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Aviation History
1924
1924 - 0251.PDF
MAY 1, 1924 Belgian Military Aviation, Messrs. Marchel and Robert Thys of the SNETA and Commandants Nelis and Renard, Managing Directors of the SABENA. M. Demonty, Managing Director of the SABCA, as well as Professor Allard, the Director of the Belgian Technical Service. The need for care in arriving at these decisions is only realised when one considers that 1,200 miles have to be flown on a regular schedule right up the Congo under tropical conditions, the line being practically along the Equator, and that a forced landing would mean the complete loss of the machine. At the present time, between the capital of the Congo and the capital of Katanga, it takes 45 days to make the journey. By the Air Service which is now proposed with the present type of machine, it will only take two days. The machines will be in touch with the aerodromes the whole of this flight by means of wireless telephony. The inauguration of a Congo service after three years of flying and investigation along the Congo will see at last the on behalf of the Belgian air authorities. The Chevalier Lieut. Willy Coppens had been invited, but was prevented from being present. Among those present may also be mentioned Maj.-General Sir Sefton Brancker, Director of Civil Aviation ; and Col. Frank Searle, managing director of Imperial Air ways, Ltd., and Col. Alec Ogilvie, of Ogilvie and Partners. Mr. Handley Page received the visitors and explained the object of the three-engined arrangement. After lunch the machine was taken out on the aerodrome and Capt. Wilcock- son took it for a flight, among his passengers being Sir Sefton Brancker, who occupied the seat next to the pilot. The W.8 F. got off after a very short run, assisted by a strong wind, and climbed at an excellent angle. As already men tioned, during the flight the machine was flown on the two Siddeley " Pumas " only, the Rolls-Royce " Eagle " being throttled right back. The weather conditions were not, how ever, suitable for prolonged tests, and after a flight of a quarter of an hour Capt. Wilcockson landed in the usual SOME CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF THE HANDLEY PAGE W.8F: 1. Shows the,tubular framework of the~central engine mounting, with details of terminal fittings. 2. A typical inter-plane strut fitting with details. 3. The tail skid renewable shoe. realisation of the plans worked upon so long and only made possible by the great interest and material support which H.M. King Albert has afforded, and by the strenuous work and technical experience of those interested in the actual execution of the project. A Demonstration at Cricklewood Owing to a very strong and gusty wind the demonstration on Friday could not be carried out in its entirety, but the machine was flown with the Rolls-Royce " Eagle " throttled right down, the two Siddeley " Pumas " flying the machine quite comfortably. It seems even likely that with both side engines stopped the central Rolls-Royce will be capable of just about flying the machine level, or at any rate only descending very slowly indeed, carrying perhaps a little less than full load. Thus it would appear that entire engine failure should be most unlikely to occur, and that on all its flights the machine should be able to reach its destination. At Friday's demonstration a number of distinguished Belgian representatives were present, some watching the per formance on behalf of the SABENA Company and others smooth style which one associates with the landing of Handley Page machines. During the course of its construction representatives of FLIGHT have been permitted to examine the constructional details of the W.8 F., and to make sketches and take photo graphs. The illustrated technical article which follows is the result, and from this the main points of the design should be clear. THE NEW HANDLEY PAGE W.8 F. Technical Description THE raison d'Bire of the new Handley Page W.8 F three- engined machine has already been indicated in the notes above. Elimination, as far as humanly possible, of the possibility of total engine failure is the keynote. Not only are there three separate engine units, but of these the most powerful is in the nose of the fuselage, so that the turning moment with one of the wing engines stopped is reduced to a minimum. Actually during a test the pilot, when throttling down one of the " Pumas." gave opposite rudder as he had been used to do on the twin-engined Handley Page W.8 B's, 251 »
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