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Aviation History
1914
1914 - 0872.PDF
1/OCHf] be said, that the moment the call came every man was found to be ready and eager for what might befall. Almost every civilian airman in the country at once placed his services unreservedly at the disposal of the Service. In response to the call of the War Office, the cadres of the air service were filled almost instantaneously, and within a week of the outbreak of war it was found necessary to announce that all recruiting for the R.F.C. had been stopped. A magnificent response indeed ! So far as concerns the effect of the war on the aero plane industry, it has necessarily been good. Every ® ® FINDING ONE'S WAY IN THE AIR BY MEANS OF A GYROSCOPE. A SUGGESTION. By V. E. JOHNSON, M.A. IT is already possible to construct a gyroscope which will maintain its axis pointing permanently in one direction within a maximum error of 20, even under the most unfavourable conditions. This is the first necessary condition for the solution of the problem stated above. The second is that we shall know the true direction in which the aeroplane is travelling with respect to the earth. Now when an aeroplane is travelling through the air the head wind set up by its velocity through the atmosphere will strike the machine according to the angle at which the wind is blowing, relative to the direction in which the flying machine is travelling. A small wind vane so fixed on the aeroplane as to set itself in the stream line of the wind would inform us of this. There is, however, not only the true direction in which the nose of the machine may be pointing to be taken into account, but also the effect of the " drift " wind on the machine, that is, how far the machine drifts sideways owing to the effect of the wind. It would evidently be necessary for the vane to be so constructed as to eliminate this error. Having now attained his course with respect to the ground (supposed invisible, or, like the open sea, without points of reference), the aviator must next know his place or speed, either by means of some special form of speed indicator or from his propeller. For the purpose of automatic record these various indicators must obviously be connected with a map, of a certain scale, fitted on a revolving drum, whose rate of rotation bears a certain fixed ratio to the speed of the aeroplane. The setting of the gyroscope would be such that a pointer fixed to one end of the undeviating gyro axle would leave a trace on the revolving map, the carrying apparatus of which would be connected with the wind vane in such a manner as to make suitable allowance for the drift of the machine. The trace left would be the actual path of the aeroplane with respect to the ground. In order that there shall be no friction to cause deviation of the gyroscopic axle, the drum should be a copper one and the gyroscopic containing ring provided with a spiked pointer for the use of an electric spark which would pierce the map. The path of the aeroplane is supposed to be made approximately at a fixed height. At present this is only a suggestion of the writer's, but one day ere long undoubtedly it, or something very like it, will be turned into a practical invention. With such a device, flying over the sea or unknown land would be far safer, to say nothing of flying by night. 87 AUGUST 21, 1914. constructor in the country has as much Government work on hand as he can hope to tackle. Engine builders are working at high pressure to turn out the motors that will be required for new craft and to replace casualties, and, all round, trade prospects are excellent. We had much rather that we were able to write in this strain through any other cause than war, but it is simply our business to chronicle facts—and it is an ill wind that blows no-one any good. Whatever the untoward cause may be, the aeronautical industry just now is enjoying a boom which we sincerely trust and believe will establish it on a firm and permanent basis. ® ® THE ROYAL FLYING CORPS. THE following appointments were announced in the London Gazette of the 14th inst.:— R.F.C.—Military Wing.—Appointments to take effect from June 30th, 1914: To be Flying Officers— *Capt. Arthur B. Burdett, York and Lancaster Regt.; Capt. Cyril F. De S. Murphy, Princess Charlotte of Wales's (Royal Berkshire Regt.); *Capt. Alexander Ross-Hume, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles); *Capt. Geoffrey H. Cox, 3rd Batt. Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regt.); *Lieut. Ian M. Bonham-Carter, Northumberland Fusiliers; *Lieut. DudleyS. K. Crosbie, Princess Louise's (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders); *Lieut. Claud A. G. L. H. Farie, Highland Light In fantry ; * Lieut. Victor S. E. Lindop, Prince of Wales's Leinster Regt. (Royal Canadians); * Lieut. Lord George Wellesley, Grenadier Guards: Lieut. Charles G. G. Bayly, R.E.; Lieut. Thomas L. S. Holbrow, R.E ; *Lieut. Arthur S. Barratt, R.A.; *Lieut. Paul A. Broder, 5th Batt. Worcestershire Regt. ; *Lieut. Guy L. Cruickshank, 3rd Batt. Gordon Highlanders; *Second Lieut. George J. Malcolm, R.A.; *Second Lieut. Cuthbert E. C. Rabagliati, King's Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry). To the Reserve—Major Sir Bryan B. M. Leighton, Bt., Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry ; Capt. Thomas H. C. Frankland, Royal Dublin Fusiliers; Lieut. Frank B. Binney, R.A. Supplementary to Regular Corps,—Second Lieut, (on probation) Eric B. Baumann resigns his commission ; August 15 th, 1914. To be Second Lieuts. (on probation), August 15th, 1914.—Cadet Serjt. John G. Miller, from Edinburgh University Contingent O.T.C.; Mark Lawson. The following appointments were announced in the London Gazette of the 18th inst.:— R.F.C.—Military Wing.—Temporary appointments made : August 7th, 1914: Brevet Major Hugh M. Trenchard, C.B., D.S.O., Royal Scots Fusiliers, Asst. Commandant, Central Flying School, to be Officer Com manding, and to be granted the temporary rank of Lieut.- Col. whilst so employed. Capt. Robert Pigot, Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own), a Flying Officer, to be Adjt. Second Lieut. Loftus A. Bryan, South Irish Horse, from the Reserve, to be a Flying Officer, and to be seconded; August 4th, 1914. Lieut. George B. Stopford, R.A., to be appointed to the Reserve; July 8th, 1914. Special Reserve of Officers.—To be Second Lieuts. (on probation): August 15th, 1914. Geoffrey C. Gold, late Harrow School Contingent O.T.C.; Hugh C. Tower, Arthur V. Bettington, William H. Charlesworth, Archie- bald B. Ford, and Edwin L. M. L. Gower. * To be seconded. 2
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