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Aviation History
1910
1910 - 0090.PDF
I/U0E3 FEBRUARY 5, 1910. AERONAUTICS FOR THE By GRIFFITH BREWER. NAVY. IT is, of course, possible that dirigibles similar to that now under construction at Messrs. Vickers, Sons and Maxim's, may be of use in naval warfare; but whether employed for scouting or for active attack, they must necessarily act as separate units and keep in touch with their protection sheds, be these floating or on land. They cannot reason ably be expected to go cruising with a fleet at sea, because the first gale encountered would mean their destruction. For cruising purposes, therefore, a fleet must rely on some means of aerial apparatus of a more portable character, which may be stowed on board a vessel, and -when scouting or other aerial services are required, an ascent may be made regardless of the weather conditions at the time. One means that will be at the disposal of the Navy very shortly is the- aeroplane, which is rapidly proving itself a most efficient vehicle for reconnoitring, and although its use has hitherto been confined to flights from land, I see no insuperable difficulties against launching and subsequently landing on a vessel at sea. The second means for providing longsight eyes to a fleet is the old spherical balloon, and it has always been a mystery to me why this splendid means of observation has not been used in the Navy nor any attempt been made to prove or disprove its value. I purpose dealing later in this article with a ready means for proving by experiment the feasibility of using the balloon at sea for observation and for other purposes. The aeroplane, however, now holds the favourite position in aeronautical enterprise, and so I will endeavour to suggest a method of its employment as a tender to a high-speed steamship. In starting an aeroplane from a vessel under way, there would be no need to employ wheels for the initial start, nor would a starting rail or propelling catapult be required. It would be sufficient to propel the vessel from which the aeroplane is to be launched at a sufficient speed to enable the planes to receive the requisite amount of lift, and then to release the aeroplane, the aviator having his elevating planes set to the proper angle as though he were rising from a launching rail. The launching would take place from the bows of the vessel, preferably from a light upper deck without side rails, which would, in fact, have the appearance of a permanent awning and need not interfere with the duties of the men carried out on the usual deck below. The bows of the vessel would be directed against the wind and the speed of propulsion would be such as to add to the force of the wind sufficiently to cause the planes of the flying machine to lift, when, by releasing a catch, either by hand or automatically, on the required hft being obtained, the machine would rise and travel forward by reason of its own propellers. This method of starting would certainly be attended with some risk in the event of the aeroplane failing in its flight just after launching, but the danger of being run down by the following vessel could be entirely obviated by using a catapult starting apparatus, which would enable the machine to be launched when the vessel was stationary or only being propelled at a slow speed. The alighting on the deck at the end of the flight would be a more difficult matter, but should not be more dangerous than bringing a boat alongside in a moderate sea. It would require skill, certainly, but by the skill that is being displayed by men, with but a few months' pioneer experience, to-day, it would not need much excess of that skill to effect the necessary landing or boarding operation. The method of accomplishing this feat would be by bringing the vessel head to wind) and when thus directed sailing up alongside on the aeroplane whilst gradually converging towards the vessel. Both the ship and the aeroplane would be made to travel as nearly as possible at similar speeds, and the relative result would be the side approach of the aeroplane over the raised fore deck, where it would become practically stationary and could be secured. The machine would then be lowered on to the main deck aft of the raised deck, and would be stowed under cover ready to be brought out on the next occasion. There would, of course, be difficulties in the use of aeroplanes as suggested above, but there would also be the advantage unobtainable on land of securing a .true wind unruffled by eddies and unexpected currents. It would probably not be possible to utilise any other portion than the bow of the ship for the starting deck, because of the eddies set up by the vessel as it advances, but this could be ascertained by experiment. The value of aeroplane scouts to a fleet can hardly be over-estimated. They would warn the ships to which they belong of the approach of an enemy, long before its masts were in sight, and this without any danger of being themselves seen, because an aeroplane seen side or end on offers but a small mark for observation, and at ten miles would be quite invisible to the naked eye. They would also be of the greatest value for communi cating with the shore, as no harbours would be required, and in the case of a fleet travelling along our coast, it would be possible to land in an aeroplane and rejoin the fleet without hindering its progress. But before the British Navy can utilise the aeroplane for all these services some of its officers must learn to manipulate it on land, and the aeroplane they will require will be the one which is capable of executing with the greatest ease and accuracy the sharpest movements and curves. It must also be a machine with the greatest strength in proportion to its weight, and consequently must be a biplane. Above all, however, should the naval authorities give some favoured young officers a chance to see what can be done, let us hope they will not disdain to take advantage of the work already accomplished by others. Thousands of pounds have been spent by the Aero Club and its members, and all knowledge and facilities thus acquired are at the disposal of the services when the authorities realise that the air is an element already invaded by man. A ship equipped for aerial scouting will not be fully prepared for all weather conditions when provided with aeroplanes alone. At anchor it might be easy to launch an aeroplane by means of a catapult, but the boarding of the aeroplane on to the ship after the flight might be extremely difficult or even impossible in a calm with the ship stationary. In a heavy sea, with the ship plunging head to wind, it might also be extremely difficult either to be launched or to subsequently board the vessel; and it is on such occasions that the balloon could be used. The plunging or rolling of a ship would not affect the balloon, and the pressure of the wind if too high could be taken off the balloon by steaming slowly before the wind. In a calm the balloon is an infinitely superior means of observation to the aeroplane, because the latter must continue to travel at least at thirty miles an hour in order to support flight, whilst the balloon held captive at the end of a rope gives the observers time to take a careful survey of the surroundings without being in any 86
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