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Aviation History
1925
1925 - 0128.PDF
S'i that presumably the large rudder is very effective, and sbould help very materially to give control at or near the stalling angle. The front cockpit proved most comfortable, and by keeping- one's face fairly close to the wind screen no appreciable draught was felt, and it was found unnecessary to wear goggles. As soon as one attempted to look over the side, however, the wind was felt, and probably a slightly wider wind screen might be an improvement. The " Cirrus " engine had a most reassuring note, and at no time did one have the slightest idea that it was likely to stop or to give any trouble at all. There was a very marked absence of vibration, and altogether the " Cirrus " sounded and ran more like a " six than a '' four." The noise was very slight, certainly not sufficient to produce that " deafness " which sometimes accompanies sitting behind a larger engine, but it seems likely that still more can and will be done to make the engine even more silent. When throttled down to land it was wholly delightful to float into the aerodrome at about 30 ni.p.li. ground speed. One had the feeling that there was plenty of time to think things over and to decide exactly where to land, and we fancy that when used as a school machine, this feature will be found a most valuable one. ns it can scarcely fail to inspire pupils with confidence. At the moment it has not been possible, owing to the unsettled weather, to cam' out proper performance tests with the " Moth." but preliminary Tests seem to indicate that the top speed will probably be roughly 90 m.p.h. (144 kms. hi. and the stalling speed about 38 m.p.h. (HI kms. h.». The MARCH 5, 1925 manceuvrabilitv appears excellent, and on Monday Mr. Broad repeatedly looped the machine, as well as doing Immelmann turns and spins. With these general remarks on the " Moth." we may turn to a more detailed description of the machine. Simplicity and robustness are the main features of the de Havilland " Moth." or D.H.fiO, to give the machine its official type designation. The number of fittings used, for example, has been reduced to an absolute minimum, and such few as are employed are of very simple form, cheap to manufacture and not likely to require much attention during u«e. The fuselage, for instance, is a box composed of four longerons, straight plain vertical and horizontal struts, and the whole covered with sheet ply-wood. This type of construction has now been employed for many years by Capt, de Jlavilland, and has stood the test of time. In actual use it stands up well to fairly rough handling' al'd at the same time it is a form of con- struction comparatively cheap both in small numbers and in large quantities. The sides and bottom are flat, but the top is deeply cambered The struts in sides and bottom are not directly attached to the longerons, but are held in place by the three-ply cvering, whereas the top (which is. <>f course, open under the fairing! has its struts secured by angle brackets and bolts to the top longerons, as shown in a sketch. The two cockpits are arranged in the usual fashion, that at the rear being normally intended for the pilot, although when dual controls are fitted the machine can, nf course, be flown from either cockpit provided the machine is trimmed by carrying ;i pa-senger. or equivalent load, in the re.;r cockpit THE DE HAVILLAND "MOTH " : Some Constructional Details—1. The only metal fittings, attachment of top cross-struts to top longerons. 2. Details of wing construction and spar fitting of top plane. 3. Rear top spar with fitting, etc. ; the rounded corner is in the form of an aluminium tube, flattened to meet the wooden trailing edge. 4. Front spar fitting of top centre-section, with quick-release for folding of wings. The gravity petrol tank rests on the centre-section spars. "5. Rear spar of top centre-section, with hinge fitting for folding. 6. Top of rudder post, showing hinges, ribs, and metal trailing edg«. 7. Rear ri«w of rudder, with plain tubular rudder crank. 8 and 9. The very simple wing fittings on the lower longeron of the fuselage. The wings, of course, piv«t on the rear spar fitting, and the locking device on the front spar is similar to that shown in 4. 128
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