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Aviation History
1923
1923 - 0518.PDF
AUGUST 30, 1923 LIGHT 'PLANE AND GLIDER NOTES THE first of the light 'planes being built by Handley Page,Ltd., and designed by Capt. Sayers, is now finished and ready for test. In fact, by the time this week's issue of FLIGHTreaches our readers the machine will probably have been flown. Generally speaking, this machine resembles theCourtney-Sayers-Wright glider built for Itford last year, but the fuselage is not quite so deep, and the wing construction isslightly different so as to ensure good resistance to torsional loads. The engine is an A.B.C two-cylinder, flat twin,similar to that fitted on the "Wren," and mounted in a somewhat similar position. A novel feature is that slottedailerons of the Handley Page type are fitted. The second type being built is of more novel design, but at present itwould scarcely be fair to give too many particulars of it. * • * REFERENCE was made in last week's issue to the first flyingtests of the A.N.E.C. light 'plane built by the Air Navigation and Engineering Company of Addlestone and designed byMr. W. S. Shackleton. It" was also stated that certain minor modifications were required, and these have now been carriedout. The main alteration was the substitution of a larger rudder. It had been anticipated that this might be necessary,and, as a matter of fact, one had already been made and was ready to be put on. It was found, on the first flight, that,although the original rudder was powerful enough at all flying speeds, right down to the stalling point, it was not sufficientlyeffective when taxi-ing. The larger rudder has now been fitted, and the machine handles extremely well both in theair and on the ground. * * * MR " JIMMY " JAMES flew the machine again on Friday oflast week (August 24), although the weather was far from favourable. However, he managed to get in a flight of about20 minutes'- duration, in the interval between two storms. He quickly climbed to 1,600 ft., and then cruised around testingthe controls, etc. On this flight calibrated instruments, (Smith's) were fitted, and it was ascertained that the machinedoes definitely do her 75 m p.h. with the engine running at 2,400 r.p.m. The landing speed works out at about 3 m.p.h.less than the calcu ated (on a base of maximum lift coefficient), proving that the cushioning effect of wings and fuselage affectsthe lift. * * * FROM Addlestone it is reported that a club has been formed,under the title the Addlestone Glider Club, by a number of local men, and that one of the first objects of the newly-formed club will be to raise money for the purchase of one of the small A.N.E.C. light 'planes, with a view to entering themachine for the forthcoming competitions at Lympne. This is an excellent idea, and one which deserves to be emulated byother districts. We shall be pleased to give space in FLIGHT(within reason) for communications relating to the formation of such clubs, but if anything is to be done in time for theOctober competitions there is no time to lose, as it will necessarily take at least a month to build a complete machine,with spares, etc * * * THE Vauville light 'plane and glider experiments have now closed, and, although no very startling performances have been put up, several types, both among the light 'planes and pure gliders, have done good work. We have not the space to give a complete diary of all the flights which have taken place, but a few of the more important events seem to merit a brief reference. * * * ...-;-•. - ..:-. ••-. • • -_.• ON August 17 Simonet, on the Belgian Poncelet glider, tookthe opportunity afforded by a westerly wind and made a glide of 47 mins. 35 sees, duration. The merit of the flight lay notso much in the actual time as in the way Simonet handled the machine. When he first took off he rapidly climbed toabout 500 ft. above his starting point. For a considerable time he manoeuvred backwards and forwards, and thenturned down wind and made for the landing ground. Coming in over the hangars he glided along about 3 ft. from the grounduntil he got to the edge of the cliff, when he again rose to 300 ft. or so. The onlookers all agreed that the performancegave the impression of having been done on a power-driven machine. * * * LATER