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 I, ANTON T. PRUCKNER, 79 Scofield Avenue, Bridgeport, Connecticut,
do depose and declare that I, personally was acquainted with the
late Gustave Whitehead and was employed by him in the construction
of motors and heavier than air flying machines.
I have known the late Gustave Whitehead since 1899, and was employed
by him when he had his shop in the yard back of his home at 241
Pine Street, Bridgeport, Connecticut. I was present and assisted
him on practically every occasion when he tested his airplanes.
it was our custom to do most of this testing in the early mornings
in order to avoid the danger that crowds of children about the
machines would create at other times.
Because of the lack of finances the said Mr. Whitehead was unable
to construct his planes as well as he wished. About 1900 he obtained
some financial help from a man named Stanley Y. Beach. The first
flights made by Mr. Whitehead lasted only approximately five minutes'
time and the plane rose not more than fifteen to thirty feet from
the ground
In the construction of motors we experimented with gun powder,
but i was afraid of this type of engine, and once when Mr. Whitehead
had a severe explosion with it, he finally gave up using it. We
also experimented with steam-driven motors. I recall one time
when a pipe heated by the steam became so soft as to bend. At
last we worked on gasoline-driven air-cooled motors, only. The
last motor I recall helping Mr. Whitehead construct was 250 h.p.
It had eight cylinders and a big bore. Mr. Whitehead had considerable
difficulty with Mr. Beach, and this engine was taken by Mr. Beach
and put into a boat. I believe it is the one which Mr. Beach caused
to be sunk in the Sound as a result of increasing its speed too
suddenly.
I personally know the facts, as stated in Mr. Whitehead's letter
to the Editor of the American Inventor, and published in the issue
of April 1, 1902 to be true. I flew in this machine with Mr. Whitehead
and I saw him make the flight across the Sound to which he refers.
i know the facts, as stated in the following paragraph quoted
from his letter to be exactly as stated therein:
"This machine has been tried twice, on January 17, 1902. It was
intended to fly only ashore distances, but the machine behaved
so well that at the first trial it covered nearly two miles over
the water of long Island Sound, and settled in the water without
mishap to either machine or operator. It was then towed back to
the starting place. On the second trial it started from the same
place and sailed with myself on board across Long Island Sound.
The machine kept on steadily in crossing the wind at a height
of about 200 feet, when it came into my mind to try steering around
in a circle. As soon as I turned the rudder and drone propeller
faster than the other the machine turned a bend and flew north
with the wind at a frightful speed, but turned steadily around
until I saw the starting place in the distance. I continued to
turn but when near the land again, i slowed up the propellers
and sank gently down on an even keel into the water, she readily
floating like a boat. My men then pulled her out of the water,
and as the day was at a close and the weather changing for the
worse, i decided to take her home until Spring."
I do not recall the names of any other persons who witnessed this
particular trial, or assisted in towing the boat to the shore.
This was only one of a number of short flights we had made, as
Mr. Whitehead tried to avoid crowds as much as possible we rarely
had people about if we could avoid it. I recall experiments made
with gliders also, and many times flew in them, or towed them
for their start. I also assisted Mr. Whitehead in his later work
on the helicopter which was never completed perfectly.
Subscribed and sown to before me this 16th day of July 1934.
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