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Aviation History
1910
1910 - 0730.PDF
[^JGHT SEPTEMBER IO, 1910. THE NEW CURTISS BIPLANE. THE accompanying interesting drawings, reproduced from our American contemporary, Aeronautics, show the general arrangement and many of the more important constructional details of the new Curtiss biplane. This machine does not differ in its general lines from the original Curtiss aeroplane described in FLIGHT on July 3rd, 1909 (Vol. I, p. 389), but the span now measures 32 ft., and the chord of the planes is 5 ft., the gap between the planes being the same amount. All these dimensions are greater than on the earlier Curtiss model. In order to facilitate transport the main planes are built in five sections, which are detachable. The joint of the main spars is formed by a steel sleeve made of 18-gauge metal. This sleeve is split longitudinally along the back, and the edges turned out to form flanges, which are drilled to take bolts ; by this simple device the sleeve is clamped upon the spars. A couple of bolts also pass diagonally through the body of the sleeve, in order to centre the spars in position. When trussed by the wire bracing there is, of course, no bending strain on the joints. Details of the camber of the plane are given in Ae accompanying sketches, and the surfacing material is Baldwin's rubberised linen. This is placed on the tops of the ribs only, and is applied in sections of 6 ft. span, the sections being laced to the large ribs which lie adjacent to the main struts. The fabric is tacked down to the small ribs through a protecting strip of tape. Laminated ash and spruce are the two woods chiefly employed in the construction. Fourteen feet in front of the main planes is the elevator, which has a span of 7 ft. with a chord and a gap each measuring 2 ft. 3 in. The planes of this member are doubled surfaced. In the rear is a fixed horizontal tail plane having a span of 7 ft. and a chord of 2 ft. 6 in. Intersecting this plane at right angles is the rudder, which also has a chord of 2 ft. 6 in. and measures 3 ft. in height. The elevator and the tail planes have both cambered sections, so that they are normally lifting planes ; the camber is represented by a versine height of f in., measured one-third of the chord from the leading edge. At the extremities of the main planes, situated midway in the gap, are balancing planes, having a span of 9 ft. 11 in. and a chord of 2 ft. 9 in. Four feet of the span of each balancer projects beyond the extremities of the main planes. The control of these members is effected by wires attached to a lever that forms the back of the Gt's seat, and the pilot controls their movements by leaning his y to one side or the other. In order to rebalance the machine if it has heeled over, he leans towards the rising side ; in other words, keeping the body upright automatically tends to check canting. This action, it will be observed, is to all intents and purposes that advocated by Sir Richard Paget in a recen* issue of FLIGHT. The essential point of Sir Richard Paget's contention is tl.it the system of control should be such that the pilot should automatically perform the correct operation for balancing the machine so loig as he succeeds in keeping his own body in a normal pjsition. This, it will be observed, is what the pilot of the Curtiss biplane does so far as concerns lateral stability. If, when flying the Curtisb biplane, the pilot found himself unable to lean far enough over to one side without assistance, he would have to pull himself across by catching hold of one of the struts of the machine. It is precisely this u^tiou that Sir Richard Paget advocates in principle, and it is, as ou.' readers know, contrary to the usual system of control, where the hand is employed to push a lever towards the rising side of the machine. Although this reaction system applies to balancing the Curtiss biplane, the ordinary method of control is employed in tilting and steering. Situated in front of the pilot is a wheel mounted in a vertical plane on the top of a pivoted column. Pushing the entire column forward dips the nose of the machine down, and pulling the column backwards tilts it up. The connection to the elevator is effected by a bamboo rod. Turning the wheel to the left steers the machine to the left, on the same principle as an automobile ; the steering-cabks pass round grooves in the steering-wheel itself, and they are carried through the hollow steering column. The engine on the new Curtiss biplane is an 8-cylinder model of Curtiss' own design. It is a V-type water-cooled motor, and is direct coupled to a 7 ft. Curtiss propeller. The engine control is effected by an accelerator pedal on the left of the steering column, and there is also a throttle-lever close to %he pilot's seat. Another pedal, under the action of the