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Aviation History
1921
1921 - 0224.PDF
MARCH 3I, 1921 THE ZEPPELIN DORNIER C3: Three-quarter front view. ever, is more expensive to build thin is a parallel one, andpossibly it is this fact which has influenced Jierr Dornier in his choice of wing form. Constructionally the wing of the D0.C3 is interesting onaccount of the fact that it is built of metal throughout. The framework of the wing is in steel, while the covering is statedto be sheet Duralumin. Although this covering does un- doubtedly strengthen the wing, no account of this has beentaken in stressing the machine, and the covering is merely intended to act as a means of maintaining the exact curvatureof the wing, it having been found that in high-lift wings quite minute changes in curvature may sometimes have extra-ordinarily great influence upon the aerodynamic properties. The wing is without dihedral, and is built in one completeunit from tip to tip, the centre of the wing resting on the top of the cabin. Bracing is by means of four streamline sectionsteel tubes, two on each side, running to the lower longerons of the fuselage. Owing to the considerable depth of the body,the angle of the bracing tubes is very good. Small ailerons are fitted near the tips, and the cranks, etc., for operatingthe ailerons are buried inside the wing. The tail plane is also of approximately rectangular planform, and is a cantilever structure of similar construction to that of the main plane. The elevator is divided and un-balanced. The rudder, on the other hand, has a balance portion projecting forward above the fixed vertical fin. Tailplanes and control surfaces are also covered with aluminium alloy. * The fuselage is a steel structure covered with Duralumin, and is very deep in front, the engine being mounted fairly high, and the centre of thrust only slightly below the level of the wing. The cabin is aft of the engine, from which it is separated by a fireproof bulkhead. Seating accommodation is provided for six passengers, who enter the cabin through a door in the starboard side, direct from the ground, without needing any-steps, the floor of the fuselage being exceptionally low over the ground. Windows are provided in each side of the cabin, and as the wing is above the cabin the passengers obtain an unobstructed view of the ground. It is pointed out that as the machine is intended to a great extent for use over the beautiful scenery of Switzerland,' this is a great advantage. Great attention has been paid to the prevention of fire on board, all fuel tanks being situated in the wings, outside the body. The pilot is placed aft of the cabin, his cockpit being located just aft of the trailing edge of the wing. Here, it is claimed, he obtains a very good view, as he is on a level with the trailing edge, and can thus look over or under the wing at will. Perhaps one of the most interesting features of the D0.C3 is the undercarriage. This, it will be seen from the accompany- ing illustrations, is in the form of two short wing roots totally enclosing the wheel axle, with a disc wheel at each end. It would be difficult to imagine a simpler undercarriage, and although the structure is probably fairly heavy, as it almost necessarily must be in order to take the loads from the wheels at the ends of the two short cantilever wing roots, the resistance should be quite small. The engine fitted to this machine is a 185 h.p. B.M.W. over-dimensioned, high-compression six-cylindered motor, which is one of the best examples of modern German engine design. It is very economical in fuel, even when running throttled, while the effect of the design is to enable the engine to maintain its full power up to a height of about 10,000 ft. The normal power for. cruising is 200 h.p. at 1,400 r.p.m., while for short periods, such as for getting off, the engine can be revved up to 1,500 r.p.m., when it develops about 240 h.p. As the machine is fairly lightly loaded per square foot of wing surface, she is said to get off well and to have a good climb, while requiring only a short run for getting off. The following are the main data relating to the D0.C3 :— Span, 55 ft. 9 ins. ; length o.a., 29 ft. 10 ins. j height, 8 ft. 3 ins. ; chord, 9 ft. 10 ins. ; wing area, 506 sq. ft. ; weight, empty, 2,420 lbs. ; useful load, 1,600 lbs. ; weight, fully loaded, 4,oio lbs. ; load per sq. ft., 7.95 lbs. ; load per h.p. (on 200 h.p. basis), 20 lbs. ; maximum speed, 105 m.p.h. ; cruising speec1, 80 m.p.h. ; ceiling, 16,500 ft. ; fuel consump- tion, .45 lb./h.p./hour ; oil consumption, .022 lb./h.p./hour ; range, about 400 miles. THE LONDON-CONTINENTAL SERVICES FLIGHTS BETWEEN MARCH 13 AND MARCH 24, INCLUSIVE Route A BO 0 o BO B0) s& 0 67, No .of flights carrying tn 9) Q en § J£ a o6 be a > Fastest time made by Type' and No. (in brackets) of Machines Flying Croydon-Paris ... Paris-Croydon ... Crickle wood-ParisParis -Cricklewo'od Oroy don- BrusselsBruasels-Croydon 12 24 5 2 15 7 75 75 94 26 15 5 6 221 8 11 1 — 7 7 34 13 12 3 — 6 6 40, 22 22 5 2 14 7 72 h. m.2 3 2 18 2 57 3 27 2 34 2 53 Spad F-CMAY (ih. 54m.) .. Goliath F-FHMU (ih. 52m.) Airco 9 G-EAUC (2h. 17m.) H.P G-EATN(3h. 17m.) .. Airco 4 O-BARI (ih. 57m.) Airco 4 O-BATO (2h. 5m.).. B. (5), G. (3), Sa. (i), Sp. (3\ V. (1). B. (6), G. (3), Sa. (1), Sp. (3). V. (i). A.9(i), H.P. (3). H.P. (2). A.4 (10), Av. (2). A.4 (4)- Total < lew two weeks... * Not including " private" nights. t Including certain journeys when stops were made en route. % Including certain diverted journeys. A.« -» Airco 4. A.9 = Airco 9 (etc.). Av. = Avro. B. = Breguet. Br. = Bristol. Bt. = B.A.T. F. = ¥ kker. Fa. = Farman F.50. G. = Goliath Farman. H.P. = Handley Page. N. = Nieuport. P. •» Potez. Sa. = Salmson. Se. = S.E.5. Sp. = Spad. V = Vickers Vimy. W. = Westland. -••:;';: - ::;•_.. ,: •••..--•••:--....•-•••••""•.• •-. 224 ^:- ••::::' •.- -::.~ -• -::~ v:_j-•,-;•:••-v"-"'^;5!'v::v_
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