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Aviation History
1917
1917 - 0121.PDF
FEBRUARY 1917- the section form of the aerofoil could be changed at willduring flight from a shape such as A to one similar to 1L Fig. 3. W An aerfoil such as shown in B has a high lift coefficient at large angles of attack (the angle of attack being the angle between the chord tangent to the lower surface and the relative wind). At small angles of attack, where the lift coefficient is lf>w, this shape has a relatively high resistance, and will consequently require a great power to drive it through the air at speed high enough for the necessary support. The reverse is true of such a shape as A, which, though the lift coefficient is poor, has an appreciably lower Resistance or " drag." If, then, we could utilise the section""B for slow speed, as in making landings, and section A for high speed, the safe limits of speed between which the aeroplane could fly would be extended. The variable camber would permit changing the characteristics of the wing to suit conditions. Performance curves (Figs. 4 and 5) have been worked out for a pursuit machine having a good aerofoil (fixed camber) in common use to-day ; and a similar series of-curves for a machine with an assumed variable camber wing. It has been assumed that otherwise both aeroplanes are similar. No allowance has been made for the probable increase in weight of the variable-camber machine due to the operating mechanism and structure. The slow speed of the fixed- cambered wing aeroplane is 61 m.p.h. This will only permit landing the aeroplane on an ideal field by a very skilful pilot. On the other hand, the variable-cambered wing aeroplane can be flown at a slow speed of 56 m.p.h. The curves show that with the variable camber a higher speed, 127 m.p.h., as against 120 for the fixed camber, can be obtained with the same power. The same speed might be obtained with less power. If the same high speed were desired the variable-camber wing might have a greater area. * 400 ~SB 90 100 110 SPEED . MILES PER HOURFig. 5.—Performance curves for aeroplane with variable-camber wing. It would then have a slow speed of 46 m-p-Ti.. as against 61 for the fixed camber (allowing for increased weight due to added surface), which would permit its being flown and being landed in aa.ordinary field, by the ordinarily skilful pilot. It can, therefore, be seen that the invention of a suitable variable-cambered wing would be a big step in advance. (To be continued.) \ ' v ^ RN#AS. AND R.F.C IN November last the Committee of Management of the Society of British Aircraft Constructors, Ltd., made an appeal for donations to the Winter Comforts Funds of the R.N.A.S. and R.F.C., which provide comforts for men at the Front and prisoners of war belonging to the British Air Services. Lady Henderson is the President of the Royal Flying Corps Fund, while the Royal Naval Air Service Fund is under the care of Mrs. Murray Sueter. In response to this appeal a total sum of ^6,785 has been received by the S.B.A.C., and the following is a complete list of subscribers :— ^210 each: Aircraft Manufacturing Co., Ltd.; W. H, Allen, Son and Co., Ltd. ; Austin Motor Co., Ltd. ; Beard- more Aero Engine, Ltd.; Boulton and Paul, Ltd. ; British and Colonial Aeroplane Co., Ltd. ; Crossley Motors, Ltd. ; Gnome and Le Rhone Engine Co. ; Gwynnes, Ltd. ; D. Napier and Son, Ltd. ; Handley Page, Ltd. ; Parnall and Sons ; A. V. Roe and Co., Ltd. ; Short Bros. ; Siddeley-Deasy Motor Car Co., Ltd. ; Sopwith Aviation Co., Ltd. ; Sunbeam Motor Car Co., Ltd. ; Vickers, Ltd. ; Whitehead Aircraft, Ltd. ; Wolseley Motors, Ltd. £105 each : Accles and Pollock, Ltd. ; Coventry Ordnance Works, Ltd. ; Darracq Motor Engineering Co., Ltd. ; Dud- bridge Iron Works, Ltd. ; Engineering Timber Co., Ltd. ; Grahame-White Aviation