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Aviation History
1917
1917 - 0266.PDF
German Empire—nothing more nor less—and the people must realise that to the full by now. Will the German people make up their minds to act on the example given them ? It is impossible to say— yet. But it is an interesting speculation, all the same. • • • • In taking the chair at the lecture The N.P.L. arrancred by the Aeronautical Society, and the ,, ?. J ,, , v , , ,, -^ J Industry. on Airscrews delivered by Mr. Fage, Mr. Grahame - White delivered him- self of some very pertinent remarks in connection with the relations between the National Physical Laboratory and the aircraft industry. Remarking that the lecturer, by reason of his connection with the N.P.L. was at an advantage over his audience, the Chairman proceeded: " The plant of the Laboratory costs thousands of pounds to instal, and is altogether outside the reach of the average aircraft designer and constructor. Even if every constructor were financially powerful enough to instal such an expensive experimental plant it would be undesirable, for there would inevitably be a great waste of energy, owing to a large number of experiments going over the same ground several times, which could be obviated if one central scientific research laboratory were devoted to aeronautical experiments, open and accessible to all aircraft designers and constructors. It may be suggested that the N.P.L. adequately fills this role, but such has not generally been the experi- ence of designers and constructors—more's the pity. It may be said that the industry does not contribute any financial support to the N.P.L.—that it is sup- ported by and run for the benefit of the Government departments ; but surely a National laboratory is, or should be, run for the benefit of the country, and hence to the advantage of the aircraft industry. Aeronautical research is, of course, only one branch of the important work carried out by the N.P.L., and I would most respectfully suggest that if the aeronautical branch is to be of any real value to British aircraft designers and constructors, the staff, plant and data should be more accessible to them. If these changes could be effected, the N.P.L. aero- nautical section would, I am sure, if necessary receive adequate financial support from the Society of British Aircraft Constructors, whose members MAKCH 22, would then be able to get any tests which they might require carried out. They would also be entitled to obtain any important data before it became obsolete, as has often been the case in the past. Failing any such arrangement, would it not be desirable for the Society of British Aircraft Constructors to establish, for the benefit of its members, a technical research laboratory devoted exclusively to aeronautical re- search and equipped with all the necessary plant which development might from time to time demand ? " In speaking thus, Mr. Grahame-White simply focussed the feeling that has become more and more accentuated with the lapse of time that the N.P.L. is an institution which is of very doubtful service to the private constructor, by reason of the inacces- sibility of the data relating to its undoubtedly valuable work. Let us make it perfectly clear that the fault does not lie with the N.P.L. itself, but with other Government departments, which dam the stream of information at its source. The fault lies elsewhere than at Teddington, and must be sought in Whitehall itself. Even in these serious times, when we are striving to keep in front of the enemy in design and when every atom of data should be open to our designers, the least critical verdict than can be passed on the N.P.L. is that, as an institution, it is not particularly helpful to the industry, and that through no fault of its own. There seems to be a want of appreciation of the fact that we are all working to a common end—the defeat of the enemy—and that the more mutually helpful we are, the better will be the prospect of early victory. The point that a National institution ought to be national in its work as well as in name is a good one, but we fear that that sort of argument does not go a great way towards convincing the departmental mind. We agree entirely that the tests and data of the Aeronautical Department ought to be immediately available to the whole industry where they have any bearing on - development, but we are not sanguine of receiving an affirmation of the view from official quarters. It is one of the scandals of our administrative methods that institutions, supported out of public funds, presumably for the public benefit, should be narrowed down in their scope so as to be of departmental use only. A Government Committee on Light Alloys. WITH the object of co-ordinating the work which is now being done in connection with the use of light alloys in the construction of aircraft and aircraft engines, the Advisory Committee for Aeronautics has appointed a Light Alloys Sub-Committee. The members are Mr. Henry Fowler, Superintendent of the Royal Aircraft Factory, chairman ; Lieutenant-Commander C. F. Jenkin, R.N.V.R., and Pro- fessor F. C. Lea, representing the Air Board ; and Captain H. P. Philpot, Mr. A. W. Johns, and Dr. W. Rosenhain, representing respectively the Aeronautical Inspection De- partment, the Director of Naval Construction, Admiralty, and the National Physical Laboratory ; together with the chairman of the Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, ex officio. The functions of this sub-committee will be to advise Government Departments on questions relating to light alloys, to institute research for the development and im- provement of such alloys and the methods of working them, and to assist in the removal of difficulties which may arise in their production and use. The Sub-Committee will be in close touch with the experimental work on light alloys which is being carried out at the National Physical Laboratory, the Royal Aircraft Factory, the University of Birmingham, and elsewhere, and hopes to be able to give advice and assist- ance to manufacturers undertaking the production of lightalloys and to founders engaged in the manufacture of engine parts, cylinders, pistons, crank cases, &c. It trusts to havethe co-operation of firms who have undertaken such work, and will be glad to receive suggestions and give any possiblehelp in answer to enquiries. Communications should be addressed to the Secretary, Advisory Committee for Aeronau-tics, National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, Middlesex. Aeroplanes from Basuto Chiefs. THE Secretary of State for the Colonies made the follow- ing announcement on March 16th :— " The High Commissioner for South Africa reports that the Paramount Chief of Basutoland has forwarded to him the sum of £40,000 as a gift from the Paramount Chief and the Basuto nation to the King for the purposes of the war. The gift has been warmly acknowledged on behalf of His Majesty, who has approved of the money being used for purchasing- a number of aeroplanes." A Further Gift from Siam. THE British Minister in Siam has forwarded a further sum of £465 subscribed to the Siam British Subjects' Aeroplane Fund for the upkeep of two battleplanes, Siam No. 1 and Siam No. 2. The total sum thus subscribed in^Siam is£6 266
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