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Aviation History
1913
1913 - 1129.PDF
OCTOBER 18, 1913. l/QGHf] Edited by V. E. Model Engineer Exhibition. Aviation Section. THIS section of the Exhibition held at the Royal Horticultural Hall, Westminster, October 10th to 18th, has been managed by the K. and M.A.A., and is under their entire control. It is divided into six sections for competing models, together with a small loan section. Taking our data from the official catalogue, the number of models exhibited is as follows :—Class I,—Power-driven models, three. Class II.—Hydro-aeroplanes, seven. Class III.—Scale models and models embodying new ideas applicable to full-sized machines, eight. Class IV.—Rise-off-ground machines, twenty-three. Class V.— Aero motors for models, two. Class VI.—Single-screw, rise-off- ground machines, five. Loan section, five. Total 53, or about one-third the number exhibited at the Royal Aero Show at Olympia. When reviewing any particular exhibition, or part of the same, one must give due weight to the general conditions which the com petitors have had to fulfil, and not criticise the effect but the cause. Bearing this in mind, the results turned out by the competitors do them very great credit ; there are some very fine examples of both workmanship and design, scarcely anything that is crude, and nothing bad. There are no freak models. There are, it is true, several examples of models built solely for duration, notably in Class IV. But if duration is going to be the preponderating factor, competitors will naturally construct models which shall be capable of remaining in the air as long as possible, all detail must of necessity be sacrificed, and we have beautiful examples so far as workmanship, finish, and (in their way) design are concerned of machines which reflect the greatest credit on the designers and builders, but are they models ? If so, under what definition do they come ? The time has gone by when r.o.g. machines require a specially prepared surface to rise oft, the time is also past when two wires and a couple of discs of one of the lightest substances that can be found should be admitted as consti tuting a chassis ; ample proof is afforded of this again and again, in the really well-designed chassis exhibited by the majority cf the models shown. Amongst a really excellent collection of models, one stands easily first—the Caudron scale model exhibited by Mr. C. Desoutter. In the writer's opinion it is the finest model aeroplane that he has yet seen—moreover, although a scale model and power-driven at that it has proved itself capable of flight under its own power. The following are a few particulars of this model, relative to which we hope to be able to supply fuller particulars, &c, later on:— Caudron biplane, £ scale, driven by compressed air ; lifting surface 7J sq. ft., weight I lb. 10 ozs., propeller thrust I lb. The workmanship and finish are of the very best, and the amount of detail shown remarkable, considering the total weight combined with the fact that the model has nothing of a flimsy nature about it. JOHNSON. M.A. Mr. C. Desoutter also exhibits a beautifully-made and well- designed little 4-cyl. compressed air engine of & in. bore and 8 m- stroke, rotary valve, constructed of magnalium and steel, which weighs 3 ozs. and is capable of giving a thrust of ij lbs. The same exhibitor also shows the monocoque CO* model exhibited by him at Olympia, which has been already illustrated in this section. Mr. H. H. Groves shows only one, a power-driven model, Canard type, similar to one of the two exhibited by him at Olympia. This model has already made a number of very good flights ; on one occasion one of the wings collided full tilt with a lamp-post, but such is the strength of the machines constructed by Mr. Groves, that the only damage done was a slight starting of one of the ribs. It is a model built throughout for practical experimental work, designed both for rising from and alighting on the surface of rough ground without damage, and is as good an example of its type as one could wish to see. The model hydro-aeroplanes do not call for any especial comment, being constructed on the usual lines. We were, however, rather struck by the machine exhibited by Mr. C. C. Dutton, more especially by the construction of the wire chassis connecting the floats to the A frame. But where is Mr. Dutton's hydro-tractor, which we certainly expected to see at the exhibition, if not in the competitive class at any rate in the loan section ? Class III, the scale model class, contains several very interesting exhibits, to which we intend, if possible, to refer later on. Class IV, the r.o.g. class, was, as one would expect, the largest, and this class as a whole does its designers very considerable credit, some excellent examples of hollow spar work, wire bracing, wing design, wing covering, and chassis work are shown. The general design is for the twin rubber motors to be wound from the front. The wood, or, to speak more correctly, the woods and materials, used in the building of the models, have in many cases evidently been selected with much care and judgment. Obviously the most suitable wood for a propeller, say, is not the best for wing spars, or the latter for some other portion of the machine. The nature of the material selected should obviously be such that it is strongest, most pliable, stiffest, &c, at those particular parts of the machines where such qualities are most needed—due regard being paid throughout to the all-important question of head resistance. In class V—aero motors for models—only two are on view, viz., Mr. F. Mayer's Petrol Motor and Mr. C. Desoutter's Compressed Air Engine. Only one, namely Mr. Mayer's, has been submitted to the necessary bench tests, which were carried out at the East London Technical College. Mr. Mayer's motor experienced no difficulty in fulfilling the two minute trials—as a matter of fact, we understand from Mr. Mayer that this time was exceeded in each Mr. C. Desoutter's scale model Caudron biplane. On the right his compressed air engine. 1155
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