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Aviation History
1924
1924 - 0801.PDF
DECEMBER 25, 1924 Z0^ ON THE PANDER LIGHT MONOPLANE : On the right the sprung tail skid, which is mounted on, and moves with, the rudder. On the left the attachment of the rear chassis strut and rear spar U-bolt. Straps run down the sides of the monocoque fuselage so as to distribute the loads. change into the deck and floor fairings is so gradual that on casual inspection one fails to notice that there is a flat portion, the section giving the appearance of being perfectly elliptical. The wing construction is entirely in wood, there being two spars as in ordinary practice. The front one, however, forms a box in conjunction with the ply-wood covered leading edge, and struts arranged in a rather peculiar way serve to stiffen the cantilever wing against torsion. The V undercarriage is built up of streamline steel tubes, the upper ends of which are bolted to the sides of the fuselage, the load being distributed by steel straps running under the belly of the fuselage, as shown in our sketch. The same fitting serves for the wing attachment, which is in the form of a long U-bolt passing through the wing and anchored at the top with locknuts and a short yoke. The wing, incidentally, is in a single piece, the spars passing across the fuselage, and the coaming around the cockpit being placed in position after the wing is in place. Owing to the U-bolt arrangement, however, the wing is readily removed. It is not proposed to give a very detailed description of the Pander light monoplane here, as we hope to deal with it more thoroughly in a subsequent issue of FLIGHT. The main characteristics may, however, be of interest : Length, o.a., 4 -95 m. (16 ft. 3 ins.) ; span, 8 m. (26 ft. 3 ins.) ; wing area, 10-8 sq. m. (116-3 sq. ft.) ; weight of machine empty, 175 kgs. (385 lbs.) : weight loaded, 280 kgs. (616 lbs.) ; engine, 30 h.p., Y-type Anzani ; power loading, 20 -5 lbs./h.p. wing loading, 5 -3 lbs./sq. ft. ; maximum speed, approximately 130 km./h. (81 m.p.h.) ; landing speed, 40 km./h. (25 m.p.h.). One of the Pander light monoplanes was flying at le Bourget during the Paris Aero Show, and several famous French pilots tried it and expressed themselves highly delighted with its performance and handling. THE SCHNEIDER ALL-METAL MONOPLANE A MACHINE of very unorthodox design is that exhibited by the famous Creusot firm of Schneider et Cie. At first glance one is tempted to dismiss the machine as a " freak," the twin fuse lages, the large central nacelle for the crew, and the two combined engine housings and undercarriages all tending to convey the impression that the machine was simply built to use up as much Alferium as possible (this being a new aluminium alloy produced by the Schneider firm). On closer examination, however, one begins to realise that there is more in the design of the machine than is apparent at first, and that it is at any rate entitled to serious consideration even if one cannot quite agree with all the details of the design. Fundamentally the Schneider monoplane is designed to give a good view and field of fire in all directions. It does not appear, however, that this has been altogether attained, as although the field of fire is exellent from the forward gunner's cockpit, and reasonably good aft from the rear cockpit, there would seem to be a " blind " zone laterally from the rear cockpit. Provision is made for firing downward from this cockpit through a trap door in the floor, The armament consists of six machine-guns, and wireless outfit and camera are also carried. The large monoplane wing is in a single piece, and must present rather a problem as regards transport. The nacelle containing the crew can be detached from the wing in a fairly short time, as can also the rear portion of the two fuselages, the joint occurring just aft of the trailing edge of the wing. The wing is constructed entirely of Alferium, there being two main spars and a lattice work at top and bottom to form, with the spars, a sort of box. The wing covering is also of Alferium, and is corrugated at intervals of approximately 3 inches. The two fuselages, extending forward to form engine housings and undercarriages, are also entirely built of Alferium, but in this case the covering is in the form of plain sheets (i.e., not corrugated). At the stern each fuselage carries a fin and a rudder, and the large fixed tail plane runs right across, from one fuselage to the other, a one-piece elevator being hinged to it. All controls are operated by rods and tubes, no cables being' employed, and all cranks, etc., used in the control system work in ball bearings. This is stated greatly to lighten the work of the pilot, and certainly recent de Havilland aeroplanes in which ball-bearings have been used for the controls are remark able for the ease with which the joy-stick can be manipulated. The two undercarriages are in the form of parallel Vees, one pair for each wheel, consisting of a forward large box-section legs and smaller rear legs. The axle rests in a movable fork, sprung from the fixed vees by rubber shock absorbers situated inside and near the upper end of the fixed vees. As the whole of the undercarriage is enclosed the head resistance is probably very low, but it would appear that the chassis cannot be par ticularly strong laterally unless the weight is considerable. The wheel track is, of course, very wide, and there should be very small chance of the machine turning over on to a wing tip. The two 400 h.p. Lorraine-Dietrich engines are supported on cantilever structures joined partly to the wing structure and partly to the fuselages. They are entirely cowled-in, and a radiator is mounted on each side of the engine nacelles. The petrol tanks are placed aft of the engines, and in this position would seem to afford a maximum degree of safety from fire. 801
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