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Aviation History
1914
1914 - 0228.PDF
I/HU If the machine be a biplane, then both planes, whether equal or unequal, must be treated in the same way. If the lower plane has the same chord and span as the upper, then, whether straight, curved, or dihedral, its projected area is the same as the upper. Some of the areas may po>sib!y require a little calculation. Hectangles and triangles are easy enough, but when one has to deal with arrow-headed and swept back wings of varying chord, rounded- off tips, Sc, &c, then you may begin to grow a little warm. The best way is to consult any decent book on mensuration. But, generally speaking, the matter can be dealt with on the straight line principle, making due allowance for little pieces, balancing " outside pieces against " inside ones. The question of camber does not, of course, come into the question at all. „ a , Is the Canard Type any Good ? In reply to Mr. H. H. Groves' query, " What was the real cause of failure in full-sized Canard type machines ? " Mr. Handley Page replied, if we remember correctly, " Too much surface in front of the centre of pressure." After the lecture the writer had a few minutes' conversation with Mr. Groves, and understood that he had been endeavouring to design a power-driven Canard-type model— fitted with a covered-in fuselage—and that he had given it up as a bad job. We wonder how many others have tried it, with like re sult. The problem of a covered-in fuselage for a Canard-type machine seems like the exact squaring of the circle, unsolvable. I have a dozen such designs before me as I write, not one is satisfac tory. In some cases it is oo fault of the designer that such is the case, but of the design. In the first place, apart altogether from the matter as replied to by Mr. Handley Page, the fuselage is the wrong way about for a proper streamline form, or the correct streamline form is the wrong way about for the type of machine, it does not matter in the least which way you regard it. It 'is no use trying to shirk the question, as aeromodellists have done with their single stick or triangular frames. You cannot use such constructions as these in full-sized work. Then of what use are they ? It is no longer necessary that aeromodellists should build such machines for experimental purposes, to test planes, propellers, &c. Because other types to which fuselages of correct streamline form can be attached can now fly quite long enough for such purposes. So far as full-sized work is concerned, covered-in fuselages are essential, both for military and naval purposes, and for cross-country passenger traffic. People will not go for journeys of any length where they are exposed to the full force of the elements. In war machines the machine must be protected (armour plated), i.e., its vital parts and the pilot, Sc, as well. Another point, of what use is a machine for military purposes where you cannot fire a gun without shooting off some part of your machine ? Some of the most absurd designs have been put forward in this respect; with an ® ® KITE AND MODEL AEROPLANE ASSOCIATION. Official Notices. British Model Records. Single screw, hand-launched Duration .. D. Driver Twin screw, do / Distance I Duration Single scw.rise off pound gj^ Twin screw, do /distance ... \ Duration single-tractor screw, hand-/Distance \ Duration / Distance ' i Duration " > Duration ... Duration ... C. C. Dutton ... Duration ... L. H. Slatter launched Do., off-ground Single screw hydro., water Single-tractor, do., do. Twin screw, do., do. R. Lucas G. Hayden W. E. Evans W. E. Evans L. H. Slatter J. E. Louch C. C. Dutton J. E. Louch C. C. Dutton J. E. Louch L. H. Slatter 8s sees. 590 yards. t37 sees. 290 yards. 64 sees. 365 yards. a mins. 49 sees. 266 yards. 91 sees. 190 yards. 94 sees. 35 sees. 29 sees. 60 sees. Aero Show.—All club entries should reach the hon. sec. by hrst post on Monday, March and. Individual entries must reach the hon. sec. by Wednesday, March 4th, to ensure insertion in the official catalogue, after which date no entries will be accepted. ,K I . *,on--I',f wuh pleasure that the Council announces the affiliation of trie tirst foreign club, yu., the Kotterdamsche Model Aero Club, with a view to the promotion of an international meeting. It is hoped shortly to be able to mtTwTlii f«r«l>« foreign clubs have affiliated, so that if possible a good f. !!?llTL assu"<l/or >he proposed international meeting. The above dub, iJT.i , • ™memDer*d, £»' over a representative to compete in the Gamage Cup t™ h NK't—he£**'• K- C Noordwyn) was successful in taking blck the ^committee """"^' ** **" eleCted by hU club t0 reP™*en' ">««> JWjCj" holders of challenge trophies are asked to forward same at Trill (.r.^ \T IKt"OT of """biting saa>e at the forthcoming show. Irisls in Connection with the Aero Show.-At the last meetine of the ^SfHolw " WaS STTd,that„tht *** sh°u" * held d3£ during !vL_*tc,MH rh hda>'s or °" AP"' 3fd ttnd <th. >><" »t presert no exact date can be - until the judge, have decided, but in any ca« the best dates will be *L*£i ^.