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Aviation History
1914
1914 - 0478.PDF
results, we shall be pleased to publish them. With respect to the floating wheels, the writer has had some practical experience, and they arc more hindrance than help. When left free to rotate they offer more resistance than when fixed. What happens if they are rotated by the engine at the same speed of travel as the machine over the water I do not know from personal experiments, but a " roller " boat constructed years ago and tried, if I remember cor rectly, on the Seine, was an absolute failure, as was only to be expected. The skin friction in such cases can become very high indeed, the water tending to follow the shape of the body and travelling round the rim. The same thing can be seen when holding bodies of varying shape under a steadily flowing tap. The Dihedral Biplane. This machine has been devised to give inherent lateral stability when flying. The top wing has a dihedral of some 275 degrees, and the lower one is set at an angle of about 22 degrees. When turning, one side of the lower plane is brought more into the horizontal position, giving greater support and preventing side slipping ; whilst the other side prevents the machine from drifting. The tail planes are similar to the front, and when turning they pre sent such surface to the air that the machine is equally balanced. Negative end tips are provided, and a rudder is dispensed with. This model is fitted with the new dihedral angle floats. Trials with a flying r.o.g. model have always shown an easy landing on the wheels, and the model has not met with a mishap of any kind. Referring to this model, shown in the photograph, the dihedral principle there shown is not original, and has often been suggested to the writer, and tried by numerous aeromodellists. It was, as a matter of fact, originally tried by Mr. G. P. Bragg-Smith, but given •up by him for his present well-known design, partly owing to the air.choking effect produced where the lower and upper planes meet. The dihedral angle principle has now very largely been given up by aeromodellists in favour of the upturned wing tips. No tail type model that the writer knows of can fly successfully without a vertical fin at the rear ; it is, however, true that I have not seen the problem attempted with a dihedral angled tail. Dihedral Angled Floats. These floats, the shape and construction of which are clearly shown in the drawings, are constructed with the idea of giving the mini mum resistance to water travel, whilst the inventor claims that the suction lift is nearly one half that of the ordinary floats. Trials of ® ® KITE AND MODEL AEROPLANE ASSOCIATION. Official Notices. British Model Records. Single screw, hand-launched Duration ... D. Driver 85 sees. Twin screw, do /Distance ... R. Lucas 59° yards. (.Duration ... G, Hayden ... 137 sees. Single icrew.rise off ground J ?»""?« - W.I Evans ... 290 yards I Duration ... W. E. Evans Twinscrew.do fDistance ... L.H .Slatter (.Duration ... J. E. Louch Single-tractor screw, hand-/Distance ... C. C. Dutton 64 sees. 365 yards, s mins. 40 sees 266 yards. launched \ Duration ... J. E. Louch , ... 91 sees. ... C. C. Dutton Do., off-ground Singl Distance .. Duration ... J. E. Louch walf.rSCreW..hy<k.0-' "^Duration ... L. H. Slatter 190 yards. 94 sees. 35 sees. Single-tractor, do., do. ...' Duration ... C. C. Dutton ... 39 sees. Twin screw, do., do. ... Duration ... L. H. Slatter ... 60 sees. Engine driven off grass ... Duration ... D. Stanger ... s« sees. Affiliation. All clubs wishing to become affiliated should send in the applications at once in order that they may be printed in the official programme which is now being arranged, and also so that they shall be eligible to compete in the Inter-Club Competition for the Farrow Shield. Official Observers.—All club secretaries should send in the names of gentle men nominated by their committees for official observers for year, and also suggest dates on which their grounds will be vacant for trials. All official observers' names will appear in programme, and they will from time to time be called upon to assist in competitions. Engine Btnch Tests.—The last of the tests or competitions in connection with the Aero Exhibition took place at the East London College, Mile End Road, E., under Dr. A. P. Thurston, D,Sc, and Professor Morris. Full details will be published later. «7, Victory Road, Wimbledon. W. H. AKEHURST, Hon. Sec. AFFILIATED MODEL CLUBS DIARY AND REPORTS. CLDB 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. Bristol and West of England Aero Club (Model Section) ^(42, ROYAL ORK CRESCENT, CLIFTON, BRISTOL). Monthly Report.—Model flying meetings at the Sea Walls were recom menced on April 4th, and will for tie present be continued every Saturday at 3.30 p.m. Mr. R. M. Haines has kindly presented first and second prizes for a single-plane competition, and this event will be contested at the weekly meetings. Excellent flights have been made by single and twin-screw models of the canard and tractor types. A distinct improvement in design has been noticeable in the models which have been constructed recently. They have been larger and of The ball castors fitted to the bottom of the floats on the Nos- worthy model. three floats in pairs), one dihedral, one stepped, and one flat, of exactly the same length, width, and weight, were made on a course Of 65 ft., With a movable weight on pulleys as motive power, the weight used was one of 6 lbs. The results showed that the dihedral shaped floats proved more than two-thirds faster than either of the other floats Three tests were made with each set of