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Aviation History
1920
1920 - 0131.PDF
JANUARY 29, 1920 ance. The forward pair of wheels may be set well forward of the centre of gravity of the machine, thus minimising the danger of nosing over in taxi-ing and landing, and this feature allows of a higher line of thrust than would otherwise be permissible. Also brakes may be fitted to the rear wheels since the breaking torque tending to nose the machine over is counteracted by the moment of the front wheel reaction about the C.G. The Braemar gear is arranged so that the rear wheels are just under the centre of gravity of the whole machine, and the front wheels 4 ft. ahead, and with this disposition the lengths of front and rear oleo legs and the strength of elastic, provide for a load distribution with the machine at rest of 37 per cent, on front wheels, 56 per cent, on rear wheels and 7 per cent, on tail skid. (Figs. 36 and 37). The oleo leg is constructed with the usual telescopic members, with the addition of two tubular guides arranged on either side, and is designed with the exceptionally long amplitude of 14 ins. During the first 7 ins. of stroke the oil dashpot only is in operation, and this is supplemented by the rubber suspension rings during the final 7 ins. This result is attained by the peculiar mounting of the suspension ring spool frames. The upper frame is rigidly fixed to the upper end of the external telescopic member whilst the lower frame is free to slide both on this member and on the tubular guides. The slide shows the gear in mid stroke. In the fully extended position the lower collars on the guide tubes are in contact with the under face of the spool frame. After the first 7 ins. has been traversed on oil alone the upper collars on .the guide rod abut on to the lower spool frame and further motion then brings the suspension rings into operation, and the remaining 7-in. stroke is made on oil and rubber suspension. The piston head is mounted on the internal telescopic member, and carries a relief valve which opens on the return stroke only. It will be observed that in taxi-ing, since the oil das.hpot cannot sustain a static load, the rubber wings are always in operation, and the oleo leg is never fully extended until after the machine has taken off, when the weight of wheels and axle forces the oil past the reversed relief valve until the fully extended position is reached in readiness for the next landing. This partial separation of the functions of rubber rings and oleo dashpot would appear to be a desirable feature in that the greater portion of the energy represented by the vertical velocity in landing is immediately disposed of in the oil dashpot ; an accompanying disadvantage would be expected in that the final extension is not positive, which may lead to the machine alighting on an uneven keel if one leg remains partly con- tracted after taking off. It is understood that a relief valve opening on the landing stroke has been (or is to be) fitted, which would allow of the gear being accurately stressed in uniformity with the fuselage. Further, since with a valve the maximum permissible load cannot be exceeded in the early part of the travel, the shock absorbing capacity is increased within the limits of the per- missible load. [To be concluded.) . ' -• ROYAL AERONAUTICAL SOCIETY NOTICES THE next meeting will take place at the Royal Society of Arts, 18, John Street, Adelphi, on Wednesday, February 4, when Squadron-Leader J. E. M. Pritchard, O.B.E., R.A.F., will read a paper on " Rigid Airships and their Development." Air-Commodore E. M. Maitland, C.M.G., D.S.O., R.A.F., will take the chair at 8 p.m. An appeal has been received for subscriptions to a Royal Air Force Memorial Fund, which is being raised under the patronage of H.R.H. Prince Albert. The Council feel that in a matter of this sort the Society should be represented as a body and therefore invite members to send subscriptions for this fund to the Secretary of the Royal Aeronautical Society, or on before February 29 next. The following members were elected at a Council meeting held on January 21 :— Fellows.—E. G. Walker, L. F. Plugge, Prof. A. Barr, Sir William Beardmore, Prof. J. D. Cormack, Sir John Hunter, Dr. Blackwood Murray, Gen. J. G. Weir. Associate Fellows.—A. Knight Croad, A. W. Holden, F. J. Tippen, R. E. Russell, O. S. Stiles, The Hon. Alan Boyle, Sir John Reid. Members.—H. Leitner. Associate Members.—J. S. Lindsay, J. R. Maken, S. R. M.Naidu, J. W. P. Uren, J. Reid, R. E. Smith, F. J. Stuppen, C. M. Mortimer. Foreign Members.—Melvin Hall, Augustus Post. W. LOCKWOOD MARSH, •Secretary. 7, Albemarle Street, W. 1, January 23, 1920. Bombay-Karachi Mail Postponed OWING to damage to Bombay aerodrome by floods the inauguration of the aerial mail service with Karachi has had to suffer another postponement, this time until February. The England-Australia Flight IT was announced by the Air Ministry on January 22 that Capt. Matthews left Constantinople on January 14 in the Sopwith " Wallaby " for Baghdad, and a later message reported his arrival at Baghdad at 2 p.m. on January 21, adding, " Capt. Matthews and his mechanic (Sergt. Kay) are both well." Lieut. Macintosh and Lieut. Parer, who are flying to Australia on a De H. 9, left St. Raphael for Italy at 12.30, and landed at the Centorelle Aerodrome at Rome on January 24. Cape to Cairo by Air AN official announcement made in Pretoria states that the Government has decided to support an official flight from the Cape to Cairo by South African pilots, and that it is at present in communication with the Air Ministry in London in regard to the arrangement of details. And a Brooklands-Cape Flight IN this connection it may be noted that Capt. Broome and Capt. Cockerill, two ex-R.A.F. officers, left Brooklands at noon on Saturday in a Vickers-Vimy-Rolls aeroplane, fitted with a commercial body, in an attempt to fly to Cape Town, via Paris and Cairo. It is understood that the machine is intended for an important mission of which details cannot be published at present. Transport in Africa CAPTAIN FREDERIC SHELFORD, M.Inst.C.E., will deliver an address upon " Transport in Africa by Road, Rail, Air and Water " at a luncheon meeting of the African Society held at the Cannon Street Hotel, E.C., on Thursday, February 5, at 1.15 p.m. The chair will be taken by Sir Harry H. John- ston, the President. Tickets can be obtained on application to the Secretary of the Society, 64, Victoria Street, S.W. 1. Aviation Officials in France IT is announced that M. P. E. Flandin, the new Under- secretary of State for Aeronautics in France, has chosen M. Bourgeois to be head of the Civil Aviation Department, while Commandant Casse will be Chairman of the military section of the Ministry. Air Mails in Italy OWING to the railway strike in Italy, it was necessary to organise aircraft services to carry the mails. Aeroplanes were used on the Rome-Pisa and Milan route, and airships between Milan and Turin and Milan and Venice. International Aerodrome at Lausanne THE municipal authorities of Lausanne have asked the Communal Council to vote 45,000 francs for the enlargement and improvement of the Lausanne aerodrome, which is to become an international station. To Bohemia by Air Gradually the aerial services from London to the Con- tinent are extending ; an Airco machine left Hounslow on January 26 for Bohemia, carrying one passenger. Czecho-Slovak Flying Corps FROM the details which have come through from Prague, it appears that the defence services provided for in the military estimates for Czecho-Slovakia recently submitted to the National Assembly, include a flying corps consisting of five battalions with 1,310 aeroplanes. A New Aviatik THE Aviatik works are now busy on the construction of a new giant aeroplane, the planes of which are of 43 metres span. Four 250 h.p. motors will be fitted, and in addition to the crew of six, accommodation will be arranged for 18 passengers.
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