc at which time it generally flew off the racetrack Evidently by this time a standard stunt

This monoplane piloted by Ross Smith flew off the Merom Bluff daily August 22-37 7973 during the Chautauqua

This was the view from the Merom Bluff The picture is deceiving for it was 750 down to the water Note the Ferry cars and buggies waiting to cross and climb the winding road up the bluff This is the view Ross Smith had as he literally dove his plane off the platform without adequate flying speed The result was a near free fall with flying speed gained in time to narrowly miss striking the water below The flight was enacted daily to please the crowd

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-

Ross Smith preparing for an exhibition flight Note man with ladder at right below wing It was a tall gear and a long climb to mount this machine

had been for the airplane to race a car on the track Dirt track races being part of almost every fair there was always someone present willing to race At one such event it states that Speed in the air and on land thrills thousands Aviator Ross L Smith and Speed King Wild Bob Burman held first place in the hearts of sensation lovers for the wild thrills they gave the thousands at the fairgrounds on Sunday Taking off from the track Ross flew around the track circled the infield and landed directly in front of thegrandstand amid the applause of thousands As an additional build up to the race Burman took Ross for a ride in his 300 hp Blitzen Benz and proceeded to smash the world record for a mile on a half mile dirt track breaking his own former record His

speed was just over 60 mph but this meant that 80 mph must have been his speed on the straight away On the first lap he gave Ross a thrill by hitting the turn too fast and almost losing control in a skid Evidently Ross did not appreciate the ride for when Burman said he would go up with him in his plane Ross calmly said that if he did he would get pushed out Burman of course immeshydiately changed his mind Evidently this was the last of Burmans summer appearances and he was going to spend his time readying himself for the 500 mile motor speedway event He had held the lead the previous year until his machine caught fire and burned while he was many laps ahead

As to the race between the airplane and the car the

airplane invariably won all events in spite of the fact that the cars appeared to be going faster Speed in the air does not seem to be speed compared to a roaring monster of an auto spewing exhaust and throwing large clods of dirt as it rounds every corner Smith evidently thrilled the crowd with a simple thing that today would be called a touch and go Newspaper emotes over the fact that even the French exhibition flyers had not done such a thing stating that Ross had no trouble at all in thrilling the crowd In another engagement it states that Ross L Smith will pilot the Johnson brothers monshyoplane during the Corn Week Show sponsored by the Rotary Club of Terre Haute The big thrill of this event was to be a flight down Wabash Avenue between the

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buildings just above the street car wires It was stated it would be the first time in history that an aviator would attempt such a dangerous feat The plane was to be brought down until the wheels barely cleared the wires then proceed west down the street to the Court House where the plan was to circle the big dome I n a flair of penmanship the author writes it will be unusual for a businessman to see the wings of an airplane almost brushing the windows of his building He further states the trip will be a dangerous one but the aviator and the builders of the machine have such faith in the monshyoplane that they believe that both will stand the test

I n a later account where Smith was engaged to fly an exhibition over Elsworth he decided to give them a new thrill and go for altitude With much circling he reached dizzying height of 2000 where he passed through a cloud bank that confused him for a short time On recovering from the confusion he found himself at 1000 (he invented vertigo no dOUbt)

In still another account it states the Johnson monshyoplane gave one of the best exh ib itions of the art of flying it has been our pleasure to witness There were no death defying stunts just plain flying

The monoplane took off on the back stretch of the race track and for 30 minutes circled dived swooped and turned running up and down the valley for several miles It states the limited space in which he had to land caused him some trouble He had failed to make the first descent (made a go-around - probably the first) When finally on the ground Aviator Ross stated it was the hardest day to fly on he had ever experienced as the air seemed dead and no breeze whatsoever was stirring Density altitude)

About the year 1913 Ross was running out of tricks the bag was getting empty so he decided to scoop them all He announced that he would like to fly the Atlantic and from all records it appears that he was the first to have such serious ideas He was at least 19 years ahead of his time He proposed to fly the flimsy Johnson airplane across the Atlantic alone - a statement that makes Lindshyberghs remarks an echo of the past He approached the Navy Department and asked them to place 10 battleshysh ips at intervals of 300 miles apart figuring that th is would be the maximum load of gasoline possible to carry The Navy of course refused considering the flight across the Atlantic as only a hair brained scheme The Government was not very interested in flying at this time and their decision was certainly not a surprise

~

Evening flights from the field were customary

Ross did not remain silent on this issue and at a later time stated in print when the Atlantic is crossed it will be by a flying boat and not a dirigible

In reading the history of these days all of the emshyphasis on long range travel was transfered to the gas bag History proved Ross to be 100 right and the Navys NC4s were the first to fly across

To further add hues of color to his career Ross was perhaps the first American aviator to get an offer from a foreign government and probably one of the first conceptions of military aviation was born President Huerta of Mexico offered him a high ranking position in the Mexican Army if he would organize an air force for them Ross immediately declined Poncho Villa who was then the bad boy of Mexico and conducting what we would call today Guerilla attack tried to make Ross a better offer of $2000 a month in gold to do the same thing for his side Ross declined that too Time proved how wise he was in declining this offer for one of his best friends was killed - not while he was flying but by Villas own men Four of Rosss friends had decided to fly for Villa but when weeks went by and they received no pay they drew straws to see who would confront Villa with the facts Mickey McGuire (the wild Irish Rose of the skies) was unlucky enough to get the job and foolish enough to make the attempt He faced the illiterate General in his tent and asked for the money

The General promptly whipped out a 45 caliper pistol and shot McGuire through the heart In revenge the remaining three proceeded to burn Villas airplanes saving one to make their escape in They successfully flew that one back to the United States

This was not Rosss last encounter with Army life As World War I came along there were but 50 flyers availshyable for instructors in the US He was one that formed the nucleus of the great Flying Corps This group was called on to also perform test pilot functions and in their vernacular did nose dives tail spins and no doubt were the first creators of aerobatic flying in this country This was no doubt a cup of tea for our adventuresome Mr Ross captivated the services and the record that he established was remarkable General Andrews commenshyded Ross with a citation ending it with a comment Seven years without a serious mishap Ross lived a long and successful life and became very well known in Wash ington and for years was Public Relations Manager for the Hot Shopps a food chain in the East He lived a full life and died on February 19 1959 For an advenshyturesome person who lead such a colorful life and seemingly knew no fear he must have also been blessed with skill and a great amount of common sense In the Hot Shopps Company magazine from which some of this material was gleaned they coined an epitaph for him stating simply An amazing man ~

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Wednesday August 3 1910

JOHNSONS PREPARE TEST AIRPLANE - machine stands ready after more than a years work for its initial flight - brothers guard secret of place of first trial Airshyship has as original feature V type 2 cycle engine built for strength and lightness

Harry Louis and Julius Johnson the Johnson Brothshyers who have been at work for more than a year manufacturing an aeroplane at their shop 717 N 10th St have at last completed the machine and will leave Friday for a place in the open country near Terre Haute

to make the first attempt at flying it Thus far the Johnson Brothers have kept the location

of the place where they will try to fly the machine an entire secret It is desired to have no crowd about to bother while the machine is being tried

Everything was completed Wednesday with the exception of putting the parts together The machine which weighs 650 pounds complete will be shipped knocked down to the scene of the first attempted flight The propeller which is over 10 in length the wings seat and balances will not be attached until the scene of

try-out has been reached Wednesday morning the airplane stood in the big

building erected especially for the purpose of building it at the rear of the Johnson home on North 10th St It is 36 in length and measures the same exactly from tip to tip in width Every part of it has been manufactured by the three young men while they at the same time carried on their occupation of gasoline and marine engine manufacturing It was begun just a little less than a year ago

The wings which are to extend on either side from

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the front of the machine measure 16 Yz x 8 and are made of light waterproof canvas stretched over stout framework The engine is a V type 2 cycle engine the only one of its kind to have ever been made

There are V type engines said Mr Johnson but they are 4 cycle The 2 cycle engines have previously been built straight causing increased weight Everything about the machine has been built for speed and lightmiddot ness

Two 7 gallon gasoline tanks will furnish the propellmiddot ing power for the machine It is expected it will take a day and a half to set the machine up after its been shipped to the place where it will be tested

- ~ shy

Saturday August 6 1910

LOCAL AVIATORS MAKE READY FOR FIRST TRIAL JOHNSON BROTHERS MOVE AIRPLANE TO FIELD NEAR BLACKHAWK AND SET UP MACHINE FOR TESTmiddot everything was hustle and bustle at the Johnson brothers aero camp a few miles from Blackmiddot hawk Saturday where the three young men manufacmiddot turers of engines and incidentally builders of an airplane were engaged in putting together their airplane preparmiddot atory for a trial flight One of the busiest of the workers was Clarence Johnson a 12 year old brother who showed himself a handy man about the place Owing to the fact that due to their hurried move from Terre Haute with their machine Friday the Johnson brothers left behind some necessary blocks and braces and the flight that was scheduled for Saturday will be postponed until some time Sunday The strange man by the name of Zakarius supposed to be from Indianapolis and well versed in aviation was with the three brothers Saturday as they worked on their machine which was enclosed in a 40 tent to shut out the view from the spectators Another important personage at the scene was Dr Dupui of Riley who was on hand in case a flight should be made to see to the injuries of the aviator in case he should meet with an accident

The tryout grounds are admirally situated in the center of a 100 acre farm in the reservoir of the old Wabash and Erie Canal There is a wide stretch of clear country without any woodland within its radius of two miles It is believed the airplane will be assembled and ready for a trial late Saturday afternoon but it is not thought a flight will be attempted before Sunday

- Ii _ ~ ~

Sunday August 7 1910

JOHNSON BROTHERS PREPARE FOR INITIAL TEST OF BIG AIRPLANE CONFIDENCE PERmiddot MEATESCAMP AS TIME FOR TRY-OUT NEARSmiddot the first flight if flight is to be of the Johnson airship now resting in all readiness for its try-out at its camp at southeast of Terre Haute will come at about noon today and the result of a year s work and effort to build a successful airplane will be determined

In spite of the Johnson effort at secrecy spectators began to throng to the camp in the old reservoir bed early Saturday afternoon and later in the evening automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place The farmers also took Saturday evening off to take advantage of the opportunity to see the machine and the men

A heavy steel roller was brought to the scene Satshyurday evening and the Johnsons will layout the course early Sunday morning on which the aviators who drive the machine in the preliminary try-outs will score down for a start The meadow as it stands is rough and trouble was feared when the wheels of the flyer were started over the ground before the machine raised into the air

Just who would be the first man to steer the machine on its initial effort the Johnsons refused to state but the crowd of sightseers who have been watching the progress of the work at the camp picked the man who they believe will be in the seat when the airplane raises first It is William Zachow the stranger from Racine Wisconsin who arrived in this city just in time to take an active part in completing preparations for the try-out Zachow refused to give out his name but the above is the name he registered under at the Philbeck Hotel Gossip has it that the Wisconsin man is an experienced aviator and it is on this fact that the spectators base their belief that he will be the one to drive the machine when it is tried out

There is no spirit of speculation in the air about the Johnson camp but in plain businesslike manner the men are carrying forth the work which is to determine whether or not Terre Haute has produced a parallel to the Wright Brothers There were several men on the ground Saturday afternoon who professed some knowlshyedge of mechanics All the men who have seen the machine since it has been brought near enough to completion for an idea to be formed as to its efficiency has had nothing but praise for the thoroughness with which it has been finished and experienced mechanics say that from a mechanical standpoint the machine looks good

An experienced mechanic who examined the machine Saturday stated that the V type 2 cycle engine a

distinctive feature of the new machine is especially adapted for the use on airplanes The Johnson brothers claim the distinction of having made the first engine of this type and mechanics say that it is the coming engine for use on aerial machines

The Johnsons themselves though they do not talk much have all confidence in their creation The men have had years of experience in the manufacture of all kinds of engines and in addition have put in considershyable time in research work on the subject of airplanes and other flying machines They have been close students to the methods of the Wright Brothers

Ii- _ ~

Monday August 8 1910

MAKER LAYS PLANS TO PILOT AIRPLANE ON INITIAL FLIGHTmiddot with the airplane removed from the tent in which it has been housed and the engine of the plane in perfect running order the Johnson brothers were expected Monday at noon to make an attempted flight at any time

The field located near Blackhawk south of the city where the first trial will take place is in perfect condishytion for the flight The only thing that may cause a delay of the flight is the lightness of the wheels which support the airplane on the ground at the start It was feared Monday that heavier wheels would be necessary In case this is decided on the trial of the machine will not take place for a day or so One of the Johson boys will pilot the machine on its initial attempted flight This was definitely announced Monday It was thought at first that William Zachow who was present at the aviation camp would pilot the machine but it has developed that the stranger is a salesman for an airplane supply comshypany He is said to be thoroughly fa miliar with the mechanism of airplanes however and has been of great value in getting the machine ready for flight

A test of the engine was made Monday morning it developed 40 HP Confidence was expressed by the Johnsons that the engine could develop 20 HP additional if necessary

- ~~

Saturday August 13 1910

WEAK SPRINGS POSTPONE JOHNSONS TRIAL OF FLIGHT CROWDS GATHERED AT AVIATION

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FIELD TO AGAIN LEARN THAT MACHINES TEST MUST AGAIN BE DELAYED - the Johnson brothers made no attempt to fly this afternoon It is reported that they would make their initial attempt to scale the clouds today A crowd followed in the wake of the rumor and by 200 this afternoon many people swarmshyed down from the meadow

When the Johnson machine was wheeled out at 2 00 it was found by the inventors that an important set of springs were too weak These will be strengthened and it is probable that the apparatus will not be taken out of the tent again until Tuesday of the coming week

Two of the brothers hurried to Terre Haute this aftershynoon as soon as the defect in the machine was discovshyered They will return to the camp Sunday and begin adjustment

_ F A ~~

Sunday August 141910

BROTHER AVIATORS DELAY DEMONSTRATION AGAIN PART OF MACHINE USED IN MAKING LANDING GETS OUT OF ORDER SECOND TIME shythough delayed again in their preparation for the initial flight of the first airplane ever manufactured in Terre Haute the Johnson boys Louis Julius and Harry went to work to remedy the defect which made necessary the postponement of their flight for the second time The defects which they are now forced to repair causes no despair in the Johnson boys or lessens their faith that the machine will fly after they are completed

We have encountered no difficulty whatever as yet which would in any way interfere with the successful flight of the machine said one of the boys Saturday The trouble is only in the wheels and supporting spring those parts of the machine which are used to make a landing on and the defect is not curious in any way though it does take some time to make the necessary changes

The intention of the trio was to fly Saturday and the day was ideal but it was decided at the last minute that the chances of flying and making a safe landing would involve too great a risk

Louis the eldest of the Johnson brothers said to a Tribune representative Saturday I am sorry that we could not fly today In the first place the weather is ideal and in the second place when the statement that we have been halted again appears in print a great many people will believe that the machine is a failure As for us we are certain as we have been all along that the airplane will fly

Ii ~~

Monday August 15 1910

JOHNSON PROMISES TO MAKE AIRPLANE TRIP WEDNESDAY BROTHERS OCCUPY ENTIRE DAY REPAIRING CARRYING TRUCK OF HEAVIER THAN AIR MACHINE - the work of getting ready the remodeled parts of the carrying truck for the airplane occupied the day of the Johnson boys at their work shop on 10th Street on Monday The men expect to have their work completed and will take their remodshyeled parts to the camp near Blackhawk Tuesday eveshyning

Louis Johnson said Monday that they expect to have everything in readiness for the trial by Wednesday One man has been left at the camp while the others came to their home in Terre Haute over Sunday

qp tt ~~

Friday August 19 1910

JOHNSONS WAIT WEATHER FOR FIRST TEST OF FLYER HUGE MONOPLANE GIVES EVERY EVshyIDENCE OF BEING FULLY CAPABLE OF NAVshyIGATING THE AIR - the initial flight of the Johnson monoplane was scheduled to take place Friday aftershynoon but a strong wind swept over the field here and made the test impossible The huge flyer waits serenely for the first chance to take to the air having been thoroughly tested on the ground

Friday afternoon the monoplane was staked to the ground headed into the wind and the engine turned on for the purpose of determining her power Under full speed the flyer acquired the full strength of the helpers to keep her from leaping upward At half speed the power developed was not sufficient to convince the builders that the test would be a success in the wind as it is their desire to fly first under half power leaving the remainder for reserve while in the air

After the test of the engine Louis Johnson expressed himself as being unsatisfied with the condition of the engine and propeller

E ~~

Saturday August 201910

JOHNSON SHIP REFUSES TO QUIT TERRA FIRMA ENGINE FAILS TO DEVELOP SUFFICIENT SPEED

TO LIFT MACHINE INTO AIR - the Johnson brothers have made half a dozen attempts to fly the monoplane upon which they have worked for so many months and in none have they succeeded in getting the big machine into the air

Three times Friday they turned the big propeller under high speed and freed the machine from all restraints At a rate of about 12 mph it tore down a rough field only to be stopped at the limit of the course without having raised from the ground Three of these efforts were made before and three after alterations had been made to the propeller Saturday morning the Johnshysons were not disheartened or discouraged they had come to the realization that they were not as far advancshyed in the building of the machine as they had thought Their attention was turned to alterations that were expected to have a decided affect on the plane and also to the grounds upon which they were flying The aviashytion camp is located on exceedingly poor grounds It is rough and full of ruts and so soft that the tired wheels sink to 1 to 3 in it when the machine is started _Those who have watched the attempts to fly are of the opinion that the nature of the grounds is largely responsible for the failures as it is impossible to start the machine at a pace that will make it rise Whether the Johnsons will move or prepare a smoother runway is a question that has not yet been determined The three efforts to fly Saturday morning were made early while the sun was rising and the wind was low A fairly steady breeze from the south made it necessary to drive the machine up a slight grade into the wind but this was not sufficiently a factor to which to attribute a failure to rise The monoshyplane failed to fly simply because it did not have enough power to raise it from the ground There is no speed indicator in the camp and it is impossible to tell at what rate the propeller is revolved but several have estimated it at about 900 rpm 1500 rpm is considered necessary for success and the Johnsons may have to make radical changes in the propeller before making the desired speed_

Saturday evening before a large crowd they started the engine three times and raced down the field with Louis Johnson in the machine The first was probably the best of all the trials The monoplane attained a good rate of speed but it did not leave the ground The buildshyers decided the trouble was due to the size of the propelshyler and they cut it down several inches The result was the engine operated faster and more smoothly but it was by no means as speedy as necessary and the test made established that more alterations were necessary espicially if attempts to fly are from the present locashytions

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~ t_F ~~

Sunday August 211910

FOUR DEVOTEES OF AERONAUTICS MAINTAIN CHEERFULNESS IN FACE OF PARTIAL DISshyAPPOINTMENT WAITING FOR CALM JOHNSONS ADVANCE IN CONQUERING AIR SIX TRIALS OF MONOPLANE PROVE MANY THEORIES CORRECT BUT BRING PARTIAL DISAPPOINTMENT LOW SPEED PROPELLER PROVES TOO WEAK TO RAISE WEIGHT DIFFICULTIES AT FIELD AND APPLICAshyTION OF MOTORS ENERGY PRESENT PROBLEMS THAT MUST YIELD BEFORE PERSEVERENCE - Sunshyday the Johnson brothers who are now so earnestly engaged in the attempt to fly a monoplane in the old canal basin near Blackhawk are going to demonstrate that they can build a high power low speed motor fully adapted to the needs of the aviator

Just now they are encountering difficulties that would discourage many with a patience that means success they are working under handicaps that appear as insurmountable but must give way before their detershymination

Saturday morning the last of six attempts to make their machine leave terra firma failed and they went back to their tent disappointed after two weeks of the hardest kind of labor In spite of the cheerful attitude they assumed there was an air of disappointment all around the camp and even the jokes of the jolly party did not dispel it

