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Aviation History
1920
1920 - 0040.PDF
JANUARY 8, 1920 "Flight" Copyright THE LOUIS CLEMENT MACHINES : On the left, the little triplane with 35 h.p. Anzani engine. On the right, the racing monoplane with retractable under-carriage section, which is extremely thick, not unlike the Schukowskyaerofoil, or those of some of the Fokker machines. The section is, however, uniform throughout, that is to say, thereis no tapering of the spars, and the section does not decrease either in chord or depth. Ailerons are fitted to the bottomplane only, and are very long, extending nearly up to the sides of the fuselage. The top plane is in two halves boltedto a cabane consisting of two pairs of N formation struts placed in the form of an inverted vee. In view of the thickwing section the speed of 118 m.p.h. is very good, and although the loading is heavy the machine probably lands quite slowlyon account of the high-lift section. The Louis Clement Machines In one respect only is there any similarity between theClement machines exhibited at this show and those of former years : metal construction has been extensively employed.This was ever one of the features of the Clement aeroplanes, but it cannot be said that this constructor has progressedmuch, considering his long experience of metal construction. One of the panels on the stand bears the legend : R. Moineau,Ingenieur. We do not know if this is our old friend of pre- War Breguet fame, but the fondness for tubular constructionwhich is evident in the machines would almost indicate this to be so. One of the machines exhibited is a racing monoplanewith curious wings, the roots of which are placed at a very pronounced dihedral angle, running, in fact, from the bottomof the fuselage up to a level with its top in a distance of a few feet. From the points where the wing spars flatten out toa horizontal plane the wings are braced by horizontal trans- verse tubes running to the top of the body. No other bracingis provided, but as the wing section is very thick the metal spars are probably able to take the load with sufficient safety,especially as they are of metal construction (duralumin). With regard to this, however, it strikes one that the best " Flight" Copyright THE L. CLEMENT MONOPLANE RACER: Viewfrom above possible use has not been made of the material, the sparbeing of an I-section built up of a vertical web and of flanges formed by angle section strips rivetted to the web. It doesnot appear probable that with a section like this anything like the full strength of the material can be realised. "Flight" Copyright "'','_', The long shaft drive and some constructional details of the L. Clement triplane, 35 h.p. Anzani engine. ••• •' 38
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