FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1914
1914 - 0797.PDF
JULY 24, 1914. IftlGHT Edited by V. Mr. S. Kitchenham's Olympia Model. DIMENSIONS of top main plane, 48 ins. by 8 ins., i.e., 384 sq. ins. ; bottom main, 32 ins. by 8 ins., i.e., 256 sq. ins. ; tail, 78 sq. ins. ; rudder, 62 sq. ins. ; propeller, 14 ins. in diameter, driven by 12 strands of rubber 44 ins. long ; weight of rubber, 2"6 ozs. ; total weight of machine, 14 ozs. ; loading about 3 ozs. per sq. ft. " As you will no doubt agree," says Mr. Kitchenham, " I have made a mistake in making the tail so small. The machine is very sluggish in recovery after a dive. I am sending you a sketch of the landing chassis, which I have found very good in actual practice ; E. JOHNSON, M.A. A Hollow Tube Tractor. By JOHN F. L. CORRECT. Haying taken great interest in the "war against the non- scientific side of model-aeroplaning," and having incidentally noticed a suggestion in FLIGHT of March 21st, 1914, regarding the hollow tube machine, I have constructed the tractor illustrated in the photograph. A hollow tube was suggested to take the place of the kind of fuselages so common in models, i.e., the single stick, and by so doing (1) improve the appearance of the machine, since the rubber is in this case enclosed ; (2) increase the strength of the fuselage, for the strain is evenly divided ; (3) decrease wind resist ance. The machine was constructed with these theories in view ; a hollow tube built up of veneer wood and varnished silk was employed, the tube being purchased from Messrs. W. G. Evans and Sons. The details of the machine are as follows :— Fuselage.—Tube 3 ft. 6 ins. in length, inside diameter 075 in. ; weight I oz. 3 drms. Main plane.—Span 3 ft., chord at centre 7 ins., at tips 3-5 ins., built up with bamboo, and covered with Hart's silk. Tail.—Of piano wire, semicircular in shape, with flexible tips ; diameter 14 ins. Fin.—To match tail. Chassis.—Bamboo, V-type, mounted on two aluminium wheels. Power.—Eleven strands of i-in. strip rubber driving a 12-in. tractor screw. CHAS5IS DETAILS Details of Mr. Kitchenham's Olympia model. the machine is able to land on very rough ground (a potato patch for example) without doing itself any damage. The planes are detachable, being fastened by clips attached to the middle struts. By detaching four of the diagonal bracing wires, the two main planes will fold down quite flat, in fact the whole machine can be packed into a space of 48 ins. by 12 ins. by 3 ins., which is a great convenience when the flying ground is a long way off. The assembling is a matter of about 4 minutes. I did not have an opportunity of trying this model off the ground until the competition at Hendon, when it got off in about twice its own length, but, un fortunately, being under elevated, the flight ended a few yards from the starting point. The best duration to date is 25 sees. Mr. J. F. L. Corkett's hollow tube tractor model. Mr. Sidney Kitchenham's Olympia model. The machine rises in about 5 yds. and flies with the tail parallel to the ground, showing very good stability, owing, perhaps, to the large tail and fin and the long chassis, which acts like a pendulum. When hand launched it flies some 300 ft. at a high altitude and a very slow but even speed. Messrs. T. W. K. Clarke's New Aero Silk. We have received from the above well-known firm a sample of their latest Flight Proof Silk. The silk is well proofed and light, its weight working out at 75 oz. per square yard. The price of the same is extremely reasonable, viz., IX. a yard 18 ins. wide, and 2s. a yard 36 ins. wide. Aeromodellists who have not so far given it a trial should certainly do :so ; we are quite certain they will not be disappointed. Crystal Palace and District Model Aero Club. Mr. A. M. Hawes, 125A, Croydon Road, Anerley, writes, saying that he has been appointed secretary of the above club, and that he will be pleased to hear from anyone in that district who may be interested in model aviation. Model Club for Coventry. Mr. P. Haselock, 152, Gulson Road, Coventry, also writes as follows ;—" I am desirous of forming an aero club in Coventry for the building of models of every description. I shall, therefore, be greatly obliged if anyone interested will kindly write me at the above address. There has been a club before in Coventry ; I believe this club is still in existence when the president wishes to call a meeting, but it is practically dead, and this may, of course, make it a little harder for the new one to start. I hope the proposed club will be run on scientific lines, something after the same idea as sketched out from time to time in FLIGHT." The Power-Driven Competitions of August 8th and 13th. Several correspondents have written to us with respect to the 797
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
