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Aviation History
1922
1922 - 0496.PDF
AUGUST 31, 1922? THE IRWIN " METEORPLANE »» THE Irwin Aircraft Co., of Sacramento, Cal., U.S.A., recently put on the market a small sporting biplane called the " Meteor- plane " Model MT, which embodies several interesting features. We are indebted to our American contemporary Aviation for the following brief particulars of this little machine. It is a single-seater tractor biplane, and was designed to meet the demand for a small lightweight aeroplane of con ventional design that the average aero enthusiast could afford to have and operate. The " Meteorplane " has a quick get away (160 ft. run), good climb, is speedy, yet at the same time has a very low landing speed, insuring the greatest degree of safety. In landing, it comes to rest after a nan of no ft. Consistent with these qualities, the design and construction the front—which is attached to the fuselage at three points, the apex at the top of the fuselage, and the middle at the lower longerons. The lower extremities of these members are slotted to receive the rubber sprung axle, which carries two 20 in. by 3 in. wheels. The empennage is composed of a non-lifting horizontal stabiliser, to which are hinged divided elevators, and a tri angular vertical fin, to which is hinged a rudder. The latter is of sufficient area to insure complete control when handling the machine on the ground. Conventional stick and rudder bar control is used. A two-cyUnder air-cooled engine of 15 h.p. is mounted in the nose, and drives a 4 ft. n in. tractor screw of 3 ft. pitch at 1,900 r.p.m. f • ^Sfc '* - *m ^Uk?- mf • -'->-.'»«awHi^ti *•*$ & ^ , - • • .- - :',•••••• ••..•'• • • ;•••_ • • • - *"m ,Z«Z^gr ^jjj^^^H HEflli&. • —"**••-;' . .-||.;, ."' '""._. -~v«^ ? 2 \^> 1*^ 3 * m V ••• IS ' • "''. fa*. Mi -" .•.•*' THE IRWIN " METEORPLANE " (MODEL M.T.) : An American sporting biplane of 15 h.p. On the left its constructor, J. F. Irwin, is shown standing beside the machine, giving an idea as to its size. Inset (right), the machine in flight. embrace very light weight, yet the factor of safety at any point of the whole machine is more than five. The power loading is 26 lbs., while the wing loading is only a little over 3f lbs./sq. ft. The main planes are adjustable as regards their fore and aft position, provision being made for sliding them along the fuselage. This enables a perfect balance being obtained at all times. Hollow spruce spars are employed, and the rib webs and cap strips are of yellow pine and spruce respectively. The interplane struts, of which there are four, two being close up to the fuselage, are of I-form, and are built up of three-ply wood. Thus incidence wires are eliminated. Irwin No. 4 wing section is employed, the dynamical stability of which is almost the same as the Eiffel 32-. Ailerons are fitted to the top plane only, and the lower plane, which is of shorter span than the top, is set at a dihedral angle Of good streamline form, the fuselage is of box-girder construction, with ash longerons and four three-ply panels holding the body in shape The whole framework is wire braced from engine panel to stern post, and the covering is sheet metal at the nose and doped fabric elsewhere The under-carriage is of novel, yet simple construction, and consists of two wide members forming an " A "—viewed from a H A " Saintess " for Air Pilots. A NEW statue of Our Lady of Loretto is to be taken by four cardinals to Rome in September to be blessed by the Pope, this particular statue of the Madonna being regarded as the protectress of men of the air. The Cardinal-Archbishop of Loretto, in honour of the occasion, will be one of the cardinals who will accompany the statue, in a motor-car, to Rome and back. Severndroog Castle « UNDER the will of the late Mr. Probyn Godson, Severn droog Castle,iShooters Hill,becomes the apex of one of London s public parks. This fact is of interest to aviation, as Severn droog Castle is the highest point between London and Paris, The principal characteristics follows:— Span (upper) Span (lower) Chord Gap Overall length Overall height Angle of incidence Dihedral (lower) .. Area of main planes Area of tail plane . . Area of elevators .. Area of fin .. Area of rudder Weight of machine empty Weight loaded Weight /h.p. Weight/sq. ft. Speed range Climb in 15 mins. Gliding angle Range of the " Meteorplane " are as. 19 ft. 10 ins. 19 ft. 1 in. 3 ft. 1 in. 2 ft. 10 ins. to 3 ft. 2f ins. 13 ft. 9 ins. 5 ft. 10J ins. . 20 30'. 3°. 105 sq. ft. 9 sq. ft. . 8 sq. ft. ii sq. ft. 5*sq. ft. 240 lbs. 396 lbs. 26 lbs. . 3| lbs. 32-56 m.p.h. 2,500 ft. 1 in 7. 1 hr. 45 mins. H m being 450 ft. above the level of the sea, and during the Great War it was in the occupation of the R Division of Special Constabulary for six years, it being considered by the authori ties the' most valued and important observation post for the defence of London against attack by enemy aircraft. Proposed Australia to New Zealand Flight IT is reported that early next year—in February or March—an attempt is to be made to fly from Australia to New Zealand, a distance of between 1,500 and 1,600 miles. The pilot will be Capt. G. H. Keat, D.F.C.. and Capt. Bruce Ross will act as navigator. The start will probably be made from Cape Howe, N.S.W., and Christchurch, N.Z., the finishing point.
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