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Aviation History
1914
1914 - 0455.PDF
Flight, May 2, 1914. First Aero Weekly in the World. Founder and Editor : STANLEY SPOONER. A Journal devoted to the Interest*, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport. OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ROYAL AERO CLUB OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. No. 278. (No. 18, Vol. VI.)] MAY a, 1914. [•Registered at the G.P.O.T L ai»Newspaper. J rWeekly, Price 3d. L Poet Free, Sjd. Flight. Editorial Office: 44, ST. MARTIN'S LANE, LONDON, W.C. Telegrams: Truditur, Westrand, London. Telephone : Gemrd 1828. Annual Subscription Rates, Post Free. United Kingdom ... 15J. od. Abroad 201. od. CONTENTS. • Editorial Comment: FAGK Co-operation between Aeronautical Research and the Industry 455 Armoured Aeroplanes for the French Army .. ... 456 Land for Aviation Stations 45 Aircraft in the Mexican War Men of Moment in the World of Flight: Mr. J. Alcock 457 Flying at Hendon 458 The Henry Farman Seaplane (with scale drawings) 460 Royal Aero Club Official Notices 463 From the British Flying Grounds 4°4 The Rational Design of Aeroplanes. By Archibald R. Low, M.A., A.F.Ae.S 466 Cedric Lee Monoplanes 468 Hollow Wood in Aeroplane Construction 47° Aviation in New Zealand • 47* British Notes of the Week 473 Foreign Aircraft News S Models. Edited by V. E. Johnson, M.A 477 Model Clubs Diary and Reports 478 KB1TOR1AL COMMENT. Co-operation In a PaPer> entitled "TheRational Design between of Aeroplanes," abstracts from which we Aeronautical publish elsewhere in this issue, Mr, A. R. Low calls special attention to the import ance of greater co-operation between engineers engaged in research and those employed in the design of aeroplanes—in fact, his paper may be regarded as a justification for his plea. With this we are in complete agreement. Aerodynamical science is now progressing very rapidly, and problems are daily arising to confront the aeroplane constructor that research could readily assist in solving; and failing which, they must rely to a large extent upon trial and error methods—which are always expensive—and be guided by the dictates of past experience—that may or may not have been sound—in nearly similar circumstances. At the N.P.L., and at the R.S.F., we have a consider able amount of valuable research being conducted, but unfortunately the results obtained are not available until months after the conclusion of the experiments, when their value has become considerably reduced, if they have not become, in some measure, of academic interest only. and the Industry. Of this we have an excellent example at the present moment, as the Annual Report of the Advisory Com mittee for Aeronautics for 1912-13 has not yet been published ! It was suggested in the course of a discussion on a paper read before the Aeronautical Society last year, that a monthly report might be issued; and that if there was any objection to the dissemination of this information broadcast at such early periods, a certain number of firms could be made acquainted with the results of experimental work. We do not, however, believe that there can be any valid reason why more frequent reports should not be made public—certainly not if the tests to which they refer have been concluded; and as regards the assistance thus given to other firms engaged in the aeronautical industry in foreign countries, it is common knowledge that progress in any branch of science has never been acceler ated but rather retarded by secretiveness. An open exchange of thought and information is the only sure way in which the industry can be ultimately benefited. But even though these reports are published at more frequent intervals, there still remains the fact that the matter dealt with does not constitute one-tenth of the research which it is possible and desirable to inaugurate, and there are many problems that occur to the private constructor concerning which he requires immediate information. For these reasons we welcome the suggestion of the Chairman (Mr. Mervyn O'Gorman), that aeronautical constructors should instal experimental wind tunnels at their works in the same way that manufacturers in other branches of engineering science have organised a research department. These tunnels are not expensive to con struct, and the equipment required depends largely upon the extent and the nature of the investigations to be made. In any case, the information gained would more than compensate for any outlay involved, as the subject of the investigations, which would be largely formulated by the works' officials—the works' manager and designer—would be based upon past and present difficulties and future probable requirements. There is, however, one impor tant fact to bear in mind—these tunnels will prove absolutely useless, or worse, unless those who have charge of the experiments are thoroughly grounded in aero nautical science, and skilled in the handling of instruments of a similar character. Good men, capable of undertaking this work, are to be obtained, provided that a sufficient salary is offered, but this may prove prohibitive with some firms who have not adequate resources to fall back B 2
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