floats, one test with a direct pull and the other two with a lifting pull. Ball castors are fitted to the floats to enable the machine to be easily moved in any direction, on shipboard, in hangars, &c. The rear portion of these floats can easily be dropped, so as to present an inclmed angle to the waves when alighting and to take up the shock of concussion, also to prevent nose dipping and overturning. The above idea is undoubtedly in some respects a very good one, and one certainly worth well and thoroughly testing in full size as well as model form. What is wanted is a series of tests at different speeds with machines carrying their own motive power. A Waterplaae Stabilising Device or Surface Anchor. This consists of two collapsible float ing buckets, which are run out one to each end of the wing spars. They are immediately and simultaneously dropped into the water, and although they become filled they will not sink. Each bucket would contain about one hundredweight of water ; this leverage on either side of the wings would act on the float or floats when rocking in rough water and so prevent the over turning of the hydro-aeroplane. The model shown at Olympia would not float upright with the buckets housed, but when run out to the water, it can be disturbed to any extent and the model will not capsize. The buckets can be quickly stowed inside the chassis or floats, and can (by special means) be instantly run out together. They weigh but little, and being housed inside the machine, they offer no such resistance as is offered by the usual side floats now in use. The emptying of the water is quickly done, whilst they are being wound in, simple valves and openings are provided for this purpose. They are, however, useless for steadying the machine whilst travelling over the water. ® ® larger proportionate span and some effort has been made to make the construction of even the duration machines less elementary and more detailed. The annual general meeting of the model section was held in the clubroom on April 7th, when Mr. P. A. Thompson, the hon. secretary of the Aero Club, took the chair. The chairman remarked on the energy which had been shown by the model section during the year and on the various ways in which this energy had been dis played, viz., in meetings, competitions, glidine, &c. The secretary's report and the balance-sheet were adopted. Mr. R. V. Tivy was re-elected hon. secretary and Mr. N. Gordon Stephens was elected asst. hon. secretary. Messrs. R. T. Howse and W. A. Smallcombe were re-elected and Mr. J. B. Allen was elected to the committee. Messrs. T. W. Egerton, P. A. Thompson and, ex officio, the secretary and asst. secretary of the model section were elected official observers (subject to the confirmation of the K.M.A.A.). The secretary reviewed the progress of the year with relation to the carrying out of the objects of the model section and made various suggestions for the furtherance of these objects. The subject of competitions was discussed and a number of events were suggested for the consideration of the committee. The chairman said that he would be pleased to give a prize for a competition to be held on the lines proposed by the secretary, the details to be settled by the committee. A vote of thanks for his valuable services was accorded to Mr. R. M. Haines, who was unfortunately unable to stand for re-election as asst. hon. secretary. The meeting concluded with a hearty vote of thanks to the chairman. April 8th, loth and nth, members attended Mr. B. C. Hucks's demonstration of looping the loop and flying upside down at Horfield, a special enclosure being reserved for the Aero Club. April 25th, members competed by invitation of the Bath and Somerset Aero Club in their spring competition at Lansdown racecourse, and were awarded the following prizes :—R.f.g. duration contest: First prize, R. T. Howse, 66 sees. H.l. distance contest: First prize, W. A. Smallcombe, 1,280 feet. H.l. duration contest: Second prize, R. T. Howse, 70 sees. Mr. N. Gordon Stephens unfor tunately smashed a very promising-looking model in the first event. The arrangements made by the Bath and Somerset Aero Club in connection with the competition were in every way excellent. The visitors were conveyed to Lansdown in a private "bus and a good tea was provided at the racecourse. Bristol was reached late in the evening after a very enjoyable day. Crovdon and District Ae.C. (82, CLARENDON ROAD, CROYDON). MEMBERS are hereby notified that the competition for the Cup presented by Messrs. Hart and Finnigan, will take place at Mitcham on May 3rd, at 3.30 p.m. sharp. This competition promises to be a great success, as every member has entered. Monthly Report.—In view of the excellent weather experienced during April, a great deal of valuable work has been done with all types of models. Messrs. Carter, Pavely, H. Smither and Hart have been out with their show models. Mr. Carter's monocoque tractor biplane has made some nice flights but requires further adjustment. Mr. Pavely has obtained some splendid flights with his tractor monoplane with which he secured third place in the Aero Show com petitions at Hendon. One of the star performances of the month has been the consistent flying of Mr. Harold Smither's hydro, mono. He has repeatedly ob tained durations of between 40 and 50 sees., the model terminating its flights with fine glides. Mr. Hart's floating-tail mono. (13 ozs.) was too heavy for any great duration, but it has made some good flights from the ground, the welt sprung double-skid landing chassis enabling it to make very realistic landings. 4/8
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