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Aviation History
1920
1920 - 0981.PDF
SEPTEMBER 9, 1920 of greys as is embodied in the general scheme ofcamouflage. The logical conclusions on which to base the design of anycamouflage system must be founded on the results obtained from the foregoing statements. With this in view, scalemodels of various planes were camouflaged and tested over miniature coloured maps and flying fields and in contrastwith the s,ky. These models contain on the top an average of six different Colours, varying from light tan to dark bluegreen. As was found by a partial colour survey with the eye, the earth-colours were brownish yellow for wheat fields,green for grass, purple brown for wet freshly ploughed fields, light tan for dry earth and dark bluish green for woodedportions. With these colours placed on the upper surfaces of a plane, in proportion to the area, they appeared on theearth surface, certain of the colour patches on the plane •were merging with similar colour on the earth surface, thusproducing low visibility of the plane and also at the same time a distortion of its true shape and size. Further, theproportion of the colours were such that at a blending distance they formed a colour corresponding to that of the averageearth colours after they were blended so that the plane thus coloured remained in a low visibility state at all times. Thephotograph of the camouflage model as illustrated in Fig. 1 shows this principle quite distinctly. The same illustrationalso shows models done in plain khaki colour, black and clear varnished dope surfaces. By holding the illustration a shortdistance from the eyes the camouflage plane will be seen to completely merge into background, while the varnished orwhite khaki and black, which is distinguished in the photo- graph by a thin white line, on the trailing edge of the upperwing, stands out distinctly with a clear sharp defining silhouette. Sky camouflage for the under-surfaces of thewings of course has to be designed to meet the brightness and colour of the sky ; this was done by the use of pigmentsof a bright light reflecting power combined with a series of colour patches to give a sky colour. Fig. 2 illustrates thison a model in comparison with no camouflage. Fig. 3 shows a model in direct contrast with the sky. Fig. 4 illustratesthe effect of insignia on the visibility of a plane ; in the lower left-hand corner are models^of the D.H. with a new insignia,that of three bands of colour, and one of the Spad with two circular insignias. Although both planes are low in visibility,due to their camouflage, it will be readily seen that the Spad with its two " bull's eyes " for insignia will present anenormous target to enemy planes. The psychological effects on the mind of two surfaces of colour as represented by theinsignia of this Spad are to cause the mind to record not two separate spots, but to see only the area between them, thusunconsciously locating the heart of the plane and the pilot. The insignia should have a factor of visibility just abovethat of the plane in order that the first thing seen would be the mark that indicates the nationality of the machine. Asall the Allies are using a circular form for marking their planes, it seems much more feasible and logical to changeour insignia so that it would be distinct from those of other nations. We are now using in most cases two separate anddistinct insignias, one a star in a circle and the other three bars or bands of colour as is found on the rudder of our planes.Not only does this tend to confuse the mind, but it destroys ' the low visibility factor of camouflage. The sensible thingto do is to use one standard marking for the entire plane. It should not be the concentric circle form, as that is alreadyused by other nations. Three bands of colour as used on the rudder is the logical marking for the wings : is distinctive,simple, and can very easily be applied in production. Further, one insignia should be used on a wing surface instead of twoas at present, for the reason stated before. THE MACHINE TOOLS EXHIBITION EVEN those who are acquainted with the work turned •out by what are usually termed " machine-tools," will find much to wonder at in the great exhibition which occupies Olympia until September 25.' It is unfortunately impossible in FLIGHT to review ever so briefly the displays on the 167 stands, but it may be said that the exhibition is an index to the tremendous strides which have been made since the previous—the first—exhibition was held eight years ago. It is within the recollection of FLIGHT readers that in the earl r days of the war it was discovered that machine-tools were needed in ever-increasing numbers to keep pace with the demand for munitions, and the industry in Great Britain, which up to then had not been on a very large scale, set to work in real earnest not only to speed up the supply of machine-tools of.existing types, but also to produce new tools. The result is seen at Olympia, work now being carried out on Roll of Honour I IT was announced by the War Office on August 28 that Sec. Lieut. G. H. Fletcher, W. York R; and R.F.C., who was previously reported missing, is now reported hilled. The Isle of Man and Service THE Orders in Council extending the Military Service, Ministry of National Service, and Naval, Military and Air Force Service Acts to the Isle of Man have been revoked'. London Flying Giub Changes its NameIN deference to the concensus of opinion among the Members of the London Flying Club, the Committee has,after the fullest consideration, decided to acquiesce in the suggested change of title to the London Country Club, bywhich name the Club will be known in future. It is felt that the old name gives an erroneous impression that member-ship is confined to those directly connected with flying ; whereas, although one of its objects is to encourage flyingand aerial travel, it has been developed as a Social and Country Sports Club to which both ladies and gentlemenare eligible. * The Buc Meeting ; I ARRANGEMENTS have now been completed by the AeroClub of France for the meeting to be held on October 8, 9 and 10. On October 8 there will be a race over a circuit,taking in Chateaufort and Villacoublay, the owner of each machine competing to be either the pilot or a passenger.Attempts on the altitude .record will be made on each of the three days. On October 9 the main event is a Concoursd'address, in which fwo ballonets will be released- at 30 second intervals, thirty seconds later- the competitor willstart, and the winner will be the competitor who destroys the automatic machines to an extent undreamed of a few yearsago, and many of the exhibits can be seen in motion, thus enabling their points to be studied to the best ad-vantage. The Exhibition was opened on Saturday, and on theprevious evening a banquet was held in the- Pillar Hall, Olympia, Sir Alfred Herbert, K.B.E., president of the MachineTool Trades Association, being in the chair. The Chairman was supported by the Right Hon. Lord Ampthill, G.C.S.I.,and Sir Frederick W. Black, K.C.B., President of the Institu- tion of Petroleum Technologists, and a number of distin-guished guests and members of the Association. All the speakers expressed the opinion that if employer and employedwould really get down to understanding one another, especially in the machine tool trades, British industries would still beable to maintain their world-supremacy unassailed. 13 E two ballonets and lands in the shortest time. On October 10 there will be a handicap for machines having a speed of at least 170 kilometres per hour, the handicap being framed on tests made by the Section Technique d'Aeronautique.. On October 10 there will also be a competition for machines regularly employed on either the Paris-London or Paris- Brussels routes. Postal machines must carry a commercial load of 50 kilogs. and other machines must take two passengers on the outward journey although these may be replaced by ballast on the home journey. The trip from Buc to London or Brussels and back must be made in one day. The entries include Bossoutrot, Pillon, d'Or, Rougerie on Farmans ; Casale, Romanet, Bernard, Bizot and Bourdon on Bleriot-Spads, Sadi-Lecointe and Kirch on Nieupbfts; Fronval, Maneyrol, Morane on Moranes; Douchy, Bajac, Deullin, Thierry, Breguet on Potez ; and Bouyez on Hanriot, The L 72 Renamed THE French naval authorities have decided that the L72 reo»ntly delivered to France by Germany is to be known as the D.R. ^indicating that it is the first rigid dirigible belonging to the French Navy. Brussels-Paris Fare Reduced FROM September 4 the fares for flights between Paris and Brussels have been substantially reduced; they are .now: Single journey 300 francs, return 450 francs, these charges including transport between the centre of the city and the aerodrome at each end. Turin Bombarded by Leaflets IN connection with the strike of metal workers in Italy, two aeroplanes flew over Turin on September 5 distributing propaganda leaflets, but they disappeared on the arrival of military aeroplanes. 983
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