The disappointment lay not so much in the fact that the machine failed to leave the ground in its trials as in the evidence that higher speed would be necessary for the proper operation of the motor It is the object of the Johnsons to develop a motor that will run a monoplane without the terrific speed common to those in use If they succeed in securing one of this type they have a fortune at their command They do not desire to construct an airplane merely for the purpose of flying If they did they could easily obtain the pattern of the Wright brothers machine or other machines and build accordingly or they could purchase a machine at less cost and trouble than they have encountered But having as their object the development of a low speed motor the failure of the one now in use to do the work expected was disappointing Although it whirled the propeller at a speed that astonished the spectators it was not operated at a rate of which it is capable but at a rate very much lower and which the builders hope would be sufficient for its purpose

Consequently when the speed attained by the motor in the first trials Friday proved insufficient one of the hopes of the Johnsons was dashed

Reluctantly they cut down the size of the propeller knowing that every inch shaved from it would increase the speed of the engine Two inches all around were sacrificed in the desire to raise the skybird and the result was a perceptible increase in the number of revolushytions and consequently a steadier engine Some consolashyLIon was offered by the fact that even with the reduced propeller there was little vibration noticeable about the machine

Late Friday night the airplane was run out of its tent and the motor started The effect was extraordinary and the hopes of the Johnsons that they had accomplished their purpose ran high Saturday morning early the fourth attempt to fly and the first with the reduced propeller was made

Whether the alterations had any effect on the raising power of the motor was difficult to determine because of the conditions under which the trial was made A steady breeze from the south made it necessary to start the machine from the north end of the field at the foot of the small incline and on ground that was wet and soft The machine behaved no better than before bllt whether it was due to the propeller the grade or the soft ground was a question the Johnsons were not ready to answer To eliminate the grade is almost impossible To wait for a more favorable wind is nerve racking yet the Johnsons will have to do all of these things before making sure that they have the propeller rightly proporshytioned for the task

Whatever may be determined regarding the propeller it remains that the Johnsons have demonstrated an engine that is remarkable for its power and speed combined with its steadiness and construction The motor is of the 2 cycle type 4 cylinders This means that an explosion occurs in each cylinder just twice as often as in the more common 4 cycle 4 cylinder type More power is the result and 75 hp is the indication This is accomplished by combining the Johnson patent valve with cylinders set at an angle of 1800 and big carburetors The patent valve is one on which the men have worked for a long time and they have shown by it a method of allowing more gas to enter the cylinders withshyout increasing the size of the valve a point of corisidershyable value in construction Then they have obtained a motor that will run at great speed and create so little vibration that it scarcely causes a tremor in the light wooden frame of the airship All in all the motor has conducted itself in a manner that is deemed most satisfactory It is applying it to the airplane that has

proven the puzzle and that is the very point the Johnshysons are seeking

The Johnson monoplane will fly because it is constructed on the proper principles for flight That it has not been successfully launched as yet is due to two things - the experience in designing and operating of the men in control of it and the unfavorable conditions under which the trials have been made Both of these points will be overcome in time While they are eliminatshying the unfavorable conditions they are learning from experience the points they have overlooked in designing and they are learning rapidly how to operate it

The story of the construction of the Johnson monoshyplane is one of hard work and persistent effort The Johllsons have had no teacher in the art They have studied much observed a great deal and gathered from experience a great deal more than the average man will ever know about airplanes No one realizes more than they that there is a great deal more to be learned That is why after months of work they took their machine to the Blackhawk basin It was two weeks ago today that they arrived there and since that time they have fought mosquitos malaria and rain in a most credible effort to work out the theories they have formed It is not a pleasant task but one that requires thought constant experiment and careful reasoning They are not particshyularly interested in what the public thinks about their work They want to apply the Johnson motor to aeroshynautics

As one enters the aviation field he is greeted by a sign that reads Welcome - Outside the Tent The sign is expressive of the attitude of the Johnson boys They are willing that anyone watch them at work free about giving information when asked but they promise nothing and consequently are not responsible for the disappointment of the many who have come to see them fly and have left without that satisfaction

Julius Johnson expressed their attitude well when he said while waiting for a wind to subside we have waited a year to get to this point with the machine and we can afford to wait another day rather than run the chances of breaking up the airplane

Last weeks activity at the camp became intensive Thursday morning when the machine was run out of its protection for the first time the frame buckled This was immediately repaired and trials of the engine and frame made that evening Friday three unsuccessful attempts to raise the machine were made and Saturday with an altered propeller three more efforts brought no better success

When the last visitor departed from the aviation field Thursday night the Johnsons rested content with their

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preparations for a flight on the early morning air Time work until as the crowd left the field Thursday night noon for further tests to be made solely on the ability of and again the builders had been disappointed in not they saw the end of the last bit of preparation for an air the machine to lift It is expected that the trial will1ake having it ready for flight at the time agreed upon Little test place about an hour before sunset No effort at flightweaknesses that could not be foreseen became apparent While it has been disappointing to visit the aviation will be made at this time the test being confined to when the machine was started across the rough field had field and fail to witness an attempt to fly the chagrin of determining the buoyancy of the machine its balance yielded one by one to careful attention and ingenuity the Johnson brothers and Pearl Conover has been and general fitness for flight Every nut and bolt on the unwieldly looking skybird had greater Living in a single big tent pitched in a malaria been inspected and found in first class condition The breeding district pestered by insects and blistered with rt _ alterations made necessary by faulty calculations as to the heat they have put up with all kinds of inconvenshy ~~ weight and pressure on the running gear were completed iences since leaving Terre Haute and every hours delay and the new woodwork covered with a preserving paint In the center of the structure the light but powerful engine shown in polished brilliancy Just in front of it the big propeller built of many pieces and smoothed to a surface like glass was perfect to the last detail A sliver that had been knocked from it was replaced with cement and its bearing was as true as science could make it Stretching away on each side for 16 were ribbed wings on which so much depends each without a flaw or scratch At their tips hung the balancing planes so delicately fitted that the slightest movement of the operator was reflected by a changed position To the eye the machine was perfect and the builders who worked so patiently at last were satisfied it was ready for its initial trip

It now appeared that nothing stood in the way of a thorough demonstration but the Johnson brothers were doomed to meet another disappointment Under its power for the first time Louis Johnson drove the airship down the field from the tent in which it had been housed Three of the four cylinders were in operation yet it was evident that the Johnson motor was suffishyciently powerful for the purposes of the craft At speed that hurried those who accompanied it the aircraft ran along over the rough ground with little or no vibration from the motor and a steadiness that spelled success Four men hung to it with their weight keeping it from mounting the air while the driver accustomed himself to the situation and watched the engine and the plane

This was the final test of the monoplane before it was entrusted to the element for which it was constructed This test fully demonstrated that the care bestowed upon its construction was not misplaced There was not a flaw noticeable in any of its moving parts There was nothing about its action that indicated a single weakness But one thing marred the success of this test and Thursshyday night saw that one point corrected The long body or frame that extends from the plane to the rudder on the tail was not sufficiently strong to stand the strain of alighting from a height as was shown in its action during this test Immediately the builders prepared to strengthshyen it and all day Thursday they worked on this one part rebracing and adding to the solidity of this frame

has been bitter to them Malaria sent Clarence Johnson the youngest of the camp back to the city unfit to be about Mr Conover succumbed to it one day but was able to throw off the attack The Johnson brothers have all felt the effect of life in the camp and as Louis Johnshyson expressed it Are dead anxious to get to doing something

- shy~~ Monday October 10 1910 MONOPLANE JUSTIFIES EFFORTS OF JOHNSONS AIRCRAFT GOES INTO AIR SEVERAL TIMES AT TESTS MADE SUNDAY- after many weeks of quite work at their camp on the old reservoir prairie 3 miles east of Blackhawk in an effort to perfect the airplane which when first tried out was found to be lacking in a few particulars Louis Harry and Julius Johnson the inventors and builders of the Johnson Bros airplane succeeded in making several lifts with the aircraft at tests made Sunday evening Three tests were made and it was on the third one that the machine lifted from the ground Several times the craft raised for distances of from 15 to 20 Though the height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time this fact was rather to lack in certain details than because the airplane could not raise higher

The craft exhibited a wonderful buoyancy for the test and tended to leave the ground at all times higher than it was allowed to However necessity for certain corrections was manifested before a flight could be safely made and to avoid possible wrecking of the machine it was held down at all times

An assistant of the Johnson boys in their efforts toward perfecting the machine stated Monday that an idea of buoyancy of the machine could be gained from the fact that when starting on the soft dirt just previous to the test that it would leave no track in the soft dirt but that when being brought back for a second test it would plow back into the soil for a depth of 6

Preparations were almost completed Monday after-

Tuesday October II 1910 JOHNSON GIVES EXPRESSION TO SATISFACTION WITH PLANE TEST CONTINUED TO OCCUpy TIME OF BROTHERS AT AVIATION FIELD - Louis Johnson the elder of the Johnson brothers builders of the Johnson Monoplane spent Tuesday in Terre Haute looking after business matters The other two brothers Julius and Harry are at the aviation field making a few required minor changes in the mechanism preparatory to attempting a flight Wednesday or Thursday

Louis will return to the field Tuesday evening to be ready to sit at the wheel of the machine in the initial attempt at flight

We have gone far enough now to see through to the end and we now know that the theory which we have been working is the right one We will fly within a few days possible Wednesday or Thursday The changes now being made are only minor adjustments which were seen to be necessary in our tests as to the lifting power of the machine

-shy~~ Editors Note

The brothers apparently abandoned the attempts to make the 1910 airplane fly shortly after this in October 1910 and started work on an improved design which was successful in the summer of 1911 Between the end of October and the middle of July 1911 they built an entirely new airplane but used the same power plant that had been used in the 1910 version The new airplane was radically different in design using basically a metal framework cloth covered wings and cloth covered tail surfaces which were supported on a single aluminum boom It had a tricycle gear as contrasted with the conventional gear in the 1910 plane It had wing-warping in place of the moveable surfaces at the tips of the wings steerable nose wheel and brakes and many other engineering refinements~

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Ross Smith had never seen an airplane and was attractshyed to one ofthe public displays of the Johnson monoplane the practice being a charge of 25cent to see it in the tent to help alleviate the costs The plane had barely flown and excitement was running high Ross evidently took one look at it and said thats for me Its hard to guess how he convinced the Johnsons that he should take a hand at it however it is very possible that he was the only one with enough nerve and the J ohnsons had spent a great deal of theirs A bird in the hand at this point was probably welcome According to the records the

motor was started and Ross ran the plane up and down the field for some half hour experimenting with the controls learning how to use the throttle steering the airplane accelerating until it was light Evidently Ross had figured play ti me was over and the description states suddenly the plane shot forward and then rose graceshyfully into the air His very first flight lasted for 30 minutes and he thrilled the onlookers as he flew back and forth over the field (I nstructors take note - how many students would you turn loose in a better machine of today with 30 minutes of instruction)

Barely two days atter Rosss first flight he launched into the professional flying ranks in a big way He immeshydiately received an offer from his home town of Mattoon Illinois to engage in some demonstration flights and was paid for three flights at $50000 per flight Airplanes were so rare in these days that people paid to look at them and in most cases such flights were initiated by promotors seeking a quick fortune You would believe that flying such an airplane was enough of a daredevil stunt but not for our friend Ross He managed to concoct stunts that even from this distance

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in time seem absolutely ridiculous Daredevil is too mild a word One of his next exploits was an engagement to fly the monoplane during a 10 day Chautauqua Now for you youngsters youll have to run to the dictionary however Ill save you the effort The name Chautauqua originated in New York where some wise promoter startshyed an educational summer camp Families took their vacations very similar to those going to Oshkosh for the week long fly-in lived in tents in a large tent community that attracted as many as 50000 people during its run This particular Chautauqua that contracted for Rosss services with the Johnson airplane was at Merom Bluff Indiana a high point on the Wabash River The bluff was in Sullivan County and stood 150 above the river on one side while the opposite side fell to flat farm land going away from the river in a flat plain Th is particular Chautauqua was obviously one of great importance for the midwest and attractions included William Jennings Bryan Senator Robert LaFollette William Howard Taft former President of the United States Vice President Thomas R Marshall a gal named Maude Ballington Booth discussing prison reform John Temple Graves a noted orator of the time and Jeanette Rankin the first American Congresswoman The Chautauqua encomshypassed every subject from religion to suffrage child care and anything at all that would interest the family

To spice this particular Chautauqua Ross came up with the idea of building a 250 wooden platform with its far end hanging over the bluff on the river side The intent was to fly the airplane from this platform and fly it he did for many performances Descriptions of the flight states that the airplane labored uphill gained speed and disappeared from the end of the platform in what must have been a free fall until it gained flying speed leveling out some safe distance above the river then circling back over the Chautauqua area like a peacock preening its feathers It must have been a supreme thrill for all to witness There was no possible way to land at the Chautauqua area so Ross would cross the river to the Illinois side and land on a road at the ferry The plane would then be disassembled hauled back across the river pulled back up the winding road to the bluff for its next days operation

I n the eyes of the Chautauqua attendance Ross was no doubt walking mighty tall despite his slight stature It was quite common practice for the Johnson airplane to be engaged for fairs etc at which time it generally flew off the racetrack Evidently by this time a standard stunt

This monoplane piloted by Ross Smith flew off the Merom Bluff daily August 22-37 7973 during the Chautauqua

This was the view from the Merom Bluff The picture is deceiving for it was 750 down to the water Note the Ferry cars and buggies waiting to cross and climb the winding road up the bluff This is the view Ross Smith had as he literally dove his plane off the platform without adequate flying speed The result was a near free fall with flying speed gained in time to narrowly miss striking the water below The flight was enacted daily to please the crowd

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Ross Smith preparing for an exhibition flight Note man with ladder at right below wing It was a tall gear and a long climb to mount this machine

had been for the airplane to race a car on the track Dirt track races being part of almost every fair there was always someone present willing to race At one such event it states that Speed in the air and on land thrills thousands Aviator Ross L Smith and Speed King Wild Bob Burman held first place in the hearts of sensation lovers for the wild thrills they gave the thousands at the fairgrounds on Sunday Taking off from the track Ross flew around the track circled the infield and landed directly in front of thegrandstand amid the applause of thousands As an additional build up to the race Burman took Ross for a ride in his 300 hp Blitzen Benz and proceeded to smash the world record for a mile on a half mile dirt track breaking his own former record His

speed was just over 60 mph but this meant that 80 mph must have been his speed on the straight away On the first lap he gave Ross a thrill by hitting the turn too fast and almost losing control in a skid Evidently Ross did not appreciate the ride for when Burman said he would go up with him in his plane Ross calmly said that if he did he would get pushed out Burman of course immeshydiately changed his mind Evidently this was the last of Burmans summer appearances and he was going to spend his time readying himself for the 500 mile motor speedway event He had held the lead the previous year until his machine caught fire and burned while he was many laps ahead

As to the race between the airplane and the car the

airplane invariably won all events in spite of the fact that the cars appeared to be going faster Speed in the air does not seem to be speed compared to a roaring monster of an auto spewing exhaust and throwing large clods of dirt as it rounds every corner Smith evidently thrilled the crowd with a simple thing that today would be called a touch and go Newspaper emotes over the fact that even the French exhibition flyers had not done such a thing stating that Ross had no trouble at all in thrilling the crowd In another engagement it states that Ross L Smith will pilot the Johnson brothers monshyoplane during the Corn Week Show sponsored by the Rotary Club of Terre Haute The big thrill of this event was to be a flight down Wabash Avenue between the

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buildings just above the street car wires It was stated it would be the first time in history that an aviator would attempt such a dangerous feat The plane was to be brought down until the wheels barely cleared the wires then proceed west down the street to the Court House where the plan was to circle the big dome I n a flair of penmanship the author writes it will be unusual for a businessman to see the wings of an airplane almost brushing the windows of his building He further states the trip will be a dangerous one but the aviator and the builders of the machine have such faith in the monshyoplane that they believe that both will stand the test

I n a later account where Smith was engaged to fly an exhibition over Elsworth he decided to give them a new thrill and go for altitude With much circling he reached dizzying height of 2000 where he passed through a cloud bank that confused him for a short time On recovering from the confusion he found himself at 1000 (he invented vertigo no dOUbt)

In still another account it states the Johnson monshyoplane gave one of the best exh ib itions of the art of flying it has been our pleasure to witness There were no death defying stunts just plain flying

The monoplane took off on the back stretch of the race track and for 30 minutes circled dived swooped and turned running up and down the valley for several miles It states the limited space in which he had to land caused him some trouble He had failed to make the first descent (made a go-around - probably the first) When finally on the ground Aviator Ross stated it was the hardest day to fly on he had ever experienced as the air seemed dead and no breeze whatsoever was stirring Density altitude)

About the year 1913 Ross was running out of tricks the bag was getting empty so he decided to scoop them all He announced that he would like to fly the Atlantic and from all records it appears that he was the first to have such serious ideas He was at least 19 years ahead of his time He proposed to fly the flimsy Johnson airplane across the Atlantic alone - a statement that makes Lindshyberghs remarks an echo of the past He approached the Navy Department and asked them to place 10 battleshysh ips at intervals of 300 miles apart figuring that th is would be the maximum load of gasoline possible to carry The Navy of course refused considering the flight across the Atlantic as only a hair brained scheme The Government was not very interested in flying at this time and their decision was certainly not a surprise

~

Evening flights from the field were customary

Ross did not remain silent on this issue and at a later time stated in print when the Atlantic is crossed it will be by a flying boat and not a dirigible

In reading the history of these days all of the emshyphasis on long range travel was transfered to the gas bag History proved Ross to be 100 right and the Navys NC4s were the first to fly across

To further add hues of color to his career Ross was perhaps the first American aviator to get an offer from a foreign government and probably one of the first conceptions of military aviation was born President Huerta of Mexico offered him a high ranking position in the Mexican Army if he would organize an air force for them Ross immediately declined Poncho Villa who was then the bad boy of Mexico and conducting what we would call today Guerilla attack tried to make Ross a better offer of $2000 a month in gold to do the same thing for his side Ross declined that too Time proved how wise he was in declining this offer for one of his best friends was killed - not while he was flying but by Villas own men Four of Rosss friends had decided to fly for Villa but when weeks went by and they received no pay they drew straws to see who would confront Villa with the facts Mickey McGuire (the wild Irish Rose of the skies) was unlucky enough to get the job and foolish enough to make the attempt He faced the illiterate General in his tent and asked for the money

The General promptly whipped out a 45 caliper pistol and shot McGuire through the heart In revenge the remaining three proceeded to burn Villas airplanes saving one to make their escape in They successfully flew that one back to the United States

This was not Rosss last encounter with Army life As World War I came along there were but 50 flyers availshyable for instructors in the US He was one that formed the nucleus of the great Flying Corps This group was called on to also perform test pilot functions and in their vernacular did nose dives tail spins and no doubt were the first creators of aerobatic flying in this country This was no doubt a cup of tea for our adventuresome Mr Ross captivated the services and the record that he established was remarkable General Andrews commenshyded Ross with a citation ending it with a comment Seven years without a serious mishap Ross lived a long and successful life and became very well known in Wash ington and for years was Public Relations Manager for the Hot Shopps a food chain in the East He lived a full life and died on February 19 1959 For an advenshyturesome person who lead such a colorful life and seemingly knew no fear he must have also been blessed with skill and a great amount of common sense In the Hot Shopps Company magazine from which some of this material was gleaned they coined an epitaph for him stating simply An amazing man ~

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the front of the machine measure 16 Yz x 8 and are made of light waterproof canvas stretched over stout framework The engine is a V type 2 cycle engine the only one of its kind to have ever been made

There are V type engines said Mr Johnson but they are 4 cycle The 2 cycle engines have previously been built straight causing increased weight Everything about the machine has been built for speed and lightmiddot ness

Two 7 gallon gasoline tanks will furnish the propellmiddot ing power for the machine It is expected it will take a day and a half to set the machine up after its been shipped to the place where it will be tested

