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Aviation History
1909
1909 - 0016.PDF
JANUARY 9, 1909. was hardly reason to expect that nonchalant avidity with which those concerned have risen to the occasion. This attitude, too, is all the more startling, inasmuch as although flight has interested a great many people in the motor world — so that the two great movements have become very closely co-related—yet the pioneer firms in this new-born aeronautic industry can hardly be described as having been drawn from motoring ranks. One among the few names really well know to the motor world is that of Messrs. Clement, who are associated with the manufacture of cars ; another is that of Messrs. Bleriot, whose lamps are known wherever motors travel by night; and a third is that of Messis. Antoinette, who have specialised in the produc- tion of multi-cylinder " V" type engines, and whose designs are put into practice in this country by the Adams Manufacturing Co. But among the firms whose names aeronautics has brought to light is that of Messrs. Voisin, who have been responsible for the design and construction of the Farman and Delagrange machines, and who have since built one for Mr. Moore- Brabazon. They have begun well, and are, it is fair to say, quite the most successful constructors in France at the moment. Another important firm is the Etablissements R. E. Pelterie, whose present plant is already capable of building every part of an aeroplane, including the engine. Their works were founded more than a year ago, and have now developed into quite a large factory. Among other work which they have undertaken has been the con- struction of the cars for the " Ville de Bordeaux " and sister airships ; but their speciality is, of course, the manufacture of the RE.P. engines, which have been designed, from A to Z, for aeroplane propulsion. Aeroplanes, as well as airships, which bear the trade mark "Astra" are made by a firm (Soc. Sourcouf) which includes Messrs. Sourcouf and Kapferer, who were at one time engineers of M. Deutsch de la Meurthe's great dirigible " La Ville de Paris." Similarly, too, an entirely new company, named the Compagnie Generate de Navigation Aerienne, has been formed to build Wright aeroplanes, and of this concern M. Michel Clemenceau, son of the well-known French Minister, is a leading spirit. Apart from those who build complete flying machines, there are even more who build engines; but here, as is only natural, names already known in the automobile trade are more in evidence. Among them are Gobron- Brillie, Renault, Clement, Anzani, Gnome, Antoinette, Bariquand and Marre, and, last but not least, the British J.A.P. The J.A.P. firm, who have been very successful in the construction of bicycle engines, have now specialised in the manufacture of aeromotors, with the result that they have introduced two multi-cylinder models of the " V " type. Besides the aeroplane as a whole, and the engine by which it is driven, there is the framework forming its body, and the surface material covering its wings, to give opportunities for commercial development. It is par- ticularly interesting to find woodwork so largely employed for the former purpose, and there seems to be a large field for very extensive development in this direction along .really interesting and scientific lines. Two concerns which are making a study of this work are the Soc. Construction d'Appareils Aerienne and Messrs. Letford and Niepce. The construction of wooden propellers may also be included in this par- ticular section of the industry. They naturally form a pro- duct of the two firms we have just mentioned ; but even greater prominence is given to them by Messrs. Chauviere. With regard to the material for covering the surface of aeroplanes, that made by the Continental Tyre Co. is of course unique at the present time, and is likely to remain so for some little time to come. Those manufacturers possess extraordinary facilities for its manufacture, and have come upon the scene with years of experience bt-hind them in the construction of similar fabric for balloons. Needless to say, there is an all too obvious moral for Great Britain to draw from all this activity in France. As yet, only a very few individuals have conquered the air. But it is even now a foregone certainty that ere very long participation in the conquest will become quite general. When that time comes, it goes without saying that the industrial side of the movement will become of vital national importance : and the value of having been to the fore early in the day will be felt with full force in every civilised country. It is common knowledge that the United Kingdom has utterly failed to get away well at the start; but all may yet be well if the recognition of that fact is made to act as an immediate stimulant to the British nation. It is interesting to record a remark made to us by M. Rene Quinton—the founder of the Ligue Nationale Aerienne—during a conversation we had with him at the recent Salon, for he unhesitatingly expressed the view that England was two or three \ ears behind already. That is, however, a Frenchman's view of the situation ; and, in mitigation of its sting, we can, at least, recall the fact that even in France it is two English- speaking men who have so far led the van. The prospects of the coming season are bright enough for England if only sufficient enthusiasm can be aroused in place of past lethargy. All being well, there should be an interesting aero show (as a section of the Heavy Vehicle Exhibition) at Olympia in March, for the secretary of the S.M. M.T. was diligently canvassing the exhibitors at the Salon to bring their machines over to this country. If he has met with any marked degree of success, that alone will give a great fillip to the movement; while, if the Society are able to obtain the co-operation of the Aero Club of the U.K., the Exhibition ought to attract the attention of Sport and Fashion to the existence of the new pastime. England, moreover, is far from lacking firms who are ready and anxious to build aeroplanes. There is the well-known firm of Short Brothers, who are official engineers of the Aero Club, and who already have a considerable amount of construction in hand. And, amongst others, there is Mr. Howard T. Wright—a brother of Mr. Warwick Wright, the prominent motorist —who has been personally engaged in expeiimental work for a long time past. It only needs, in fact, more pioneer investigators like Mr. Moore-Brabazon—who wll now, we trust, find sufficient encouragement to keep him at work in this country—and this little nucleus will receive the breath of life for which it is at present pining. There are, we know, several prominent people in this country who have already passed beyond a mrrely academic interest in the problem of flight; and, while we heartily wish them every personal success, we sincerely trust that they will so work that their country may even now begin to benefit from their labours. It will not be long before the Aero Club and the Aeronautical Society—not to mention the Aeroplane Club, which we even yet hope to see merged into the senior body—will have their trial- grounds ready for use; and meantime we hope all our readers arc preparing the wa\, in accordance with their means, by giving such support as they can afford to the infant industry which is destined to revolutionise civilisa tion during the present century. 18
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