pilot's right foot, is employed to cut off the ignition, and to apply a brake to the front wheel of the chassis that carries the machine on the ground. This chassis is a three-wheeled construction, as in the earlier Curtiss aeroplane. It is estimated that the weight of the machine is 650 lbs., and the first flight therewith was accomplished by C. F. Willard, on August nth, over the Hempstead Plains. On August 14th the same pilot carried three extra passengers for a distance of a quarter of a mile. On this trip the total weight supported was probably about 1,200 lbs.; the effective area is 320 sq. ft. PARIS-LONDON" FLIGHfT. AT last Mr. Moissant's perseverance and pluck have carried him to the end of his remarkable journey of flying from Paris to London with a passenger. It will be remembered that his original start was from Issy, on August 16th, at about 5 p.m., and the last stage of the journey, after the various mishaps and disappointments of the aviator already recorded by us, was enacted on Tuesday last. Commencing to adjust his Bleriot early in the morning, he rose at five minutes to one from Drane's Farm, Kemsing, in Kent, and getting clear of his starting field, first made a move towards London, but in remembrance of a promise to Sir Mark Collett he then turned in a wide circle, flying over the front of St. Clere in order that Lady Collett, who is a great invalid, might see him in flight. Unfor tunately, the old adverse currents in the valley were thus met with, these again proving his master in getting over the hills, and in about half an hour he was compelled to again descend in a cornfield, near Otford Station, some two miles from Drane's Farm. At this fresh rebuff he was inclined to be slightly downhearted, but his pluck overcame everything, and about five o'clock he was away again with a splendid ascent, and this time for good. By 5.30 he had reached the Crystal Palace, but his want of knowledge of his surroundings made it risky for him to come down in the grounds, and after circling round the North Tower he continued his flight towards Gipsy Hill, then returning to Penge, and finally alighting upon the new Beckenham cricket ground, about a mile and a half from the Palace. In sweeping down at rather a sharp angle he managed to buckle the wheels and slightly damage the underframe, in addition to breaking his propeller, the fourth since his start from Issy. Thus ends this splendid international journey, and the only regret is that Mr. Moissant was unable to go through with the voyage to its completion in the extraordinarily successful manner in which it started, so that he might have reaped the rich reward from the Metropolis which undoubtedly is his due. At least he will have a memento of the occasion in the .£50 silver cup which has been presented to him by the Daily Mail, his mechanician and companion in his voyage, Fileux, receiving a smaller silver cup for his part in the historical flight. MR. ROBERT LORAINE'S HOLYHEAD-DUBLIN FLIGHT. BY his fine flights already achieved, Mr. Loraine ranks amongst the best pioneers of the day, and that he is mainly prompted in following up the art for itself is clearly evidenced by his exceptional avoidance of self-advertisement in regard to the work which he is accomplishing. Quite quietly and almost secretly on Saturday last he arrived at Holyhead from Cemlyn, where his Henry Farman machine is stored since his mishap when attempting to fly from that point to the Anglesey port. The weather being all that was desirable for a successful flight, Mr. Loraine determined to attempt the journey across the water to Dublin, with the intention of returning to Holyhead as soon as possible, anticipating the time the journey each way would occupy to be about I \ hours. At six oxlock he was ready, and in spite of all precautions a goodly number of the public had somehow got wind of his intentions and gave voice to their enthusiasm at the apparently successful con summation of the project. The recent heavy rains, however, were against the attempt, having saturated the ground to such an extent that it was impossible to get the aeroplane up to a sufficient speed to enable it to get clear of terra firma. In the attempt, unfortunately, the machine came into contact with a boulder, smashing the lower part of the aeroplane, and necessitating considerable repairs. Mr. Loraine, who was somewhat mixed up with the wires through the sudden shock, was not hurt in any other way, although he came to the ground with a fair amount of force. Further attempt for the moment was therefore out of the question, and Mr. Loraine returned by car to Holyhead a very disappointed man. When he makes his next attempt in all probability his starting point will be from Salt Island, which spot he hopes to make for also on his return journey. 728
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