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Aviation History
1911
1911 - 0623.PDF
JULY 22, 1911. I7QGHT THE BREGUET AEROPLANE. AT a time when everything in aeronautics is virtually new it seems inappropriate to refer to any particular machine as out of the ordinary, but the stereotyping influence of the popularity of one or two leading makes has already had a marked tendency in fixing ideas in aeroplane construction SO that it is, after all, a matter of General view of the Bregnet biplane from in front. necessity to say of the Breguet aeroplane that it is a machine ot uncommon design and exceptional interest. In the first place it is built of steel throughout, whereas most aeroplanes are built of timber with minor metal fittings. The body of the Breguet aeroplane has, in fact, a frame built up with pressed- steel channel-section side members just like the frame of the chassis of a motor car, which point is worthy of immediate reference as it serves to emphasise the completeness of the steel structure and also happens to be invisible in the accompanying illustrations. Another important feature of the Breguet design, which is now becoming more common, is the monoplane type body in conjunction with biplane wings. This firm was one of the first to introduce the combination, and, indeed, M. Breguet was in the habit of describing his aeroplane as a double monoplane, but this defini tion is not in accord with our own terminology, and it seems to us impossible to regard the Breguet aero plane as other than a biplane pure and simple, for the planes are un - questionably superposed and their only difference is one of span. The span of the upper plane is, as a matter of fact, very much greater than that of the lower plane. In the construction and mounting of the main planes the outstanding feature that is apparent from a glance at the ac companying illustrations is the use of a single row of struts, whereas most biplanes have their wings separated by a double row of struts. The presence of only a single row of struts is an indication of the presence of but one main spar and, indeed, the real feature of the Breguet planesisrelated to this fact. The surfacing material is stretched on ribs that are in themselves flexible and have in addition a flexible attachment to the tubular steel main-spar. (The constructive detail is mentioned in Patent No. 7209 of 1909.) The result is an automatically variable angle of incidence, which the makers also claim acts in the nature of a spring suspension, or, shall we say, " shock damper" in the air. 7o be concluded.) rftSftHfiT Side view ot the Breguet biplane. 625 C 2
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