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Aviation History
1924
1924 - 0440.PDF
JULY 10, 1924 by a " Petroflex " tube. The tank is divided into two com partments, the second of which contains but a small quantity of fuel. Thus when the main compartment begins to run dry, and the engine shows signs of faltering, the pilot knows that he has a certain quantity left in the second compartment, and can begin to look for a suitable landing ground. The quantity of petrol carried is 30 gallons, which should be sufficient for about 4J hours' flying at cruising speed. It should be pointed out that a fireproof bulkhead is interposed between the engine and the fuselage, and as the petrol tank is well away from the engine the danger from fire should be very remote. The wings of the D.H. 51 are of standard construction, and the section employed is a slightly modified R.A.F. 15. The structure is a two-bay biplane with streamline wire bracing, and the onlv unusual feature is the omission of the incidence bracing on the port side of the struts carrying the top centre- section. This bracing has been omitted so as to give easy access to the front cockpit, and the wires on the starboard side, plus those in the centre-section itself, take over the duties of the missing wires. The undercarriage is of usual de Havilland type, with combined rubber and oleo shock-absorbing gear. The first shock is taken by the oil, and then the rubber blocks, working in compression, begin to take up the load, the oil being forced past its plunger and damping the recoil. The travel pro vided is not very long, but has been found in practice to be sufficient. The control surfaces and controls are all of standard de Havilland type, the differential aileron control patented by this firm being incorporated. There is no tail trimming gear, but the elevator is spring-loaded so that by setting it any slight changes in trim due to varying loads can easily be taken care of. In conclusion it may be pointed out that by careful struc tural design the tare weight of the D.H. 51 has been reduced to the very low figure of 1,312 lbs. As the machine carries three, and is not a particularIv small machine, the wing area being 325 sq. ft., tins figure is extremely good, yet adequate factors of safety are provided everywhere, so as to make the machine suitable for the rough handling usually associated with school work. The flying oualities are excellent, not only in the matter .of performance but also as regards handling, and the D.H. 51 is exceptionally pleasant to fly. The main dimensions, areas, etc., are given on the general arrangement drawings published on page 438. The figures of weight are as follows: Tare weight, 1,312 lbs.; fuel (30 gallons) and oil (3 gallons), 250 lbs. ; useful load (including pilot), 678lbs. ; total loaded weight, 2,240 lbs. : wing loading 6-9 1bs./sq. ft.; power loading (at 90 b.h.p.>, 24-9"lbs./h.p. Fitted with the-Jc.A.F. 1A engine, and carrying pilot, one passenger, 50 lbs. of load, and with full tanks, the performance is approximately as follows : Maximum speed near ground, 94 m.p.h. ; cruising speed at low altitude, about 80 m.p.h. ; stalling speed, 36 m.p.h. ; maximum speed at 7,150 ft., 89 m.p.h. ; ground rate of climb, 580 ft./min. ; rate of climb at 6,500 ft., 300 ft./min. ; service ceiling, 11,000 ft. ; absolute ceiling, 13,000 ft. IN PARLIAMENT Iraq Air Operations LIEUT.-COMMANDER KENWORTHY on June.30 asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether there has been any fighting ox other disorder in Iraq since the present Government took office; whether His Majesty's Forces have been engaged, and, if so, on what occasions ; whether any bombings by aircraft have taken place since the beginning of this year ; if so, on how many and what occasions; and what was the fighting and air-raiding which recently took place at Sulimaniyah ? Mr. Leach : In answer to the first and second parts of the question, a few disturbances occurred in Iraq during the period mentioned. The only one of seriousness was that which took place at Kirkuk on.the 4th May in the circumstances explained by my right hon. friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies in his reply on May 12 to the hon. Member for Kidderminster. There were slight disturbances at the end of March in the Sulimaniyah region, where a chief defied the Iraq Government, but withdrew after air action on a small scale had been taken. There has also been some unrest in the Afaj district, where three native policemen were killed on April 25. Slight air action was then taken, and the leaders of the offending tribes surrendered. As regards the last part of the question, an effort was made by a disaffected chief to stir up trouble following the Kirkuk incident. No fighting took place, but as the chief refused to surrender, his headquarters were bombed after a warning had been given. The situation there again has since been normal. Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy : What does the hon. member mean by " slight air action " ? Mr. Leach : Possibly one aeroplane not dropping any bombs, but merely warning notices. Lieut.-Colonel Sir S. Hoare : Is not the hon. member carrying out identically the same policy as that which we carried out in this respect, and does he now repudiate the statements made by hon. members behind him against the policy which we carried out ? Mr. Leach : We communicated with our military and aft headquarters in Iraq in regard to the whole situation of bombing operations, and I cannot honestly say that we have made any change in the policy of the late Govern ment. Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy : Will the hon. gentleman, when he tells us of the possibility of air warnings, tell us that no bombing has taken place in any of these operations and that there have been no casualties .