FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1920
1920 - 0005.PDF
JANUARY I, 1920 BY THE TECHNICAL EDITOR BY making use of the air mail service between Paris andLondon we were able to include in our last week's issue a brief reference to most of the aeroplanes exhibited at theParis Aero Salon, as well as sketches of the majority of the complete aeroplanes shown. Owing to Christmas we had togo to press two days earlier than usual, and it was not, there- fore, possible for us to prepare sketches of all the machines.In the present issue, however, we publish silhouettes, or more correctly speaking side elevation sketches, of the re-maining machines, supplemented by a table containing, as far as the necessary material has been available, the chiefcharacteristics of every machine shown, surrounded by diagrams of the machines. This lable and its diagramsform, therefore, a very convenient means for ascertaining the main features of each machine exhibited, and may beregarded as a sort of index to the more detailed descriptions which are to follow in this and subsequent issues. Before commencing a detailed reference to the variousmachines, a few general remarks and impressions may not be out of place. As the first aero exhibition of any realimportance since the War, the Salon de V Aeronautique at the Grand Palais, Champs Elysees, has naturally been lookedforward to with a certain amount of expectancy. Con- structors have had a little over a year in which to put intoeffect their ideas of the peace-time aeroplane, whether in- tended for the carrying of goods, mails, and/or passengers,or for sporting purposes. Regular air services have been run in various parts of Europe, and the experience thusgained might be expected not to have been without its influence on the design of what one may be permitted to regard as the1920 models. In view of the number and magnitude of problems thatare awaiting solution we may have approached the Paris exhibition with too great expectations. On the other hand,there is so much yet to be done that one might be forgiven for expecting some really useful ideas for improvementsin various directions. But we are forced to admit that we were, generally speaking, disappointed. Of real pro-gress there is precious little to be discovered within the walls of the Grand Palais. Of comfortable upholstery and strikingcolour schemes, of " all modern conveniences," of first, second and third class passenger cabins with pretty wall-papers, of all these things and many others there is a super- abundance. But none of these things are essential to the regularity,the safety and the sound progress of commercial aviation. All the things which really matter appear to have beenleft severely alone. Of variable area or variable camber wings—or other means for reducing the landing speed of^amachine—-of special undercarriage designs intended to enable a machine to alight on or start from almost any kindof ground, of instruments for helping the pilot and navigator to maintain their machine on its proper course and right-side-up, of means for marking aerodromes in a fog or in the dark and enabling the machine to be flown under these "Might"' < "opyrigTMTHE PARIS AERO SHOW,: A view from the gallery showing ^the •' sausage " balloon in the central dome
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