^3** f*"P>M J»fft£ &' majority of com^c^TL^d will t I fj « the secretaries' meeting on Wednesday " be held at the Show. ' decided at the secretaries " sl at the . »7, Victory Road, Wimbledon. March iSth, which will W. H. AKEHURST, Hon. Sec 228 FEBRUARY 28, 1914. elevator in front of you and a propeller, &c, behind you, and struts, stays, &c, on either side, where does the firing angle come m ? Again, if the Canard-type machine becomes " stalled,' what is there to prevent it slipping backwards, and if it does so what is going to save it ? There is also the question of landing, and in the case of hydro-aeroplanes of alighting on the surface of the water. The least dig of the front float and the back of your machine is at once broken. It is claimed that such machines have a greater degree of inherent or automatic stability. Model experiments certainly seem to show that in the form which such models usually take such is the case, but it has not, so far as I know, been shown that such is the case when the design is such as could be applied successfully to future full-sized work. If the full-sized Canard-type machine is any good, why is it not more in evidence, why has it been tried by some of the best designers and given up ? Some aeromodellists contend that the designs were not such as would be likely to lead to success, basing their conclusions apparently on model experiments, but the question which arises is, are their models of such a design as to justify such conclusions ? We are afraid not. There exists, I believe, in certain quarters, an idea that the writer is prejudiced against the Canard-type machine. Nothing could be more erroneous; if there has been any prejudice it has been the other way about; and it is with a feeling of the greatest reluctance that the writer has come to the above conclusions. But it is impossible to shut one's eyes to the drawbacks of such a type of machine from a full-sized point of view, or, even for that matter, from a model point of view, using the word in its best sense. No one would be more pleased than the writer could the views which he has expressed above be shown to be really erroneous, and the conclusion he has come to, that the Canard-type machine is for practical purposes useless, be shown to be altogether wrong. 1 shall be pleased to hear what any of my readers have to say on the above points, either for or against. To Ascertain the H.P. of a Rubber Motor. A correspondent writes, asking : How can I find out the h.p. of my rubber motor ? but gives no particulars. Let us suppose the motor, when wound up to 500 turns, to run down in half a minute, i.e., at a mean speed of 1,000 revs, per min. Suppose the mean thrust of the propeller to be 2 ozs., and the pitch 1 ft. Then the number of foot-lbs. of energy developed 2 x 1.000 x 1 ft. (pitch) = irJozii = I25 ft'"lbs' Per wia- But the rubber motor runs down in 30 sec=. . •. energy really developed = 62-5 ft.-lbs. The motor, therefore, develops power at the rate of 125 rTooo =0'°°379 h-P- for 30 sees. only. ® ® AFFILIATED MODEL CLUBS DIARY AND REPORTS. CLUB reports of chief work done will be published monthly for the future. Secretaries' reports, to be included, must reach the Editor on the last Monday in each month. Aero-Models Assoc. (N. Branch) (27A, SEDGEMERE AVENUE, EAST FINCHLEY, N.) FEB. 28TH, flying at Finchley, 3 p.m.; March 1st, 10 a.m. ; also indoor meeting at Commercial Rooms, 383, Archway Road, March 5th, 8 p.m., sharp, interesting evening being arranged. Indoor meetings and lectures at new club- room every fortnight, commencing Feb. 18th. Monthly Report.—Flying during past month rather slow. Members busy on Olympia machines, at which we hope to make a record exhibition. Up to time of report 12 machines will be exhibited. Machines out this month being Mr. Partridge, i-i-o-P, ; Mr. N. Colroan, I-I-O-P2 ; Mr. Hindsley, tractor; Mr. Root, 1-i-o-P,. Successful indoor meetine held at new clubroom. During evening Mr. Pickley gave an address on " The Relation of the Model to Full Size Machines." Discussion followed. Mr. Griffith, a new honorary member, who is doing good work in rousing the people's interest on aviation in East Finchley, was present. Leytonstone and District Aero Club (64, LEYSPRING ROAD). MARCH IST, flying, Wanstead Flats, 10 a.m. If wet meet at clubroom. Monthly Report.—Feb. ist, four h.l. models were in evidence, one hydro, and one r.o.g. Mr. Bedford obtained best flights of the morning. Feb. 8th and 15th, rain prevented all flying, and the members met at the clubroom. Feb. 22nd, Mr. Bond arrived with a r.o.g. and Mr. Bedford with a hydro, but for the third time this month rain put a stop to flying practically before any started. The committee have arranged that members of this club may enter models at Olympia for a fee of 2.?. each model. N.E. LondooModel Ae.C.(47. JENNERRD. STOKE NEWINGTON.N. ) Monthly Report.—Flying curtailed by inclement weather. Our competition programme a now under contemplation, and the sec. would be pleased to receive suggestions from members with respect to same. Paddington and Districts (77. SWINDERBY ROAD, WEMBLEY). SATURDAY, Feb. 28th, Flying at Sudbury. Monthly Refiort.—The past month being mostly wet, particularly on Saturdays, very little flying has been done. Jan. 3,st was very windy! G. Kasmussen flying tall monoplane, which showed excellent stability. F. Lang tuning up twin propeller monoplane. C. C. Dutton flying 4-ft. hollow spar twin propeller monop ane, and instructing new members. M. Levy, tuning up t. A frame monoplane, smashed fuselage. W. E. Evans testing 3 ft. 6 in
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