- ~ shy

Saturday August 6 1910

LOCAL AVIATORS MAKE READY FOR FIRST TRIAL JOHNSON BROTHERS MOVE AIRPLANE TO FIELD NEAR BLACKHAWK AND SET UP MACHINE FOR TESTmiddot everything was hustle and bustle at the Johnson brothers aero camp a few miles from Blackmiddot hawk Saturday where the three young men manufacmiddot turers of engines and incidentally builders of an airplane were engaged in putting together their airplane preparmiddot atory for a trial flight One of the busiest of the workers was Clarence Johnson a 12 year old brother who showed himself a handy man about the place Owing to the fact that due to their hurried move from Terre Haute with their machine Friday the Johnson brothers left behind some necessary blocks and braces and the flight that was scheduled for Saturday will be postponed until some time Sunday The strange man by the name of Zakarius supposed to be from Indianapolis and well versed in aviation was with the three brothers Saturday as they worked on their machine which was enclosed in a 40 tent to shut out the view from the spectators Another important personage at the scene was Dr Dupui of Riley who was on hand in case a flight should be made to see to the injuries of the aviator in case he should meet with an accident

The tryout grounds are admirally situated in the center of a 100 acre farm in the reservoir of the old Wabash and Erie Canal There is a wide stretch of clear country without any woodland within its radius of two miles It is believed the airplane will be assembled and ready for a trial late Saturday afternoon but it is not thought a flight will be attempted before Sunday

- Ii _ ~ ~

Sunday August 7 1910

JOHNSON BROTHERS PREPARE FOR INITIAL TEST OF BIG AIRPLANE CONFIDENCE PERmiddot MEATESCAMP AS TIME FOR TRY-OUT NEARSmiddot the first flight if flight is to be of the Johnson airship now resting in all readiness for its try-out at its camp at southeast of Terre Haute will come at about noon today and the result of a year s work and effort to build a successful airplane will be determined

In spite of the Johnson effort at secrecy spectators began to throng to the camp in the old reservoir bed early Saturday afternoon and later in the evening automobiles could be seen on every road leading to the hiding place The farmers also took Saturday evening off to take advantage of the opportunity to see the machine and the men

A heavy steel roller was brought to the scene Satshyurday evening and the Johnsons will layout the course early Sunday morning on which the aviators who drive the machine in the preliminary try-outs will score down for a start The meadow as it stands is rough and trouble was feared when the wheels of the flyer were started over the ground before the machine raised into the air

Just who would be the first man to steer the machine on its initial effort the Johnsons refused to state but the crowd of sightseers who have been watching the progress of the work at the camp picked the man who they believe will be in the seat when the airplane raises first It is William Zachow the stranger from Racine Wisconsin who arrived in this city just in time to take an active part in completing preparations for the try-out Zachow refused to give out his name but the above is the name he registered under at the Philbeck Hotel Gossip has it that the Wisconsin man is an experienced aviator and it is on this fact that the spectators base their belief that he will be the one to drive the machine when it is tried out

There is no spirit of speculation in the air about the Johnson camp but in plain businesslike manner the men are carrying forth the work which is to determine whether or not Terre Haute has produced a parallel to the Wright Brothers There were several men on the ground Saturday afternoon who professed some knowlshyedge of mechanics All the men who have seen the machine since it has been brought near enough to completion for an idea to be formed as to its efficiency has had nothing but praise for the thoroughness with which it has been finished and experienced mechanics say that from a mechanical standpoint the machine looks good

An experienced mechanic who examined the machine Saturday stated that the V type 2 cycle engine a

distinctive feature of the new machine is especially adapted for the use on airplanes The Johnson brothers claim the distinction of having made the first engine of this type and mechanics say that it is the coming engine for use on aerial machines

The Johnsons themselves though they do not talk much have all confidence in their creation The men have had years of experience in the manufacture of all kinds of engines and in addition have put in considershyable time in research work on the subject of airplanes and other flying machines They have been close students to the methods of the Wright Brothers

Ii- _ ~

Monday August 8 1910

MAKER LAYS PLANS TO PILOT AIRPLANE ON INITIAL FLIGHTmiddot with the airplane removed from the tent in which it has been housed and the engine of the plane in perfect running order the Johnson brothers were expected Monday at noon to make an attempted flight at any time

The field located near Blackhawk south of the city where the first trial will take place is in perfect condishytion for the flight The only thing that may cause a delay of the flight is the lightness of the wheels which support the airplane on the ground at the start It was feared Monday that heavier wheels would be necessary In case this is decided on the trial of the machine will not take place for a day or so One of the Johson boys will pilot the machine on its initial attempted flight This was definitely announced Monday It was thought at first that William Zachow who was present at the aviation camp would pilot the machine but it has developed that the stranger is a salesman for an airplane supply comshypany He is said to be thoroughly fa miliar with the mechanism of airplanes however and has been of great value in getting the machine ready for flight

A test of the engine was made Monday morning it developed 40 HP Confidence was expressed by the Johnsons that the engine could develop 20 HP additional if necessary

- ~~

Saturday August 13 1910

WEAK SPRINGS POSTPONE JOHNSONS TRIAL OF FLIGHT CROWDS GATHERED AT AVIATION

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FIELD TO AGAIN LEARN THAT MACHINES TEST MUST AGAIN BE DELAYED - the Johnson brothers made no attempt to fly this afternoon It is reported that they would make their initial attempt to scale the clouds today A crowd followed in the wake of the rumor and by 200 this afternoon many people swarmshyed down from the meadow

When the Johnson machine was wheeled out at 2 00 it was found by the inventors that an important set of springs were too weak These will be strengthened and it is probable that the apparatus will not be taken out of the tent again until Tuesday of the coming week

Two of the brothers hurried to Terre Haute this aftershynoon as soon as the defect in the machine was discovshyered They will return to the camp Sunday and begin adjustment

_ F A ~~

Sunday August 141910

BROTHER AVIATORS DELAY DEMONSTRATION AGAIN PART OF MACHINE USED IN MAKING LANDING GETS OUT OF ORDER SECOND TIME shythough delayed again in their preparation for the initial flight of the first airplane ever manufactured in Terre Haute the Johnson boys Louis Julius and Harry went to work to remedy the defect which made necessary the postponement of their flight for the second time The defects which they are now forced to repair causes no despair in the Johnson boys or lessens their faith that the machine will fly after they are completed

We have encountered no difficulty whatever as yet which would in any way interfere with the successful flight of the machine said one of the boys Saturday The trouble is only in the wheels and supporting spring those parts of the machine which are used to make a landing on and the defect is not curious in any way though it does take some time to make the necessary changes

The intention of the trio was to fly Saturday and the day was ideal but it was decided at the last minute that the chances of flying and making a safe landing would involve too great a risk

Louis the eldest of the Johnson brothers said to a Tribune representative Saturday I am sorry that we could not fly today In the first place the weather is ideal and in the second place when the statement that we have been halted again appears in print a great many people will believe that the machine is a failure As for us we are certain as we have been all along that the airplane will fly

Ii ~~

Monday August 15 1910

JOHNSON PROMISES TO MAKE AIRPLANE TRIP WEDNESDAY BROTHERS OCCUPY ENTIRE DAY REPAIRING CARRYING TRUCK OF HEAVIER THAN AIR MACHINE - the work of getting ready the remodeled parts of the carrying truck for the airplane occupied the day of the Johnson boys at their work shop on 10th Street on Monday The men expect to have their work completed and will take their remodshyeled parts to the camp near Blackhawk Tuesday eveshyning

Louis Johnson said Monday that they expect to have everything in readiness for the trial by Wednesday One man has been left at the camp while the others came to their home in Terre Haute over Sunday

qp tt ~~

Friday August 19 1910

JOHNSONS WAIT WEATHER FOR FIRST TEST OF FLYER HUGE MONOPLANE GIVES EVERY EVshyIDENCE OF BEING FULLY CAPABLE OF NAVshyIGATING THE AIR - the initial flight of the Johnson monoplane was scheduled to take place Friday aftershynoon but a strong wind swept over the field here and made the test impossible The huge flyer waits serenely for the first chance to take to the air having been thoroughly tested on the ground

Friday afternoon the monoplane was staked to the ground headed into the wind and the engine turned on for the purpose of determining her power Under full speed the flyer acquired the full strength of the helpers to keep her from leaping upward At half speed the power developed was not sufficient to convince the builders that the test would be a success in the wind as it is their desire to fly first under half power leaving the remainder for reserve while in the air

After the test of the engine Louis Johnson expressed himself as being unsatisfied with the condition of the engine and propeller

E ~~

Saturday August 201910

JOHNSON SHIP REFUSES TO QUIT TERRA FIRMA ENGINE FAILS TO DEVELOP SUFFICIENT SPEED

TO LIFT MACHINE INTO AIR - the Johnson brothers have made half a dozen attempts to fly the monoplane upon which they have worked for so many months and in none have they succeeded in getting the big machine into the air

Three times Friday they turned the big propeller under high speed and freed the machine from all restraints At a rate of about 12 mph it tore down a rough field only to be stopped at the limit of the course without having raised from the ground Three of these efforts were made before and three after alterations had been made to the propeller Saturday morning the Johnshysons were not disheartened or discouraged they had come to the realization that they were not as far advancshyed in the building of the machine as they had thought Their attention was turned to alterations that were expected to have a decided affect on the plane and also to the grounds upon which they were flying The aviashytion camp is located on exceedingly poor grounds It is rough and full of ruts and so soft that the tired wheels sink to 1 to 3 in it when the machine is started _Those who have watched the attempts to fly are of the opinion that the nature of the grounds is largely responsible for the failures as it is impossible to start the machine at a pace that will make it rise Whether the Johnsons will move or prepare a smoother runway is a question that has not yet been determined The three efforts to fly Saturday morning were made early while the sun was rising and the wind was low A fairly steady breeze from the south made it necessary to drive the machine up a slight grade into the wind but this was not sufficiently a factor to which to attribute a failure to rise The monoshyplane failed to fly simply because it did not have enough power to raise it from the ground There is no speed indicator in the camp and it is impossible to tell at what rate the propeller is revolved but several have estimated it at about 900 rpm 1500 rpm is considered necessary for success and the Johnsons may have to make radical changes in the propeller before making the desired speed_

Saturday evening before a large crowd they started the engine three times and raced down the field with Louis Johnson in the machine The first was probably the best of all the trials The monoplane attained a good rate of speed but it did not leave the ground The buildshyers decided the trouble was due to the size of the propelshyler and they cut it down several inches The result was the engine operated faster and more smoothly but it was by no means as speedy as necessary and the test made established that more alterations were necessary espicially if attempts to fly are from the present locashytions

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~ t_F ~~

Sunday August 211910

FOUR DEVOTEES OF AERONAUTICS MAINTAIN CHEERFULNESS IN FACE OF PARTIAL DISshyAPPOINTMENT WAITING FOR CALM JOHNSONS ADVANCE IN CONQUERING AIR SIX TRIALS OF MONOPLANE PROVE MANY THEORIES CORRECT BUT BRING PARTIAL DISAPPOINTMENT LOW SPEED PROPELLER PROVES TOO WEAK TO RAISE WEIGHT DIFFICULTIES AT FIELD AND APPLICAshyTION OF MOTORS ENERGY PRESENT PROBLEMS THAT MUST YIELD BEFORE PERSEVERENCE - Sunshyday the Johnson brothers who are now so earnestly engaged in the attempt to fly a monoplane in the old canal basin near Blackhawk are going to demonstrate that they can build a high power low speed motor fully adapted to the needs of the aviator

Just now they are encountering difficulties that would discourage many with a patience that means success they are working under handicaps that appear as insurmountable but must give way before their detershymination

Saturday morning the last of six attempts to make their machine leave terra firma failed and they went back to their tent disappointed after two weeks of the hardest kind of labor In spite of the cheerful attitude they assumed there was an air of disappointment all around the camp and even the jokes of the jolly party did not dispel it

The disappointment lay not so much in the fact that the machine failed to leave the ground in its trials as in the evidence that higher speed would be necessary for the proper operation of the motor It is the object of the Johnsons to develop a motor that will run a monoplane without the terrific speed common to those in use If they succeed in securing one of this type they have a fortune at their command They do not desire to construct an airplane merely for the purpose of flying If they did they could easily obtain the pattern of the Wright brothers machine or other machines and build accordingly or they could purchase a machine at less cost and trouble than they have encountered But having as their object the development of a low speed motor the failure of the one now in use to do the work expected was disappointing Although it whirled the propeller at a speed that astonished the spectators it was not operated at a rate of which it is capable but at a rate very much lower and which the builders hope would be sufficient for its purpose

Consequently when the speed attained by the motor in the first trials Friday proved insufficient one of the hopes of the Johnsons was dashed

Reluctantly they cut down the size of the propeller knowing that every inch shaved from it would increase the speed of the engine Two inches all around were sacrificed in the desire to raise the skybird and the result was a perceptible increase in the number of revolushytions and consequently a steadier engine Some consolashyLIon was offered by the fact that even with the reduced propeller there was little vibration noticeable about the machine

Late Friday night the airplane was run out of its tent and the motor started The effect was extraordinary and the hopes of the Johnsons that they had accomplished their purpose ran high Saturday morning early the fourth attempt to fly and the first with the reduced propeller was made

Whether the alterations had any effect on the raising power of the motor was difficult to determine because of the conditions under which the trial was made A steady breeze from the south made it necessary to start the machine from the north end of the field at the foot of the small incline and on ground that was wet and soft The machine behaved no better than before bllt whether it was due to the propeller the grade or the soft ground was a question the Johnsons were not ready to answer To eliminate the grade is almost impossible To wait for a more favorable wind is nerve racking yet the Johnsons will have to do all of these things before making sure that they have the propeller rightly proporshytioned for the task

Whatever may be determined regarding the propeller it remains that the Johnsons have demonstrated an engine that is remarkable for its power and speed combined with its steadiness and construction The motor is of the 2 cycle type 4 cylinders This means that an explosion occurs in each cylinder just twice as often as in the more common 4 cycle 4 cylinder type More power is the result and 75 hp is the indication This is accomplished by combining the Johnson patent valve with cylinders set at an angle of 1800 and big carburetors The patent valve is one on which the men have worked for a long time and they have shown by it a method of allowing more gas to enter the cylinders withshyout increasing the size of the valve a point of corisidershyable value in construction Then they have obtained a motor that will run at great speed and create so little vibration that it scarcely causes a tremor in the light wooden frame of the airship All in all the motor has conducted itself in a manner that is deemed most satisfactory It is applying it to the airplane that has

proven the puzzle and that is the very point the Johnshysons are seeking

The Johnson monoplane will fly because it is constructed on the proper principles for flight That it has not been successfully launched as yet is due to two things - the experience in designing and operating of the men in control of it and the unfavorable conditions under which the trials have been made Both of these points will be overcome in time While they are eliminatshying the unfavorable conditions they are learning from experience the points they have overlooked in designing and they are learning rapidly how to operate it

The story of the construction of the Johnson monoshyplane is one of hard work and persistent effort The Johllsons have had no teacher in the art They have studied much observed a great deal and gathered from experience a great deal more than the average man will ever know about airplanes No one realizes more than they that there is a great deal more to be learned That is why after months of work they took their machine to the Blackhawk basin It was two weeks ago today that they arrived there and since that time they have fought mosquitos malaria and rain in a most credible effort to work out the theories they have formed It is not a pleasant task but one that requires thought constant experiment and careful reasoning They are not particshyularly interested in what the public thinks about their work They want to apply the Johnson motor to aeroshynautics

As one enters the aviation field he is greeted by a sign that reads Welcome - Outside the Tent The sign is expressive of the attitude of the Johnson boys They are willing that anyone watch them at work free about giving information when asked but they promise nothing and consequently are not responsible for the disappointment of the many who have come to see them fly and have left without that satisfaction

Julius Johnson expressed their attitude well when he said while waiting for a wind to subside we have waited a year to get to this point with the machine and we can afford to wait another day rather than run the chances of breaking up the airplane

Last weeks activity at the camp became intensive Thursday morning when the machine was run out of its protection for the first time the frame buckled This was immediately repaired and trials of the engine and frame made that evening Friday three unsuccessful attempts to raise the machine were made and Saturday with an altered propeller three more efforts brought no better success

When the last visitor departed from the aviation field Thursday night the Johnsons rested content with their

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preparations for a flight on the early morning air Time work until as the crowd left the field Thursday night noon for further tests to be made solely on the ability of and again the builders had been disappointed in not they saw the end of the last bit of preparation for an air the machine to lift It is expected that the trial will1ake having it ready for flight at the time agreed upon Little test place about an hour before sunset No effort at flightweaknesses that could not be foreseen became apparent While it has been disappointing to visit the aviation will be made at this time the test being confined to when the machine was started across the rough field had field and fail to witness an attempt to fly the chagrin of determining the buoyancy of the machine its balance yielded one by one to careful attention and ingenuity the Johnson brothers and Pearl Conover has been and general fitness for flight Every nut and bolt on the unwieldly looking skybird had greater Living in a single big tent pitched in a malaria been inspected and found in first class condition The breeding district pestered by insects and blistered with rt _ alterations made necessary by faulty calculations as to the heat they have put up with all kinds of inconvenshy ~~ weight and pressure on the running gear were completed iences since leaving Terre Haute and every hours delay and the new woodwork covered with a preserving paint In the center of the structure the light but powerful engine shown in polished brilliancy Just in front of it the big propeller built of many pieces and smoothed to a surface like glass was perfect to the last detail A sliver that had been knocked from it was replaced with cement and its bearing was as true as science could make it Stretching away on each side for 16 were ribbed wings on which so much depends each without a flaw or scratch At their tips hung the balancing planes so delicately fitted that the slightest movement of the operator was reflected by a changed position To the eye the machine was perfect and the builders who worked so patiently at last were satisfied it was ready for its initial trip

It now appeared that nothing stood in the way of a thorough demonstration but the Johnson brothers were doomed to meet another disappointment Under its power for the first time Louis Johnson drove the airship down the field from the tent in which it had been housed Three of the four cylinders were in operation yet it was evident that the Johnson motor was suffishyciently powerful for the purposes of the craft At speed that hurried those who accompanied it the aircraft ran along over the rough ground with little or no vibration from the motor and a steadiness that spelled success Four men hung to it with their weight keeping it from mounting the air while the driver accustomed himself to the situation and watched the engine and the plane

This was the final test of the monoplane before it was entrusted to the element for which it was constructed This test fully demonstrated that the care bestowed upon its construction was not misplaced There was not a flaw noticeable in any of its moving parts There was nothing about its action that indicated a single weakness But one thing marred the success of this test and Thursshyday night saw that one point corrected The long body or frame that extends from the plane to the rudder on the tail was not sufficiently strong to stand the strain of alighting from a height as was shown in its action during this test Immediately the builders prepared to strengthshyen it and all day Thursday they worked on this one part rebracing and adding to the solidity of this frame

has been bitter to them Malaria sent Clarence Johnson the youngest of the camp back to the city unfit to be about Mr Conover succumbed to it one day but was able to throw off the attack The Johnson brothers have all felt the effect of life in the camp and as Louis Johnshyson expressed it Are dead anxious to get to doing something

- shy~~ Monday October 10 1910 MONOPLANE JUSTIFIES EFFORTS OF JOHNSONS AIRCRAFT GOES INTO AIR SEVERAL TIMES AT TESTS MADE SUNDAY- after many weeks of quite work at their camp on the old reservoir prairie 3 miles east of Blackhawk in an effort to perfect the airplane which when first tried out was found to be lacking in a few particulars Louis Harry and Julius Johnson the inventors and builders of the Johnson Bros airplane succeeded in making several lifts with the aircraft at tests made Sunday evening Three tests were made and it was on the third one that the machine lifted from the ground Several times the craft raised for distances of from 15 to 20 Though the height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time this fact was rather to lack in certain details than because the airplane could not raise higher

The craft exhibited a wonderful buoyancy for the test and tended to leave the ground at all times higher than it was allowed to However necessity for certain corrections was manifested before a flight could be safely made and to avoid possible wrecking of the machine it was held down at all times

An assistant of the Johnson boys in their efforts toward perfecting the machine stated Monday that an idea of buoyancy of the machine could be gained from the fact that when starting on the soft dirt just previous to the test that it would leave no track in the soft dirt but that when being brought back for a second test it would plow back into the soil for a depth of 6

