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Aviation History
1913
1913 - 0178.PDF
is a machine specially devised for military purposes, and particularly so that its occupants may be able to undertake offence tactics. So that the occupants may have a clear outlook in front of their respective cockpits, the propeller is arranged to the rear, while by "Flight" Copyright The 90-h.p. Grahame-Whlte military biplane. using shaft drive the front engine position is retained, a disposition of the motor that is generally thought to be the best from the point of view of the passengers' safety. This machine was originallv designed for a motor of 120 h.p., but it appears at the Show " Flight" Copyright. This photograph ot the 90-h.p. Grahame-White military biplane gives a good idea of the intricacy of its internal construction. temporarily fitted with one oi only 90 h.p. To illustrate its appli cation as an aeroplane for attack purposes, a Colt quick-firing gun is mounted in the nose of the machine, and it has a range of 50° in a " Flight " Copyright, The tail of the 90-h.p. Grahame-White military biplane. t FEBRUARY 15, 1913. vertical plane, and 180° horizontally. It would, of course, be impossible for the gunner to make use of the gun's full extent of horizontal range—he would probably only be able to sight it through a deviation of 450 on either side of the longitudinal axis of the machine. The body of the biplane is essentially a lattice girder with ash longerons, and ash and spruce cross-members, ash being used for the latter members in the neighbourhood of the engine and pro peller. That perfect rigidity may be assured, and this is doubly essential in the case of the body of this particular machine on account of its having a transmission shaft mounted inside it, it is double cross-braced with io-gauge piano wire. In plan, the body is shaped to a careful streamline form, and it is an interesting point that the strut cross-sections are of the same shape, excepting that their curves are plotted to a shorter longitudinal axis. The Austro- Daimler motor is mounted on high ash bearers in front, and drives the propeller, a 10 ft. Chauviere, through shaft and chain transmission. The shaft is a large diameter steel tube tunning in self-aligning ball-bearings, and the chain employed is a duplex Brampton. Fitted at the extreme nose of the body is a honey comb radiator, specially made by the Austro-Daimler firm, and so shaped that it preserves the lines of the body. There is room on either side of the engine for a passenger to sit. They are provided with unusually comfortable spring seats, while under their feet are tool boxes. The pilot sits behind them and controls the machine by a vertical lever governing the elevation and wing warping, and by a pivoted foot lever which operates the rudder. To ensure sweet working, all the controls are carefully mounted on ball-bearings, and all the pulleys used to guide the control wires are turned from vana- lium and fitted with ball-bearing centres. Below the pilot's feet is a " Flight " Copyright. The propeller mounting of the 90-h.p. Grahame-White biplane. Notice the manner in which the control wires are taken through the top member of the tail outrigger con struction which passes through the propeller boss. large petrol tank sufficient for a 6-hours' flight. From that tank, petrol is fed under pressure, automatically provided by the engine exhaust, to a service tank in front, above the level of the engine. The pilot can at all times acquaint himself as to the state of his petrol supply by a specially devised gauge on his left. Plane construction.—The planes span respectively 42 ft. and 23 ft. and, having a chord measurement of 6 ft., they have a sup porting area of 390 sq. ft. The cross-section employed is that of the Eiffel plane No. 8. The interior construction of the plane is "Flight" Copyright. Details of the landing chassis of the 90-h.p. Grahame-White biplane, showing how the double-tyred wheels are sprung in the wide built-up landing skids. 82
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