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Aviation History
1911
1911 - 0756.PDF
[/TJCHT SEPTEMBER 2, 1911, Rear view of the Dixon monoplane. illustration of it will probably be of interest to a large number of readers who make a study of these different systems of aeroplane construction. The Nipper, as Mr. Dixon calls his first attempt, is a monoplane of the tail-first type, and is also characterised by its boat-shaped body. The leading plane consists of a tiny biplane, each member being about 2 ft. 6 ins. span and the same in chord, and, as the photographs show, the planes of this member have a considerable angle of incidence. Extending out from the gap of this leading plane are the two halves of a monoplane elevator, which is controlled by a universally pivoted lever in front of the pilot's seat. The sideways movement of this same lever is used to operate the rudder planes that will be noticed mounted vertically above the extremities ® ® of the main wing. These rudders were intended to be used as brakes, and lateral equilibrium was maintained by steering thereby into the eye of the wind. Most of the framework is made of bamboo and the wings have aluminium leading and trailing edges. The pilot's seat, as will be observed from the illustrations, is situated practically in line with the leading edge, while the propeller, which is of 6 ft. 8 ins. diameter, works in a recess in the trailing edge. The engine, a 25-h.p. V type air-cooled Advance, is mounted just in front of the rear main-spar. A simple A type under-carriage, fitted with wheels and skids, is mounted under the main wings to support the bulk of the weight when the machine is on the ground, but a lighter carriage, also fitted with wheels and skid, is .placed further forward to take the weight of the leading portion. ,.„ ® ® THE CETONIA (AUDAX) I-H.P. C02 ENGINE. EARLY pioneers in the science of flight who sought to unravel some of its problems by the use of models, were much obstructed by the difficulty of obtaining sufficiently light motive power for their purpose. The story of Langley's experiments, for example, vtrges on the pathetic in its record of delay caused by the building of innumerable small engines, and not one of those who worked in this field found other than a great stumbling block in this matter. Almost all, too, tried to use a carbonic acid gas motor, for it seems, at any rate at first sight, that an engine of this description should afford the greatest opportunities of combining lightness with power. Of late, the use of scientific models in the way that they were employed by the pioneers of whom we speak has been less in evidence, but we do not doubt but that it will come to the fore again, more particularly if these difficulties of the past are removed. It is particularly interesting, for instance, to observe that a French firm, Aero-Hall, 59, Boulevard Victor, Paris, has placed on the market a small carbonic acid gas engine, which they rate at i-h.p. It is of the 8-cyl. radial type, and can be supplied either as a rotary or as a fixed motor, according to choice. The bore is 19 mm. and the stroke 28 mm. The weight of the engine is 790 grammes, and the overall diameter 185 mm. The cylinders, which are made of steel, are set radially about the crank-chamber at an angle of 45°, and the crank-shalt is mounted on ball-bearings. The connecting- rods are hinged to the big-end of the master connecting-rod in the usual way. On the crank-shaft is an eccentric motion operating the inlet-valves, which are of the piston type. - - •*"— »*fUI' The gas is led to the valve-chambers through radial pipes com municating with a central distributing-box. The gas itself is carried in liquid form in a small steel cylinder containing about I kilog. In order to avoid the creation of snow due to the intense cold accompanying the expansion of the liquid into a gas, the fluid is passed through a coil immersed in hot water contained in a cylinder provided for that purpose, and forming part of the complete equip ment. The carbonic acid gas cylinders are intended to be recharged from the larger cylinders used in commerce, and generally available at any soda-water factory or brewery. The Cetonia motor has been officially tested at the Conservatoire des Arts et Metiers, where it gave i*03-h.p. at 1,710 r.p.m. for one minute. Among its practical performances is a flight of 92 sees, duration, covering a distance of 1,178 metres with a model biplane measuring 2*5 metres span, 3 metres in length, and weighing i7-5 kilogs. The Cetonia engine is the "Audax" motor, of which our correspondent, Mr. L'Estrange, wrote some while ago in FLIGHT. CYLINDERS HOT WATER j BOV The Cetonia CO, engine, with liquid gas cylinders and hot water box to prevent the formation of snow during gasification. The Cetonia CO, engine. Sectional drawings showing the internal construction. 758
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