Co., Ltd. ; Kayser, Ellison and Co., Ltd. ; Martinsyde, Ltd. ; Robey and Co., Ltd. ; Gordon Watney and Co., Ltd. ; Westland Aircraft Works (Petters, Ltd.). ^'IOO : G. and J. Weir, Ltd. £$z ios. each : Benton and Stone, Ltd. ; Blackburn Aero- plane and Motor Co., Ltd. ; Bullivant and Co., Ltd. ; Cellon, Ltd. ; Thos. Firth and Sons, Ltd. ; Hooper and Co., Ltd. ; Mann, Egerton and Co., Ltd. ; G. D. Peters and Co., Ltd. ; S. E. Saunders, Ltd. ; Waring and Gillow, Ltd. ; Wells Aviation Co., Ltd. ^50 each: Brazil, Straker and Co., Ltd.; Wm. Jessop and Sons, Ltd. ; Alexr. Stephen and Sons, Ltd. ^26 5s. each: J. Gliksten and Son, Ltd.; Fredk. Sage and Co., Ltd. ; Willans and Robinson, Ltd. ,£25 each: Alfred Herbert, Ltd. ; Wm. Mills, Ltd. ; Fredk. Mountford, Ltd. £21 each : Robinson, David and Co., Ltd. ; Skefko Bail- Bearing Co., Ltd. /20 each : Thomas Smith's Stamping Works, Ltd. ; Wylie and Lochhead, Ltd. £10 IOS. each : Albion Drop Forgings Co., Ltd. ; J. Beard- shaw and Son, Ltd. ; Clarke, Cluley and Co. ; Coventry Swaging Co., Ltd. ; Fellows Magneto Co., Ltd. ; Gardiner, Sons and Co., Ltd. ; Gloucestershire Aircraft Co. ; Integral Propeller Co., Ltd ; John Lysaght, Ltd. ; Mendine Co. ; Nettlefold and Sons, Ltd. ; Park Royal Engineering Works, WINTER COMFORTS FUND. Ltd. ; Pulvo Co., Ltd.; Charles Richards and Sons, Ltd. ; Rotherham and Sons, Ltd. ; Rubery, Owen and Co. ; S. Smith and Sons, Ltd. ; Tubbs, Lewis and Co. ; Whiteman and Moss, Ltd. ; Woodside Engineering Co., Ltd. ; Yorkshire Engineering Supplies, Ltd. ; Major J. G. Weir.—£$ 5s. each : Edgar Allen and Co., Ltd.; Bowden Wire, Ltd.; Fox, Elliott and Co., Ltd.; John Garrington and Sons, Ltd. ; Thos. J. Gardner ; Godley and Goulding ; Ernest H. Hill, Ltd. ; Henry Hughes and Son, Ltd. ; Arthur Lee and Sons, Ltd. ; Llewellin and James, Ltd. ; Wm. Moss ; J. Payen ; Sanderson Bros, and Newbould, Ltd. ; Short and Mason, Ltd. ; H. C. Slingsby ; Stephenson and Sons, Ltd. ; Swift, Levick and Sons ; G. P. Wall; F. Westbury and Son.—£5 each : Morris and Co. (Decorators), Ltd.; Moss Gear Co., Ltd. ; Oliver Arc Lamp, Ltd.—£3 3s. each : The Civil, Nautical and Mechanical Engineering Co., Ltd. ; George Spicer.—£2 2s. each : James Clews and Sons, Ltd. ; Wm. Kenyon and Sons, Ltd. ; Midland Presswork Co.; Omnium Central; David Petrie ; Stokes and Holt, Ltd.—£1 is. each : Grace and Marsh ; M. Mole and Son.—ios. : J. G. Ingram and Son. Total, £6,785. Of the foregoing sum, £853 2s. 6d. was earmarked in favour of the Royal Flying Corps Fund and £275 12s. 6d. in favour of the Royal Naval Air Service Fund. Inquiries were made as to the proportion in which the total sum received should be divided between the two Funds, and having regard to all the circumstances the Committee of Management have distributed the money as follows :— To Lady Henderson, for the Royal Flying Corps Fund .. .. .. • • /4 To Mrs. Murray Sueter, for the Royal Naval Air Service Fund .. .. .. .. 2'IO5 £6.785 Lady Henderson writes that the amount subscribed by the industry has made all the difference to her work, and that it has enabled her to carry out many large requisitions from the Front, while Mrs. Sueter also expresses her thanks to all the donors, and says that the amount will enable her largely to run the R.N.A.S. Fund through the ^winter. The Committee of Management desire to add their own thanks for the ready and generous response to their appeal. 0 H ' H 13 R.F.C. Recruits from the Rand. A CALL for 100 South Africans for the Royal Flying Corps has met with a ready response at Johannesburg and along the Reef, writes the Daily Telegraph correspondent in Johannesburg. Capt. Miller, now in Johannesburg, had permission to recruit 30, but the number was subsequently increased, as 100 were required. Capt. Miller has already received 800 applications. '. 121
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