- Mr. Leach : No, I cannot say that no bombing has taken place, but to the best of our information no casualties have taken place. Southampton to Cherbourg Seaplane Service LORD APSLEY, on July 3, asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether negotiations with the French authorities are nearing completion with regard to a proposed seaplane service from Southampton to Cherbourg and various French seaside resorts ; and if he is in a position to state when the service will be commenced ? Mr. Leach : The preliminary negotiations which had been opened with the French authorities in regard to the establishment of a seaplane service from Southampton to Cherbourg and other French ports were not brought to a conclusion because, in view of the experimental nature of the employ ment of this type of aircraft on regular air transport services, it was considered necessary to confine operations in the first instance to the Southampton- Guernsey service. Valuable experience is being gained on the latter route, but I am not in a position to state whether the services referred to in the noble lord's question will be commenced, the decision ki regard to this resting primarily with the directors of Imperial Airways, Ltd. Lord Apsley: Is the hon. gentleman aware that experiments have been going on for over a year which have proved eminently satisfactory; and in view of the great demand on both sides of the Channel for a passenger and mails service between Cherbourg and Southampton and also to the French holiday resorts before the holiday season is over, will he take any steps to see that the matter is expedited as much as possible ? «> <s> Western Australian Airways' Director coming to England MAJOR N. BREARLEY, managing director of Western Australian Airways, Ltd., is due to arrive in England this month on a business trip, and intends remaining for several Mr. Leach : I can only hope that the Imperial Airways, Ltd., will take notice of what the noble lord has said and carry out his suggestion. Captain Brass": If these services are instituted will a subsidy be given to the company ? Mr. Leach : The subsidy scheme has already been arranged and would certainly not be interfered with. R.A.F. Aerodrome, Carding ton MR. WELLS asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what additional employment has been created at Cardington due to the decision of the Govern ment to re-open the aerodrome ; and does he propose to give, as far as poss ible, preference for work to those unemployed living in the district ? Mr. Leach : In answer to the first part of the question, the number of workmen for whom employment will be created is unlikely to exceed 50 in the first six months, or 150 in the first year ; the answer to the second part is in the affirmative. Major Colfox : Will a preference be given"'to unemployed ex-sen ice men ? Mr. Leach : Yes, if they are competent. Bombing Operations, Iraq MR. LANSBURY asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air (1) whether he can give the House the total number of casualties suffered by the British Air Force during bombing operations carried on in Iraq or elsewhere during the past five months, and the total casualties suffered by the people living in the various places against which these operations have taken place ; (2) on how many occasions during the past five months has the Air Force been engaged in Iraq or other place6 bombing undefended villages or town ships ; and whether any notice, and, if any, what length of notice, is given to the civilian population—women, children and men—to withdraw before the bombing commences ? Mr. Leach : Bombs have been dropped on five occasions in Iraq during the period referred tor and in all cases except one not less than two days' warning was given to enable the inhabitants to withdraw. The objectives selected were the encampments and grazing grounds of the offending tribes. The case where no warning was given was one of an attack by tribes on native police, in which one police officer and three police were killed. In this period there have been no casualties to the Royal Air Force in Iraq during bombing operations. As regards casualties inflicted by the operations, none have been reported to Air Headquarters. My hon. friend will realise that in areas where violence is habitual, air action, however regrettable the neces sity for it, in many cases, checks at an early s,tage disturbances which would otherwise cause great loss of life. In this connection, I may mention that a frontier tribe, of the same type as those which the hon. member has, appar ently, in mind, recently killed 146 men and 127 women and children during a single raid into Iraq territory, in the course of which all the male prisoners and wounded, both men and boys, were put to death. The offending tribe escaped back over the borders before operations could be taken by us against them, but it is also the fact that this kind of raid, with its consequent loss of life, has been almost entirely abolished by the measures taken by the Air Force. R.A.F. Night Flying SIR F. SYKES asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether a series of night-flying tests has been carried out on the Cairo-Baghdad air route or in other tropical or semi-tropical areas ; if, so, whether regular night flying under such climatic and atmospheric conditions is considered to be practicable ; if the conclusions derived from such tests have been communicated to the Dominion and Indian Governments : and, if such tests have not been carried out, whether, in view of the great importance of night flying, they will be put in hand at the earliest possible date ? Mr. Leach : There is no present intention of operating the Cairo-Baghdad air route by night, but night flying is carried out as a regular part of the training of the air squadrons in the Middle East generally and in India. Any data derived from the experience of the squadrons in those areas are at the disposal of the Dominion Governments. <$> . ^ weeks. He will be enquiring into many things connected with aviation matters, and hopes to again meet many of his War-time aviation friends. His London address will be: Care of the Agent-General for Western Australia, Savoy House, Strand. 440
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