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Aviation History
1925
1925 - 0004.PDF
JANUARY 1, 1925 . rmrr The Canadian Vickers Vedette " in flight. The machine can be fitted with either Rolls-Royce" Falcon " or Wolseley " Viper." s Mr. Reid set to work, assisted by Mr. Newall, late of Handley Page's, and with characteristic hustle the machine was finished and flying by November 3. Actually the machine could have been finished about a fortnight earlier, but the work was slowed down as the arrival of Flying Officer Plenderleith, who was to test the machine, was delayed. The Vickers " Vedette " was designed for either the Rolls-Royce " Falcon " or the Wolseley " Viper," the former engine being fitted at first so as to make absolutely sure of getting the required performance, but being replaced later by the "' Viper " when it was found that the latter gave well over the specified performance. Incidentally, it might be mentioned that the forest patrol and photographic survey work had previously been carried out mainly with Vickers " Vikings " or with H.S. 2-L's, but that these machines were naturally rather too large when it was only desired to carry pilot and photographer. The " Vedette." in spite of her relatively low power, carries pilot and two passengers, or their equivalent weight, the total disposable load being 480 lbs. Considering that the power is but 200 h.p., the " paying load " is quite good. The general lay-out of the Vickers " Vedette" is well shown in the accompanying general arrangement drawings and photographs. The machine is of orthodox design in every respect as regards the general disposition of its com- ponent parts, being a pusher biplane with flying boat hull. The latter is, in shape, not unlike the famous Vickers " Vikings," i.e. there is a vee bottom with two steps, but the sides are curved gradually into the cambered deck fairing. Constmetionally, however, the " Vedette " differs in being planked with but a single skin, afferwards covered externally with fabric and doped. The wing structure is of normal design, but a somewhat unusual feature, at any rate in flying boats, is that there is but a single pair of struts on each side, in spite of the fact that the span is 42 ft. The pilot's cockpit, with accommo- dation for two, is placed immediately forward of the leading edge of the lower plane, -with a third cockpit for observer in the nose of the boat, the fairly pronounced stagger making this arrangement possible. The Wolseley " Viper " engine is mounted on four engine struts rising from the boat hull, and is placed close under the top plane to give clearance to the pusher airscrew. Wing tip floats of usual type are mounted under the lower plane, at the points of attachment of the inter-plane struts. As already mentioned, the " Vedette" was tested by Flying Officer Plenderleith, and a very good performance was established. With the Rolls-Royce " Falcon " engine the machine was found to have a top speed at sea level of 107 m.p.h., while with the Wolseley " Viper " the top speed at sea level was 98 m.p.h. The following performance figures all relate to the machine as fitted with the " Viper " Speed at 5,000 ft., 95 m.p.h. ; at 10,000 ft., 87 m.p.h. climb to 1,000 ft. in 1-6 mins. ; to 5,000 ft. in 9-5 mins. and to 10,000 ft. in 27-5 mins. The ceiling is 13,800 ft., and the landing speed about 45 m.p.h. With full load the machine gets off in 15 sees., is very dry, and lands without any " vices." The main dimensions of the " Vedette " are : Length over- all. 32 ft. 10 ins. ; height, (11 ft. 9 ins. ; wing span, 42 ft. ; chord, 6 ft. 9 ins.; ,gap, 6 ft. 6 ins.: stagger. 19-25°; dihedral, 2C ; angle of incidence, 6\ Area of main planes with ailerons, 490 sq. ft. ; area of tail plane, 34 sq. ft. ; area of elevator, 17 sq. ft. : area of fin, 7-5 sq. ft. ; area of rudder, 13-5 sq. ft. The weight of the machine empty, but with water, is 2.263 lbs.; petrol (55 galls.), 396 lbs.; oil <9A galls.), 64 lbs. ; disposable load, including pilot, 480 lbs. : total loaded weight, 3,203 lbs. ; wing loading, 6-53 Ibs./sq. ft. ; power loading, 16 lbs.,'h.p. MB^.^ <$> <$> AIR DISASTER AT CROYDON ON Christmas Eve, December 24, a regrettable aeroplane crash—described as the worst that has happened in the history of civil aviation in this country—occurred at Croydon, as a result of which the pilot and seven passengers were all killed. A few minutes after noon Imperial Airways " DH.34, G-EBBX " left Croydon aerodrome for Paris, but had not proceeded far when it was observed to be in difficulties, and dived to earth. The machine caught fire immediately it struck the ground, and within a few minutes was totally destroyed—all on board perished. The pilot of the ill-fated aeroplane was D. A. Stewart, and the names of the passengers were :—Mrs M. S. Sproston, Mr. G. Sproston, Mr. A. J. Sproston, Mrs. W. Bailey, Mr. M. Luxemburg, Dr. B. Lima and Mr. Cedeic Trudgett. Mr. A. J. Sproston was well-known in the motor industry and in motor racing circles. The Coroner's inquest on the eight victims, was opened on December 29, when it was adjourned until January 9 next. Further information on the disaster will, therefore, be given in a future issue of FLIGHT. Brief Editorial Comment on the •disaster will be found on page 1. DECEMBER 24, 1924 " What pilot ? " I asked, and the voice in the air replied : " Stew-art—the old PH." I fumbled aside The headphones, heard them smash on the floor; your face, Laughing, leaped to my sight, numbing my brain As I sat there, cold. Thoughts drove in a mad, sad race Over my mind. It was here in the Paris rain 'When I saw you last ; you were bothered about a cough That morning—a cough, dear God ! And memory flew To a ship coming over the Channel in fog, we two Crowding the cockpit together, the world cut off By billowing cloud, cloud above and below ; Beside me your curt man's laugh and your brown face, drawn So strongly, gallantly chiseled : voice like a bell. Eyes that could harden as steel, or soften and glow Tenderly, winning affection—so now you are gone ! God, I think, is the richer tonight. Farewell. —H. BEDFORD-JONES.
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