Preparations were almost completed Monday after-

Tuesday October II 1910 JOHNSON GIVES EXPRESSION TO SATISFACTION WITH PLANE TEST CONTINUED TO OCCUpy TIME OF BROTHERS AT AVIATION FIELD - Louis Johnson the elder of the Johnson brothers builders of the Johnson Monoplane spent Tuesday in Terre Haute looking after business matters The other two brothers Julius and Harry are at the aviation field making a few required minor changes in the mechanism preparatory to attempting a flight Wednesday or Thursday

Louis will return to the field Tuesday evening to be ready to sit at the wheel of the machine in the initial attempt at flight

We have gone far enough now to see through to the end and we now know that the theory which we have been working is the right one We will fly within a few days possible Wednesday or Thursday The changes now being made are only minor adjustments which were seen to be necessary in our tests as to the lifting power of the machine

-shy~~ Editors Note

The brothers apparently abandoned the attempts to make the 1910 airplane fly shortly after this in October 1910 and started work on an improved design which was successful in the summer of 1911 Between the end of October and the middle of July 1911 they built an entirely new airplane but used the same power plant that had been used in the 1910 version The new airplane was radically different in design using basically a metal framework cloth covered wings and cloth covered tail surfaces which were supported on a single aluminum boom It had a tricycle gear as contrasted with the conventional gear in the 1910 plane It had wing-warping in place of the moveable surfaces at the tips of the wings steerable nose wheel and brakes and many other engineering refinements~

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Ross Smith had never seen an airplane and was attractshyed to one ofthe public displays of the Johnson monoplane the practice being a charge of 25cent to see it in the tent to help alleviate the costs The plane had barely flown and excitement was running high Ross evidently took one look at it and said thats for me Its hard to guess how he convinced the Johnsons that he should take a hand at it however it is very possible that he was the only one with enough nerve and the J ohnsons had spent a great deal of theirs A bird in the hand at this point was probably welcome According to the records the

motor was started and Ross ran the plane up and down the field for some half hour experimenting with the controls learning how to use the throttle steering the airplane accelerating until it was light Evidently Ross had figured play ti me was over and the description states suddenly the plane shot forward and then rose graceshyfully into the air His very first flight lasted for 30 minutes and he thrilled the onlookers as he flew back and forth over the field (I nstructors take note - how many students would you turn loose in a better machine of today with 30 minutes of instruction)

Barely two days atter Rosss first flight he launched into the professional flying ranks in a big way He immeshydiately received an offer from his home town of Mattoon Illinois to engage in some demonstration flights and was paid for three flights at $50000 per flight Airplanes were so rare in these days that people paid to look at them and in most cases such flights were initiated by promotors seeking a quick fortune You would believe that flying such an airplane was enough of a daredevil stunt but not for our friend Ross He managed to concoct stunts that even from this distance

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in time seem absolutely ridiculous Daredevil is too mild a word One of his next exploits was an engagement to fly the monoplane during a 10 day Chautauqua Now for you youngsters youll have to run to the dictionary however Ill save you the effort The name Chautauqua originated in New York where some wise promoter startshyed an educational summer camp Families took their vacations very similar to those going to Oshkosh for the week long fly-in lived in tents in a large tent community that attracted as many as 50000 people during its run This particular Chautauqua that contracted for Rosss services with the Johnson airplane was at Merom Bluff Indiana a high point on the Wabash River The bluff was in Sullivan County and stood 150 above the river on one side while the opposite side fell to flat farm land going away from the river in a flat plain Th is particular Chautauqua was obviously one of great importance for the midwest and attractions included William Jennings Bryan Senator Robert LaFollette William Howard Taft former President of the United States Vice President Thomas R Marshall a gal named Maude Ballington Booth discussing prison reform John Temple Graves a noted orator of the time and Jeanette Rankin the first American Congresswoman The Chautauqua encomshypassed every subject from religion to suffrage child care and anything at all that would interest the family

To spice this particular Chautauqua Ross came up with the idea of building a 250 wooden platform with its far end hanging over the bluff on the river side The intent was to fly the airplane from this platform and fly it he did for many performances Descriptions of the flight states that the airplane labored uphill gained speed and disappeared from the end of the platform in what must have been a free fall until it gained flying speed leveling out some safe distance above the river then circling back over the Chautauqua area like a peacock preening its feathers It must have been a supreme thrill for all to witness There was no possible way to land at the Chautauqua area so Ross would cross the river to the Illinois side and land on a road at the ferry The plane would then be disassembled hauled back across the river pulled back up the winding road to the bluff for its next days operation

I n the eyes of the Chautauqua attendance Ross was no doubt walking mighty tall despite his slight stature It was quite common practice for the Johnson airplane to be engaged for fairs etc at which time it generally flew off the racetrack Evidently by this time a standard stunt

This monoplane piloted by Ross Smith flew off the Merom Bluff daily August 22-37 7973 during the Chautauqua

This was the view from the Merom Bluff The picture is deceiving for it was 750 down to the water Note the Ferry cars and buggies waiting to cross and climb the winding road up the bluff This is the view Ross Smith had as he literally dove his plane off the platform without adequate flying speed The result was a near free fall with flying speed gained in time to narrowly miss striking the water below The flight was enacted daily to please the crowd

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-

Ross Smith preparing for an exhibition flight Note man with ladder at right below wing It was a tall gear and a long climb to mount this machine

had been for the airplane to race a car on the track Dirt track races being part of almost every fair there was always someone present willing to race At one such event it states that Speed in the air and on land thrills thousands Aviator Ross L Smith and Speed King Wild Bob Burman held first place in the hearts of sensation lovers for the wild thrills they gave the thousands at the fairgrounds on Sunday Taking off from the track Ross flew around the track circled the infield and landed directly in front of thegrandstand amid the applause of thousands As an additional build up to the race Burman took Ross for a ride in his 300 hp Blitzen Benz and proceeded to smash the world record for a mile on a half mile dirt track breaking his own former record His

speed was just over 60 mph but this meant that 80 mph must have been his speed on the straight away On the first lap he gave Ross a thrill by hitting the turn too fast and almost losing control in a skid Evidently Ross did not appreciate the ride for when Burman said he would go up with him in his plane Ross calmly said that if he did he would get pushed out Burman of course immeshydiately changed his mind Evidently this was the last of Burmans summer appearances and he was going to spend his time readying himself for the 500 mile motor speedway event He had held the lead the previous year until his machine caught fire and burned while he was many laps ahead

As to the race between the airplane and the car the

airplane invariably won all events in spite of the fact that the cars appeared to be going faster Speed in the air does not seem to be speed compared to a roaring monster of an auto spewing exhaust and throwing large clods of dirt as it rounds every corner Smith evidently thrilled the crowd with a simple thing that today would be called a touch and go Newspaper emotes over the fact that even the French exhibition flyers had not done such a thing stating that Ross had no trouble at all in thrilling the crowd In another engagement it states that Ross L Smith will pilot the Johnson brothers monshyoplane during the Corn Week Show sponsored by the Rotary Club of Terre Haute The big thrill of this event was to be a flight down Wabash Avenue between the

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buildings just above the street car wires It was stated it would be the first time in history that an aviator would attempt such a dangerous feat The plane was to be brought down until the wheels barely cleared the wires then proceed west down the street to the Court House where the plan was to circle the big dome I n a flair of penmanship the author writes it will be unusual for a businessman to see the wings of an airplane almost brushing the windows of his building He further states the trip will be a dangerous one but the aviator and the builders of the machine have such faith in the monshyoplane that they believe that both will stand the test

I n a later account where Smith was engaged to fly an exhibition over Elsworth he decided to give them a new thrill and go for altitude With much circling he reached dizzying height of 2000 where he passed through a cloud bank that confused him for a short time On recovering from the confusion he found himself at 1000 (he invented vertigo no dOUbt)

In still another account it states the Johnson monshyoplane gave one of the best exh ib itions of the art of flying it has been our pleasure to witness There were no death defying stunts just plain flying

The monoplane took off on the back stretch of the race track and for 30 minutes circled dived swooped and turned running up and down the valley for several miles It states the limited space in which he had to land caused him some trouble He had failed to make the first descent (made a go-around - probably the first) When finally on the ground Aviator Ross stated it was the hardest day to fly on he had ever experienced as the air seemed dead and no breeze whatsoever was stirring Density altitude)

About the year 1913 Ross was running out of tricks the bag was getting empty so he decided to scoop them all He announced that he would like to fly the Atlantic and from all records it appears that he was the first to have such serious ideas He was at least 19 years ahead of his time He proposed to fly the flimsy Johnson airplane across the Atlantic alone - a statement that makes Lindshyberghs remarks an echo of the past He approached the Navy Department and asked them to place 10 battleshysh ips at intervals of 300 miles apart figuring that th is would be the maximum load of gasoline possible to carry The Navy of course refused considering the flight across the Atlantic as only a hair brained scheme The Government was not very interested in flying at this time and their decision was certainly not a surprise

~

Evening flights from the field were customary

Ross did not remain silent on this issue and at a later time stated in print when the Atlantic is crossed it will be by a flying boat and not a dirigible

In reading the history of these days all of the emshyphasis on long range travel was transfered to the gas bag History proved Ross to be 100 right and the Navys NC4s were the first to fly across

To further add hues of color to his career Ross was perhaps the first American aviator to get an offer from a foreign government and probably one of the first conceptions of military aviation was born President Huerta of Mexico offered him a high ranking position in the Mexican Army if he would organize an air force for them Ross immediately declined Poncho Villa who was then the bad boy of Mexico and conducting what we would call today Guerilla attack tried to make Ross a better offer of $2000 a month in gold to do the same thing for his side Ross declined that too Time proved how wise he was in declining this offer for one of his best friends was killed - not while he was flying but by Villas own men Four of Rosss friends had decided to fly for Villa but when weeks went by and they received no pay they drew straws to see who would confront Villa with the facts Mickey McGuire (the wild Irish Rose of the skies) was unlucky enough to get the job and foolish enough to make the attempt He faced the illiterate General in his tent and asked for the money

The General promptly whipped out a 45 caliper pistol and shot McGuire through the heart In revenge the remaining three proceeded to burn Villas airplanes saving one to make their escape in They successfully flew that one back to the United States

This was not Rosss last encounter with Army life As World War I came along there were but 50 flyers availshyable for instructors in the US He was one that formed the nucleus of the great Flying Corps This group was called on to also perform test pilot functions and in their vernacular did nose dives tail spins and no doubt were the first creators of aerobatic flying in this country This was no doubt a cup of tea for our adventuresome Mr Ross captivated the services and the record that he established was remarkable General Andrews commenshyded Ross with a citation ending it with a comment Seven years without a serious mishap Ross lived a long and successful life and became very well known in Wash ington and for years was Public Relations Manager for the Hot Shopps a food chain in the East He lived a full life and died on February 19 1959 For an advenshyturesome person who lead such a colorful life and seemingly knew no fear he must have also been blessed with skill and a great amount of common sense In the Hot Shopps Company magazine from which some of this material was gleaned they coined an epitaph for him stating simply An amazing man ~

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FIELD TO AGAIN LEARN THAT MACHINES TEST MUST AGAIN BE DELAYED - the Johnson brothers made no attempt to fly this afternoon It is reported that they would make their initial attempt to scale the clouds today A crowd followed in the wake of the rumor and by 200 this afternoon many people swarmshyed down from the meadow

When the Johnson machine was wheeled out at 2 00 it was found by the inventors that an important set of springs were too weak These will be strengthened and it is probable that the apparatus will not be taken out of the tent again until Tuesday of the coming week

Two of the brothers hurried to Terre Haute this aftershynoon as soon as the defect in the machine was discovshyered They will return to the camp Sunday and begin adjustment

_ F A ~~

Sunday August 141910

BROTHER AVIATORS DELAY DEMONSTRATION AGAIN PART OF MACHINE USED IN MAKING LANDING GETS OUT OF ORDER SECOND TIME shythough delayed again in their preparation for the initial flight of the first airplane ever manufactured in Terre Haute the Johnson boys Louis Julius and Harry went to work to remedy the defect which made necessary the postponement of their flight for the second time The defects which they are now forced to repair causes no despair in the Johnson boys or lessens their faith that the machine will fly after they are completed

We have encountered no difficulty whatever as yet which would in any way interfere with the successful flight of the machine said one of the boys Saturday The trouble is only in the wheels and supporting spring those parts of the machine which are used to make a landing on and the defect is not curious in any way though it does take some time to make the necessary changes

The intention of the trio was to fly Saturday and the day was ideal but it was decided at the last minute that the chances of flying and making a safe landing would involve too great a risk

Louis the eldest of the Johnson brothers said to a Tribune representative Saturday I am sorry that we could not fly today In the first place the weather is ideal and in the second place when the statement that we have been halted again appears in print a great many people will believe that the machine is a failure As for us we are certain as we have been all along that the airplane will fly

Ii ~~

Monday August 15 1910

JOHNSON PROMISES TO MAKE AIRPLANE TRIP WEDNESDAY BROTHERS OCCUPY ENTIRE DAY REPAIRING CARRYING TRUCK OF HEAVIER THAN AIR MACHINE - the work of getting ready the remodeled parts of the carrying truck for the airplane occupied the day of the Johnson boys at their work shop on 10th Street on Monday The men expect to have their work completed and will take their remodshyeled parts to the camp near Blackhawk Tuesday eveshyning

Louis Johnson said Monday that they expect to have everything in readiness for the trial by Wednesday One man has been left at the camp while the others came to their home in Terre Haute over Sunday

qp tt ~~

Friday August 19 1910

JOHNSONS WAIT WEATHER FOR FIRST TEST OF FLYER HUGE MONOPLANE GIVES EVERY EVshyIDENCE OF BEING FULLY CAPABLE OF NAVshyIGATING THE AIR - the initial flight of the Johnson monoplane was scheduled to take place Friday aftershynoon but a strong wind swept over the field here and made the test impossible The huge flyer waits serenely for the first chance to take to the air having been thoroughly tested on the ground

Friday afternoon the monoplane was staked to the ground headed into the wind and the engine turned on for the purpose of determining her power Under full speed the flyer acquired the full strength of the helpers to keep her from leaping upward At half speed the power developed was not sufficient to convince the builders that the test would be a success in the wind as it is their desire to fly first under half power leaving the remainder for reserve while in the air

After the test of the engine Louis Johnson expressed himself as being unsatisfied with the condition of the engine and propeller

E ~~

Saturday August 201910

JOHNSON SHIP REFUSES TO QUIT TERRA FIRMA ENGINE FAILS TO DEVELOP SUFFICIENT SPEED

TO LIFT MACHINE INTO AIR - the Johnson brothers have made half a dozen attempts to fly the monoplane upon which they have worked for so many months and in none have they succeeded in getting the big machine into the air

Three times Friday they turned the big propeller under high speed and freed the machine from all restraints At a rate of about 12 mph it tore down a rough field only to be stopped at the limit of the course without having raised from the ground Three of these efforts were made before and three after alterations had been made to the propeller Saturday morning the Johnshysons were not disheartened or discouraged they had come to the realization that they were not as far advancshyed in the building of the machine as they had thought Their attention was turned to alterations that were expected to have a decided affect on the plane and also to the grounds upon which they were flying The aviashytion camp is located on exceedingly poor grounds It is rough and full of ruts and so soft that the tired wheels sink to 1 to 3 in it when the machine is started _Those who have watched the attempts to fly are of the opinion that the nature of the grounds is largely responsible for the failures as it is impossible to start the machine at a pace that will make it rise Whether the Johnsons will move or prepare a smoother runway is a question that has not yet been determined The three efforts to fly Saturday morning were made early while the sun was rising and the wind was low A fairly steady breeze from the south made it necessary to drive the machine up a slight grade into the wind but this was not sufficiently a factor to which to attribute a failure to rise The monoshyplane failed to fly simply because it did not have enough power to raise it from the ground There is no speed indicator in the camp and it is impossible to tell at what rate the propeller is revolved but several have estimated it at about 900 rpm 1500 rpm is considered necessary for success and the Johnsons may have to make radical changes in the propeller before making the desired speed_

Saturday evening before a large crowd they started the engine three times and raced down the field with Louis Johnson in the machine The first was probably the best of all the trials The monoplane attained a good rate of speed but it did not leave the ground The buildshyers decided the trouble was due to the size of the propelshyler and they cut it down several inches The result was the engine operated faster and more smoothly but it was by no means as speedy as necessary and the test made established that more alterations were necessary espicially if attempts to fly are from the present locashytions

20

~ t_F ~~

Sunday August 211910

FOUR DEVOTEES OF AERONAUTICS MAINTAIN CHEERFULNESS IN FACE OF PARTIAL DISshyAPPOINTMENT WAITING FOR CALM JOHNSONS ADVANCE IN CONQUERING AIR SIX TRIALS OF MONOPLANE PROVE MANY THEORIES CORRECT BUT BRING PARTIAL DISAPPOINTMENT LOW SPEED PROPELLER PROVES TOO WEAK TO RAISE WEIGHT DIFFICULTIES AT FIELD AND APPLICAshyTION OF MOTORS ENERGY PRESENT PROBLEMS THAT MUST YIELD BEFORE PERSEVERENCE - Sunshyday the Johnson brothers who are now so earnestly engaged in the attempt to fly a monoplane in the old canal basin near Blackhawk are going to demonstrate that they can build a high power low speed motor fully adapted to the needs of the aviator

Just now they are encountering difficulties that would discourage many with a patience that means success they are working under handicaps that appear as insurmountable but must give way before their detershymination

Saturday morning the last of six attempts to make their machine leave terra firma failed and they went back to their tent disappointed after two weeks of the hardest kind of labor In spite of the cheerful attitude they assumed there was an air of disappointment all around the camp and even the jokes of the jolly party did not dispel it

The disappointment lay not so much in the fact that the machine failed to leave the ground in its trials as in the evidence that higher speed would be necessary for the proper operation of the motor It is the object of the Johnsons to develop a motor that will run a monoplane without the terrific speed common to those in use If they succeed in securing one of this type they have a fortune at their command They do not desire to construct an airplane merely for the purpose of flying If they did they could easily obtain the pattern of the Wright brothers machine or other machines and build accordingly or they could purchase a machine at less cost and trouble than they have encountered But having as their object the development of a low speed motor the failure of the one now in use to do the work expected was disappointing Although it whirled the propeller at a speed that astonished the spectators it was not operated at a rate of which it is capable but at a rate very much lower and which the builders hope would be sufficient for its purpose

Consequently when the speed attained by the motor in the first trials Friday proved insufficient one of the hopes of the Johnsons was dashed

Reluctantly they cut down the size of the propeller knowing that every inch shaved from it would increase the speed of the engine Two inches all around were sacrificed in the desire to raise the skybird and the result was a perceptible increase in the number of revolushytions and consequently a steadier engine Some consolashyLIon was offered by the fact that even with the reduced propeller there was little vibration noticeable about the machine

Late Friday night the airplane was run out of its tent and the motor started The effect was extraordinary and the hopes of the Johnsons that they had accomplished their purpose ran high Saturday morning early the fourth attempt to fly and the first with the reduced propeller was made

Whether the alterations had any effect on the raising power of the motor was difficult to determine because of the conditions under which the trial was made A steady breeze from the south made it necessary to start the machine from the north end of the field at the foot of the small incline and on ground that was wet and soft The machine behaved no better than before bllt whether it was due to the propeller the grade or the soft ground was a question the Johnsons were not ready to answer To eliminate the grade is almost impossible To wait for a more favorable wind is nerve racking yet the Johnsons will have to do all of these things before making sure that they have the propeller rightly proporshytioned for the task

Whatever may be determined regarding the propeller it remains that the Johnsons have demonstrated an engine that is remarkable for its power and speed combined with its steadiness and construction The motor is of the 2 cycle type 4 cylinders This means that an explosion occurs in each cylinder just twice as often as in the more common 4 cycle 4 cylinder type More power is the result and 75 hp is the indication This is accomplished by combining the Johnson patent valve with cylinders set at an angle of 1800 and big carburetors The patent valve is one on which the men have worked for a long time and they have shown by it a method of allowing more gas to enter the cylinders withshyout increasing the size of the valve a point of corisidershyable value in construction Then they have obtained a motor that will run at great speed and create so little vibration that it scarcely causes a tremor in the light wooden frame of the airship All in all the motor has conducted itself in a manner that is deemed most satisfactory It is applying it to the airplane that has

proven the puzzle and that is the very point the Johnshysons are seeking

The Johnson monoplane will fly because it is constructed on the proper principles for flight That it has not been successfully launched as yet is due to two things - the experience in designing and operating of the men in control of it and the unfavorable conditions under which the trials have been made Both of these points will be overcome in time While they are eliminatshying the unfavorable conditions they are learning from experience the points they have overlooked in designing and they are learning rapidly how to operate it

