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Aviation History
1923
1923 - 0156.PDF
MARCH 22, 1923 The main spars are of built-up Pratt-truss construction, the main longitudinal members being of $• in. and •& in. duralumin, formed in horse-shoe shape with a steel stiffener placed in the open part. The diagonal members are of 16- and 18-gauge duralumin tubing, all attachments being accomplished by means of heat-treated duralumin rivets and fish plates. The same material is used in the drag trussing. Wing ribs are of spruce, with ash nose strips and balsa-wood fillers in the compression members. Covering is of A-grade cotton fabric, fire-proofed, doped, enamelled and varnished. The outer sections are attached to the centre section by means of steel ball-and-socket hinges. In the centre section, on each side of the fuselage, are located the two petrol tanks. These are of spun aluminium, conical in shape, and provided with a novel arrangement of baffle plates. Each has a capacity of 57 gals., and they are so mounted in the wing that in the event of fire they may be released by either the pilot or observer in such a manner that they are thrown clear of the floats and tail surfaces. When released the only petrol remaining is that in the carburettor and a short length of pipe. The two ailerons, of the submerged balance type, are built up of channel section duralumin, and are controlled by cables running over pulleys within the wing structure. The rectangular fuselage is built up entirely of steel tubing, the joint and strut attachments being made by riveting and welding, and in the latter a new method, known as rosette welding, was effectively used at several points. For internal bracing the orthodox tie-rods are used. The engine, a 375 h.p. Curtiss D12, is mounted on ash bearers attached to the forward structure of the fuselage, and may readily be removed as a unit with the bearers attached. The engine is completely cowled in with sheet aluminium, and at the side of the engine, above the carburettor, a pressure fire extin- guisher is provided, with a control from the pilot's and observor's cock-pits, which will when necessary produce an effective spray over all parts of the engine. Set in the cowling streamline below the engine is a welded aluminium oil tank, with fins for cooling the oil. An aluminium fire wall separates the engine section from the pilot's cockpit, which is directly back of and above the engine at the leading edge of the wing. This position provides excellent visibility for the pilot, as well as plenty of room and accessibility to controls. Immediately behind the pilot's cockpit and below the wing is the observer's cockpit, the position of which permits unobstructed vision to either side and below. An auxiliary set of controls and instruments enables the machine to be piloted from this cockpit. At the rear of the observer's cockpit, and connected by a runway, is the rear gunner's position, at the trailing edge of the wing. By means of the flexible gun here in combination with the other gun equipment, the machine is protected from all directions. The tail surfaces are of the internally braced type, and consist of a stabiliser, divided elevators, balanced rudder, and vertical fin. The elevators and rudder are entirely of channel, type, and horse-shoe section duralumin, with ribs of spruce. The stabiliser is adjustable, and may be trimmed during flight. The rudder and elevator controls are of the external type, and the stabiliser control cables run inside the fuselage. As previously stated, both land and water gear are pro-* vided. In the case of the former, the conventional two-wheel, wide-track type is employed. The struts, braces and axles are of tubular steel, with welded and riveted fittings and streamlined with sheet duralumin. The wheels have 36 by 8-in. tyres. This land type gear can be removed at the fuselage attachment fittings, and a gear, comprising two seaplane floats, with struts and braces, attached in place. So fitted the entire structural weight of the machine is 3,305 lbs., which is reduced to 2,920 lbs. in the case of the land gear. :. THE LONDON-CONTINENTAL SERVICES FLIGHTS BETWEEN MARCH 4 AND MARCH 17, INCLUSIVE Route (including certain diverted journeys) bo o d e s a, No. of flights carrying 1^-§•» °7? bo a 5 Fastest tune made by Type and (in brackets)Number of each type flying •_ Croydon—Paris ... Paris-Croydon Croydon-Brussels- Cologne Cologne-Brussels— Croydon Croydon-Rotterda m Rotterdam-Croydon .. Manchester-Croydon- Amsterdam Amsterdam-Croydon— Manchester 33J 31§ 14|| 14H 10 10 14 12 138 58 163 54 67 3 13 33 20 411 12 10 9 6 10 10 1 5 63 25 24 1 1 10 10 1 3 75 30 26 13 13 10 10 14 12 128 h. m.2 53 2 55 4 12 3 41 2 47 2 37 5 47 5 7 H.P.W8B. G-EBBH (2hr. 16m.) H.P.W8B. G-EBBH (2h. 20m.) D.H. 34 G-EBBW (3h. lm.) D.H. 34 G-EBBW (2b. 6m.) Fokker H-NABR (2h. 5m.) Fokker H-NABD (2h. 9m.) G. (12), G. (13), D.H. 34 D.H. 18 F. (5). F. (5). D.H. 34 D.H. 34 H.F'.W.8B. (3), H.P.W.8B. (3), (4). (1). (3). (4). r:V - ;• ~'"\ .: D.H. 34 (4) v^:_ : .; Sp. (I). Sp. (1). Total for two weeks ... * Not including " private " nights. f Including certain journeys when stops were made en route. * Croy.-Lym. 6, Lym -L.B. 9. § L.B.-r-Lym. 1. || Croy.-Brus. 2, Brus.-Col. 2. •! Col.-Brus. 2, Brus.-Croy. 2. Av = Avro. B. = Breguet. Br. = Bristol. Bt. *= B.A.T. D.H.4. = De Havilland 4, D.H.9. (etc.). F. = Fokker. Fa. = Farman F.50. G. = Goliath Farman. H.P. = Handley Page. M. = Martinsyde. Sp. = Spad. Vi. = Vickers Vimy. Vu. = Vickers Vulcan. W. = Westland. The following is a list of firms running services between London and Paris, Brussels, etc., etc. :—Co. des Grandes Expresses Aeriennes ; Daimler Hire, Ltd.; Handley Page Transport, Ltd.; Instone Air Line; Koninklijkie Luchtvaart Maatschappij ; Messageries Aenennes. Aeroplanes for Bulgaria THE Secretary in Charge of Commercial Affairs at Sofia reports that the Bulgarian Directorate of Posts and Telegraphs have invited tenders for the supply of 10 two-seater (including pilot seat) and two or three passenger 'planes (5-8 seaters). The latest date for the submission of tenders is March 25 next. Tenders should be addressed to the Department of Air Service at the Ministry of Posts and Telegraphs at Sofia. Further particulars can be obtained by British firms interested on application to the Department of Overseas Trade, 35, Old Queen Street, London, S.W. 1. Wilbur Wright Lecture THE Royal Aeronautical Society announces that the eleventh annual Wilbur Wright Memorial Lecture will be read this year hjy Dr. Joseph S. Ames, Director of the Physical Laboratory, the John Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md., in the Theatre of the Royal Society of Arts, John Street, Adelphi, on May 31, at 5.30 p.m. The subject of the lecture will be " The Relation between Aeronautical Research and Aircraft Design." Tickets may be obtained from the offices of the Society, 7, Albemarle Street, London, W. 1. 156
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