underground hangar, Tom threw a master switch on a wall panel. A warning horn sounded. As if by magic the roof slowly split in two. Huge gears lifted half the structure to one side, the other half in the opposite direction.
"Okay," Tom shouted to one of his engineers. "Ready for the elevator."
Slowly the hydraulic lifts pushed up the floor beneath the Sky Queen. When the edge of the floor came even with the ground level, the elevator stopped. Four rubber-tired tractors pulled the plane out to the flying field as excited cheers rang through the air, not only from the assembled Swift Enterprises employees, but from the distant onlookers outside the perimeter fence.
"What a beauty!" Rip exulted at the sight of the Flying Lab gleaming in the sun at last. "It’s even better than the underground preview, Tom!"
Engineers and workmen exclaimed over the giant plane as it was towed to a specially marked spot on the runway. The area, a quarter of a mile square, was made of special ceramic brick to withstand the blasts of the jet lifters.
The onlookers, standing at a safe distance to avoid any danger of being burned, cheered and shouted anew as Tom and the others went up the boarding rampway and through the main hatchway into the ship. All went immediately to their designated places. Tom took the pilot’s seat, Rip the copilot’s seat. Bud stood directly behind them. Mr. Swift had decided to station himself in the laboratory where he could monitor the stability of the various chemicals, bottled liquids, and the electronic equipment, which now included the new Damonscope. As the electronic circuitry inside the walls interfered with televoc communications, everyone flipped on his intercom phones, and Bud took charge of the radio link to the plant, so that Tom could give his undivided attention to the test flight.
"Chow, are you in the galley?" Bud asked.
"Yo-ay, Bud. But brand my mavericks, I’m shakin’ like a bowl o’ jelly."
Before starting the ascent, Tom flipped on the audiogyrex system, which he had designed to eliminate the elevator sensation felt in rapid rising by using an inaudible mix of sound frequencies to "distract" the inner ear. Then, gripping the throttle, heart pounding in anticipation, Tom poured raw power into the jet lifters. As the deep growl of the jets slowly crescendoed, everyone waited anxiously for the first sign of motion.
"Load decreasing on the undercarriage pistons," Rip Hulse reported calmly, scanning the dials. "Ten percent remaining… three percent… boys, we’re off and running!"
Bud burst forth with a cheer as the Flying Lab began to rise, first by inches, then with ever-increasing speed. In a matter of seconds it was shooting skyward.
"We’re airborne!" Bud cried jubilantly. "Oh, man, did we leave old Earth in a hurry!"
The intercom from the laboratory section beeped. "Son, I think congratulations are in order," said Mr. Swift.
"Thanks, Dad." Tom’s voice quavered. "But we’ve still to test her hovering capabilities."
At two thousand feet Tom eased off on the lifters. The mammoth craft stood still in the air, as if supported by an invisible giant’s hand.
"We’ve done it!" Tom exclaimed, gazing down at the cheering, waving throng far beneath them.
"You’ve done it, Tom!" came the proud reply over the intercom. "Your invention is another great step in scientific advancement."
"What about the laboratory?" Tom asked.
"Everything took that sudden rise as well as we did."
Rip slapped Tom on the shoulder. "Magnificent! The new technologies you’re proving here will be a great boon to the defense of our country," he commented.
Bud leaned forward. "I knew you could do it, Tom," he said quietly. "This super-skyship is just one step this side of a trip to the planets."
"Hold on! Not so fast!" Tom laughed. "Verano first."
Bud was now listening to Hank Sterling on the ground. He relayed the message.
"The crowd down there can’t believe what they’re seeing. And do you know
"Okay," Tom shouted to one of his engineers. "Ready for the elevator."
Slowly the hydraulic lifts pushed up the floor beneath the Sky Queen. When the edge of the floor came even with the ground level, the elevator stopped. Four rubber-tired tractors pulled the plane out to the flying field as excited cheers rang through the air, not only from the assembled Swift Enterprises employees, but from the distant onlookers outside the perimeter fence.
"What a beauty!" Rip exulted at the sight of the Flying Lab gleaming in the sun at last. "It’s even better than the underground preview, Tom!"
Engineers and workmen exclaimed over the giant plane as it was towed to a specially marked spot on the runway. The area, a quarter of a mile square, was made of special ceramic brick to withstand the blasts of the jet lifters.
The onlookers, standing at a safe distance to avoid any danger of being burned, cheered and shouted anew as Tom and the others went up the boarding rampway and through the main hatchway into the ship. All went immediately to their designated places. Tom took the pilot’s seat, Rip the copilot’s seat. Bud stood directly behind them. Mr. Swift had decided to station himself in the laboratory where he could monitor the stability of the various chemicals, bottled liquids, and the electronic equipment, which now included the new Damonscope. As the electronic circuitry inside the walls interfered with televoc communications, everyone flipped on his intercom phones, and Bud took charge of the radio link to the plant, so that Tom could give his undivided attention to the test flight.
"Chow, are you in the galley?" Bud asked.
"Yo-ay, Bud. But brand my mavericks, I’m shakin’ like a bowl o’ jelly."
Before starting the ascent, Tom flipped on the audiogyrex system, which he had designed to eliminate the elevator sensation felt in rapid rising by using an inaudible mix of sound frequencies to "distract" the inner ear. Then, gripping the throttle, heart pounding in anticipation, Tom poured raw power into the jet lifters. As the deep growl of the jets slowly crescendoed, everyone waited anxiously for the first sign of motion.
"Load decreasing on the undercarriage pistons," Rip Hulse reported calmly, scanning the dials. "Ten percent remaining… three percent… boys, we’re off and running!"
Bud burst forth with a cheer as the Flying Lab began to rise, first by inches, then with ever-increasing speed. In a matter of seconds it was shooting skyward.
"We’re airborne!" Bud cried jubilantly. "Oh, man, did we leave old Earth in a hurry!"
The intercom from the laboratory section beeped. "Son, I think congratulations are in order," said Mr. Swift.
"Thanks, Dad." Tom’s voice quavered. "But we’ve still to test her hovering capabilities."
At two thousand feet Tom eased off on the lifters. The mammoth craft stood still in the air, as if supported by an invisible giant’s hand.
"We’ve done it!" Tom exclaimed, gazing down at the cheering, waving throng far beneath them.
"You’ve done it, Tom!" came the proud reply over the intercom. "Your invention is another great step in scientific advancement."
"What about the laboratory?" Tom asked.
"Everything took that sudden rise as well as we did."
Rip slapped Tom on the shoulder. "Magnificent! The new technologies you’re proving here will be a great boon to the defense of our country," he commented.
Bud leaned forward. "I knew you could do it, Tom," he said quietly. "This super-skyship is just one step this side of a trip to the planets."
"Hold on! Not so fast!" Tom laughed. "Verano first."
Bud was now listening to Hank Sterling on the ground. He relayed the message.
"The crowd down there can’t believe what they’re seeing. And do you know
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