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Aviation History
1921
1921 - 0687.PDF
OCTOBER 2-,1921 THE "ALULA" WING DEMONSTRATED FOR the purpose of witnessing a practical demonstration ofthe application of the " Alula " wing to the needs of the fighting air service, at the invitation of the CommercialAeroplane Wing Syndicate, of 30. Norfolk Street, Strand, London, W.C., we paid a visit to Northolt aerodrome onWednesday of last week. Having previously referred to the " Alula" wing in FLIGHT (July 22 and August 5, 1920), wedo not propose at the present moment to dwell upon' the particular characteristics of this wing—especially as we hopeto give a full technical report on the latest " Alula " develop- ments very shortly—but will confine our remarks to thedemonstration referred to above, and to a few points in connection with the aims of the Commercial Aeroplane WingSyndicate. . l 5 It may be desirable, however, briefly to outline the general principle of the " Alula " wing, and the advantages claimed wider track, rendered necessary owing to the higher centregravity of the machine. For the demonstration the " Semi-Alula-quaver" was piloted by our old Hendonjan friend, R. W. Kenworthy, and as a comparison of performance a Service Bristol Fighter (275 h.p; Rolls-Royce) took the aij simultaneously. This " comparison " was certainly spectacular, but hardly one for serious consideration, inasmuch as last year's Aerial Derby winner could easily hold its own against a Bristol Fighter, and we take it that the fitting of the new wing to the " Semi-quaver" was to result in even better perform- ance. However, whilst the Bristol Fighter took off as a well-behaved Bristol should, the " Semi-Alula-quaver," although indulging in a somewhat longer run, climbed at what seemed to be an angle of about 60 degrees, and was soon well above the Bristol. In a little over one minute an altitude THE "ALULA " WING DEMONSTRATED : Two views of the Martinsyde "Semi-quaver " fitted with an "Alula " wing, and, above, R. W. Kenworthy who flew the machine. Inset, the machine in flight. for it., fey the employment of a peculiar wing-form and wing- section, very bird-like in appearance—and somewhat re- miniscent of the Weiss glider—it is claimed that the air flow across the wing is maintained in a uniform direction, parallel of 3,000 ft. was reached. Kenworthy then put up variousmanoeuvres around the Bristol, and on two occasions they dived down to a low altitude and flew abreast past thegathering of spectators, the " Semi-Alula-quaver." of course, to the line of flight, from root to tips, thus preventing end shooting well ahead. Kenworthy told us later that his air osses obtaining in ordinary " rectangular " wings, caused by the outward flow, or spilling, of the air at the tips. Or, as Mr A Holle the designer of the wing put it the " A speed indicator was showing 180 m.p.h. On the whole the machine put up a very good show, seemed to handle very nicelynd it certainly is one of the prettiest machines in Mr. A. Holle, th wing, pu it, th Alula " nicely—and i tl\e prettiest Tmc „ " 4-««« ^•:»^n«r>;^nni *' oit- fl/-v\if TKA ** Ainia " was. thfi air wre have seen.g phas a " two dimensional " air flow. The " Alula " was, therefore, considered particularly suitable as an economic commercial weight-carrier, but it was suggested by Air- Vice-Marshal Sir Edward Ellington that the speed and climb claimed for the new wing would be of value in air^ fighting, and so a wing was designed and built for the " Aircraft destroyer " demonstrated last week. This wing, which has a span of 28 ft. 6 ins. and io6£ sq. ft. of area, is built up entirely of wood—covering included—in the form of a cantilever. It has no spars as in the orthodox wing, but, as Mr. Holle describes it, is in itself a complete spar. It is mounted on a cabane above the Martinsyde "Semi-quaver" fuselage—the same machine that won last year's Aerial Derby. There is no external bracing. The original landing gear has been replaced by one having a. much y the air we have seen. The demonstration was witnessed by quite a^ number of " big people " connected with aeronautical matters, amongst whom may be mentioned Captain the Right Hon. F. Guest, Secretary "for Air, Air Vice-Marshal Sir J. M. Salmond, Air Vice-Marshal Sir Edward Ellington, Group-Capt. A. F. L. Scott, Air-Commodore Pritchard and Col. Beatty. Mr. Holle informed us, after the demonstration, that the purpose of the Commercial Aeroplane Wing Syndicate was to develop the " Alula " wing to meet the requirements of all types of aircraft, as he was convinced that there was unlimited scope for the application of the " Alula " principle for all purposes. The Syndicate, however, he pointed out, were not constructors, but undertook to design wings for all types of aeroplanes according to the nature of work they have to undertake. 687 •Ar-\
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