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Aviation History
1914
1914 - 0954.PDF
(/yCHT SEPTEMBER 18, 1914. THE "ROUND BRITAIN" MACHINES. THE machine which was numbered 7 in the Circuit of Britain, and for which Mr. F. P. Raynham had been nominated pilot, was The Avro Seaplane. No great departures from standard Avro practice are to be found in this machine except, of course, such alterations as have been necessitated by the sub stitution of a Sunbeam engine for the Gnome with which Avro biplanes have been usually equipped hitherto. The fuselage is of the standard type, of rectangular section, and is built up of four longerons of ash connected by struts and cross members of ash and spruce. Three-ply wood stiffening pieces are screwed to the longerons, which by this means can be kept comparatively thin without sacrificing the necessary strength. The deck of the fuselage is in the form of a turtle back, whilst the bottom is fiat. In front the fuselage is sufficiently deep to totally enclose the 150 h.p. Sun beam engine, which is mounted on strong bearers suitably connected up to the lower longerons. The exhaust pipes are taken to a funnel projecting up above the upper main planes so that there is no danger of the exhaust gases causing pilot and passenger any discomfort, by being blown back in their faces. The two seats, which are of the bucket type, are arranged in tandem, the pilot occupying the rear seat. Dual controls are fitted, so that either of the occupants may pilot the machine in turn. Ailerons and elevator are operated by means of rotatable hand wheels mounted on mm* r Mr. are characterised by a very pronounced overhang of the top plane. Lift cables run to various points on these extensions from the lower ends of the outer inter-plane struts, whilst the top bracing wires are taken to king posts above the plane. Both upper and lower main planes are set at a very pronounced dihedral angle, thus helping to provide the necessary fin area to balance the side area of the floats. Ailerons are fitted to the top plane only, but as they are of large area, and the machine is, moreover, to a great extent inherently stable laterally, there is probably an ample amount of lateral control. Four p2irs of spruce struts separate the main planes in addition to the two pairs of fuselage struts, and cable bracing provides the necessary rigidity. Tail planes of the usual Avro type are fitted at the rear end of the fuselage. A flat, non-lifting stabilizing plane is bolted to the sides of the fuselage, to which it is further stayed by means of two struts running to the lower longerons. A divided elevator is hinged to the trailing edge of the stabil izing plane, and a balanced rudder pivots round the tubular extension of the stern post of the fuselage. The lower end of this tubular rudder post carries a small rudder used for steering when the machine is taxying on the surface of the sea. A flat-bottomed rectangular section float, supported on four steel tubes coming down from the lower longerons of the fuselage, takes the weight of the tail planes when at rest. F. P. Raynham, the nominated pilot for the Avro biplane in the Circuit of Britain Race. ROUND BRITAIN MACHINES, No- 7.—The Avro biplane. vertical columns, to which are connected the elevator control cables. Steering is effected by pivoted foot bars. Between the passenger's seat and the engine are arranged the petrol and oil tanks, which have a capacity of 52 galls., or sufficient for a flight of 4^ hours' duration. The main planes are of the usual Avro section, and The main chassis is similar in type to that of previous Avro seaplanes, and is chiefly characteristic on account of the method of springing the floats. From the accom panying illustrations, it will be seen that the floats are supported on an " M "• form structure of steel tubes, as seen from in front. Transverse steel tubes connect the 954
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