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Aviation History
1914
1914 - 0297.PDF
MARCH 21, 1914- planes, the central portion out to the first pair of struts bsin* straight, so that only the outer portion of the wings are set at a dihedral angle. The method of carrying the aileron cables to the crank levers is rather unusual, and is illustrated by one of the accompanying sketches. It will be seen that the pulley has been placed inside instead of on top of the wing, the cable passing through a small opening in the lower surface of the wing. Of the remaining two machines on this stand Tbe 80 h.p. Single-seater Scout is perhaps the more interesting since it embodies so many novel features. The chassis, fuselage and tail planes of this biplane follows standard Avro practice throughout, and are similar in every way to those of the tractor biplane described in FLIGHT for December 6th last. It is mainly in the design of the wings and their bracing that this machine is remarkable. The wings have a very pronounced backward slope so as to in crease the stability, which latter is further enhanced by the usual dihedral angle. In section the planes are remarkable, in that they are absolutely flat on the under surface, whilst the upper surface is cambered in the usual way. This wing section is apparently one of the important factors for the very high speeds claimed for the machine, one of the others being the reduction of head resistance in the wiDg bracing. Only one pair of struts on each side separate the main planes, and a streamline casing around these struts further ITHRf) "Flight" Copyright. Tetail of springing the floats on the Avro seaplane. reduces the head resistance to that of a single strut on each side. The wiDg bracing is effected by two stranded cables running from the top and bottom respectively of the fuselage struts to a steel tube connecting tbe main spars at the point where these join the struts. Thus when the centre of pressure travels backwards and forwards, the load is always taken by both spars through the intermediary of the steel tube connecting them. Ailerons are hinged to the outer trailing edges of both planes, whilst air brakes for pulling the machine up quickly on landing are formed by pivoting the rear portion of the wing near the body. For checking the speed of the machine on alighting the pilot turns these air brakes by means of a lever until they are broadside on with regard to the line of flight. The 80 h.p. Seaplane is similar to the land machines as regards its wings and fuselage, but possesses some very interesting features in the method of springing the floats. These are carried on a structure of steel tubes, of which the outer members are bent down wards inside the floats, where they are attached to another tube by- means of rubber shock absorbers in the manner shown in one of the sketches. The opening in the deck of the float through which the LCWTwr? "Flight'' Copyright. The aileron pulley in the Avro pusher- tubular strut passes is afterwards covered with a flexible cover made made of diver's twill, so that although the floats are free to move several inches up or down no water is admitted inside them. The main floats, of which there are two, are of the non-stepped " Flight " Copyright. The streamline casing round the plane struts of the Avro Scout. variety, and are also covered with diver's twill, which has been found to be more satisfactory than fabric, as it does not tear go easily, although it is undoubtedly somewhat heavy. The floats are divided by bulkheads into 11 watertight compartments, so that should one of them spring a leak the remaining ones would still possess sufficient buoyancy to keep the machine afloat. The pilot's and passenger's seats are arranged tandem fashion, the pilot controlling the machine from the rear seat by means of the usual Avro controls. A small float protects the tail planes against contact with the water, whilst a small water rudder mounted just behind tbe tail plane on an extension of the rudder post enables the pilot to steer the machine at slow speeds on the water. Common to all the three machines is an extremely neat instrument board of Avro design, comprising altimeter, clock, compass, air speed indicator and revolution indicator, and all the machines are further more fitted with the Avro safety belt, the design of which is already known to the majority of our readers. BLERIOT L. (BLERIOT). (69). NEATLY displayed on the largest stand at the Show are the Bleriot monoplanes—a tandem two-seater of the well-known type, a hydro-monoplane, and a single-seater military monoplane. Total Visibility Type Monoplane.—This is probably the most interesting of these machines. The most characteristic feature is the disposition of the wings, which have been raised some distance above the fuselage, to provide an unrestricted view in all directions. The height of the wings above the fuselage is such, that the rear spar, which is situated immediately in front of the pilot, is on level with his eyes, so that there is only the thickness of the plane to obscure his view, and this can easily be overcome by either stooping slightly in order to look under the plane or by stretching slightly in order to look over it. For scouting purposes this arrangement would seem to be ideal, and we understand that the French Army has purchased several of this model, which was only adopted as a standard type following the success of the first experimental machine in the hands of French officers. One gathers that there is no appreciable difference between flying one of these machines and one of the standard monoplanes with the wings placed further down, so that with all the good qualities of the standard Bleriot and the added advantages of total visibility, this machine should be a valuable addition to the list of military machines in this country, where they will be built as soon as the factory at Brooklands is ready. 297 D 2
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