FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1911
1911 - 0973.PDF
NOVEMBER II, 191 I. Ht&n The^motor employed on the 3'seater Etrich monoplane—a 6-cyl. Austro-Daimler of 130-h.p. flying seeds, those of the sycamore and pine, for instance, which are so abundant in the vegetable kingdom. This preparatory work led him to try a glider of his own design, very ingeniously constructed, and of such an original plan form, that at that time it was considered bordering on the fantastical. Experiments with the glider commenced in 1904 at Trantenau, and during the year glides of up to three-quarters of a mile in length were made. It was not until 1909 that a power-driven aeroplane was evolved, which, piloted by Illner, soon captured all existing Austrian records. Since then it has undergone improvement after improvement, and to-day is universally ranked among the most successful and most scientifically designed of air-craft. Its appearance in England, on the occasion of the Circuit of Britain, was a revelation to our English constructors, and its influence will doubtless have an effect on current design. The body of the Etrich monoplane is a fish-shaped structure of steel tubing cross-braced by wire. F'rom the elliptical radiator, which is mounted at its forward end, the body deepens and widens in the vicinity of the pilot's seat, and from that point, still preserving its elliptical cross-section, gradually tapers away to the tail, where it terminates in a vertical line. To avoid internal disturbance in the air discharge, the body is covered in front with metal sheeting and aft of the pilot's cockpit with fabric. In the matter of under-carriage, the Etrich monoplane has under gone repeated modification in the past, but it seems as though the constructor has definitely decided that one modelled upon llenry Farman lines is most suitable—at least, for the present. As the main planes form the most distinct feature of the machine, they merit careful study. Reference to the accompanying diagram (Fig. 1) will facilitate description. The front part of each wing, shaded in the sketch, is rigidly constructed of webbed ribs, built over three longitudinal spars, of which the forward one forms the leading edge. This5 section is surfaced on both sides with fabric, Behind the rear boom extend bamboo continuations of the ribs, which, covered with a single surface of fabric, form a flexible trailing edge. The camber is very slight, even at the point where the wings are attached to the fuselage, and it decreases, together with the angle Front elevation of the Etrich monoplane. Working on entirely independent lines, the researches of the three pioneers—Dunne and Weiss in England, and Etrich in Austria—have all resulted in the discovery of the improvement of longitudinal stability by the incorporation of the negatively- incident thrown-back wing tip. It must be admitted, however, that Etrich has moved a step in advance of his contemporaries on this side of the Channel for, whereas all three have demonstrated the effectiveness of their inferences as applied to practical man-lifting machines, the Austrian inventor has succeeded in establishing the manufacture of his monoplanes on a sound com mercial basis. Like the famous Wright Bros., Etrich commenced his experiments by the study of gliding flight in the year 1898 when he acquired a Lilienthal glider. Pursuing the investigations com menced by the latter, he delved into every subject that would be likely to throw light on the problem he had set himself out to solve. He studied the propulsive organs of every kind of flying animal— birds, insects, bats, flying-fish, and even went to the extent of investigating the different species 01 The cockpit of the Etrich monoplane, showing accommodation for mechanic, pilot and passenger, 975 C
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
