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Aviation History
1913
1913 - 0026.PDF
m HT Automatic versus Inherent Stability. [1699] Will you, of your courtesy, permit me to correct a misprint in my letter (1695) ? Respecting automatic stability devices, I am made to say : " The efficiency of these devices is too often assumed." But I wrote : " The inefficiency of these devices is too often assumed." I regret that, in the same letter, I inadvertently omitted to add Captain Godfrey Paine's name to those of General David Henderson and Major Sykes. Haywards Heath. L. BEAUCLERC GOLDMAN. The Andrews Glider. [1700! A few days ago I had the pleasure of seeing a very remarkable demonstration at the home of Mr. Robert Andrews, Brookline, Mass. (U.S.A.). Mr. Andrews is an aviation enthusiast of the old school. I say he is of the old school because he was thinking and talking aviation long before we aviators ever had a machine to fly. Mr. Andrews, however, has kept abreast of the times, and it must be a satisfaction for him to have seen the rise of that which was scoffed at but a few years ago. I believe Mr. Andrews has given to the aeronautic world one ot the most valuable principles that has so far been discovered. To be sure, I have not given his invention a very thorough examination, but from what I have seen of it, and I believe I have seen enough to form an opinion which may be of value, I am convinced that Mr. Andrews' principle is fundamentally correct. And I believe it would pay your aeroplane manufacturers and experimentors to carry on some research work employing Mr. Andrews' system of planes. Briefly, Mr. Andrews' scheme is to use a tandem monoplane. Now this is not new. Hargraves' box kite had tandem planes ; so did Langley's aeroplane, and Montgomery's glider, but there is this difference between Mr. Andrews' arrangement of the planes and those of his predecessors. In Mr. Andrews' case the rear plane has a negative angle of incidence with respect to the line of flight, while the forward plan has a positive angle of incidence. In other words, there is a dihedral angle between the two planes. Now even this dihedral angle between the two tandem planes is not new, but I believe it is new to have the rear plane as large as the forward plane, and set at a dihedral angle. Formerly, the rear plane was only a stabilizing plane, or at the best, it lifted only a small proportion of the weight of the machine. With Mr. Andrews' arrangement it supports a large part of the weight. I enclose a rough sketch of a little glider which Mr. Andrews showed me and which he made from parchment paper. For a MCGATIVt ANCLE. or INCIOE.NCt HAT Pi IN MOT Of*. ANDREW'S c^UDELR. AIR NOZZ-LE. PRIMClPUEL Or C,I_IDELR. " motor " he used a hatpin, and shifted it backwards and forwards in order to change the centre of gravity of the machine. If any one will take the trouble to make the little model shown in my sketch, he will be amply repaid. I have never seen a model glide as these models of Mr. Andrews do. The gliding angle is very flat, and the stability of the model is remarkable. I also enclose a rough sketch illustrating the principle of the Andrews glider. It will be seen, by reference to this sketch, that although the rear plane is at a negative angle of incidence with respect to the line of flight, it has a positive angle of incidence with respect to the air stream in which it rides. In other words, the air coming from the foreward plane has a downward component, but because of the elasticity of the air a reaction soon ensues and the air has an upward motion. It is upon this upward current of rising air which Mr. Andrews' rear plane rides, and it is because the air is rising upward that the rear plane has a lift, although at a negative angle of incidence with respect to the line of flight. It seems to me that Mr. Andrews' principle gives us not only a very stable monoplane, but also a very efficient one, as Eiffel has JANUARY 4, 1913 proved that under certain circumstances tandem planes are more efficient than a single plane. • I believe it would be greatly to the advantage of the science of aviation if this matter was discussed by the readers of your paper. EARLE L. OVINGTON. P.S.—It is hardly necessary for me to add that I have no interest whatever, directly or indirectly, in Mr. Andrews or in his invention other than that I am enthusiastic about anything which seems to me will add to the science which we all love so well. The Swiftest Bird. [1701] Can anyone tell me which is the swiftest bird and what its maximum speed, in a dead calm, is? Brook Green. A. H. FORD-MOORE. Wing Sections. [1702] Would any of your numerous readers be kind enough to answer the following questions ? :— 1. Which is the design of wing section that is most likely to give a maximum of lift and speed, and why ? 2. What is the best aspect ratio to secure maximum lift and speed, and why? 3. What is the greatest weight as yet lifted per square foot of planes and per horse power, and by what machine was it accom plished ? 4. What is the fuel and oil consumption of the 70-h.p. and 80-h.p. Gnome engines per actual h.p. hour ? Wishing your valuable paper every good luck, South Hampstead. L. E. EEMAN. Slow Speed Rotary Engines. [1703] Is there any firm manufacturing a rotary type engine capable of giving 50b.h.p. at 503 r.p.m. (not more), and of being started on full load ? If so, can it be fitted with a silencer ? " ENQUIRER." ® ® ® ® PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. Soldier and Aviator: a Tribute to the Memory of Captain Patrick Hamilton, of the Poyal Flying Corps. By Ethel Hamilton. London: C. W. Daniel, Ltd., I, Amen Corner, E.G. Calendar and Blotter, 1913. W. Leighton and Co., 10, Broad way, Broadstairs. Petroleum: the Motive Power of the Future. By W. Sheldon Tower, Ph.D., and J. Roberts, F.G.S., M.Inst.C.E. London: Hodder and Stoughton. ® ® ® ® NEW COMPANY REGISTERED. W. H. Ewen Aviation Co., Ltd., 28, Bath Street, Glasgow. —Capital ^15,000 in £1 shares (12,500 preferred ordinary and 2,500 deferred ordinary). Acquiring the business belonging to William Hugh Ewen and Andrew Mitchell Ramsay, aeronautical engineers, Hendon, and to carry on a school of aviation and a business of aeronautical engineers; and to promote the art or practice of aviation and aerial navigation in Scotland. ® ® ® ® Aeronautical Patents Published. Applied for In 1011. Published J attuary ind, IQJ 3 27,556. F. ARENS. Turnable hangar for airships. Applied for in Ittl'J. Published J anuary 2nd, 1913. 13,288. J. SCHUTTE. Airship frames. FLIGHT. 44, ST. MARTIN'S LANE, LONDON, W.C. Telegraphic address: Truditur, London. Telephone: l828Gerrard. SUBSCRIPTIONnRATES. FLIGHT will be forwarded, post free, at the following rates:— UNITED KINGDOM. ABROAD. s. d. Months, Post Free.. 6 12 3 7 IS 3 Months, Post Free . 6 „ 12 5 10 20 26 Cheques and Post Office Orders should be made payable to the Proprietors of FLIGHT, 44, St. Martin's Lane, W.C., and crossed Lo7idon County and Westminster Bank, otherwise no responsibility will be accepted. Should any difficulty be experienced in procuring FLIGHT from local newsvendors, intending readers can obtain each issue direct from the Publishing Office, by forwarding remittance as above.
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