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Aviation History
1914
1914 - 0425.PDF
APRIL IS, 1914. l/JiCHTl Edited by V. E. Some Suggestions for this Season's Competitions. HAVING been asked from several quarters to publish some suggested competitions for the consideration of our readers, we have much pleasure in submitting the following. We shall also be very pleased to publish any proposed by our readers, more especially if they are on novel lines and likely to give results of practical value :— 1. For all competitions all r.o.g. models should really rise off the ground and not off a board, strip of linoleum, &c. The ground could of course be prepared, i.e., if grass, cut and rolled, and if bare earth it could, if uneven, be rolled. 2. In all first-class competitions, but excluding those of a purely sporting character such as inter-club competitions, the length of the model should not exceed the span. 3. In the case of tractors, the fuselage should contain at least three longitudinals. 4. That the minimum weight for hydro-aeroplanes be one pound if with twin propellers, and 8 ozs. if with one propeller only. Models with twin propellers under a pound in weight don't hydro- u T* TWT " Flight" Copyright. Mr. H. R. Weston's weight-carrying model. plane at all in the true sense of the word. Against anything in the nature of a breeze they, practically speaking, just jump ofi the water. 5. That some competitions be arranged with canard-type models (preferably large), fitted with covered-in fuselages, in order to test practically the effect of such on the stability factors of this type of model. 6. That competitions be held for variable speed machines. The winner to be the machine showing the greatest range of speed. It does not of course follow that the slowest or the fastest machine would win. 7. That a competition be ananged for machines of the •—«— type ; possessing no separate tail or elevator like the Dunne. 8. That in all the above, or in any other suggested competitions, every model be first examined by the judges, and so many marks allotted for design and construction ; that in every case a qualifying duration be made ; and that in certain cases so many marks be allotted for the climbing abilities exhibited by the model. That whenever possible all models be sub mitted to a steering test. 9. In the case of hydro-aeroplanes, the models should demonstrate their ability to run along the water without rising, minimum run 50 yds., all planes, &c, attached. Taxiing test : The lifting surfaces to be removed, and the model to make a run along the surface as a hydroplane only ; the rubber motor to be fully wound up. Hydroplaning test: All the models to be immersed (totally) so far as their floats are con cerned for a certain period to test the watertightness of the floats. 10. That the present system so much in vogue of running through all competitions in a single day could in certain cases be abandoned with benefit. 11. That, if the matter can be arranged, a prize be JOHNSON, M.A. offered for a model aeroplane controlled or even steered laterally in the first instance by " wireless." The prize will not probably be won this year, but it might; in any case, it is only a question of time. There are many more suggestions that could be given, but enough has been said to open up the subject for discussion. " The Moonlight Suicides at Llttlestone." Mr. L. F. Hutcheon sends us the following experience of moon light flights :— " I was much interested in your communication from Mr. Bruce Herd, of the Littlestone Model Aero Club, on ' Kxtraordinary Moonlight Flights.' Several times recently, between 9and 10 p.m., I have watched the flights of a large tractor monoplane built by L. G. Tucker and A. G. Boniface, of the Wimbledon and Distriot Aero Club. They took place in a large flat field bounded by trees, and the results obtained have been better in many respects than those of the same machine in daytime on Wimbledon Common, this being due, in our opinion, to the air l«ing more still. A tractor is a much more sensitive machine than the twin-screw canards used by the Littlestone members, so that we should not have failed to detect any variations in the performance due to abnormal atmospheric con ditions. Tucker and I have many times during the past three years flown models (both tractors and canards) fitted with flares and ' sparklers' on Wimbledon Common at night, but we have never noticed any appreciable difference in the results. Mr. A. F. Houlberg told me some time ago that his models made better durations in sunshine than on a dull day, but I know no reason of either sunshine or moonshine that would account for four models committing suicide in one evening." Personally, the writer has never flown a model by moonlight or, indeed, at night at all, but he has always been given to understand that they did not fly so well at night. AV sunshine and dull weather, we should certainly corroborate Mr. Houlberg's statement. Mr. H. R. Weston's Weight-Carrying Tractor. The following description and drawings have been kindly supplied us by Mr. Weston, of the Star Aeroplane Co :— " The machine was built for the weight-lifting competition, and is of the 'tractor' monoplane type. Weight complete, 20J oz., and with the loading on 26j oz. The main plane is of ' Blrriot' design, only cambered after the manner of the ' Ilandky 1'age '; that is, a gradually lessening camber towards the tips and very high in the centre. It is double-surfaced, and on the underside is a slight inverted camber on the leading edge, after the manner of full-size design. The span is 5 ft. by 10 ins. chord. A particular feature is that the main plane is upraised a little from the frame, and the rubber is allowed to run under it. The fuselage, is 3 ft. 6 ins. long, and is of the three-spar streamlined type, only this has also a length of strong magnalium tubing running the length of frame to take SIDE VIEW OF 5T/1F1 425
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