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Aviation History
1923
1923 - 0279.PDF
MAY 24, 1923 AIRCRAFT ACTIVITY AT KINGSTON r•/"••-.!'.-~f.': The H. G. Hawker Engineering Co, Busy ALTHOUGH comparatively little has become known about the recent doings of the H. G. Hawker Engineering Co., Ltd., of Kingston-on-Thames, the firm having taken up aircraft work gradually from a very small beginning, a recent visit revealed the fact that, even if the large shops are not as busy as they were during the War, when the works belonged to the Sopwith Aviation Co., things are not by any means at a standstill. When the Sopwith Aviation Co. went into liquidation in 1920 (it has since been able to pay 20s. in the pound), the late Mr. H. G. Hawker, Mr. Fred Sigrist and Mr. T. O. M. Sopwith formed the H. G. Hawker Engineering Co., Ltd., and operations were commenced by the firm producing motor-cycles. Since then the Hawker motor- cycle has gained an excellent reputation, but it goes without saying that aviation pioneers like Mr. Sopwith and Mr. Sigrist could not rest content with building cycles. The Hawker Co. started in the skating rink on the corner, and as business increased it was found possible to move into the old Sopwith works, taking over one shop at a time. When we visited the works recently we were pleased to find that the skating rink had been vacated (although a lot of old associations lend to that place a certain sentimental regard which the new works can never know, the foundation of the greatness of the House of Sopwith having been laid in the old " rink ") and that the whole of the. Hawker Engineering Co. is now installed in the Sopwith works. Thus, although the firm is a new one, the scene of its activities is familiar, and in Sopwith and Sigrist we have the two personalities who were the moving spirits in the good old days when these two, backed by Hawker first demonstrated to a wondering world that a small biplane was capable of speeds in excess of those attained by any contemporaneous monoplanes. In hailing the arrival of the Hawker Engineering Cov Ltd., into the ranks of British Aircraft we therefore feel that we are really welcoming the re-entry of one of the pioneer British firms, and that the new company has stepped in to take up the threads where the now defunct Sopwith Aviation Co. left off. With Fred Sigrist as managing director, and Mr. Sopwith, Maj. Eyre, Mr. Bennett and Capt. Peaty on the board of directors, the firm should worthily uphold the tradition of the old Sopwith Co. As already mentioned, motor-cycles originally formed the mainstay of the Hawker Engineering Co., but although these are still being turned out, the firm is gradually switching over £p aircraft construction. On the occasion of our visit a number of " Snipes " were being reconditioned, while two other types indicated that original design will be among the firm's activities. A careful examination of the " Snipes " showed that extraordinary care is taken to ensure that when a " Snipe " leaves the works it is in every way equal to a new machine. First, all fabric is stripped off and the various members in fuselage and wings carefully examined. Any part found to be defective, or which has the least suspicion of having suffered from storage, is removed and replaced by a new one. In the fuselage it is sometimes necessary to replace one or two struts or a longeron, and we saw several wings in which both spars and ribs had been renewed, leaving only the metal fittings of the original wing. Even the fittings are thoroughly gone over, sand-blasted to clean them and then stove enamelled, so that any incipient defect is detected and the part scrapped. The petrol tanks are taken out of the machines, are thoroughly cleaned out to ensure that no dirt or dust is left inside, and are then tested under pressure to make sure they are up to their work. Not until then are they allowed to go back in the machines. As a matter of fact, of course, the work of reconditioning an aeroplane is, if tackled in the conscientious way of the Hawker Engineering Co., probably even more of a responsibility than building a new machine. In the latter case one is dealing with the raw product, and the various component parts can be readily inspected during the^ processes of manufacture. In the former case, however, it is far more difficult to spot defects, and only by the most painstaking work is it possible to ensure that every one of the numerous parts is in perfect condition. At the Hawker Engineering Co. 's works the inspection is in the hands of practical men with many years' experience, and when a " Snipe " is ready to leave it looks, and is, every bit as good as a machine built yesterday; in fact it is probably better, since such wood parts as are going to shrink or warp will have already done so, and either have been passed as thoroughly sound or else have been replaced. It might be thought that in a structure composed partly of old wood and partly of new, warping would be likely to occur, but it should be remembered that the new wood being put in has been thoroughly seasoned, so that it is probably in much the same condition as is the older timber which has been allowed to remain. Mr. Sigrist was never easy to please in the matter of workmanship. We remember him in the old days ruthlessly scrapping anything which was not " just so." He does not appear to have lost his old liking for perfect craftsmanship, and the work now being turned out in the old Sopwith shops is of the very highest quality. This applies to woodwork as well as metal fittings, and the latter, always very neatly designed and with a minimum of surplus weight, all appear to have that typical " cleanness " which one always associated with the Sopwith machines of old. Mention has been made of the fact that original designs are being produced at Kingston. As both the new types which are now going through the works were designed for the Air Ministry, it is not permissible to refer to them in anything like as great detail as they deserve. It may be stated, however, that one of the machines, which have been designed by Capt. B. Thomson, is a monoplane two-seater in which the question of pilot's and gunner's view has been given first place, with the result that there is practically no part of the sky which cannot be seen (and " covered ") by either pilot or gunner. This machine has an all-metal' fuselage and wooden wings, and the Hawker Engineering Co. is gradually working towards all-motal construction. We particularly like the manner in which the change is being made. The policy pursued is to replace, as soon as it can be commercially done, every wooden part by a metal one. W7e were allowed to see some experimental wing ribs and aileron spars of metal, and certainly the production of these appears to be very much of a commercial proposition. We do not know the actual cost, but as the greatest item in the manu- facture of any article is always labour, the new metal ribs must be considerably cheaper than the wooden ones, being turned out (or at least capable of being turned out when put into production) " like hot cakes." It is regretted that we are not at liberty to give details, but for lightness and stiffness, as well as ease of manufacture, the new metal ribs are a distinct improvement on any which we have seen lately. The second machine to which reference has been made is a biplane single-seater. Constructionally it is of more orthodox design than the monoplane, but it incorporates several highly ingenious features, and we should have liked nothing better than to give a detailed description of it in FLIGHT. However, although DORA is dead, there is still much in aircraft construction which is " verboten," and we must rest content with recording the fact of the machine being produced, without revealing either the purpose for which it is designed or the features which make it of particular interest. Suffice it to say that the new machine will take either a Bristol " Jupiter " or a Siddeley " Jaguar " engine. The Sopwith firm of old had a habit of startling the world with high- performance machines. There is every indication that the Hawker Engineering Co. will uphold the traditions, and that is one reason why we are particularly pleased to be able to welcome the firm into modern British aviation. . Constructional Design of Aeroplanes MINUTES and Proceedings No. 4 of the Institution of Aeronautical Engineers have just been published. The Minutes contain the paper, in three parts, read by Mr. C. W. Tinson before the Society on October 13 and 27, and December 1, 1922, on " Constructional Design of Aeroplanes," and the paper entitled " Oleo Undercarriage Design," read by Mr. G. H. Dowty on November 17, 1922. Copies can be obtained from the Secretary, at 60, Chancery Lane, price 2s. 6d. Air Mail Stamps and Correspondence THE Editor of FLIGHT invites correspondents throughout the world to send him letters (addressed to 36, Great Queen Street, Kingsway, London) by their national or local air mails. These will have special and personal acknowledgment in the Editorial columns of FLIGHT, and help to encourage the more general use of the air for mail carrying. The Editor would also greatly appreciate any items of interest or news relating to air mail services and air stamps. 279 -•-'\ "
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