in the day Descamps brought out one of the Dewoitine gliders and started on a flight. As soon as the machine was in the air it was seen that something was wrong. The machine did not seem to respond to the controls, and sailed between two trees, leaving its wings behind, the fuselage, with Descamps on board, carrying on for a few feet and then crashing, fortunately without "serious damage to the pilot. * * * THE next day, August 18, Simonet, on the-Poncelet, madea glide lasting 1 hr. 2 mins. 3 sees. Shortly after he had landed Maneyrol, on the Peyret tandem monoplane glider,took off and succeeded in remaining up for 2 hrs. 13 mins, 35 sees. Maneyrol came in over the aerodrome and landed40 yards from his hangar. -;•'-• •.<.•; '..-- ".".:'• • • * >.55V.I. .'" ::::• ON August 19 the duel between Simonet and Maneyrol wascontinued. The Belgian pilot was the first to start, taking off. at 8.30 a.m. After flying for one hour he had to land onthe sands, having got too far out over the sea, thus losing the rising current. In the afternoon, shortly after two, Simonettook off again, followed some time afterwards by Maneyrol. The two machines flew backward and forward, the Ponceletkeeping about 150 ft. above the Peyret all the time. This confirms the theoretical considerations which suggest that the" finer " a glider is the higher above the hillside will it be able to soar. Maneyrol was the first to land, having been in theair 2 hrs. 39 mins. 41 sees. Simonet landed shortly afterwards, having been up for 2 hrs. 58 mins. 13 sees. On this day aseries of short flights in the nature of true soaring were made by Lefort on the Landes glider. On the last of these, madeover the sands, I.efort remained up 39 sees., flying against the wind. He could have continued had not the proximity ofthe sea forced him to land. If the performance is homo- logated it appears to have been the first dynamic soaringflight made at Vauville. * * * A VERY fine flight was put up by Simonet on the Poncelet glider on August 21, when he remained up for*4 hrs. 6 mins. He was, however, beaten by Maneyrol on the Peyret. who stayed up for 4 hrs. 12 mins. * * * THE. duration " record " was beaten, on August 22. byBarbot on one of the Dewoitine gliders, who succeeded in remaining aloft for 6 hrs. 4 mins. 2 sees. In the " economy"flights on light 'planes Maneyrol flew for 22 mins. 23 sees on the Peyret light 'plane monoplane, using 0.6 litres (just overa pint) of petrol. Barbot, on one of the Dewoitine light 'planes, had consumed, on the previous day, 1.2 .litres (justover 1 quart) in 29 mins. 30 sees. ~ * * * NOT in connection with the Vauville meeting at all, but as an independent effort at the Farman aerodrome at Toussus-le- Noble, M. Drouhin on August 23 reached an altitude of 3,500 m. (11,500 ft.) on a Farman light 'plane, fitted with a Sergant engine of 14 h.p , thereby beating the record previously estab- lished by Coupet on the same type of machine (3,100 m.). At present no records for low-power aeroplanes are recognised, but doubtless the F.A.I, will create a new set of rules for this class of machine, once a decision as to what constitutes a light 'plane has been come to. * * * v •••••• v " THE " record " established by Drouhin on August 23 was not allowed to stand for long. On August 25 Maneyrol, on the Peyret monoplane light 'plane, reached a height of 3,830 m. (12,600 ft.), taking 54 mins. to do it, and being in the air altogether 1 hr. 23 mins. 29 sees. . . - . * * * •-.•'• THE last day of the Vauville meeting was not favoured with very good weather, rain squalls being the order of the day. .Nevertheless, Lieut. Thoret did a distance of 8-25 km. (5.12 miles), finishing up by alighting in the sea and having to swim ashore, while Maneyrol, on the Peyret light 'plane, covered a distance of 19 miles in 19 mins. 50 sees., an average of 57.6 m.p.h. * * * AT the end of the Vauville meeting it was announced that - the prize-winners were as follows :— GLIDER CLASS Longest Flight.—1, Barbot (Dewoitine), 6 hrs. 4 mins. 2 sees. ;2, Maneyrol (Peyret), 4 hrs. 20 mins. 13 sees. ; 3, Simonet (Poncelet), 4 hrs. 6 mins. 20 sees. ; 4, Thoret (Bardin), 2 hrs.58 mins. 35 sees. Total Time in the A%r.-^-\, Simonet (Poncelet), 24 hrs.
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