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Aviation History
1920
1920 - 0904.PDF
exhibits everything in mass construction that an aero-engine should not possess : although detail work is neat enough, and the induction arrangement of a manifold of four to the middle four cylinders from, one carburettor,, and another to each end pair from the other one, certainly shows a sound appreciation of the necessities of the case, to make the best of a job that is not only bigger, but wholly clumsier than another of the same make and power taken from a Rumpler machine shot down in Gostaverne Wood. This latter had its propeller direct, driven, and its valves—four to each cylinder— actuated by T-headed rockers formed in the Basse-Serve man- ner, and bell-cranked very neatly into the casing of the overhead camshaft. A general effectiveness due to constructive experience may be well granted—rather than to any merit of design—to the 180 h.p. six-cylinder Opel: a suitability, that is to say, for the extravagance of military service rather than anything suggestive of competitive rivalry in commercial aviation. There is nothing that can be said against the workmanship with which these six-paired cylinders have been mounted, with their sheet steel-welded jackets ; and if the defect of absolute non-detachability per se of the valves be exaggerated by the pairing of the cylinders, the valve-gear action and detail generally are sound, though conventional, and likely to be noisy, and both the induction and exhaust manifolding are straightforward and do not encumber the mass—albeit the trumpeting of the outlets of the latter will certainly not help the power output. The magneto drive, as from a vertical spindle bevel-gear driven from the tail of the crankshaft, is also along accepted lines ; but for what reason an accessory of such prime importance as the centrifugal water-pump should be located so low, so awkwardly for installation, and so inaccessible in aero conditions, wholly transcends imagina- tion. Actually one finds the best feature of the whole design in the depth of the central oil sump in the base-chamber and AUGUST 19, 1920 the location of the pump therein as the best possible for subsequent even distribution. f On the other hand, with the single exception of the afore- said 200 h.p. Maybach, one sees more conscientiously original - study, so far as it goes, in the six-cylindered Hiero engine than in any other in the section. There is but one other—an American^^in the known aero-engine practice of today with the vertical driveshaft to the overhead camshaft so appropriately placed, not at one end, but in the middle, so> as to equalise the thrust both ways to the bearings of the^ latter—and to the- entire valve action—as well as upon its- own. Again, its upper extension drives a centrifugal oil- pump, the location of which—even had it not been fully justified for other reasons by Bugatti practice—at least assures even distribution all over the engine ; which thus—• as few others are to the same degree—is built round its lubrication, the main essential in aero-engine design. And. this result, one sees, is assisted in a manner Italian conception, could not have bettered by the fact that the hollow of the drive-shaft itself constitutes a protective housing for the main, oil conduit from the central base-chamber sump, first of all, and then a return-drain from the valve-gear. And lastly, a bevel carried at its lower end affords a direct drive for mag- netos neatly housed on the crank-chamber on either side. Were it complete indeed, one would probably find this Hiero model better worth study than anything else in this section, if one may judge by what still remains. Withal, unit mounted as its cylinders are, its over-all length is not at all excessive. Some dozen others, of various sizes and powers, and mostly of Mercedes make, do little more than amplify an otherwise interesting collection of War-trophies that, with the exception of the Maybach and the Hiero, display little of value for prospective study, as compared with the Allied section opposite. AERODROMES AND ADDITIONS and amendments to Notice to Airmen No. 81 (Consolidated list of Aerodromes) of July 20 are as follows :— LIST C. (b).^~Civil Aerodromes licensed as " Suitable for_ Avro 504K and similar types of aircraft only-" Except in very few instances accommodation does not exist. The licences have also been issued for limited periods only. Foreshore aerodromes are not included. The following aerodromes are published as additions :— •- ' ^ Aerodromes. .•"•'". LANDING GROUNDS v vv V L^ LIST B. (a).—Permanent Service Stations . - -:. Scopwick.—The name should be altered to Digby. LIST B. (b).—Stations temporarily -retained for Service purposes The particulars regaTding the following aerodromes should be amended to read as follows :— Barrow (Walney) A. Inchinnan .. 5455° Lat. 7' o" W o' N. Long. •15' 3O"26' 30" w. Name. Lincoln., Scarborough .. Gt. Yarmouth.. Pinhoe, Exeter 53° 54° 52° 50° Lat. 13' 3o' 35' 44' 40" 0" 0" 30" N. N. N. N. o° o° 1° 3° Long. 30' 24' 44' 28' 0" 0" 0" 30" W. W. E. W. Level 20 ft. 400 ft. 20 ft. 300 ft. Height ' --•— —,-:- above Sea Nearest Railway Station. Lincoln, i| miles (G.C.R., G.N.R.) Scarborough, 1 \ miles (N.E.R.) Gt. Yarmouth, 2 miles (G.E.R.) Pinhoe, \ mile (L.S.W.R.). Exeter, 3J miles • (L.S.W.R. and G.W.R.) :. 7 The particulars regarding the following aerodrome should be amended to read as follows :—• £'•':! Blythe Bridge, 52° 57' 30" N. 2° 4' 30" W. 610 ft. Blythe Bridge, N. Staffs Longton Longton. • Railway, I mile. (Notice to Airmen No. 86.) • L ,.-•'•'. "t , ' " .-• ; — .•-'• gj H H 13 What Germany has Done IN a written reply to a question by Lieut.-Col. Sir Frederick Hall, who asked for particulars" of war material surrendered by Germany since the Spa Conference, or of the destruction of which the Allies have satisfactory evidence, the Prime Minister stated that with regard to aircraft, the latest figures—i.e., up to July 31—are as follows :— Aeroplanes and seaplanes surrendered .. 128 Aeroplanes and seaplanes destroyed ,. .. 813 Airships surrendered .. .. ..' .. 1 Airships destroyed . .. 1 Sinn Fein Attack on Damaged Aeroplane . THE following statement was issued by the Irish Command in Dublin on August 15 :— " At about 5.30 a.m. on Saturday, near Banteer, Co. Cork, a military guard over a broken-down aeroplane was attacked Nearest Town. . ^ . Distance True from Bearing Aerodrome from in Miles. Aerodrome.Name. Lincoln .. \\ miles W. Scarborough 1 mile N. '•'•'•• Gt. Yarmouth 1 mile N. •' Exeter .. similes W.S."W. 3J miles N.W. and the sentry killed. The remainder of the guard imme- diately engaged their opponents, and after a fight put them to flight. The military casualties were one killed and one wounded. " The assailants' casualties, according to the latest informa- tion, are believed to be four killed and at least three wounded." Wireless Research Work FOUR sub-committees have now been established by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research to assist the Radio Research Board. One will deal with the Propaga- tion of Wireless Waves, the second with Atmospherics, the third with Directional Wireless and the fourth with Ther- mionic Valves. Mr. G. I. Taylor is a member of the second, Capt. J. Robinson, M.B.E., Tt.A.F., of the third, and Capt. H. L. Crowther, R.A.F., of the fourth. 906
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