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Aviation History
1919
1919 - 0365.PDF
MARCH 20, 1919 IEJ29 THE AVRO MANCHESTER, Mark II,—Was fitted with two 250 h.p. Siddeley " Puma " engines. In this article the author expressed the opinion that although the combination of Nieuport Vee struts and Warren truss did not appear to give the absolute minimum of resistance, it did have a low resistance, while at the same time having the structural advantage that the distance between supports was reduced, thus resulting in a lighter structure, and that therefore the arrangement might be found to be worth trying. This appears to be what the Avro designer has done, and we may therefore be pardoned a certain special interest in ihi9 particular machine. We understand that the " Spider " was extremely manreuvrable and light on the controls, and the accompanying table of performance indicates that the machine had quite a good turn of speed—120 m.p.h. at ground level with a 130-h.p. Clerget engine is not bad—while the climb was also satisfactory. The pilot was so placed that his eyes were on a level with the top plane, in which a circular opening was cut out. This gave a good view both upwards and horizontally in all directions, while the small chord of the bottom plane gave a minimum of obstruction to downward visibility. The " Spider " might conceivably make a good sporting model, especially if fitted with a some what smaller engine, since the petrol bill for a motor of 130 h.p. would probably be more than the majority of owners would care to spend. However, as the machine is light there does not appear to be any reason why, in a slightly modified form, it should not be fitted with, say, an engine of 80 h.p. or there abouts. The Avro " Manchesters." December, 1918. The success which was attained with the earlier model twin-engined machines, from the point of view of perform ance, encouraged the Avro firm to get out a design for a modern machine of this type, to be an improvement upon previous models chiefly as regards its engines, which were to be of the A.B.C. Dragonfly type, which was by then—we are now speaking of the earlier part of 1918—beginning to go into production, and which had an extraordinary power/ weight ratio. With such engines available a very good per formance was anticipated, and the drawings for the " Man chester " Mark I were got out. However, it was found that after all the engines could not be obtained, and so a slightly modified form of machine was designed—the " Manchester " Mark II—which was fitted with two Siddeley "Puma" engines, instead of the two Dragonfly engines originally con templated. The " Manchester" II was put through its tests in December, 1918, and gave, as indicated in the tables, very good results in the way of speed and climb. As shown in tie illustrations, the two types of " Manchesters " are very similar, except, of course, as regards the engine housings. As in the previous Avro twins, the pilot occupies the middle seat, with one gunner in front and one in the rear. A feature which will scarcely escape the notice of readers is the unusual arrangement whereby the ailerons are balanced. Instead of the ordinary small forward projection at the outer end of the aileron, now so frequently seen on large machines, (Continued ofi page 367.) The'Avro Seaplane, Type 504 L. 365 H
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