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Aviation History
1922
1922 - 0516.PDF
BESS GLIDING, SOARING Those wishing to get in touch with others interested in matters relating to gliding and the construction of gliders are invited to write to the Editor of FLIGHT, who will be pleased to publish such communications on this page, in order to bring together those who would like to co-operate, either in forming gliding clubs or in private collaboration. IN connection with the FLIGHT Designing Competition, particulars of which were published in our issue of last week, we are very gratified to be in a position to announce that two men, very well known in the aviation world, not only in this country, but also abroad, have expressed their willing ness to act in conjunction with the Editor, in the capacity of Judges of any designs that may be sent in. Mr. C. R. Fairey, Chairman of the Society of British Aircraft Constructors, and Chairman and Managing Director of the Fairey Aviation Co., has very kindly promised to give up some of his valuable time in order to help forward the cause of gliding ; and Mr. F. Handley Page, who needs no introduction to readers of FLIGHT, has also promised to assist us, and to help in any other way in his power. We feel certain that this announcement will be received with satisfaction by all who are contemplating sending in designs for this competition. ENCOURAGED by the successes attained this year during the French competition at Clermont-Ferrand, and by the German ones in the Rhfin Mountains, several new prizes have been offered by French supporters of the new sport. M. Andre1 Michelin has offered a prize of 15,000 francs for the longest glide in a straight line. The prize is to be awarded to the pilot who, before October 31 next, has covered the longest distance, provided that distance exceeds 20 kms. (12.5 miles) and the mean gliding angle is not steeper than 1 in 12. If the prize is not won before the end of October, it will automatically be extended until the end of the following month, and so on, until won. M. Louis BKEGUET, the famous French constructor, has offered a prize of 15,000 francs for the fastest gliding flight. This prize will be awarded to the French pilot who, using a French machine, attains the greatest speed during a flight of at least one hour's duration. The speed must, in order to qualify a pilot, be in excess of 45 km./h. ('-8 m.p.h.), and the total drop in altitude from the starting point must not exceed 3,300 ft. for each hour of flight. The competition for the Breguet prize will be open until October 31, 1923. M. GEORGES DREYFUS has offered a valuable cup, and also a prize of 20,000 francs. This competition is confined to French pilots on French machines, and is divided into two parts. In the first, which is to be completed by April 30, 1923, a prize of 10,000 frs. will be given to the pilot who covers the longest distance in a closed circuit (i.e. returning to his starting point). A similar competition is open until April 30, 1924, and for this also a prize of 10,000 frs. will be given. The only difference between the two sets of tests is that for the first a minimum distance of 25 kms. (15.5 miles) is stipulated, while for the second this minimum distance has been increased to 75 kms. (46.5 miles). AT the moment of going to press there is no news of any further entries for the Daily Mail competition. From Germany it is reported that steps are to be taken to prevent Herm Martens and Hentzen from participating in the British competition, but nothing definite is known. There is, apparently, a possibility of three of the French pilots coming over for the competition, Bossoutrot with his Farman glider, Barbot with the Dewoitine monoplane, and Coupet with his little cantilever monoplane. We sincerely hope that at least these three French pilots may be able to compete. As it appears that several potential constructors of gliders are finding considerable difficulty in obtaining wood, especially spruce, we have approached Col. Darby of the Aircraft Disposal Co. at W addon, and he has kindly agreed to detail a man off to look after intending purchasers of materials, which will be sold to bona fide amateur glider constructors at extremely low prices. It is quite conceivable that wings of standard machines could be taken to pieces and the spars lightened for glider wings. Also such metal parts as fittings, strainers, tie-rods and R.A.F. wire will be obtainable very Cheaply, Col. Darby being willing, in order to help matters along, to let amateurs have these things at a fee barely SEPTEMBER 7, 1922 AND AIR-SAILING sufficient to cover the expense of having a man looking up the stuff and helping to sort it out. MR. CATTLE, of the Central Aircraft Co., Kilburn, informs us that his firm has been asked by several people to construct gliders for them to their specification, and that this it has been arranged to do. If any readers are in doubt as to where a glider can be manufactured, we would advise them to write to this firm. IT is rumoured that the de Havilland Aircraft Co. is building a glider of special design, but details are not available at present. Mr. F. J. CAMM informs us that he would be glad to associate himself with any movement for the encouragement of gliding, and woidd take an active part in connection with any club formed for building and flying gliders. At Windsor, in the old days, Mr. Camm did a good deal of practical work in this connection. Anyone interested is requested to write to Mr. Camm, c/o FLIGHT, and we will see that correspondence is sent on. A CORRESPONDENT wishes to know whether it would be possible to construct a glider out of an aeroplane wing by adding some form of fuselage. Although it would certainly be possible, we should not advice this* course, as the wing of an aeroplane would be designed for very much greater loads than it would be called upon to carry in a glider. Such a wing would, therefore, be needlessly heavy. QUERIES, OR OTHERWISE, FROM OUR READERS PILOT AVIATOR J.J. BLAND, 12, Belle Vue Road, Appleby, Westmorland, writes :— " The hills and broad moorlands about here are splendidly situated for this new sport. Gliding and soaring could be carried out practically every day. I quite believe that with one or two good machines, tuition, etc., could be easily carried out. I should like to hear from anyone who might be interested in this. " I should also like to know if anyone has a good glider for sale, or power machine minus engine, the machine to be of an efficient type—if possible, the machine to be of an auto matic stable type, such as a Dunne, Handley Page or Weiss glider type. If anyone should know of any such machine, or glider, for sale, I should be very glad if they will com municate with me at an early date." " G. F." (Vauxhall) makes the following suggestions :— " It has been recently stated that during the War the German General Staff filled up a large aviary in which all sorts of birds were kept; here, it is said, mathematicians and experts watched and noted the performances of the different types of wings. " Assuming that data of any value may be obtained from this study, may I suggest a better and not dissimilar form of research which might easily give more valuable results ? " Briefly, then, the idea is simply to stretch a cable at very- little height across a space of, say, 200 or 300 yds. The glider to be tried is fitted and suspended beneath a small two-wheeled trolley running along the cable, a take-off platform at each end, and whatever the machine the operator can start off on a down glide with some pleasure, knowing he is safe. " It seems feasible to expect man.glider research should be directed to the least possible wing area as against the tremendous span of the Hentzen Hanover models. These latter must offer so little danger to the operator that they should be more easily learned than a machine with the least possible wing area, but the latter, once learned, would be , much more amenable to catch and take immediate advan tage of every favourable breeze. As it is foolhardy to jump in "the water and expect to swim, so the analogy might just as well be applied to the glider with small wing area first taking the air. " Again, in the case of so-called freak machines, some of these may prove quite a different proposition after a period of experiment under safe conditions. If it is admitted that the ultimate best type of glider will have small wing area, it seems, with the present method of trying out, that it will be a long time arriving, whereas by some such cable device as above described elimination of the superfluous square feet would be more rapid." (In cases where a nom de plume only is given, the Editor will be pleased to forward any communication to the writer which is sent c/o the Editor of FLIGHT.)
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