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Aviation History
1920
1920 - 0862.PDF
AUGUST 5, 1920 AN AMERICAN SINGLE-SEATER WITH NOVEL FEATURES DURING the last few years very little originality in design has been shown by the aircraft manufacturers in the United* States. For the most part they have been content to copy European models, generally evolving rather poor imitations at that. Occasionally there are exceptions. One of the chief exhibits at the recent San Francisco aero exposition was a small bi- plane especially built for pleasure purposes by the Loughead Aircraft Manufacturing Co. of Santa Barbara, California, and there are so many novel and interesting features about this machine, that it is worth describing in detail. The Loughead Si model, as it is called, is a single-seater biplane with a wing span of 28 ft., and a total weight empty of only 400 lbs. Although there are traces of the well-known German Albatros having been used as a model, everything about this little aeroplane denotes a refinement and finish worthy of the best Frencjb and English machines, and lacking in most Amer- ican craft. The fuselage is of monocoque form, consisting of a thin shell of plywood reinforced by transverse bulkheads. Though not very common in England, this type of fuselage has long been acknowledged to be the most successful, both on account of its ideal streamline form and its strength in proportion to its weight. Heretofore it has, however, been little used on ac- count of the laborious methods necessary, which made it exceedingly expensive. The shell in the Loughead model is produced by applying three complete layers of plywood to a mould the shape of the body ; binding cloth and casein glue being applied between the layers, which are then subjected to a uniform air pressure of 20 lbs. to the square inch, which is maintained over the entire surface until the glue has set. This process produces a wooden shell of a uniform thickness of J-inch, which is said to be stronger for its weight than any other fuselage yet developed. The whole body presents a perfect streamline form from the pot on the propeller boss to the rear end, where it runs into a sharp point beyond the rudder and tail plane, and not ending in the knife-edge common to most European machines. The upper and lower wings are supported by a V-shaped strut near the wing tips, •which is solidly bolted to the upper wing spars and fastened to the lower wing by a simple but rigid pin connection. The most novel and original features of the machine are the air-brake and the position of the radiator. In the former, the lower wing spar is made to pivot at the body, allowing the whole wing to rotate, not only forming a very efficient lateral control, but allowing the lower wings to be thrown into a vertical position which provides, it is claimed, an extremely effective brake, making it possible to stop the plane within from 50 to 75 ft. of the point where the wheels first touch the ground. This brake is operated by a separate lever placed at the side of the pilot's seat. The designers claim that the machine will land at the exceedingly low speedof 25 m.p.h., while its maximum speed is said to be 75 m.p.h. The power plant consists of a 2-cylinder water-cooled motor ofonly 25 h.p. designed by the same firm. The Loughead motor weighs approximately 90 lbs., has two horizontally opposedcylinders with a bore of 3f ins. and a stroke of 4J ins. There are two independent Bosch magnetos, and two high-pressuregear-type oil pumps; the radiator, as noted above, being' mounted in a novel position, immediately under the fuselage.The fuel tank, of 7 gallons capacity, is located in the centre Front view of the Loughead single-seater Sport*'plane, with wings folded. section of the upper wing. Fuel consumption is claimed at only one gallon per hour, and oil at one-half pint per hour at economical speed. The landing gear is of the usual V-strut and rubber band type with a factor of safety of over 10 to 1. There are only five wires on each side of the body—three flying, one landing, and one drift, all being neatly faired to lessen head resistance. There are no control wires outside the fuselage. The propeller is only 5 ft. 6 ins. in diameter, with a pitch of 3 ft. 6 ins. There is a large unbalanced rudder and a vertical tail fin. Lateral control is obtained neither THE LOUGHEAD SINGLE-SEATER SPORT-'PLANE : It is fitted with a 25 h.p. 2-cyl. opposed water-cooled engine, and the lower plane is pivoted so as to serve as an air-brake as well as for lateral balancing. 864
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