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Aviation History
1917
1917 - 0810.PDF
AUGUST 9, 1917. strong fabric complying with R.A.F., specifications, laid diagonally with seams double lapped, and sewn to the ribs. Two pairs of fabric covered stream-lined struts on each side of the fuselage, separate top and bottem planes. The interplane strut fitting, which is illustrated by one of the accompanying sketches, The interplane strut attachment :,-Vr-; L.W.F. tractor biplane. on the is of the " ball-bearing " type. The ball is formed on the strut socket, and fits into a cup formed on the wing- plate. The strut can thus be adjusted for varying degrees of stagger, and when once adjusted a pin is driven through the cup and into the ball, thereby locking the whole at that particular angle. One end and the sides of the wing-plate are bent up to form attachments for the bracing cables. The ailerons, which are hinged to the rear spar of the top plane, are of the double acting type, having an area of 38 sq. ft. The non-lifting double cambered stabilising plane is in two sections, one mounted by quick detachable fittings to each side of the fuselage. A triangular vertical stabilising surface is mounted .__ on the top of the fuselage forward of the rudder, which, as with the elevators, is constructed of steel tubing. Any standard type of control, such as Farman or Dep. is fitted, or if required, the L.W.F. three-in-one. In the fuselage is to be found the most interesting feature of the L.W.F. machine. It is 23 ft. 6 iris. •'- long, 3 ft. 6 ins. deep (maximum) and 2 ft. y\ ins. wide maximum. It is built up of three plys of wood, between each of which is a layer of silk. One ply of wood runs longitudinally, whilst the other two are laid spirally to the right and left respectively. The whole shell-is then covered with a specially prepared , fabric, and, in the case of hydro-aeroplane models, stitched through and through with very fine, strong ' wire. It is then given a final treatment of waterproof •• " varnishes. The two cockpits are arranged in tandem, ; comfortably upholstered and fitted with wind screens. - The landing chassis is of the conventional two-wheel V type, but a three-wheel type, suitable for instruction - work, can be fitted if required. A swivelling tail skid' : is also provided. Provision has been made whereby •= a complete water-gear may be fitted, consisting of two main floats or pontoons and a small float under the tail. - " ~ :~ The power plant consists of either a 140 h.p. 8-cylinder model 5 Sturtevant, or a 135 h.p. Thomas. In each case the exhaust is led well away from the pilot and passenger. The radiator is mounted in the nose of the fuselage, in front of the engine, and is ; elliptical in shape ;: . -. - 'ijo:;" • ;;';i"V~'- '.f THREE YEARS OF WORTHILY Following the lead set by the misleading statistics published by the German Main Headquarters, the Berliner Tageblatt has collated some figures which purport to com- pare German and Allied losses in the three years of war. With the warning that exact details up to the end of February, 1915, and for July, 1917, are not yet forthcoming, so that the figures for these periods are not "absolutely trustworthy," it gives the following table :— — •_. "" - ; German. Enemy. 19*4 •• •• .'•.... *•••••..~'-..v — 9 I9XS •• •• •-*• ; ..••---.. 91 131 1916 .. .. .. .... 221 784 1917 (to end of July) .. .. 370 1,374 From August 1, 1914^0 July 31, 1915, 72 enemy aeroplanes were shot down, of which 39 fell into German hands ; from August 1, 1915, to July 31. 1916, 455 enemy aeroplanes were shot down, of which 267 fell into German hands; from August 1, 1916, to July 31, 1917, "about" 1,771 enemy aeroplanes were shot down, of which 776 fell into German hands. In 1915 two enemy captive balloons, so far as is known, were shot down ; in 1916, 42 ; in 1917 to August 1, 142. Three enemy airships were also shot down. Total aircraft shot down from August 1, 1914, to August 1, 1917, about 2,298 enemy and 682 German aeroplanes, 186 enemy captive balloons, and three airships. AERIAL FIGHTING. Dealing with these figures the Times points out that official figures are not accessible for the purpose of checking the claims made by the Berlin journal in respect of Allied aero- planes, but it is possible to test, both from official and un- official sources, the accuracy of the figures given of German loses for at least some portion of the three years. For in- stance, the Matin, whose authority is at least as high on the one side as that of the Berliner Tageblalt is on the other, stated on January 1, 1917, that the French brought down 450 German machines in 1916 and the British 250. This figure of 700 compares with the German admission of 221. There is confirmation of this unofficial estimate in the table compiled from the statements in the official cotnmuniquis of British and French Headquarters which appeared in the Times of December 5,1916, and which showed that, for the six months June to November in that year 666 German machines were brought, shot, or driven down by the Allies. If we take the year 1917 as it is calculated by the Tageblatt—August 1, 1916, to July 31, 1917—the official British and French figures show that 2,076 German machines were sent down—1,325 by the British, 751 by the French. It is not pretended that all these were destroyed, but if we take, merely for May, June, and July, those which were officially stated to have crashed, to have been destroyed, brought down in flames, shot down by gupfire, or captured, we get, instead of the Tageblatt's figure of 370 for the whole year, 523 for three months. A French K.-B. Fighter. IN a message from the French Headquarters Mr. Henry Wood, the American war correspondent, draws attention to Sergeant Boyeau who, before the war, was a prominent Rugby player and is now the " Sausage Specialist " of the French Army. Boyeau, who entered the Flying Service after two years in the trenches, attacks enemy " sausage " balloons on a plan which he worked out for himself, and has so far destroyed five of them. On the occasion of one of his successful attacks Boyeau was obliged to land in the enemy's lines owing to engine trouble. He made the necessary repairs under the fire of the German anti-aircraft guns, and then, flying at a height of not more than 400 ft., succeeded in getting back to his own lines. Forrthis enterprise he received the Medaille Militaire. 8lO
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