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Aviation History
1925
1925 - 0034.PDF
JANUARY 15, 1925 THE AVRO TRAINING MACHINE BEFORE dealing with the actual design of the Avro training taken place, the machine has remained up to the presentmachine, the author referred to some earlier Avro designs ^Q'lr oWi..>»i- * J-- •*-—i • —° "" v"*- «*-Luai ucbiKll Oi TUP Avrn trammUpTo' SoaUM°r«eferred tO —Earlier Ayfo designs in 1?11 thP ' R°e Ploneered the tractor triplane, but with a ^^P^y Produced a small tractor biplane fitted built to end to T" engme' ThlS machine was act«allysi^atsiittfi^merits of th" to thatlCiI:^bJPlaSf TS ?onstruct«* with a similar fusefage same total aref Th "^f"6' 3nd with main Planes of ^th^n the trt^? ^performance of the biplane was better concerned "Sw- ^th^ future development was entirely famouslarnous. Several similar machines were Constructed _ .HU,h,^ ako tnT* |ngmeS' Snd VanOUS different wing sections w'ereaiso tried. So promising were the results obtained that instructors produced machines on similar hese later developed into types which became ? called this our type 500. entirely new type of tractor biplane was :>duced. From the slide shown of this machine todav R^': i aVt quite a modern appearance even practice \ dePart^es were made from orthodox practice^ A number were constructed for the War Office and used successfully at the Central Flying Schools " lhe A^o o04 type was a direct development from this-.-- — -•? y- nas a. uirect aeveiopment from this consequently, the design had to be a design, and was produced to obviate the shortcomings of accommodate other makes of rotary engines. This necessi- the type 500. The construction of this machine commenced tated a re-design of the engine mounti in 1913. The principal difference* hp-Hi-e^n <-K;= ™^ +>^ ->•-- day absolutely true to type. The first orders were received about the middle of 1914 from the Government, and a few machines had been delivered before war was declared. The machine was extensively used during the early stages of the War on a variety of , including reconnaissance, gun-spotting, photographic <>"A light bombing, and some very notable achieve- to its credit, including the Zeppelin raid on ifen and the destruction of the first Zeppelin. About the end of 1915, the machine was not considered good enough for overseas work, and its subsequent use was entirely for instructional work. Although great numbers were constructed, it was not exclusively used as a training machine. The method of training about this time consisted oi a course on Maurice Farmans, followed by a course on either Avros or B.E.s, This was the state of affairs until lyi/, when Col. Smith-Barry successfully demonstrated that it was possible to train on the Avro without the need of a step-up machine. In consequence, the machine was stan- dardised and the demand then became enormous, and many difficulties had to be contended with. The type which was recommended for standardisation was the type o04J, which was very similar to the original version ot the machine, but fitted with a 100 h.p. Mono engine. It was discovered that there were insufficient 100 h.p. Mono engines available for the increased demand of Avros, and, consequently, the design had to be altered so that it would „ ^ ,„„ ui mjs iinn,uiiit- commenced in 1913. The principal differences between this and the earlier machine were the fitting of a larger engine, heavy staggering of the wings, improvement in streamline form of the fuselage, introduction of a new type of undercarriage, alteration in wing section and a small increase in wing span and chord. The first machine of this type was tested at Brooklands in 1913, but was returned to the works very shortly afterwards, when an alteration to the engine mounting and the aileron control was made. It was returned to Brooklands in November, 1913, the machine's external appearance on this occasion being almost identical with the type's appearance today. In fact, although much alteration to detail has desig mounting,°and this constitutedthe now famous Avro type 504K. A short description of the variations from the original dis- played in types A, B, C, D, E, F, J and K was then given by the use of slides. The author then proceeded to give some notes illustrated by lantern slides, of the post-War use of the type both as a training machine and a light commercial' aeroplane. He next described the post-War development of the type, me post-War development had, he said, been mostly in connection with the engine unit. Slides were shown of the machine fitted with a considerable number of different engines, including close-up views of the various mountings. WorebtSheaiCnsdtmfoIn2rof%bPrnreadt by^r- R' J' Parrott <H°naui, Member). Th"e had als" been post-War deveiopment Vn "regard toTheJanuarys,7925 Aeronautical Engineers, at the Engineers' Club, on undercarriage, and slides were also shown of oleo under- carriages which had also been developed for the machine. LIGHT 'PLANE CLUB DOINGS WE shall be pleased to have reports regularly from Club Secretaries, or those directly connected with new Light 'Plane Clubs, so that by keeping our readers informed on this matter the whole movement may be helped forward to the benefit of the clubs and the popularising of " that Air feeling." We have received the following report on the progress beingmade :— Lancashire Aero Club.—The Committee held a meeting at the Hotel Victoria, Manchester, on January 12, and appointed the following sub-committees :—Flying.—This Sub-committee is composed of four pilots ; they will draw up all rules relating to the flying of the machines and training. Headquarters.—This i? formed by four members of the Club whose business gives them special knowledge of land, buildings, etc. They will be responsible for all arrangements as to the headquarters in Manchester and the aerodrome. Construc- $> <5> The Airship Service to India SIR SEFTON BRANCKER, Director of Civil Aviation, who has flown to India in a D.H. 50, piloted by Alan Cobham, has during the last week or so been busy conferring with the powers that be in India in connection with the Airship Service to India. Sir Sefton has inspected a proposed site for an Airship base some 14 miles out from Bombay, while other plans have, we believe, also been considered. In a conversation with a representative of The Times Sir Sefton Brancker expressed his satisfaction in regard to his journey from England. After leaving Bukarest the only really difficult passage was over a distance of about 50 miles in Anatolia during the crossing of the Taurus mountains, followed immediately by the crossing of a short spur of the Lebanon range. Thenceforward to Karachi was plain sailing. Sir turn.— This is composed of five members—one a pilot, two who have been for many years among the building of aircraft and who are with the firm of Messrs. A. V. Roe. Ltd., a designer, and one member who has built and flown several gliders. Finance.—Four members who are accountants or bankers, and who will direct all money matters connected with the Club. A Development and a Library Sub-committee have also been appointed. According to the rules of the Lancashire Aero Club, each sub-committee has a chairman who is a member of the General Committee ; the sub-committees will carefully consider matters concerned with their special subjects, and will advise on these to the General Committee. In this way it is hoped that members will be able to take a closer part in the work being done, and that much of the early work will be in the hands of experts, so that when a plan is laid before the Committee it will have been cpnsidered and modified by specialists. Sefton Brancker believed that they were the first to cross the Taurus mountains in winter, when the meteorological con- ditions certainly make that part tricky. The stretch of 450 miles along the Persian Gulf would be unpleasant if the machine had to descend, for the land communications are difficult in that area. He laid emphasis on the fact that the Air Ministry wanted the Indian Government to state its requirements in order that the Ministry could give advice as to how to meet those requirements in the most satisfactory manner. He was anxious to see the Calcutta-Rangoon route opened, for it obviously presented the best commercial proposition owing to the absence of railway communication. The Air Ministry had Ordered the construction of experimental seaplanes suitable for such a route, and also for that from Karachi to Basra. 34
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