The story of the construction of the Johnson monoshyplane is one of hard work and persistent effort The Johllsons have had no teacher in the art They have studied much observed a great deal and gathered from experience a great deal more than the average man will ever know about airplanes No one realizes more than they that there is a great deal more to be learned That is why after months of work they took their machine to the Blackhawk basin It was two weeks ago today that they arrived there and since that time they have fought mosquitos malaria and rain in a most credible effort to work out the theories they have formed It is not a pleasant task but one that requires thought constant experiment and careful reasoning They are not particshyularly interested in what the public thinks about their work They want to apply the Johnson motor to aeroshynautics

As one enters the aviation field he is greeted by a sign that reads Welcome - Outside the Tent The sign is expressive of the attitude of the Johnson boys They are willing that anyone watch them at work free about giving information when asked but they promise nothing and consequently are not responsible for the disappointment of the many who have come to see them fly and have left without that satisfaction

Julius Johnson expressed their attitude well when he said while waiting for a wind to subside we have waited a year to get to this point with the machine and we can afford to wait another day rather than run the chances of breaking up the airplane

Last weeks activity at the camp became intensive Thursday morning when the machine was run out of its protection for the first time the frame buckled This was immediately repaired and trials of the engine and frame made that evening Friday three unsuccessful attempts to raise the machine were made and Saturday with an altered propeller three more efforts brought no better success

When the last visitor departed from the aviation field Thursday night the Johnsons rested content with their

21

preparations for a flight on the early morning air Time work until as the crowd left the field Thursday night noon for further tests to be made solely on the ability of and again the builders had been disappointed in not they saw the end of the last bit of preparation for an air the machine to lift It is expected that the trial will1ake having it ready for flight at the time agreed upon Little test place about an hour before sunset No effort at flightweaknesses that could not be foreseen became apparent While it has been disappointing to visit the aviation will be made at this time the test being confined to when the machine was started across the rough field had field and fail to witness an attempt to fly the chagrin of determining the buoyancy of the machine its balance yielded one by one to careful attention and ingenuity the Johnson brothers and Pearl Conover has been and general fitness for flight Every nut and bolt on the unwieldly looking skybird had greater Living in a single big tent pitched in a malaria been inspected and found in first class condition The breeding district pestered by insects and blistered with rt _ alterations made necessary by faulty calculations as to the heat they have put up with all kinds of inconvenshy ~~ weight and pressure on the running gear were completed iences since leaving Terre Haute and every hours delay and the new woodwork covered with a preserving paint In the center of the structure the light but powerful engine shown in polished brilliancy Just in front of it the big propeller built of many pieces and smoothed to a surface like glass was perfect to the last detail A sliver that had been knocked from it was replaced with cement and its bearing was as true as science could make it Stretching away on each side for 16 were ribbed wings on which so much depends each without a flaw or scratch At their tips hung the balancing planes so delicately fitted that the slightest movement of the operator was reflected by a changed position To the eye the machine was perfect and the builders who worked so patiently at last were satisfied it was ready for its initial trip

It now appeared that nothing stood in the way of a thorough demonstration but the Johnson brothers were doomed to meet another disappointment Under its power for the first time Louis Johnson drove the airship down the field from the tent in which it had been housed Three of the four cylinders were in operation yet it was evident that the Johnson motor was suffishyciently powerful for the purposes of the craft At speed that hurried those who accompanied it the aircraft ran along over the rough ground with little or no vibration from the motor and a steadiness that spelled success Four men hung to it with their weight keeping it from mounting the air while the driver accustomed himself to the situation and watched the engine and the plane

This was the final test of the monoplane before it was entrusted to the element for which it was constructed This test fully demonstrated that the care bestowed upon its construction was not misplaced There was not a flaw noticeable in any of its moving parts There was nothing about its action that indicated a single weakness But one thing marred the success of this test and Thursshyday night saw that one point corrected The long body or frame that extends from the plane to the rudder on the tail was not sufficiently strong to stand the strain of alighting from a height as was shown in its action during this test Immediately the builders prepared to strengthshyen it and all day Thursday they worked on this one part rebracing and adding to the solidity of this frame

has been bitter to them Malaria sent Clarence Johnson the youngest of the camp back to the city unfit to be about Mr Conover succumbed to it one day but was able to throw off the attack The Johnson brothers have all felt the effect of life in the camp and as Louis Johnshyson expressed it Are dead anxious to get to doing something

- shy~~ Monday October 10 1910 MONOPLANE JUSTIFIES EFFORTS OF JOHNSONS AIRCRAFT GOES INTO AIR SEVERAL TIMES AT TESTS MADE SUNDAY- after many weeks of quite work at their camp on the old reservoir prairie 3 miles east of Blackhawk in an effort to perfect the airplane which when first tried out was found to be lacking in a few particulars Louis Harry and Julius Johnson the inventors and builders of the Johnson Bros airplane succeeded in making several lifts with the aircraft at tests made Sunday evening Three tests were made and it was on the third one that the machine lifted from the ground Several times the craft raised for distances of from 15 to 20 Though the height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time this fact was rather to lack in certain details than because the airplane could not raise higher

The craft exhibited a wonderful buoyancy for the test and tended to leave the ground at all times higher than it was allowed to However necessity for certain corrections was manifested before a flight could be safely made and to avoid possible wrecking of the machine it was held down at all times

An assistant of the Johnson boys in their efforts toward perfecting the machine stated Monday that an idea of buoyancy of the machine could be gained from the fact that when starting on the soft dirt just previous to the test that it would leave no track in the soft dirt but that when being brought back for a second test it would plow back into the soil for a depth of 6

Preparations were almost completed Monday after-

Tuesday October II 1910 JOHNSON GIVES EXPRESSION TO SATISFACTION WITH PLANE TEST CONTINUED TO OCCUpy TIME OF BROTHERS AT AVIATION FIELD - Louis Johnson the elder of the Johnson brothers builders of the Johnson Monoplane spent Tuesday in Terre Haute looking after business matters The other two brothers Julius and Harry are at the aviation field making a few required minor changes in the mechanism preparatory to attempting a flight Wednesday or Thursday

Louis will return to the field Tuesday evening to be ready to sit at the wheel of the machine in the initial attempt at flight

We have gone far enough now to see through to the end and we now know that the theory which we have been working is the right one We will fly within a few days possible Wednesday or Thursday The changes now being made are only minor adjustments which were seen to be necessary in our tests as to the lifting power of the machine

-shy~~ Editors Note

The brothers apparently abandoned the attempts to make the 1910 airplane fly shortly after this in October 1910 and started work on an improved design which was successful in the summer of 1911 Between the end of October and the middle of July 1911 they built an entirely new airplane but used the same power plant that had been used in the 1910 version The new airplane was radically different in design using basically a metal framework cloth covered wings and cloth covered tail surfaces which were supported on a single aluminum boom It had a tricycle gear as contrasted with the conventional gear in the 1910 plane It had wing-warping in place of the moveable surfaces at the tips of the wings steerable nose wheel and brakes and many other engineering refinements~

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Ross Smith had never seen an airplane and was attractshyed to one ofthe public displays of the Johnson monoplane the practice being a charge of 25cent to see it in the tent to help alleviate the costs The plane had barely flown and excitement was running high Ross evidently took one look at it and said thats for me Its hard to guess how he convinced the Johnsons that he should take a hand at it however it is very possible that he was the only one with enough nerve and the J ohnsons had spent a great deal of theirs A bird in the hand at this point was probably welcome According to the records the

motor was started and Ross ran the plane up and down the field for some half hour experimenting with the controls learning how to use the throttle steering the airplane accelerating until it was light Evidently Ross had figured play ti me was over and the description states suddenly the plane shot forward and then rose graceshyfully into the air His very first flight lasted for 30 minutes and he thrilled the onlookers as he flew back and forth over the field (I nstructors take note - how many students would you turn loose in a better machine of today with 30 minutes of instruction)

Barely two days atter Rosss first flight he launched into the professional flying ranks in a big way He immeshydiately received an offer from his home town of Mattoon Illinois to engage in some demonstration flights and was paid for three flights at $50000 per flight Airplanes were so rare in these days that people paid to look at them and in most cases such flights were initiated by promotors seeking a quick fortune You would believe that flying such an airplane was enough of a daredevil stunt but not for our friend Ross He managed to concoct stunts that even from this distance

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in time seem absolutely ridiculous Daredevil is too mild a word One of his next exploits was an engagement to fly the monoplane during a 10 day Chautauqua Now for you youngsters youll have to run to the dictionary however Ill save you the effort The name Chautauqua originated in New York where some wise promoter startshyed an educational summer camp Families took their vacations very similar to those going to Oshkosh for the week long fly-in lived in tents in a large tent community that attracted as many as 50000 people during its run This particular Chautauqua that contracted for Rosss services with the Johnson airplane was at Merom Bluff Indiana a high point on the Wabash River The bluff was in Sullivan County and stood 150 above the river on one side while the opposite side fell to flat farm land going away from the river in a flat plain Th is particular Chautauqua was obviously one of great importance for the midwest and attractions included William Jennings Bryan Senator Robert LaFollette William Howard Taft former President of the United States Vice President Thomas R Marshall a gal named Maude Ballington Booth discussing prison reform John Temple Graves a noted orator of the time and Jeanette Rankin the first American Congresswoman The Chautauqua encomshypassed every subject from religion to suffrage child care and anything at all that would interest the family

To spice this particular Chautauqua Ross came up with the idea of building a 250 wooden platform with its far end hanging over the bluff on the river side The intent was to fly the airplane from this platform and fly it he did for many performances Descriptions of the flight states that the airplane labored uphill gained speed and disappeared from the end of the platform in what must have been a free fall until it gained flying speed leveling out some safe distance above the river then circling back over the Chautauqua area like a peacock preening its feathers It must have been a supreme thrill for all to witness There was no possible way to land at the Chautauqua area so Ross would cross the river to the Illinois side and land on a road at the ferry The plane would then be disassembled hauled back across the river pulled back up the winding road to the bluff for its next days operation

I n the eyes of the Chautauqua attendance Ross was no doubt walking mighty tall despite his slight stature It was quite common practice for the Johnson airplane to be engaged for fairs etc at which time it generally flew off the racetrack Evidently by this time a standard stunt

This monoplane piloted by Ross Smith flew off the Merom Bluff daily August 22-37 7973 during the Chautauqua

This was the view from the Merom Bluff The picture is deceiving for it was 750 down to the water Note the Ferry cars and buggies waiting to cross and climb the winding road up the bluff This is the view Ross Smith had as he literally dove his plane off the platform without adequate flying speed The result was a near free fall with flying speed gained in time to narrowly miss striking the water below The flight was enacted daily to please the crowd

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-

Ross Smith preparing for an exhibition flight Note man with ladder at right below wing It was a tall gear and a long climb to mount this machine

had been for the airplane to race a car on the track Dirt track races being part of almost every fair there was always someone present willing to race At one such event it states that Speed in the air and on land thrills thousands Aviator Ross L Smith and Speed King Wild Bob Burman held first place in the hearts of sensation lovers for the wild thrills they gave the thousands at the fairgrounds on Sunday Taking off from the track Ross flew around the track circled the infield and landed directly in front of thegrandstand amid the applause of thousands As an additional build up to the race Burman took Ross for a ride in his 300 hp Blitzen Benz and proceeded to smash the world record for a mile on a half mile dirt track breaking his own former record His

speed was just over 60 mph but this meant that 80 mph must have been his speed on the straight away On the first lap he gave Ross a thrill by hitting the turn too fast and almost losing control in a skid Evidently Ross did not appreciate the ride for when Burman said he would go up with him in his plane Ross calmly said that if he did he would get pushed out Burman of course immeshydiately changed his mind Evidently this was the last of Burmans summer appearances and he was going to spend his time readying himself for the 500 mile motor speedway event He had held the lead the previous year until his machine caught fire and burned while he was many laps ahead

As to the race between the airplane and the car the

airplane invariably won all events in spite of the fact that the cars appeared to be going faster Speed in the air does not seem to be speed compared to a roaring monster of an auto spewing exhaust and throwing large clods of dirt as it rounds every corner Smith evidently thrilled the crowd with a simple thing that today would be called a touch and go Newspaper emotes over the fact that even the French exhibition flyers had not done such a thing stating that Ross had no trouble at all in thrilling the crowd In another engagement it states that Ross L Smith will pilot the Johnson brothers monshyoplane during the Corn Week Show sponsored by the Rotary Club of Terre Haute The big thrill of this event was to be a flight down Wabash Avenue between the

25

buildings just above the street car wires It was stated it would be the first time in history that an aviator would attempt such a dangerous feat The plane was to be brought down until the wheels barely cleared the wires then proceed west down the street to the Court House where the plan was to circle the big dome I n a flair of penmanship the author writes it will be unusual for a businessman to see the wings of an airplane almost brushing the windows of his building He further states the trip will be a dangerous one but the aviator and the builders of the machine have such faith in the monshyoplane that they believe that both will stand the test

I n a later account where Smith was engaged to fly an exhibition over Elsworth he decided to give them a new thrill and go for altitude With much circling he reached dizzying height of 2000 where he passed through a cloud bank that confused him for a short time On recovering from the confusion he found himself at 1000 (he invented vertigo no dOUbt)

In still another account it states the Johnson monshyoplane gave one of the best exh ib itions of the art of flying it has been our pleasure to witness There were no death defying stunts just plain flying

The monoplane took off on the back stretch of the race track and for 30 minutes circled dived swooped and turned running up and down the valley for several miles It states the limited space in which he had to land caused him some trouble He had failed to make the first descent (made a go-around - probably the first) When finally on the ground Aviator Ross stated it was the hardest day to fly on he had ever experienced as the air seemed dead and no breeze whatsoever was stirring Density altitude)

About the year 1913 Ross was running out of tricks the bag was getting empty so he decided to scoop them all He announced that he would like to fly the Atlantic and from all records it appears that he was the first to have such serious ideas He was at least 19 years ahead of his time He proposed to fly the flimsy Johnson airplane across the Atlantic alone - a statement that makes Lindshyberghs remarks an echo of the past He approached the Navy Department and asked them to place 10 battleshysh ips at intervals of 300 miles apart figuring that th is would be the maximum load of gasoline possible to carry The Navy of course refused considering the flight across the Atlantic as only a hair brained scheme The Government was not very interested in flying at this time and their decision was certainly not a surprise

~

Evening flights from the field were customary

Ross did not remain silent on this issue and at a later time stated in print when the Atlantic is crossed it will be by a flying boat and not a dirigible

In reading the history of these days all of the emshyphasis on long range travel was transfered to the gas bag History proved Ross to be 100 right and the Navys NC4s were the first to fly across

To further add hues of color to his career Ross was perhaps the first American aviator to get an offer from a foreign government and probably one of the first conceptions of military aviation was born President Huerta of Mexico offered him a high ranking position in the Mexican Army if he would organize an air force for them Ross immediately declined Poncho Villa who was then the bad boy of Mexico and conducting what we would call today Guerilla attack tried to make Ross a better offer of $2000 a month in gold to do the same thing for his side Ross declined that too Time proved how wise he was in declining this offer for one of his best friends was killed - not while he was flying but by Villas own men Four of Rosss friends had decided to fly for Villa but when weeks went by and they received no pay they drew straws to see who would confront Villa with the facts Mickey McGuire (the wild Irish Rose of the skies) was unlucky enough to get the job and foolish enough to make the attempt He faced the illiterate General in his tent and asked for the money

The General promptly whipped out a 45 caliper pistol and shot McGuire through the heart In revenge the remaining three proceeded to burn Villas airplanes saving one to make their escape in They successfully flew that one back to the United States

This was not Rosss last encounter with Army life As World War I came along there were but 50 flyers availshyable for instructors in the US He was one that formed the nucleus of the great Flying Corps This group was called on to also perform test pilot functions and in their vernacular did nose dives tail spins and no doubt were the first creators of aerobatic flying in this country This was no doubt a cup of tea for our adventuresome Mr Ross captivated the services and the record that he established was remarkable General Andrews commenshyded Ross with a citation ending it with a comment Seven years without a serious mishap Ross lived a long and successful life and became very well known in Wash ington and for years was Public Relations Manager for the Hot Shopps a food chain in the East He lived a full life and died on February 19 1959 For an advenshyturesome person who lead such a colorful life and seemingly knew no fear he must have also been blessed with skill and a great amount of common sense In the Hot Shopps Company magazine from which some of this material was gleaned they coined an epitaph for him stating simply An amazing man ~

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~ t_F ~~

Sunday August 211910

FOUR DEVOTEES OF AERONAUTICS MAINTAIN CHEERFULNESS IN FACE OF PARTIAL DISshyAPPOINTMENT WAITING FOR CALM JOHNSONS ADVANCE IN CONQUERING AIR SIX TRIALS OF MONOPLANE PROVE MANY THEORIES CORRECT BUT BRING PARTIAL DISAPPOINTMENT LOW SPEED PROPELLER PROVES TOO WEAK TO RAISE WEIGHT DIFFICULTIES AT FIELD AND APPLICAshyTION OF MOTORS ENERGY PRESENT PROBLEMS THAT MUST YIELD BEFORE PERSEVERENCE - Sunshyday the Johnson brothers who are now so earnestly engaged in the attempt to fly a monoplane in the old canal basin near Blackhawk are going to demonstrate that they can build a high power low speed motor fully adapted to the needs of the aviator

Just now they are encountering difficulties that would discourage many with a patience that means success they are working under handicaps that appear as insurmountable but must give way before their detershymination

Saturday morning the last of six attempts to make their machine leave terra firma failed and they went back to their tent disappointed after two weeks of the hardest kind of labor In spite of the cheerful attitude they assumed there was an air of disappointment all around the camp and even the jokes of the jolly party did not dispel it

The disappointment lay not so much in the fact that the machine failed to leave the ground in its trials as in the evidence that higher speed would be necessary for the proper operation of the motor It is the object of the Johnsons to develop a motor that will run a monoplane without the terrific speed common to those in use If they succeed in securing one of this type they have a fortune at their command They do not desire to construct an airplane merely for the purpose of flying If they did they could easily obtain the pattern of the Wright brothers machine or other machines and build accordingly or they could purchase a machine at less cost and trouble than they have encountered But having as their object the development of a low speed motor the failure of the one now in use to do the work expected was disappointing Although it whirled the propeller at a speed that astonished the spectators it was not operated at a rate of which it is capable but at a rate very much lower and which the builders hope would be sufficient for its purpose

Consequently when the speed attained by the motor in the first trials Friday proved insufficient one of the hopes of the Johnsons was dashed

Reluctantly they cut down the size of the propeller knowing that every inch shaved from it would increase the speed of the engine Two inches all around were sacrificed in the desire to raise the skybird and the result was a perceptible increase in the number of revolushytions and consequently a steadier engine Some consolashyLIon was offered by the fact that even with the reduced propeller there was little vibration noticeable about the machine

Late Friday night the airplane was run out of its tent and the motor started The effect was extraordinary and the hopes of the Johnsons that they had accomplished their purpose ran high Saturday morning early the fourth attempt to fly and the first with the reduced propeller was made

Whether the alterations had any effect on the raising power of the motor was difficult to determine because of the conditions under which the trial was made A steady breeze from the south made it necessary to start the machine from the north end of the field at the foot of the small incline and on ground that was wet and soft The machine behaved no better than before bllt whether it was due to the propeller the grade or the soft ground was a question the Johnsons were not ready to answer To eliminate the grade is almost impossible To wait for a more favorable wind is nerve racking yet the Johnsons will have to do all of these things before making sure that they have the propeller rightly proporshytioned for the task

