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Aviation History
1918
1918 - 0584.PDF
MAY 30, 1918. THE GERMAN H.W. (HANNOVERSCHE WAGGONFABRIK) BIPLANE. [In our issue of May 23rd, we published some sketches and brief particulars of the German " Mystery " biplane, sent to us by a correspondent in France. Since then we have had an opportunity to examine in detail one of these machines, captured intact. The machine bears in numerous places transfers with the name " Hannoversche Waggon- fabrik," and there is thus no longer any mystery attaching to its identity. On the whole the sketches and description sent us by a correspondent were fairly accurate, as will be seen from the accompanying illustrations. We can only deal briefly with the Hannover biplane this week, but hope to return to it in detail as soon as opportunity offers. As the wings were not in place on the machine we examined it has not been possible at present to obtain a view of the complete machine, but the sketches of the body and tail should nevertheless give a good idea of the most characteristic features.—ED.] .: - >•:,.. ... : ; ., • THE most interesting feature of the Hannover biplane, apart from the biplane tail which first drew attention to the machine, is the unusually deep body. Without having actually measured the depth of the body we should judge its maximum depth to be in the neighbourhood of 5 ft. The reason for choosing such a deep body, the cross sectional area of which is great and must, it would appear, necessarily have a fairly high resistance, is somewhat difficult to follow unless it be assumed that the object has been to bring the heads of the occupants almost in line with a con- tinuation of the chord line of the upper plane, thus giving pilot as well as gunner a practically un- obstructed view in a forward and upward direction. Whether or not this has been the cause cannot be definitely stated, but it would certainly appear to have had that effect. As if to further ensure that the gunner was free to look forward in line with the top plane, his gun ring is mounted in a form of turret, elevated some distance above the main top of the body. It is possible that the gunner has been able to increase his arc of fire beyond that usually coming within the providence of the crew of the rear gun, and fire forward between the planes. This would be possible on account of the fact that there is only one pair of inter-plane struts on each side of the body, the lift cables therefore running out at a rather flatter angle than is usual in a machine of this size. There would, of course, always be the danger of hitting a lift wire, unless a stop were provided preventing the gun from being 3 p. THE HANNOVER OR ••MYSTERY M BIPLANE Three-quarter front view of the body. The chieffeature of this machine, apart from the biplane tail, is the enormously deep fuselage-, built in the usual German fashion, of a light framework covered with three-ply wood. 58*
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