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Aviation History
1911
1911 - 1130.PDF
—•—- [/U GHT DECEMBER 30, I9II. THE BRITISH WAR OFFICE TRIALS.! FOLLOWING upon the announcement of the specifications of the War Office Trials, which was published in our issue of December 23rd (p. 1109), we have received the following interesting and important communications on the subject from some of the manufacturers who are, presumably, likely to be among the prominent participants in this event. In such a medley of opinion as has been expressed by all and sundry in regard to the clauses of the specification, it is at least worth hearing what those most concerned have to say on the subject :— _«-j Mr. L. Howard'Flanders :— On the whole, the conditions of the military trial seem very fair and well drawn up. The result should be an extremely useful sound type of aeroplane, not only for military purposes, but also for ordinary cross-crountry flying. The specification is certainly difficult, but several British machines have already put up a performance, nearly, if not quite as good as that required. The prizes are extremely small, and it seems difficult to understand why the richest country in the world should be unable to afford an adequate sum. The purchase of the aeroplane for £1,000 is also hard to under stand, as surely if a suitable engine costs ,£900, or something about that figure, it is absurd to expect to buy a sound aeroplane, less engine, for £100, or even three times that figure. Dealing with the actual specification clause by clause :— 1. Unnecessary, an aeroplane should be flown not sent about by rail. 2. Good. 3. To climb at 200 ft. per min. is difficult, but certainly desirable for use in England. 4. Some encouragement should be given for speed. 5. Very difficult to estimate with accuracy and fairness, but a very desirable feature. 6. The actual length of the grass or clover should be stated. 7 (and 6). This is more difficult for a machine with a fine gliding angle than one with an angle of about 1 in 4. 8. Simple, but open to the same objection as No. I. 9. Good. 10. This should be more explicit. 11. Good ; none of the French machines are as yet so strictly interchangeable as the present-day motor car. 12 (a,f, g). This should be done by the makers of the engine. Other points good. 13. All forms of anchors or clips to hold the machine back (mechanically) should be barred. 14. a. Good. b. Should be compulsory. c. Difficult to judge. d. 20 per cent, is the maximum likely to be attained. e. Good. f. Bad. Things that are easily detachabable may become detached unintentionally, a bad thing for planes. g. Should be 150 ft. A. V. Roe and Co.:— The tests in connection with the proposed Military Aeroplane Competition are somewhat stiff, but we do not think we shall have any trouble in passing them, and on the whole they meet with our approval, except that several of the tests concern the pilot, not the machine. In fact, it would have been very much better to have divided the tests into two portions :— 1. The conditions being for the purpose of testing the aero plane. 2. The conditions with the object of testing the engine. In both cases, of course, the tests being as much as possible those effecting the machine or the engine, and not the pilot. It is also a matter of regret that it was not made necessary for the competing machines to have been built in this country, for to our idea the competition was more to encourage the designers and builders of aeroplanes, and the mechanics who actually do the work, rather than finding out the best machine, which is quite unnecessary, in view of the fact that the French have just had a military competition which would have given us all the information required on this point, and the competition between the various builders would have been quite sufficient to have brought out their best. We have only seen the conditions in the Press, and none of them mention any provision which would encourage the designing and building of aeroplane engines. Many aeroplane builders will doubtless say that with few exceptions the British engine maker has not done his share, but the important point is that we must not let the country at large suffer for this. If encouragement is given to the aero engine makers they will wake up, and at the same time more outside capital will be introduced, which will encourage this veiy important branch. Mr. Horace L. Short (Short Brothers):— Re the War Office specifications for aeroplanes ; the conditions contained therein are more or less what are generally required for Army use at the present time, but from our own experience in matters appertaining to aviation we are fully certain that had the specifications been a little wider, machines of a very much safer and far more reliable type could have been entered. Mr. D. Lawrence Santoni (British Deperdussin Aeroplane Synd., Ltd.):— As a whole the conditions do not seem to be over difficult; one or two items will require some modification in the existing types of machines, but no doubt most of the conditions will be fulfilled. I give a detailed reply to the various items below :— 1. Be delivered in a packing Quite feasible, case, &c. 2. Carry alive load of 350lbs., This is not difficult. &c. 3. Fly for three hours loaded, Ditto, as in Clause 2, &c. 4. Attain a speed of not less Ditto, than 55 m.p.h., &c. 5. Plane down to ground in a This will be found to be far calm, &c. more difficult than most people imagine. In fact, I think very few machines will do it. It will also be difficult to measure accu rately. 6. Rise without damage in long Quite feasible, grass, &c. 7. Land without damage on This depends on the pilot's skill, any cultivated ground, &c. but it is not very difficult. Brakes of some sort will have to be fitted to pull-up in 75 yds. on a smooth ground. 8. Be capable of change from Easy, flying trim to road transport, &c. 9. Provide accommodation for Easy, a pilot and observer, &c, &c. 10. The pilot's and observer's This may need some alteration view of the country below them in existing machines but good to front, and flanks must be as results can be expected. open as possible. 13. The engine must be capa- This will need some arranging ble of being started by the pilot but I imagine will be done, alone. It will add to the weight of machinery. 14. Amongst the desirable The one most difficult to carry attributes, out will be the silencing of the engine; with the Gnome, of course, this is impossible ; in water-cooled engines it will probably be attempted but will undoubtedly absorb a certain amount of power, which will necessitate a larger h.p. engine. This again will entail a larger machine. How that machine is to be built for ,£1,000 I cannot conceive under existing circum stances. ® ® ® ® A New Clement Dirigible. IT is announced that the French Government have ordered a new dirigible of 10,000 metres capacity from M. A. Clement, and that ccnstruction is well under way at Levallois Perret. Trial Trip with " Parseval XI." ON December 23rd, the " Parseval XI," having five passengers on board, left Bitterfeld with the object of going to Johannistahl. After an hour and three-quarters travelling it passed over Juterbog and landed at Treebin, 30 kiloms. to the south-west of Berlin, after being in the air for three hours, it was then decided to remain there for the night. II33
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