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Aviation History
1922
1922 - 0747.PDF
DECEMBER 14, 1922 For a great number of years Rolls-Royce, Ltd., have held a leading place in the automobile world, and during the War the firm undertook the development of aero engines with the idea of establishing a similar reputation in that branch. With what success this task was undertaken is now familiar to readers of this journal all over the world, the Rolls-Royce engines having done an enormous amount of war service as well as having to their credit some of the most remarkable nights since the cessation of hostilities. Probably the first aeroplane into which the Rolls-Royce " Eagle " was fitted was the early Handley Page 0-400 bomber, and since that time this type has been "used in a variety of machines, to enumerate which would take up more space than we have available in this issue. The smaller size, the 275 h.p. " Falcon," is as reliable as its bigger brother the " Eagle," but owing to its smaller power it has not had such general application. Lately, however, it has been fitted in the fast touring machine built by the de Havilland Aircraft Co. for Mr. A. S. Butler. The largest of the Rolls-Royce family is the 680 h.p. " Condor," which resembles in general lay-out the smaller models. This engine has been fitted recently in such machines as the Avro " Aldershot," the Short " Cromarty " and the de Havilland " Derby." Among the many famous flights made by Rolls-Royce engines may be mentioned the transatlantic flight by the late Sir John Alcock and Sir Arthur Whitten Brown in the Vickers " Vimy," the London to Australia by the late Sir Ross Smith and Sir Keith Smith, also on a " Vimy," and the Cairo to Cape Town flight. A recent model introduced by Rolls-Royce, Ltd., is the " Eagle IX," which is generally similar to the famous " Eagle VIII " but differs from that type in certain details. The new model has been designed to be equally suitable for peace and war purposes, and to that end the following improvements have been effected :—Two carburettors are fitted instead of four, so that tuning is considerably facilitated. The placing of the carburettors low down allows of using direct-gravity feed, the float feeds having been re-designed. The engine will now function satisfactorily with a " head " of only 8 ins. above the centre-line of the crankshaft. In mx view of the tendency in modern commercial aircraft of employing direct-gravity petrol feed from, the main tanks in order to avoid pumps, piping, etc.), this should be a great advantage, and should help to ensure for the " Eagle IX " as great popularity as that enjoyed by the previous model. While on the subject of Rolls-Royce engines it should be mentioned that Mr. J. Rowledge, who had a large share in J. Rowledge. the design of the Napier " Lion " and " Cub " engines, has now joined Rolls-Royce, Ltd., to assist Mr. F. H. Royce in dealing with aero engine design. The combined experience of these two expert designers should result in some very interesting engines during the next few years. THE SUNBEAM AERO ENGINES The earliest association of the Sunbeam Motor-Car Co., Ltd., of Wolverhampton, with aviation was towards the latter end of 1912, when an eight-cylinder side-valve engine, of 150 h.p., of the type known as the " Crusader," was produced. It must be remembered that this was in the early days of the industry, when little or no encouragement was forth coming, and consequently the company showed considerable initiative in themselves purchasing a Henry Farman biplane of early type and experimenting with their own engines installed in same, piloted by the late Sir John Alcock. -Ksl.L" THREE SUNBEAM ENG.NES • A„»v«.."--J*^ S^" . fi .* ^ "" " "* " """**" ""' 747
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