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Aviation History
1920
1920 - 0337.PDF
MARCH 25, 1920 i 7 A sketch of the tail-skid on the Grahame-White limousine portion, from the trailing edge of the main planes rearward,has been shortened by 1 ft. ; the overall length is, neverthe- less, 1 ft. 6 ins. longer. There is no material difference in the main planes, theoverall dimensions being as before. The tail plane is a little shorter in span, and has undergone slight modificationsin the angle of incidence adjustment gear. The leading edge is now fixed, and the rear spar is raised or lowered.The fin area has been reduced by 2 sq. ft. or so, but otherwise the tail surfaces remain much the same. Except that it is slightly more springy, the landing chassisis similar to the previous one, the results obtained from the first model having been highly satisfactory. The power plant is also similar^ consisting of two 320 h.p.Rolls-Royce Eagle V engines, driving tractor screws.. As before, the principal feature of the control is in thenovel arrangement of the rudder-bar, which is mounted below the floor with its pedals projecting through, and slidingin slots in, the floor-boards. The engine-controls are mounted on the right-hand side of the pilot's cockpit. An inter-connected throttle-lever is fitted, which opens and closes both throttles in unison or independently. <S> <3> <$> <•> THE GREAT AIRCRAFT DEAL SOME further details are now available regarding the deal bywhich the whole of the Aircraft Disposal Department has passed from public control into private hands, a statementsetting forth the position having been issued on March 19 by Messrs. Handley Page, Ltd. This statement says :— " Immediately on the cessation of hostilities at the end of1918 we turned our attention to the development of aviation for commercial purposes. An order was accepted and exe-cuted for the manufacture of passenger-carrying machines for a foreign Government and similar machines were manu-factured in addition at our own expense for use on Continental Air Services and by air-transport companies which we hadestablished in India, South Africa and elsewhere. Bombing machines were also purchased by us at full war prices andadapted for passenger carrying. " Then came the Government decision for the drasticreduction of the Royal Air Force which involved the handing over for disposal of increasing quantities of machines atever-decreasing prices. This made it prohibitive to manu- facture aircraft and unwise to purchase surplus machines atmarket prices which might at any moment be radically reduced. " This state of affairs threatened the very existence of theaviation industry, and the one solution to the difficulty was to take over from the Government the whole of its surplusstock of aircraft, together with all material which they might find in the future to be surplus to their requirements. Withinfluential financial assistance this arrangement has been successfully negotiated, but it is only fair to state that in itsinception and execution the task has been mainly the work of Handley Page, Ltd. " The financial syndicate which has supplied the capitalnecessary for the purchase is the Aircraft Disposal Company, Ltd., but we have been appointed the sole managing and sell-ing agents, and as we are also the largest subscribers to the syndicate the financial success of the arrangement shouldmaterially benefit the shareholders of Handley Page, Ltd. With proper commercial organisation the sale of the materialshould prove many times more lucrative than it would have been under the control of a Government Department, and asthe Government will receive a half-share of the profits in addition to the usual taxes the total yield to the Exchequershould be considerably larger than if the business had re- mained in Government hands. " Although the undertaking of this agency means much.additional work we shall still pursue our normal business as aeronautical engineers, and the individuality and constitutionof Handley Page, Ltd., will remain unchanged. It is the policy of the syndicate, moreover, that their stocks shall bedisposed of equitably and impartially in the interests of all British aircraft firms. " We propose to stabilise the aircraft market by issuinga price list fixed and definite for all purchasers, and on these prices a rebate wll be given to all British aircraft manu-facturers and British merchant firms dealing in aircraft. A further fixed rebate will also be given to those aircraft firmswho desire to purchase back any of the machines of their own design originally supplied by them to the Government. " Owing to the existence of these stocks, the aircraftindustry has to face a period when little manufacturing will be required, but the modifying and renovating of the Govern-ment aircraft means much work for the industry. We hope that British firms will participate in this by contracting tothe syndicate if possible for all this work and co-operate with us in establishing beyond question the supremacy of Britishaircraft in the world's markets. " The use of aircraft during the War demonstrated thepossibility of aviation, but the world has still to be educated in its use as an everyday mode of transport. Owing to thelarge supply of machines at low prices, the opportunity to do this and firmly to establish aerial transport on a commercialbasis has now come ; and with wise organisation and sound finance the aircraft industry may look forward to a period ofgreat prosperity." The 10,000 machines taken over include Vickers-Vimy, D.H.10, D.H. 9, D.H. 9A, D.H. 6, SopwithPup, Camel, Dolphin and Snipe ; the Avro 504K ; Bristol Fighter ; Martinsyde,the Government-designed machines S.E. 5, F.E. 2B, B.E.2E, and a few Handley Page 0.400 two-engine aeroplanes fittedwith Rolls-Royce or Liberty engines. In addition there are large and small flying-boats of the F., H., and N.T. types.The 35,000 engines include Rolls-Royce Eagles and Falcons ; Napier Lions ; Siddeley Pumas ; Wolseley Vipers and Adders;French 200 and 300 h.p. Hispano-Suiza's ; Curtis ; Renault ; R.A.F. ; Fiat; Anzani ; A.B.C. ; Le Rhone ; Clerget ;B.R. 2 ; Monosoupape, etc., as well as an immense quantity of engine and aeroplane spares, hangars, etc. The greater part of this stock is absolutely new and hasnever been used. A very large number of the machines and engines have been delivered quite recently direct to thedepots from the makers. Before any of the machines are despatched by HandleyPage, Ltd., they will be subjected to a very thorough inspection by their experts so as to ensure every machine, engine or partsold being in perfect working condition. Presentation to Sir Richard Glazebrook SIR RICHARD GLAZEBROOK, late Director of the NationalPhysical Laboratory at Teddington, was on March 17 pre- sented by the staff with his portrait in oils, painted by hiscousin, Mr: Hugh de T. Glazebrook. Accompanying the gift was an album containing an illuminated address followedby the signatures of past and present members of the staff and a photograph of the Laboratory taken from an aeroplane.Mr. F. E. Smith, F.R.S., presided, and Dr. T. E. Stanton made the presentation. Sir Richard Glazebrook thanked the staff for their gift, and, speaking of the future of the Laboratory, said he was sure Mr. Balfour and the members of the council had its interests very seriously at heart, and would do all they could in the future to promote its prosperity. There was an intention on the part of the Ministry to carry on the study of aeronautics, which had been an important feature in the work of the Laboratory in the past, and he hoped that place would be made one of the centres where research work would be continued. 337
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