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Aviation History
1922
1922 - 0463.PDF
AUGUST 17, 1922 A MARTINSYDE FOR NEWFOUNDLAND The Type A, Mark II, Sold to the Aerial Survey Co. At the last Olympia Aero Show there was, it may be remem bered, exhibited, among other machines, a commercial aero plane with seating accommodation for four passengers, in addition to the pilot. This machine was known as the type A, Mark II, and had a 275 h.p. Rolls-Royce " Falcon " engine. Recently, this machine has been purchased by the Aerial Survey Co., of Duckworth Street, St. John's, Newfoundland, for use in spotting for seals. During the last year or two, it will be remembered, Mr. F. S. Cotton and Mr. A. S. Butler, the latter of whom is now a director of the De Havilland Aircraft Co., have been doing some extremely useful work in Newfoundland, surveying, spotting for seals etc., the machines used being de Havillands and Westlands. The " stable " The fuselage is a girder structure braced by tie rods except in the front bay, behind the engine housing, where bracing as well as covering is effected by " Consuta " ply-wood. The covering of the rear portion is fabric, doped with " Cellon " aluminium dope. The sides of the cabin top are of mahogany, and slope slightly inwards so as to bring the centre-section bracing outside the cabin. The space inside the cabin is divided into two by the seating arrangement, which consists of two pairs of side-by-side seats, the front one of which is reached by stepping over the back rest. In order to facilitate this somewhat acrobatic feat the roof of the cabin is hinged, as regards the rear portion, so as to lift up, while the front portion runs on guide rails and can be pushed forward out of THE MARTINSYDE TYPE A, MARK II : Three-quarter front view. will now be increased by the Martinsyde type A, Mark II, which has been specially fitted out for the purpose. Last week, through the courtesy of Mr. Tilghman Richards, of Martinsydes, we had an opportunity of examining the machine at the Woking works of that firm when the accompanying illustrations were obtained. The Martinsyde A, Mark II, or A.II for brevity, is a tractor biplane resembling in general lines the well-known Martinsyde F.4, which is one of the most beautiful aeroplanes ever designed. The A.II, however, has a high coaming forming the cabin top, which is provided with windows in the sides, and has a gauze cover to combine top lighting with ventilation. The general arrangement of tlie machine will be gathered from the accom panying scale drawings. the way while the passengers are getting in or out. There movable portions of the cabin roof are, as already mentioned, covered with a fine gauze, which not only helps to light the cabin, but has been found to give excellent ventilation without draught. The pilot's cockpit is aft of the cabin, and a special wind screen has been fitted, at the request of Mr. Cotton, we believe, so as to shelter as much as possible the pilot against the icy winds met with in Newfoundland. The controls are of ihe usual Martinsyde type, but the instrument board is rather more completely equipped than on stardard machines. This is, of course, a result of the special work for -which the machine is intended. Among the instruments is fcurd, as indicated on one of the accompanying sketches, a Vickers-Reid THE MARTINSYDE TYPE A, MARK II : On the left the engine housing, and on the right the cabin, pilot's cockpit, etc. The front compartment contains the wireless set. The pipe which can be seen inside this compartment is a hot air pipe from the engine housing, carrying heated air to the cabin. 463 C 2
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