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Aviation History
1913
1913 - 0164.PDF
lfUG"Tj FEBRUARY 8, 1913. A FLOURISHING BUSINESS. IT is now some weeks since Messrs. Whiteman and Moss, Ltd., moved to new and larger headquarters at 15, Bateman Street, W., for their business in aviation and general accessories has grown to such proportions, that their old premises did not afford them sufficient 100m. A fortnight or so ago, one of our representatives called on Mr. William Moss, the manager of the firm, and had a very interesting chat with him relative to the work of the firm. The conver.-ation turned to the time before aviation was generally thought of, and he was rather surprised to learn that Mr> William Moss had the distinction of supplying the London General Omnibus Co. with their first motor omnibus. That vehicle was driven by a twin- cylinder horizontal motor of Swiss manufacture, the agency for which Mr. Moss had previously obtained, and it plied between Hammersmith and Highbury Barn. Even previous to this, Mr. Moss was connected with the motor 'bus industry, for he managed the first service of public motor vehicles, a number of 5j-h.p. tube ignition Daimler char-a-bancs, running between Cricklewood and Oxford Circus. Such good results did the London was turned into a private limited company. Now their business is> world wide. They supply fittings of all descriptions, to every part of the world where aeroplanes are made. Calling on Mr. Moss that morning, our representative found him looking out a batch of goods that had been wired for from Sweden. His firm's home trade is equally extensive, for they supply all the principal manufac turers in this country with the miscellaneous fittings, such as- strainers, eyebolt*, stranded cable, coulons, cable eyes, U-bolts, piano-wire, shock absorbers and the like. Being shown the stores, it was understood why Messrs. Whiteman and Moss are able to supply almoit any kind of fitting at a moment's notice. There, packed neatly on shelves, were several hundred pounds' worth of all manner of fittings. Wire strainers, were there in every size, from the tiniest used by modellists breaking at a strain of 168 lbs. to the heavy 6 in. tendeur, used for the bracing of monoplane wings. The variety of fittings was surprising, for the firm do not only cater for motor and aeroplane supplies. " These little things," said Mr. Moss picking from an envelope two Messrs. Whiteman and Moss, Ltd., new premises, showing one ot the store rooms and offices. General Omnibus Co. obtain with the vehicle that they shortly afterwards handed Mr. Moss an order for 12 of them, an order which was considered an exceptionally big one in those days. His experience in the motor trade, especially concerning the running of these 'buses, brought home to him how difficult it was to obtain special screwed fittings, especially if metric threads were wanted. Severing his connection with motor 'buses he opened an establishment for dealing in such fittings. Shortly afterwards, in 1909, there commenced to be a demand for fittings for aeroplane construction, and Mr. Moss, fully awake to the possibility of the new industry, set himself out to supply, in addition, fittings that would be required in aeroplane manufacture. The business pro gressed rapidly, and in April of 1912, Messrs. Whiteman and Moss ® ® dozen or so little brass nuts between his thumb and forefinger, " we supply in large numbers to electrical instrument manufacturers." " Those screws there " he continued, indicating a box in the next rack " will eventually be used for assembling concertinas." In another part of the store, our representative was shown one of a number of envelopes, containing minute pivot points, turned from steel and afiei wards hardened and polished. There were one thousand in an envelope that was little bigger than a tram ticket. Five pounds was the value of its contents. Mr. Moss attributes his success to the fact that every article he manufactures before it is placed on the market, is submitted to a severe testing at the hands of an independent firm of testers, Kirkcaldy's to wit. " That is why " he said, " we very rarely get complaints." ® ® BRITISH-BUILT DONNET-LEVEQUE MACHINES. THE representatives of the Donnet-LeVeque Hydro-aeroplane Com pany in England, Aeros, Ltd., of St. James's Street, W., are, we learn, forming a company to manufacture these well-known water flying machines over here. On the Continent they have met with a considerable measure of success, as is evident by the fact that, not long since, eight of these machines were ordered by the Austrian Government. One was delivered some few months ago to the British Admiralty. From the number of machines built for water flying that will ultimately be required for the defence of our country's coast we feel inclined to think that the proposed company should enjoy good business in a craft of this nature. When all details have been settled we hear that they intend to commence operations by establishing works and a flying school at Shoreham. Our sketch gives an idea of the general arrangement of the Donnet- Leveque hydro-biplane. The float, which supports the machine on the water, is extended righ1: back to the tail, so fulfilling the double purpose of float and fuselage. It is built throughout ot mahogany, and, inside it is divided into a number of watertight compartments in order that, should the coque become punctured by coming into contact with any hard obstacle it will not become flooded out with sea water. A peculiarity in the construction of the coque is that the hydroplane surface is concave on the under side, a feature which makes it particularly efficient as a skimmer over smooth water. The planes of the machine are built up cellule fashion and are mounted above the body at about one-third of its length from the nose. High up between them the engine is mounted, driving direct a propeller which, mounted in that position runs no risk of being broken by spray thrown up by the passage of the machine over the water. A special magneto and starting handle are fitted to the motor, so that it may be started by the pas senger without any necessity for him to leave his seat in the cock pit. In order that the machine The Donnet'Le\eque hydro-biplane may be caoable of landing on land as well as on water a special form of disappearing wheelbase is fitted, which, after the machine has left the ground may be wound up out of action by a handle operating a drum, arranged conveniently within reach of the passenger. Although the machine is strongly constructed, yet it is of quite light weight, for the 50-h.p. model does not weigh more than 682 lbs., while the 80-h.p. machine turns the scale at only 836 lbs. 164
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