EDNote: For some incomprehensible reason, this posting from Don Johnson scored a 5+ on my spam filter (which I've neglected for a few days--my apologies!) Usually only the goriest of promotions score so high.  I hope it fares better now--if not, I'll see if some form of re-formatting helps.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Plane flown by King Alfin in Pale Fire
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 22:57:57 -0800
From: D. Barton Johnson <chtodel@cox.net>
To:


See Kinbote's Commentary to Line 71 re his father Alfin the Vague.

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After the Wright brothers' flights in 1903, Santos-Dumont began to experiment with heavier-than-air machines.  In November 1906, he flew 725 feet (220 meters) in 21 seconds. In 1909, he produced his "Demoiselle" or "Grasshopper" monoplane, the precursor to the modern light plane.

He returned to Brazil in 1928. He became depressed over the use of aircraft in war and committed suicide in 1932.

Santos-Dumont's best known plane, 'La Demoiselle.'


Santos-Dumont's best known plane, 'La Demoiselle.'

 

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