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Aviation History
1910
1910 - 0385.PDF
THE PIGGOTT BROS. BIPLANE. A NEW British-built biplane, the trials of which are about to take place and should be watched with extreme interest, has been constructed by the well-known con structors, Messrs. Piggott Bros, and Co., Ltd., of Bishopsgate Street, to the designs of their engineer, Mr. S. C. Parr. The machine is in every way un common, but to the lay mind its outstanding feature of interest is its great size, for it has a span of no less than 60 ft. and is essentially designed for carrying one or more passengers in addition to the pilot. From the point of view of design, the machine is also exceptionally interesting, because Mr. Parr has embodied a very great deal of what may be described as Lanchester's theory. Those who have studied F. W. Lanchester's works on Aerial Flight will recognise certain characteristics in the general form of the aeroplane surfaces; and in other details, too, it is possible to discuss the design from Lanchester's standpoint. This fact is in itself one that we regard as being very important, and the designer is to be congratulated in having taken the trouble at the commencement to master another man's line of thought and to build up his own experience on that as a basis. We do not wish to imply that the design itself is in any way due to Lanchester, who possibly would disagree with much that is represented. From a constructional point of view the machine is full of interesting details, and possibly the outstanding feature is the extensive use of aluminium. As a system the leading features that are likely to attract most attention are the use of two propellers in tandem and the somewhat peculiar method of suspension. The accompanying illustrations are somewhat incom plete, having been taken under difficulties while the machine was being dismantled at the factory, but they serve to indicate the more important points. The uncommon character of the design more than justifies Another view of the chassis of the Piggott biplane, taken while the engine was being dismantled. View of the framework of the Piggott biplane, showing the general arrangement of the suspension and the larger of the two propellers in situ. the publication of these particu lars in advance of any practical performance on the part of the machine itself. The machine is, as we have mentioned, a biplane, the decks having a 00 ft. span and a maxi mum chord of 6 ft. measured on the minor axis of their elliptical plan form. The aspect ratio is thus nominally 10, but the equiva lent value of this ratio for an ellipse as compared with a rect angle is unknown. The decks are double surfaced with a special cotton fabric that has been water proofed and fireproofed by Piggott Bros. The fabric is stretched over built-up ribs shaped to the- desired camber, which on the under surface has a maximum. value of 3! ins. situated 2 ft. 3 in.: from the leading edge. About 6 ft. in front of the main decks is a monoplane elevator, and about 15 ft. behind the decks is a fixed monoplane tail. Both mem bers have an approximate elliptic plan form, their leading and trailing 383
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