Whatever may be determined regarding the propeller it remains that the Johnsons have demonstrated an engine that is remarkable for its power and speed combined with its steadiness and construction The motor is of the 2 cycle type 4 cylinders This means that an explosion occurs in each cylinder just twice as often as in the more common 4 cycle 4 cylinder type More power is the result and 75 hp is the indication This is accomplished by combining the Johnson patent valve with cylinders set at an angle of 1800 and big carburetors The patent valve is one on which the men have worked for a long time and they have shown by it a method of allowing more gas to enter the cylinders withshyout increasing the size of the valve a point of corisidershyable value in construction Then they have obtained a motor that will run at great speed and create so little vibration that it scarcely causes a tremor in the light wooden frame of the airship All in all the motor has conducted itself in a manner that is deemed most satisfactory It is applying it to the airplane that has

proven the puzzle and that is the very point the Johnshysons are seeking

The Johnson monoplane will fly because it is constructed on the proper principles for flight That it has not been successfully launched as yet is due to two things - the experience in designing and operating of the men in control of it and the unfavorable conditions under which the trials have been made Both of these points will be overcome in time While they are eliminatshying the unfavorable conditions they are learning from experience the points they have overlooked in designing and they are learning rapidly how to operate it

The story of the construction of the Johnson monoshyplane is one of hard work and persistent effort The Johllsons have had no teacher in the art They have studied much observed a great deal and gathered from experience a great deal more than the average man will ever know about airplanes No one realizes more than they that there is a great deal more to be learned That is why after months of work they took their machine to the Blackhawk basin It was two weeks ago today that they arrived there and since that time they have fought mosquitos malaria and rain in a most credible effort to work out the theories they have formed It is not a pleasant task but one that requires thought constant experiment and careful reasoning They are not particshyularly interested in what the public thinks about their work They want to apply the Johnson motor to aeroshynautics

As one enters the aviation field he is greeted by a sign that reads Welcome - Outside the Tent The sign is expressive of the attitude of the Johnson boys They are willing that anyone watch them at work free about giving information when asked but they promise nothing and consequently are not responsible for the disappointment of the many who have come to see them fly and have left without that satisfaction

Julius Johnson expressed their attitude well when he said while waiting for a wind to subside we have waited a year to get to this point with the machine and we can afford to wait another day rather than run the chances of breaking up the airplane

Last weeks activity at the camp became intensive Thursday morning when the machine was run out of its protection for the first time the frame buckled This was immediately repaired and trials of the engine and frame made that evening Friday three unsuccessful attempts to raise the machine were made and Saturday with an altered propeller three more efforts brought no better success

When the last visitor departed from the aviation field Thursday night the Johnsons rested content with their

21

preparations for a flight on the early morning air Time work until as the crowd left the field Thursday night noon for further tests to be made solely on the ability of and again the builders had been disappointed in not they saw the end of the last bit of preparation for an air the machine to lift It is expected that the trial will1ake having it ready for flight at the time agreed upon Little test place about an hour before sunset No effort at flightweaknesses that could not be foreseen became apparent While it has been disappointing to visit the aviation will be made at this time the test being confined to when the machine was started across the rough field had field and fail to witness an attempt to fly the chagrin of determining the buoyancy of the machine its balance yielded one by one to careful attention and ingenuity the Johnson brothers and Pearl Conover has been and general fitness for flight Every nut and bolt on the unwieldly looking skybird had greater Living in a single big tent pitched in a malaria been inspected and found in first class condition The breeding district pestered by insects and blistered with rt _ alterations made necessary by faulty calculations as to the heat they have put up with all kinds of inconvenshy ~~ weight and pressure on the running gear were completed iences since leaving Terre Haute and every hours delay and the new woodwork covered with a preserving paint In the center of the structure the light but powerful engine shown in polished brilliancy Just in front of it the big propeller built of many pieces and smoothed to a surface like glass was perfect to the last detail A sliver that had been knocked from it was replaced with cement and its bearing was as true as science could make it Stretching away on each side for 16 were ribbed wings on which so much depends each without a flaw or scratch At their tips hung the balancing planes so delicately fitted that the slightest movement of the operator was reflected by a changed position To the eye the machine was perfect and the builders who worked so patiently at last were satisfied it was ready for its initial trip

It now appeared that nothing stood in the way of a thorough demonstration but the Johnson brothers were doomed to meet another disappointment Under its power for the first time Louis Johnson drove the airship down the field from the tent in which it had been housed Three of the four cylinders were in operation yet it was evident that the Johnson motor was suffishyciently powerful for the purposes of the craft At speed that hurried those who accompanied it the aircraft ran along over the rough ground with little or no vibration from the motor and a steadiness that spelled success Four men hung to it with their weight keeping it from mounting the air while the driver accustomed himself to the situation and watched the engine and the plane

This was the final test of the monoplane before it was entrusted to the element for which it was constructed This test fully demonstrated that the care bestowed upon its construction was not misplaced There was not a flaw noticeable in any of its moving parts There was nothing about its action that indicated a single weakness But one thing marred the success of this test and Thursshyday night saw that one point corrected The long body or frame that extends from the plane to the rudder on the tail was not sufficiently strong to stand the strain of alighting from a height as was shown in its action during this test Immediately the builders prepared to strengthshyen it and all day Thursday they worked on this one part rebracing and adding to the solidity of this frame

has been bitter to them Malaria sent Clarence Johnson the youngest of the camp back to the city unfit to be about Mr Conover succumbed to it one day but was able to throw off the attack The Johnson brothers have all felt the effect of life in the camp and as Louis Johnshyson expressed it Are dead anxious to get to doing something

- shy~~ Monday October 10 1910 MONOPLANE JUSTIFIES EFFORTS OF JOHNSONS AIRCRAFT GOES INTO AIR SEVERAL TIMES AT TESTS MADE SUNDAY- after many weeks of quite work at their camp on the old reservoir prairie 3 miles east of Blackhawk in an effort to perfect the airplane which when first tried out was found to be lacking in a few particulars Louis Harry and Julius Johnson the inventors and builders of the Johnson Bros airplane succeeded in making several lifts with the aircraft at tests made Sunday evening Three tests were made and it was on the third one that the machine lifted from the ground Several times the craft raised for distances of from 15 to 20 Though the height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time this fact was rather to lack in certain details than because the airplane could not raise higher

The craft exhibited a wonderful buoyancy for the test and tended to leave the ground at all times higher than it was allowed to However necessity for certain corrections was manifested before a flight could be safely made and to avoid possible wrecking of the machine it was held down at all times

An assistant of the Johnson boys in their efforts toward perfecting the machine stated Monday that an idea of buoyancy of the machine could be gained from the fact that when starting on the soft dirt just previous to the test that it would leave no track in the soft dirt but that when being brought back for a second test it would plow back into the soil for a depth of 6

Preparations were almost completed Monday after-

Tuesday October II 1910 JOHNSON GIVES EXPRESSION TO SATISFACTION WITH PLANE TEST CONTINUED TO OCCUpy TIME OF BROTHERS AT AVIATION FIELD - Louis Johnson the elder of the Johnson brothers builders of the Johnson Monoplane spent Tuesday in Terre Haute looking after business matters The other two brothers Julius and Harry are at the aviation field making a few required minor changes in the mechanism preparatory to attempting a flight Wednesday or Thursday

Louis will return to the field Tuesday evening to be ready to sit at the wheel of the machine in the initial attempt at flight

We have gone far enough now to see through to the end and we now know that the theory which we have been working is the right one We will fly within a few days possible Wednesday or Thursday The changes now being made are only minor adjustments which were seen to be necessary in our tests as to the lifting power of the machine

-shy~~ Editors Note

The brothers apparently abandoned the attempts to make the 1910 airplane fly shortly after this in October 1910 and started work on an improved design which was successful in the summer of 1911 Between the end of October and the middle of July 1911 they built an entirely new airplane but used the same power plant that had been used in the 1910 version The new airplane was radically different in design using basically a metal framework cloth covered wings and cloth covered tail surfaces which were supported on a single aluminum boom It had a tricycle gear as contrasted with the conventional gear in the 1910 plane It had wing-warping in place of the moveable surfaces at the tips of the wings steerable nose wheel and brakes and many other engineering refinements~

22

Ross Smith had never seen an airplane and was attractshyed to one ofthe public displays of the Johnson monoplane the practice being a charge of 25cent to see it in the tent to help alleviate the costs The plane had barely flown and excitement was running high Ross evidently took one look at it and said thats for me Its hard to guess how he convinced the Johnsons that he should take a hand at it however it is very possible that he was the only one with enough nerve and the J ohnsons had spent a great deal of theirs A bird in the hand at this point was probably welcome According to the records the

motor was started and Ross ran the plane up and down the field for some half hour experimenting with the controls learning how to use the throttle steering the airplane accelerating until it was light Evidently Ross had figured play ti me was over and the description states suddenly the plane shot forward and then rose graceshyfully into the air His very first flight lasted for 30 minutes and he thrilled the onlookers as he flew back and forth over the field (I nstructors take note - how many students would you turn loose in a better machine of today with 30 minutes of instruction)

Barely two days atter Rosss first flight he launched into the professional flying ranks in a big way He immeshydiately received an offer from his home town of Mattoon Illinois to engage in some demonstration flights and was paid for three flights at $50000 per flight Airplanes were so rare in these days that people paid to look at them and in most cases such flights were initiated by promotors seeking a quick fortune You would believe that flying such an airplane was enough of a daredevil stunt but not for our friend Ross He managed to concoct stunts that even from this distance

23

in time seem absolutely ridiculous Daredevil is too mild a word One of his next exploits was an engagement to fly the monoplane during a 10 day Chautauqua Now for you youngsters youll have to run to the dictionary however Ill save you the effort The name Chautauqua originated in New York where some wise promoter startshyed an educational summer camp Families took their vacations very similar to those going to Oshkosh for the week long fly-in lived in tents in a large tent community that attracted as many as 50000 people during its run This particular Chautauqua that contracted for Rosss services with the Johnson airplane was at Merom Bluff Indiana a high point on the Wabash River The bluff was in Sullivan County and stood 150 above the river on one side while the opposite side fell to flat farm land going away from the river in a flat plain Th is particular Chautauqua was obviously one of great importance for the midwest and attractions included William Jennings Bryan Senator Robert LaFollette William Howard Taft former President of the United States Vice President Thomas R Marshall a gal named Maude Ballington Booth discussing prison reform John Temple Graves a noted orator of the time and Jeanette Rankin the first American Congresswoman The Chautauqua encomshypassed every subject from religion to suffrage child care and anything at all that would interest the family

To spice this particular Chautauqua Ross came up with the idea of building a 250 wooden platform with its far end hanging over the bluff on the river side The intent was to fly the airplane from this platform and fly it he did for many performances Descriptions of the flight states that the airplane labored uphill gained speed and disappeared from the end of the platform in what must have been a free fall until it gained flying speed leveling out some safe distance above the river then circling back over the Chautauqua area like a peacock preening its feathers It must have been a supreme thrill for all to witness There was no possible way to land at the Chautauqua area so Ross would cross the river to the Illinois side and land on a road at the ferry The plane would then be disassembled hauled back across the river pulled back up the winding road to the bluff for its next days operation

I n the eyes of the Chautauqua attendance Ross was no doubt walking mighty tall despite his slight stature It was quite common practice for the Johnson airplane to be engaged for fairs etc at which time it generally flew off the racetrack Evidently by this time a standard stunt

This monoplane piloted by Ross Smith flew off the Merom Bluff daily August 22-37 7973 during the Chautauqua

This was the view from the Merom Bluff The picture is deceiving for it was 750 down to the water Note the Ferry cars and buggies waiting to cross and climb the winding road up the bluff This is the view Ross Smith had as he literally dove his plane off the platform without adequate flying speed The result was a near free fall with flying speed gained in time to narrowly miss striking the water below The flight was enacted daily to please the crowd

24

-

Ross Smith preparing for an exhibition flight Note man with ladder at right below wing It was a tall gear and a long climb to mount this machine

had been for the airplane to race a car on the track Dirt track races being part of almost every fair there was always someone present willing to race At one such event it states that Speed in the air and on land thrills thousands Aviator Ross L Smith and Speed King Wild Bob Burman held first place in the hearts of sensation lovers for the wild thrills they gave the thousands at the fairgrounds on Sunday Taking off from the track Ross flew around the track circled the infield and landed directly in front of thegrandstand amid the applause of thousands As an additional build up to the race Burman took Ross for a ride in his 300 hp Blitzen Benz and proceeded to smash the world record for a mile on a half mile dirt track breaking his own former record His

speed was just over 60 mph but this meant that 80 mph must have been his speed on the straight away On the first lap he gave Ross a thrill by hitting the turn too fast and almost losing control in a skid Evidently Ross did not appreciate the ride for when Burman said he would go up with him in his plane Ross calmly said that if he did he would get pushed out Burman of course immeshydiately changed his mind Evidently this was the last of Burmans summer appearances and he was going to spend his time readying himself for the 500 mile motor speedway event He had held the lead the previous year until his machine caught fire and burned while he was many laps ahead

As to the race between the airplane and the car the

airplane invariably won all events in spite of the fact that the cars appeared to be going faster Speed in the air does not seem to be speed compared to a roaring monster of an auto spewing exhaust and throwing large clods of dirt as it rounds every corner Smith evidently thrilled the crowd with a simple thing that today would be called a touch and go Newspaper emotes over the fact that even the French exhibition flyers had not done such a thing stating that Ross had no trouble at all in thrilling the crowd In another engagement it states that Ross L Smith will pilot the Johnson brothers monshyoplane during the Corn Week Show sponsored by the Rotary Club of Terre Haute The big thrill of this event was to be a flight down Wabash Avenue between the

25

buildings just above the street car wires It was stated it would be the first time in history that an aviator would attempt such a dangerous feat The plane was to be brought down until the wheels barely cleared the wires then proceed west down the street to the Court House where the plan was to circle the big dome I n a flair of penmanship the author writes it will be unusual for a businessman to see the wings of an airplane almost brushing the windows of his building He further states the trip will be a dangerous one but the aviator and the builders of the machine have such faith in the monshyoplane that they believe that both will stand the test

I n a later account where Smith was engaged to fly an exhibition over Elsworth he decided to give them a new thrill and go for altitude With much circling he reached dizzying height of 2000 where he passed through a cloud bank that confused him for a short time On recovering from the confusion he found himself at 1000 (he invented vertigo no dOUbt)

In still another account it states the Johnson monshyoplane gave one of the best exh ib itions of the art of flying it has been our pleasure to witness There were no death defying stunts just plain flying

The monoplane took off on the back stretch of the race track and for 30 minutes circled dived swooped and turned running up and down the valley for several miles It states the limited space in which he had to land caused him some trouble He had failed to make the first descent (made a go-around - probably the first) When finally on the ground Aviator Ross stated it was the hardest day to fly on he had ever experienced as the air seemed dead and no breeze whatsoever was stirring Density altitude)

About the year 1913 Ross was running out of tricks the bag was getting empty so he decided to scoop them all He announced that he would like to fly the Atlantic and from all records it appears that he was the first to have such serious ideas He was at least 19 years ahead of his time He proposed to fly the flimsy Johnson airplane across the Atlantic alone - a statement that makes Lindshyberghs remarks an echo of the past He approached the Navy Department and asked them to place 10 battleshysh ips at intervals of 300 miles apart figuring that th is would be the maximum load of gasoline possible to carry The Navy of course refused considering the flight across the Atlantic as only a hair brained scheme The Government was not very interested in flying at this time and their decision was certainly not a surprise

~

Evening flights from the field were customary

Ross did not remain silent on this issue and at a later time stated in print when the Atlantic is crossed it will be by a flying boat and not a dirigible

In reading the history of these days all of the emshyphasis on long range travel was transfered to the gas bag History proved Ross to be 100 right and the Navys NC4s were the first to fly across

To further add hues of color to his career Ross was perhaps the first American aviator to get an offer from a foreign government and probably one of the first conceptions of military aviation was born President Huerta of Mexico offered him a high ranking position in the Mexican Army if he would organize an air force for them Ross immediately declined Poncho Villa who was then the bad boy of Mexico and conducting what we would call today Guerilla attack tried to make Ross a better offer of $2000 a month in gold to do the same thing for his side Ross declined that too Time proved how wise he was in declining this offer for one of his best friends was killed - not while he was flying but by Villas own men Four of Rosss friends had decided to fly for Villa but when weeks went by and they received no pay they drew straws to see who would confront Villa with the facts Mickey McGuire (the wild Irish Rose of the skies) was unlucky enough to get the job and foolish enough to make the attempt He faced the illiterate General in his tent and asked for the money

The General promptly whipped out a 45 caliper pistol and shot McGuire through the heart In revenge the remaining three proceeded to burn Villas airplanes saving one to make their escape in They successfully flew that one back to the United States

This was not Rosss last encounter with Army life As World War I came along there were but 50 flyers availshyable for instructors in the US He was one that formed the nucleus of the great Flying Corps This group was called on to also perform test pilot functions and in their vernacular did nose dives tail spins and no doubt were the first creators of aerobatic flying in this country This was no doubt a cup of tea for our adventuresome Mr Ross captivated the services and the record that he established was remarkable General Andrews commenshyded Ross with a citation ending it with a comment Seven years without a serious mishap Ross lived a long and successful life and became very well known in Wash ington and for years was Public Relations Manager for the Hot Shopps a food chain in the East He lived a full life and died on February 19 1959 For an advenshyturesome person who lead such a colorful life and seemingly knew no fear he must have also been blessed with skill and a great amount of common sense In the Hot Shopps Company magazine from which some of this material was gleaned they coined an epitaph for him stating simply An amazing man ~

26

preparations for a flight on the early morning air Time work until as the crowd left the field Thursday night noon for further tests to be made solely on the ability of and again the builders had been disappointed in not they saw the end of the last bit of preparation for an air the machine to lift It is expected that the trial will1ake having it ready for flight at the time agreed upon Little test place about an hour before sunset No effort at flightweaknesses that could not be foreseen became apparent While it has been disappointing to visit the aviation will be made at this time the test being confined to when the machine was started across the rough field had field and fail to witness an attempt to fly the chagrin of determining the buoyancy of the machine its balance yielded one by one to careful attention and ingenuity the Johnson brothers and Pearl Conover has been and general fitness for flight Every nut and bolt on the unwieldly looking skybird had greater Living in a single big tent pitched in a malaria been inspected and found in first class condition The breeding district pestered by insects and blistered with rt _ alterations made necessary by faulty calculations as to the heat they have put up with all kinds of inconvenshy ~~ weight and pressure on the running gear were completed iences since leaving Terre Haute and every hours delay and the new woodwork covered with a preserving paint In the center of the structure the light but powerful engine shown in polished brilliancy Just in front of it the big propeller built of many pieces and smoothed to a surface like glass was perfect to the last detail A sliver that had been knocked from it was replaced with cement and its bearing was as true as science could make it Stretching away on each side for 16 were ribbed wings on which so much depends each without a flaw or scratch At their tips hung the balancing planes so delicately fitted that the slightest movement of the operator was reflected by a changed position To the eye the machine was perfect and the builders who worked so patiently at last were satisfied it was ready for its initial trip

It now appeared that nothing stood in the way of a thorough demonstration but the Johnson brothers were doomed to meet another disappointment Under its power for the first time Louis Johnson drove the airship down the field from the tent in which it had been housed Three of the four cylinders were in operation yet it was evident that the Johnson motor was suffishyciently powerful for the purposes of the craft At speed that hurried those who accompanied it the aircraft ran along over the rough ground with little or no vibration from the motor and a steadiness that spelled success Four men hung to it with their weight keeping it from mounting the air while the driver accustomed himself to the situation and watched the engine and the plane

This was the final test of the monoplane before it was entrusted to the element for which it was constructed This test fully demonstrated that the care bestowed upon its construction was not misplaced There was not a flaw noticeable in any of its moving parts There was nothing about its action that indicated a single weakness But one thing marred the success of this test and Thursshyday night saw that one point corrected The long body or frame that extends from the plane to the rudder on the tail was not sufficiently strong to stand the strain of alighting from a height as was shown in its action during this test Immediately the builders prepared to strengthshyen it and all day Thursday they worked on this one part rebracing and adding to the solidity of this frame

has been bitter to them Malaria sent Clarence Johnson the youngest of the camp back to the city unfit to be about Mr Conover succumbed to it one day but was able to throw off the attack The Johnson brothers have all felt the effect of life in the camp and as Louis Johnshyson expressed it Are dead anxious to get to doing something

