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Aviation History
1913
1913 - 1338.PDF
Edited by V. E. The Birmingham Aero Club's Gliders. We have much pleasure in publishing the following very inter esting account of a number of man-carrying gliders, built by members of the above club, kindly sent us by Mr. G. Haddon Wood, the Hon. Secretary :— "The first one," says Mr. Wood, "of which I have any trace was a small monoplane glider, built by Mr. J. H. Elee (a carpenter), during November, 1909. It was tried down a hill at Sutton Park, but was not a success, owing principally to its small surface. In the early part of 1910, Mr. Maynard, a late member of this club, built a Chanute-type glider, which was unfortunately smashed through colliding with a tree whilst being towed, without a passenger. Some good results with a half-sized monoplane glider were obtained by Mr. Ernest Noble about May, 1910, but I have not any record of his experiments. Another member, Mr. Frank Warren, built a JOHNSON. M.A. " A monoplane glider was built in 1911 by the Belmont Aeroplane Co., and designed by Mr. F. Hill at the club rooms, but was after wards turned into a hydroplane [aeroplane ?] with a low-powered engine. This machine had no front or rear elevator, and the planes tapered to a point at the tips with a chord of 12 ft. at the centre and a span of 40 ft. Models of this glider flew exceptionally well, but up to the present it has not met with any great success either as a glider or aeroplane. A half-sized Bleriot type glider was built last year by two of the junior members of the club, and some most useful experiments were made with the same. " My first glider, ' Haddon I,' was commenced in the beginning of 1911, and was constructed throughout of red deal, a wood which was found very suitable owing to its freedom from knots. Most of the joints were first made with chrome leather, and were bound with twine waxed with cobbler's wax, and afterwards glued over. These 1 - BIPLANE GLIDER— VA of Ptiot u** 19 fwyt * *«- 2* ft stn.j wires 3»c«4 19 s-l.it OV +16 at ft ISO tt»b iGe - £8B •• CtytrW |G£ L6S *«* similar type glider in October, 1911, but, unfortunately, it was smashed up by a gale when erected in his garden, before any trial flights had been made. " An extremely interesting elevator in front monoplane glider was built by Mr. R. Platts in March, 1911. The total weight was only 70 lbs., the surface 222 sq. ft. All joints were made by binding with tape and gluing, the material being bamboo ; thick copper wire joints were employed in some places quite successfully. No bracing wires were used, the planes being trussed with bamboo spars. No passenger flights were made with this glider owing to its small surface, but some very good free and towed flights were obtained without passengers. After, comparatively speaking, quite a long life, it was smashed when left in a field, owing to a gale suddenly springing up in October, 1911. A very successful glider was built by Mr. E. Prosser (the present aviator) and Mr. A. M. Bonehill, in August, 1910. This was again of the Chanute type, and some good towed passenger flights were made. This was wrecked in the same way as the first ' Haddon' glider, on August 26th, 1911. 1364 joints were quite satisfactory in some places, but metal plates had to be substituted for them in some parts especially subjected to side strains. The wires were tightened by means of the strainer shown in the sketch. These have been used on all our gliders since with every satisfaction ; their cost is quite small. " The ribs were built up, the method being to place them on a jig, which consisted of a flat board with screws in position so as to hold the ribs to the exact camber required, whilst the blocks, which had previously been cut to a gauge on a circular saw, were screwed into position. The rib was then taken off the jig ready for fixing to the spars. " Ordinary calico at 3d. a yard was used as a fabric, and was found quite satisfactory for gliding purposes, the same price being paid for the calico on all our later gliders. The following is the cost of 'Haddon No. 1' : Wood, 14^. &/. ; fabric, £1 2s. 3d. ; sundries, £1 gs. Sd. ; total, ^3 6s. yd. " Some good free glides were made at Handsworth. Afterwards it was taken to the club ground, now at Billesley, and after about three weeks there was smashed whilst being towed with a passenger,
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