- shy~~ Monday October 10 1910 MONOPLANE JUSTIFIES EFFORTS OF JOHNSONS AIRCRAFT GOES INTO AIR SEVERAL TIMES AT TESTS MADE SUNDAY- after many weeks of quite work at their camp on the old reservoir prairie 3 miles east of Blackhawk in an effort to perfect the airplane which when first tried out was found to be lacking in a few particulars Louis Harry and Julius Johnson the inventors and builders of the Johnson Bros airplane succeeded in making several lifts with the aircraft at tests made Sunday evening Three tests were made and it was on the third one that the machine lifted from the ground Several times the craft raised for distances of from 15 to 20 Though the height attained was not more than a foot from the ground at any time this fact was rather to lack in certain details than because the airplane could not raise higher

The craft exhibited a wonderful buoyancy for the test and tended to leave the ground at all times higher than it was allowed to However necessity for certain corrections was manifested before a flight could be safely made and to avoid possible wrecking of the machine it was held down at all times

An assistant of the Johnson boys in their efforts toward perfecting the machine stated Monday that an idea of buoyancy of the machine could be gained from the fact that when starting on the soft dirt just previous to the test that it would leave no track in the soft dirt but that when being brought back for a second test it would plow back into the soil for a depth of 6

Preparations were almost completed Monday after-

Tuesday October II 1910 JOHNSON GIVES EXPRESSION TO SATISFACTION WITH PLANE TEST CONTINUED TO OCCUpy TIME OF BROTHERS AT AVIATION FIELD - Louis Johnson the elder of the Johnson brothers builders of the Johnson Monoplane spent Tuesday in Terre Haute looking after business matters The other two brothers Julius and Harry are at the aviation field making a few required minor changes in the mechanism preparatory to attempting a flight Wednesday or Thursday

Louis will return to the field Tuesday evening to be ready to sit at the wheel of the machine in the initial attempt at flight

We have gone far enough now to see through to the end and we now know that the theory which we have been working is the right one We will fly within a few days possible Wednesday or Thursday The changes now being made are only minor adjustments which were seen to be necessary in our tests as to the lifting power of the machine

-shy~~ Editors Note

The brothers apparently abandoned the attempts to make the 1910 airplane fly shortly after this in October 1910 and started work on an improved design which was successful in the summer of 1911 Between the end of October and the middle of July 1911 they built an entirely new airplane but used the same power plant that had been used in the 1910 version The new airplane was radically different in design using basically a metal framework cloth covered wings and cloth covered tail surfaces which were supported on a single aluminum boom It had a tricycle gear as contrasted with the conventional gear in the 1910 plane It had wing-warping in place of the moveable surfaces at the tips of the wings steerable nose wheel and brakes and many other engineering refinements~

22

Ross Smith had never seen an airplane and was attractshyed to one ofthe public displays of the Johnson monoplane the practice being a charge of 25cent to see it in the tent to help alleviate the costs The plane had barely flown and excitement was running high Ross evidently took one look at it and said thats for me Its hard to guess how he convinced the Johnsons that he should take a hand at it however it is very possible that he was the only one with enough nerve and the J ohnsons had spent a great deal of theirs A bird in the hand at this point was probably welcome According to the records the

motor was started and Ross ran the plane up and down the field for some half hour experimenting with the controls learning how to use the throttle steering the airplane accelerating until it was light Evidently Ross had figured play ti me was over and the description states suddenly the plane shot forward and then rose graceshyfully into the air His very first flight lasted for 30 minutes and he thrilled the onlookers as he flew back and forth over the field (I nstructors take note - how many students would you turn loose in a better machine of today with 30 minutes of instruction)

Barely two days atter Rosss first flight he launched into the professional flying ranks in a big way He immeshydiately received an offer from his home town of Mattoon Illinois to engage in some demonstration flights and was paid for three flights at $50000 per flight Airplanes were so rare in these days that people paid to look at them and in most cases such flights were initiated by promotors seeking a quick fortune You would believe that flying such an airplane was enough of a daredevil stunt but not for our friend Ross He managed to concoct stunts that even from this distance

23

in time seem absolutely ridiculous Daredevil is too mild a word One of his next exploits was an engagement to fly the monoplane during a 10 day Chautauqua Now for you youngsters youll have to run to the dictionary however Ill save you the effort The name Chautauqua originated in New York where some wise promoter startshyed an educational summer camp Families took their vacations very similar to those going to Oshkosh for the week long fly-in lived in tents in a large tent community that attracted as many as 50000 people during its run This particular Chautauqua that contracted for Rosss services with the Johnson airplane was at Merom Bluff Indiana a high point on the Wabash River The bluff was in Sullivan County and stood 150 above the river on one side while the opposite side fell to flat farm land going away from the river in a flat plain Th is particular Chautauqua was obviously one of great importance for the midwest and attractions included William Jennings Bryan Senator Robert LaFollette William Howard Taft former President of the United States Vice President Thomas R Marshall a gal named Maude Ballington Booth discussing prison reform John Temple Graves a noted orator of the time and Jeanette Rankin the first American Congresswoman The Chautauqua encomshypassed every subject from religion to suffrage child care and anything at all that would interest the family

To spice this particular Chautauqua Ross came up with the idea of building a 250 wooden platform with its far end hanging over the bluff on the river side The intent was to fly the airplane from this platform and fly it he did for many performances Descriptions of the flight states that the airplane labored uphill gained speed and disappeared from the end of the platform in what must have been a free fall until it gained flying speed leveling out some safe distance above the river then circling back over the Chautauqua area like a peacock preening its feathers It must have been a supreme thrill for all to witness There was no possible way to land at the Chautauqua area so Ross would cross the river to the Illinois side and land on a road at the ferry The plane would then be disassembled hauled back across the river pulled back up the winding road to the bluff for its next days operation

I n the eyes of the Chautauqua attendance Ross was no doubt walking mighty tall despite his slight stature It was quite common practice for the Johnson airplane to be engaged for fairs etc at which time it generally flew off the racetrack Evidently by this time a standard stunt

This monoplane piloted by Ross Smith flew off the Merom Bluff daily August 22-37 7973 during the Chautauqua

This was the view from the Merom Bluff The picture is deceiving for it was 750 down to the water Note the Ferry cars and buggies waiting to cross and climb the winding road up the bluff This is the view Ross Smith had as he literally dove his plane off the platform without adequate flying speed The result was a near free fall with flying speed gained in time to narrowly miss striking the water below The flight was enacted daily to please the crowd

24

-

Ross Smith preparing for an exhibition flight Note man with ladder at right below wing It was a tall gear and a long climb to mount this machine

had been for the airplane to race a car on the track Dirt track races being part of almost every fair there was always someone present willing to race At one such event it states that Speed in the air and on land thrills thousands Aviator Ross L Smith and Speed King Wild Bob Burman held first place in the hearts of sensation lovers for the wild thrills they gave the thousands at the fairgrounds on Sunday Taking off from the track Ross flew around the track circled the infield and landed directly in front of thegrandstand amid the applause of thousands As an additional build up to the race Burman took Ross for a ride in his 300 hp Blitzen Benz and proceeded to smash the world record for a mile on a half mile dirt track breaking his own former record His

speed was just over 60 mph but this meant that 80 mph must have been his speed on the straight away On the first lap he gave Ross a thrill by hitting the turn too fast and almost losing control in a skid Evidently Ross did not appreciate the ride for when Burman said he would go up with him in his plane Ross calmly said that if he did he would get pushed out Burman of course immeshydiately changed his mind Evidently this was the last of Burmans summer appearances and he was going to spend his time readying himself for the 500 mile motor speedway event He had held the lead the previous year until his machine caught fire and burned while he was many laps ahead

As to the race between the airplane and the car the

airplane invariably won all events in spite of the fact that the cars appeared to be going faster Speed in the air does not seem to be speed compared to a roaring monster of an auto spewing exhaust and throwing large clods of dirt as it rounds every corner Smith evidently thrilled the crowd with a simple thing that today would be called a touch and go Newspaper emotes over the fact that even the French exhibition flyers had not done such a thing stating that Ross had no trouble at all in thrilling the crowd In another engagement it states that Ross L Smith will pilot the Johnson brothers monshyoplane during the Corn Week Show sponsored by the Rotary Club of Terre Haute The big thrill of this event was to be a flight down Wabash Avenue between the

25

buildings just above the street car wires It was stated it would be the first time in history that an aviator would attempt such a dangerous feat The plane was to be brought down until the wheels barely cleared the wires then proceed west down the street to the Court House where the plan was to circle the big dome I n a flair of penmanship the author writes it will be unusual for a businessman to see the wings of an airplane almost brushing the windows of his building He further states the trip will be a dangerous one but the aviator and the builders of the machine have such faith in the monshyoplane that they believe that both will stand the test

I n a later account where Smith was engaged to fly an exhibition over Elsworth he decided to give them a new thrill and go for altitude With much circling he reached dizzying height of 2000 where he passed through a cloud bank that confused him for a short time On recovering from the confusion he found himself at 1000 (he invented vertigo no dOUbt)

In still another account it states the Johnson monshyoplane gave one of the best exh ib itions of the art of flying it has been our pleasure to witness There were no death defying stunts just plain flying

The monoplane took off on the back stretch of the race track and for 30 minutes circled dived swooped and turned running up and down the valley for several miles It states the limited space in which he had to land caused him some trouble He had failed to make the first descent (made a go-around - probably the first) When finally on the ground Aviator Ross stated it was the hardest day to fly on he had ever experienced as the air seemed dead and no breeze whatsoever was stirring Density altitude)

About the year 1913 Ross was running out of tricks the bag was getting empty so he decided to scoop them all He announced that he would like to fly the Atlantic and from all records it appears that he was the first to have such serious ideas He was at least 19 years ahead of his time He proposed to fly the flimsy Johnson airplane across the Atlantic alone - a statement that makes Lindshyberghs remarks an echo of the past He approached the Navy Department and asked them to place 10 battleshysh ips at intervals of 300 miles apart figuring that th is would be the maximum load of gasoline possible to carry The Navy of course refused considering the flight across the Atlantic as only a hair brained scheme The Government was not very interested in flying at this time and their decision was certainly not a surprise

~

Evening flights from the field were customary

Ross did not remain silent on this issue and at a later time stated in print when the Atlantic is crossed it will be by a flying boat and not a dirigible

In reading the history of these days all of the emshyphasis on long range travel was transfered to the gas bag History proved Ross to be 100 right and the Navys NC4s were the first to fly across

To further add hues of color to his career Ross was perhaps the first American aviator to get an offer from a foreign government and probably one of the first conceptions of military aviation was born President Huerta of Mexico offered him a high ranking position in the Mexican Army if he would organize an air force for them Ross immediately declined Poncho Villa who was then the bad boy of Mexico and conducting what we would call today Guerilla attack tried to make Ross a better offer of $2000 a month in gold to do the same thing for his side Ross declined that too Time proved how wise he was in declining this offer for one of his best friends was killed - not while he was flying but by Villas own men Four of Rosss friends had decided to fly for Villa but when weeks went by and they received no pay they drew straws to see who would confront Villa with the facts Mickey McGuire (the wild Irish Rose of the skies) was unlucky enough to get the job and foolish enough to make the attempt He faced the illiterate General in his tent and asked for the money

The General promptly whipped out a 45 caliper pistol and shot McGuire through the heart In revenge the remaining three proceeded to burn Villas airplanes saving one to make their escape in They successfully flew that one back to the United States

This was not Rosss last encounter with Army life As World War I came along there were but 50 flyers availshyable for instructors in the US He was one that formed the nucleus of the great Flying Corps This group was called on to also perform test pilot functions and in their vernacular did nose dives tail spins and no doubt were the first creators of aerobatic flying in this country This was no doubt a cup of tea for our adventuresome Mr Ross captivated the services and the record that he established was remarkable General Andrews commenshyded Ross with a citation ending it with a comment Seven years without a serious mishap Ross lived a long and successful life and became very well known in Wash ington and for years was Public Relations Manager for the Hot Shopps a food chain in the East He lived a full life and died on February 19 1959 For an advenshyturesome person who lead such a colorful life and seemingly knew no fear he must have also been blessed with skill and a great amount of common sense In the Hot Shopps Company magazine from which some of this material was gleaned they coined an epitaph for him stating simply An amazing man ~

26

Ross Smith had never seen an airplane and was attractshyed to one ofthe public displays of the Johnson monoplane the practice being a charge of 25cent to see it in the tent to help alleviate the costs The plane had barely flown and excitement was running high Ross evidently took one look at it and said thats for me Its hard to guess how he convinced the Johnsons that he should take a hand at it however it is very possible that he was the only one with enough nerve and the J ohnsons had spent a great deal of theirs A bird in the hand at this point was probably welcome According to the records the

motor was started and Ross ran the plane up and down the field for some half hour experimenting with the controls learning how to use the throttle steering the airplane accelerating until it was light Evidently Ross had figured play ti me was over and the description states suddenly the plane shot forward and then rose graceshyfully into the air His very first flight lasted for 30 minutes and he thrilled the onlookers as he flew back and forth over the field (I nstructors take note - how many students would you turn loose in a better machine of today with 30 minutes of instruction)

Barely two days atter Rosss first flight he launched into the professional flying ranks in a big way He immeshydiately received an offer from his home town of Mattoon Illinois to engage in some demonstration flights and was paid for three flights at $50000 per flight Airplanes were so rare in these days that people paid to look at them and in most cases such flights were initiated by promotors seeking a quick fortune You would believe that flying such an airplane was enough of a daredevil stunt but not for our friend Ross He managed to concoct stunts that even from this distance

23

in time seem absolutely ridiculous Daredevil is too mild a word One of his next exploits was an engagement to fly the monoplane during a 10 day Chautauqua Now for you youngsters youll have to run to the dictionary however Ill save you the effort The name Chautauqua originated in New York where some wise promoter startshyed an educational summer camp Families took their vacations very similar to those going to Oshkosh for the week long fly-in lived in tents in a large tent community that attracted as many as 50000 people during its run This particular Chautauqua that contracted for Rosss services with the Johnson airplane was at Merom Bluff Indiana a high point on the Wabash River The bluff was in Sullivan County and stood 150 above the river on one side while the opposite side fell to flat farm land going away from the river in a flat plain Th is particular Chautauqua was obviously one of great importance for the midwest and attractions included William Jennings Bryan Senator Robert LaFollette William Howard Taft former President of the United States Vice President Thomas R Marshall a gal named Maude Ballington Booth discussing prison reform John Temple Graves a noted orator of the time and Jeanette Rankin the first American Congresswoman The Chautauqua encomshypassed every subject from religion to suffrage child care and anything at all that would interest the family

To spice this particular Chautauqua Ross came up with the idea of building a 250 wooden platform with its far end hanging over the bluff on the river side The intent was to fly the airplane from this platform and fly it he did for many performances Descriptions of the flight states that the airplane labored uphill gained speed and disappeared from the end of the platform in what must have been a free fall until it gained flying speed leveling out some safe distance above the river then circling back over the Chautauqua area like a peacock preening its feathers It must have been a supreme thrill for all to witness There was no possible way to land at the Chautauqua area so Ross would cross the river to the Illinois side and land on a road at the ferry The plane would then be disassembled hauled back across the river pulled back up the winding road to the bluff for its next days operation

I n the eyes of the Chautauqua attendance Ross was no doubt walking mighty tall despite his slight stature It was quite common practice for the Johnson airplane to be engaged for fairs etc at which time it generally flew off the racetrack Evidently by this time a standard stunt

This monoplane piloted by Ross Smith flew off the Merom Bluff daily August 22-37 7973 during the Chautauqua

This was the view from the Merom Bluff The picture is deceiving for it was 750 down to the water Note the Ferry cars and buggies waiting to cross and climb the winding road up the bluff This is the view Ross Smith had as he literally dove his plane off the platform without adequate flying speed The result was a near free fall with flying speed gained in time to narrowly miss striking the water below The flight was enacted daily to please the crowd

24

-

Ross Smith preparing for an exhibition flight Note man with ladder at right below wing It was a tall gear and a long climb to mount this machine

had been for the airplane to race a car on the track Dirt track races being part of almost every fair there was always someone present willing to race At one such event it states that Speed in the air and on land thrills thousands Aviator Ross L Smith and Speed King Wild Bob Burman held first place in the hearts of sensation lovers for the wild thrills they gave the thousands at the fairgrounds on Sunday Taking off from the track Ross flew around the track circled the infield and landed directly in front of thegrandstand amid the applause of thousands As an additional build up to the race Burman took Ross for a ride in his 300 hp Blitzen Benz and proceeded to smash the world record for a mile on a half mile dirt track breaking his own former record His

speed was just over 60 mph but this meant that 80 mph must have been his speed on the straight away On the first lap he gave Ross a thrill by hitting the turn too fast and almost losing control in a skid Evidently Ross did not appreciate the ride for when Burman said he would go up with him in his plane Ross calmly said that if he did he would get pushed out Burman of course immeshydiately changed his mind Evidently this was the last of Burmans summer appearances and he was going to spend his time readying himself for the 500 mile motor speedway event He had held the lead the previous year until his machine caught fire and burned while he was many laps ahead

As to the race between the airplane and the car the

airplane invariably won all events in spite of the fact that the cars appeared to be going faster Speed in the air does not seem to be speed compared to a roaring monster of an auto spewing exhaust and throwing large clods of dirt as it rounds every corner Smith evidently thrilled the crowd with a simple thing that today would be called a touch and go Newspaper emotes over the fact that even the French exhibition flyers had not done such a thing stating that Ross had no trouble at all in thrilling the crowd In another engagement it states that Ross L Smith will pilot the Johnson brothers monshyoplane during the Corn Week Show sponsored by the Rotary Club of Terre Haute The big thrill of this event was to be a flight down Wabash Avenue between the

25

buildings just above the street car wires It was stated it would be the first time in history that an aviator would attempt such a dangerous feat The plane was to be brought down until the wheels barely cleared the wires then proceed west down the street to the Court House where the plan was to circle the big dome I n a flair of penmanship the author writes it will be unusual for a businessman to see the wings of an airplane almost brushing the windows of his building He further states the trip will be a dangerous one but the aviator and the builders of the machine have such faith in the monshyoplane that they believe that both will stand the test

I n a later account where Smith was engaged to fly an exhibition over Elsworth he decided to give them a new thrill and go for altitude With much circling he reached dizzying height of 2000 where he passed through a cloud bank that confused him for a short time On recovering from the confusion he found himself at 1000 (he invented vertigo no dOUbt)

In still another account it states the Johnson monshyoplane gave one of the best exh ib itions of the art of flying it has been our pleasure to witness There were no death defying stunts just plain flying

The monoplane took off on the back stretch of the race track and for 30 minutes circled dived swooped and turned running up and down the valley for several miles It states the limited space in which he had to land caused him some trouble He had failed to make the first descent (made a go-around - probably the first) When finally on the ground Aviator Ross stated it was the hardest day to fly on he had ever experienced as the air seemed dead and no breeze whatsoever was stirring Density altitude)

About the year 1913 Ross was running out of tricks the bag was getting empty so he decided to scoop them all He announced that he would like to fly the Atlantic and from all records it appears that he was the first to have such serious ideas He was at least 19 years ahead of his time He proposed to fly the flimsy Johnson airplane across the Atlantic alone - a statement that makes Lindshyberghs remarks an echo of the past He approached the Navy Department and asked them to place 10 battleshysh ips at intervals of 300 miles apart figuring that th is would be the maximum load of gasoline possible to carry The Navy of course refused considering the flight across the Atlantic as only a hair brained scheme The Government was not very interested in flying at this time and their decision was certainly not a surprise

~

Evening flights from the field were customary

Ross did not remain silent on this issue and at a later time stated in print when the Atlantic is crossed it will be by a flying boat and not a dirigible

In reading the history of these days all of the emshyphasis on long range travel was transfered to the gas bag History proved Ross to be 100 right and the Navys NC4s were the first to fly across

To further add hues of color to his career Ross was perhaps the first American aviator to get an offer from a foreign government and probably one of the first conceptions of military aviation was born President Huerta of Mexico offered him a high ranking position in the Mexican Army if he would organize an air force for them Ross immediately declined Poncho Villa who was then the bad boy of Mexico and conducting what we would call today Guerilla attack tried to make Ross a better offer of $2000 a month in gold to do the same thing for his side Ross declined that too Time proved how wise he was in declining this offer for one of his best friends was killed - not while he was flying but by Villas own men Four of Rosss friends had decided to fly for Villa but when weeks went by and they received no pay they drew straws to see who would confront Villa with the facts Mickey McGuire (the wild Irish Rose of the skies) was unlucky enough to get the job and foolish enough to make the attempt He faced the illiterate General in his tent and asked for the money

The General promptly whipped out a 45 caliper pistol and shot McGuire through the heart In revenge the remaining three proceeded to burn Villas airplanes saving one to make their escape in They successfully flew that one back to the United States

This was not Rosss last encounter with Army life As World War I came along there were but 50 flyers availshyable for instructors in the US He was one that formed the nucleus of the great Flying Corps This group was called on to also perform test pilot functions and in their vernacular did nose dives tail spins and no doubt were the first creators of aerobatic flying in this country This was no doubt a cup of tea for our adventuresome Mr Ross captivated the services and the record that he established was remarkable General Andrews commenshyded Ross with a citation ending it with a comment Seven years without a serious mishap Ross lived a long and successful life and became very well known in Wash ington and for years was Public Relations Manager for the Hot Shopps a food chain in the East He lived a full life and died on February 19 1959 For an advenshyturesome person who lead such a colorful life and seemingly knew no fear he must have also been blessed with skill and a great amount of common sense In the Hot Shopps Company magazine from which some of this material was gleaned they coined an epitaph for him stating simply An amazing man ~

26

in time seem absolutely ridiculous Daredevil is too mild a word One of his next exploits was an engagement to fly the monoplane during a 10 day Chautauqua Now for you youngsters youll have to run to the dictionary however Ill save you the effort The name Chautauqua originated in New York where some wise promoter startshyed an educational summer camp Families took their vacations very similar to those going to Oshkosh for the week long fly-in lived in tents in a large tent community that attracted as many as 50000 people during its run This particular Chautauqua that contracted for Rosss services with the Johnson airplane was at Merom Bluff Indiana a high point on the Wabash River The bluff was in Sullivan County and stood 150 above the river on one side while the opposite side fell to flat farm land going away from the river in a flat plain Th is particular Chautauqua was obviously one of great importance for the midwest and attractions included William Jennings Bryan Senator Robert LaFollette William Howard Taft former President of the United States Vice President Thomas R Marshall a gal named Maude Ballington Booth discussing prison reform John Temple Graves a noted orator of the time and Jeanette Rankin the first American Congresswoman The Chautauqua encomshypassed every subject from religion to suffrage child care and anything at all that would interest the family

To spice this particular Chautauqua Ross came up with the idea of building a 250 wooden platform with its far end hanging over the bluff on the river side The intent was to fly the airplane from this platform and fly it he did for many performances Descriptions of the flight states that the airplane labored uphill gained speed and disappeared from the end of the platform in what must have been a free fall until it gained flying speed leveling out some safe distance above the river then circling back over the Chautauqua area like a peacock preening its feathers It must have been a supreme thrill for all to witness There was no possible way to land at the Chautauqua area so Ross would cross the river to the Illinois side and land on a road at the ferry The plane would then be disassembled hauled back across the river pulled back up the winding road to the bluff for its next days operation

I n the eyes of the Chautauqua attendance Ross was no doubt walking mighty tall despite his slight stature It was quite common practice for the Johnson airplane to be engaged for fairs etc at which time it generally flew off the racetrack Evidently by this time a standard stunt

This monoplane piloted by Ross Smith flew off the Merom Bluff daily August 22-37 7973 during the Chautauqua

This was the view from the Merom Bluff The picture is deceiving for it was 750 down to the water Note the Ferry cars and buggies waiting to cross and climb the winding road up the bluff This is the view Ross Smith had as he literally dove his plane off the platform without adequate flying speed The result was a near free fall with flying speed gained in time to narrowly miss striking the water below The flight was enacted daily to please the crowd

24

-

Ross Smith preparing for an exhibition flight Note man with ladder at right below wing It was a tall gear and a long climb to mount this machine

had been for the airplane to race a car on the track Dirt track races being part of almost every fair there was always someone present willing to race At one such event it states that Speed in the air and on land thrills thousands Aviator Ross L Smith and Speed King Wild Bob Burman held first place in the hearts of sensation lovers for the wild thrills they gave the thousands at the fairgrounds on Sunday Taking off from the track Ross flew around the track circled the infield and landed directly in front of thegrandstand amid the applause of thousands As an additional build up to the race Burman took Ross for a ride in his 300 hp Blitzen Benz and proceeded to smash the world record for a mile on a half mile dirt track breaking his own former record His

speed was just over 60 mph but this meant that 80 mph must have been his speed on the straight away On the first lap he gave Ross a thrill by hitting the turn too fast and almost losing control in a skid Evidently Ross did not appreciate the ride for when Burman said he would go up with him in his plane Ross calmly said that if he did he would get pushed out Burman of course immeshydiately changed his mind Evidently this was the last of Burmans summer appearances and he was going to spend his time readying himself for the 500 mile motor speedway event He had held the lead the previous year until his machine caught fire and burned while he was many laps ahead

As to the race between the airplane and the car the

airplane invariably won all events in spite of the fact that the cars appeared to be going faster Speed in the air does not seem to be speed compared to a roaring monster of an auto spewing exhaust and throwing large clods of dirt as it rounds every corner Smith evidently thrilled the crowd with a simple thing that today would be called a touch and go Newspaper emotes over the fact that even the French exhibition flyers had not done such a thing stating that Ross had no trouble at all in thrilling the crowd In another engagement it states that Ross L Smith will pilot the Johnson brothers monshyoplane during the Corn Week Show sponsored by the Rotary Club of Terre Haute The big thrill of this event was to be a flight down Wabash Avenue between the

25

buildings just above the street car wires It was stated it would be the first time in history that an aviator would attempt such a dangerous feat The plane was to be brought down until the wheels barely cleared the wires then proceed west down the street to the Court House where the plan was to circle the big dome I n a flair of penmanship the author writes it will be unusual for a businessman to see the wings of an airplane almost brushing the windows of his building He further states the trip will be a dangerous one but the aviator and the builders of the machine have such faith in the monshyoplane that they believe that both will stand the test

I n a later account where Smith was engaged to fly an exhibition over Elsworth he decided to give them a new thrill and go for altitude With much circling he reached dizzying height of 2000 where he passed through a cloud bank that confused him for a short time On recovering from the confusion he found himself at 1000 (he invented vertigo no dOUbt)

In still another account it states the Johnson monshyoplane gave one of the best exh ib itions of the art of flying it has been our pleasure to witness There were no death defying stunts just plain flying

The monoplane took off on the back stretch of the race track and for 30 minutes circled dived swooped and turned running up and down the valley for several miles It states the limited space in which he had to land caused him some trouble He had failed to make the first descent (made a go-around - probably the first) When finally on the ground Aviator Ross stated it was the hardest day to fly on he had ever experienced as the air seemed dead and no breeze whatsoever was stirring Density altitude)

About the year 1913 Ross was running out of tricks the bag was getting empty so he decided to scoop them all He announced that he would like to fly the Atlantic and from all records it appears that he was the first to have such serious ideas He was at least 19 years ahead of his time He proposed to fly the flimsy Johnson airplane across the Atlantic alone - a statement that makes Lindshyberghs remarks an echo of the past He approached the Navy Department and asked them to place 10 battleshysh ips at intervals of 300 miles apart figuring that th is would be the maximum load of gasoline possible to carry The Navy of course refused considering the flight across the Atlantic as only a hair brained scheme The Government was not very interested in flying at this time and their decision was certainly not a surprise

~

Evening flights from the field were customary

Ross did not remain silent on this issue and at a later time stated in print when the Atlantic is crossed it will be by a flying boat and not a dirigible

In reading the history of these days all of the emshyphasis on long range travel was transfered to the gas bag History proved Ross to be 100 right and the Navys NC4s were the first to fly across

To further add hues of color to his career Ross was perhaps the first American aviator to get an offer from a foreign government and probably one of the first conceptions of military aviation was born President Huerta of Mexico offered him a high ranking position in the Mexican Army if he would organize an air force for them Ross immediately declined Poncho Villa who was then the bad boy of Mexico and conducting what we would call today Guerilla attack tried to make Ross a better offer of $2000 a month in gold to do the same thing for his side Ross declined that too Time proved how wise he was in declining this offer for one of his best friends was killed - not while he was flying but by Villas own men Four of Rosss friends had decided to fly for Villa but when weeks went by and they received no pay they drew straws to see who would confront Villa with the facts Mickey McGuire (the wild Irish Rose of the skies) was unlucky enough to get the job and foolish enough to make the attempt He faced the illiterate General in his tent and asked for the money

The General promptly whipped out a 45 caliper pistol and shot McGuire through the heart In revenge the remaining three proceeded to burn Villas airplanes saving one to make their escape in They successfully flew that one back to the United States

This was not Rosss last encounter with Army life As World War I came along there were but 50 flyers availshyable for instructors in the US He was one that formed the nucleus of the great Flying Corps This group was called on to also perform test pilot functions and in their vernacular did nose dives tail spins and no doubt were the first creators of aerobatic flying in this country This was no doubt a cup of tea for our adventuresome Mr Ross captivated the services and the record that he established was remarkable General Andrews commenshyded Ross with a citation ending it with a comment Seven years without a serious mishap Ross lived a long and successful life and became very well known in Wash ington and for years was Public Relations Manager for the Hot Shopps a food chain in the East He lived a full life and died on February 19 1959 For an advenshyturesome person who lead such a colorful life and seemingly knew no fear he must have also been blessed with skill and a great amount of common sense In the Hot Shopps Company magazine from which some of this material was gleaned they coined an epitaph for him stating simply An amazing man ~

26

-

Ross Smith preparing for an exhibition flight Note man with ladder at right below wing It was a tall gear and a long climb to mount this machine

had been for the airplane to race a car on the track Dirt track races being part of almost every fair there was always someone present willing to race At one such event it states that Speed in the air and on land thrills thousands Aviator Ross L Smith and Speed King Wild Bob Burman held first place in the hearts of sensation lovers for the wild thrills they gave the thousands at the fairgrounds on Sunday Taking off from the track Ross flew around the track circled the infield and landed directly in front of thegrandstand amid the applause of thousands As an additional build up to the race Burman took Ross for a ride in his 300 hp Blitzen Benz and proceeded to smash the world record for a mile on a half mile dirt track breaking his own former record His

speed was just over 60 mph but this meant that 80 mph must have been his speed on the straight away On the first lap he gave Ross a thrill by hitting the turn too fast and almost losing control in a skid Evidently Ross did not appreciate the ride for when Burman said he would go up with him in his plane Ross calmly said that if he did he would get pushed out Burman of course immeshydiately changed his mind Evidently this was the last of Burmans summer appearances and he was going to spend his time readying himself for the 500 mile motor speedway event He had held the lead the previous year until his machine caught fire and burned while he was many laps ahead

As to the race between the airplane and the car the

airplane invariably won all events in spite of the fact that the cars appeared to be going faster Speed in the air does not seem to be speed compared to a roaring monster of an auto spewing exhaust and throwing large clods of dirt as it rounds every corner Smith evidently thrilled the crowd with a simple thing that today would be called a touch and go Newspaper emotes over the fact that even the French exhibition flyers had not done such a thing stating that Ross had no trouble at all in thrilling the crowd In another engagement it states that Ross L Smith will pilot the Johnson brothers monshyoplane during the Corn Week Show sponsored by the Rotary Club of Terre Haute The big thrill of this event was to be a flight down Wabash Avenue between the

25

buildings just above the street car wires It was stated it would be the first time in history that an aviator would attempt such a dangerous feat The plane was to be brought down until the wheels barely cleared the wires then proceed west down the street to the Court House where the plan was to circle the big dome I n a flair of penmanship the author writes it will be unusual for a businessman to see the wings of an airplane almost brushing the windows of his building He further states the trip will be a dangerous one but the aviator and the builders of the machine have such faith in the monshyoplane that they believe that both will stand the test

I n a later account where Smith was engaged to fly an exhibition over Elsworth he decided to give them a new thrill and go for altitude With much circling he reached dizzying height of 2000 where he passed through a cloud bank that confused him for a short time On recovering from the confusion he found himself at 1000 (he invented vertigo no dOUbt)

In still another account it states the Johnson monshyoplane gave one of the best exh ib itions of the art of flying it has been our pleasure to witness There were no death defying stunts just plain flying

The monoplane took off on the back stretch of the race track and for 30 minutes circled dived swooped and turned running up and down the valley for several miles It states the limited space in which he had to land caused him some trouble He had failed to make the first descent (made a go-around - probably the first) When finally on the ground Aviator Ross stated it was the hardest day to fly on he had ever experienced as the air seemed dead and no breeze whatsoever was stirring Density altitude)

About the year 1913 Ross was running out of tricks the bag was getting empty so he decided to scoop them all He announced that he would like to fly the Atlantic and from all records it appears that he was the first to have such serious ideas He was at least 19 years ahead of his time He proposed to fly the flimsy Johnson airplane across the Atlantic alone - a statement that makes Lindshyberghs remarks an echo of the past He approached the Navy Department and asked them to place 10 battleshysh ips at intervals of 300 miles apart figuring that th is would be the maximum load of gasoline possible to carry The Navy of course refused considering the flight across the Atlantic as only a hair brained scheme The Government was not very interested in flying at this time and their decision was certainly not a surprise

~

Evening flights from the field were customary

Ross did not remain silent on this issue and at a later time stated in print when the Atlantic is crossed it will be by a flying boat and not a dirigible

In reading the history of these days all of the emshyphasis on long range travel was transfered to the gas bag History proved Ross to be 100 right and the Navys NC4s were the first to fly across

To further add hues of color to his career Ross was perhaps the first American aviator to get an offer from a foreign government and probably one of the first conceptions of military aviation was born President Huerta of Mexico offered him a high ranking position in the Mexican Army if he would organize an air force for them Ross immediately declined Poncho Villa who was then the bad boy of Mexico and conducting what we would call today Guerilla attack tried to make Ross a better offer of $2000 a month in gold to do the same thing for his side Ross declined that too Time proved how wise he was in declining this offer for one of his best friends was killed - not while he was flying but by Villas own men Four of Rosss friends had decided to fly for Villa but when weeks went by and they received no pay they drew straws to see who would confront Villa with the facts Mickey McGuire (the wild Irish Rose of the skies) was unlucky enough to get the job and foolish enough to make the attempt He faced the illiterate General in his tent and asked for the money

The General promptly whipped out a 45 caliper pistol and shot McGuire through the heart In revenge the remaining three proceeded to burn Villas airplanes saving one to make their escape in They successfully flew that one back to the United States

This was not Rosss last encounter with Army life As World War I came along there were but 50 flyers availshyable for instructors in the US He was one that formed the nucleus of the great Flying Corps This group was called on to also perform test pilot functions and in their vernacular did nose dives tail spins and no doubt were the first creators of aerobatic flying in this country This was no doubt a cup of tea for our adventuresome Mr Ross captivated the services and the record that he established was remarkable General Andrews commenshyded Ross with a citation ending it with a comment Seven years without a serious mishap Ross lived a long and successful life and became very well known in Wash ington and for years was Public Relations Manager for the Hot Shopps a food chain in the East He lived a full life and died on February 19 1959 For an advenshyturesome person who lead such a colorful life and seemingly knew no fear he must have also been blessed with skill and a great amount of common sense In the Hot Shopps Company magazine from which some of this material was gleaned they coined an epitaph for him stating simply An amazing man ~

26

buildings just above the street car wires It was stated it would be the first time in history that an aviator would attempt such a dangerous feat The plane was to be brought down until the wheels barely cleared the wires then proceed west down the street to the Court House where the plan was to circle the big dome I n a flair of penmanship the author writes it will be unusual for a businessman to see the wings of an airplane almost brushing the windows of his building He further states the trip will be a dangerous one but the aviator and the builders of the machine have such faith in the monshyoplane that they believe that both will stand the test

I n a later account where Smith was engaged to fly an exhibition over Elsworth he decided to give them a new thrill and go for altitude With much circling he reached dizzying height of 2000 where he passed through a cloud bank that confused him for a short time On recovering from the confusion he found himself at 1000 (he invented vertigo no dOUbt)

In still another account it states the Johnson monshyoplane gave one of the best exh ib itions of the art of flying it has been our pleasure to witness There were no death defying stunts just plain flying

The monoplane took off on the back stretch of the race track and for 30 minutes circled dived swooped and turned running up and down the valley for several miles It states the limited space in which he had to land caused him some trouble He had failed to make the first descent (made a go-around - probably the first) When finally on the ground Aviator Ross stated it was the hardest day to fly on he had ever experienced as the air seemed dead and no breeze whatsoever was stirring Density altitude)

About the year 1913 Ross was running out of tricks the bag was getting empty so he decided to scoop them all He announced that he would like to fly the Atlantic and from all records it appears that he was the first to have such serious ideas He was at least 19 years ahead of his time He proposed to fly the flimsy Johnson airplane across the Atlantic alone - a statement that makes Lindshyberghs remarks an echo of the past He approached the Navy Department and asked them to place 10 battleshysh ips at intervals of 300 miles apart figuring that th is would be the maximum load of gasoline possible to carry The Navy of course refused considering the flight across the Atlantic as only a hair brained scheme The Government was not very interested in flying at this time and their decision was certainly not a surprise

~

Evening flights from the field were customary

Ross did not remain silent on this issue and at a later time stated in print when the Atlantic is crossed it will be by a flying boat and not a dirigible

In reading the history of these days all of the emshyphasis on long range travel was transfered to the gas bag History proved Ross to be 100 right and the Navys NC4s were the first to fly across

To further add hues of color to his career Ross was perhaps the first American aviator to get an offer from a foreign government and probably one of the first conceptions of military aviation was born President Huerta of Mexico offered him a high ranking position in the Mexican Army if he would organize an air force for them Ross immediately declined Poncho Villa who was then the bad boy of Mexico and conducting what we would call today Guerilla attack tried to make Ross a better offer of $2000 a month in gold to do the same thing for his side Ross declined that too Time proved how wise he was in declining this offer for one of his best friends was killed - not while he was flying but by Villas own men Four of Rosss friends had decided to fly for Villa but when weeks went by and they received no pay they drew straws to see who would confront Villa with the facts Mickey McGuire (the wild Irish Rose of the skies) was unlucky enough to get the job and foolish enough to make the attempt He faced the illiterate General in his tent and asked for the money

The General promptly whipped out a 45 caliper pistol and shot McGuire through the heart In revenge the remaining three proceeded to burn Villas airplanes saving one to make their escape in They successfully flew that one back to the United States

This was not Rosss last encounter with Army life As World War I came along there were but 50 flyers availshyable for instructors in the US He was one that formed the nucleus of the great Flying Corps This group was called on to also perform test pilot functions and in their vernacular did nose dives tail spins and no doubt were the first creators of aerobatic flying in this country This was no doubt a cup of tea for our adventuresome Mr Ross captivated the services and the record that he established was remarkable General Andrews commenshyded Ross with a citation ending it with a comment Seven years without a serious mishap Ross lived a long and successful life and became very well known in Wash ington and for years was Public Relations Manager for the Hot Shopps a food chain in the East He lived a full life and died on February 19 1959 For an advenshyturesome person who lead such a colorful life and seemingly knew no fear he must have also been blessed with skill and a great amount of common sense In the Hot Shopps Company magazine from which some of this material was gleaned they coined an epitaph for him stating simply An amazing man ~

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