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Aviation History
1925
1925 - 0129.PDF
MARCH 5, 192 2 3 FEET THE DE HAVILLAXD " MOTH Side elevation, showing fuselage details, etc. From the side elevation and photographs it will be seen that the view from the rear cockpit is very good, and we can personally testify to the excellence of the view from the front cockpit. The seat is comfortable and the cockpit excep- tionally roomy for such a small machine. It is intended to fit a speaking tube in the cockpit, so as to facilitate communica- tion between pilot and passenger or pupil. On the first machine this had nut yet been fitted, but we understand that it will probably have been installed by now. Access to the front cockpit is facilitated by a small door in the coaming, which allows of stepping from the lower plane into the cockpit without any great difficulty. When closed the door is kept in place by a simple spring-loaded bolt, which can easily be withdrawn by the passenger himself. The undercarriage i» ot the plain V-type, with the rear " legs " in the form of telescopic tubes sprung by rubber blocks working in compression. The rubber is enclosed in a cylindrical metal casing, so that the light is kept away from it, and it should thus last almost indefinitely. The travel on the legs is not long, some 4 ins. or so, but appears to be ample, •md the machine displayed not the slightest tendency to bounce. Of course, pupils cannot be expected to make landings like those made by Mr Broad, but it seems likely that even in the hands of a novice the " Moth " should not be difficult to land. The. " Cirrus " engine has its fmir " feet " resting on the top longerons, which are specially strengthened for the purpose, and a very neat cowling surrounds all but the top of the cylinders, in the first machine the exhaust pipe is crossed over the top of the fuselage, to run along the starboard side, but in subsequent machines it will run straight down along the port side, and the door to the front cockpit will be to star- board The two long breather pipes of the crank-case are hidden inside the engine cowling, and help materially to keep the machine clean. The oil-filler cap, incorporated with the breather pipes, projects through the cowling, and thus allows of replenishing the sump without disturbing anything. Thc carburettor is placed on the side, above the cowling, where, in case of a backfire setting any small quantity of petrol on fire, it is removed from any inflammable part of the machine, and is, moreover, exposed to the rush of air. A small metal shield serves to prevent the carburettor from getting too cold. The petrol supply (15 gallons normally) is carried in the gravity tank on the top centre section, and there are thus no petrol pumps to get out of order. The oil is carried in the sump of the engine. The petrol carried in the standard tank is suffi- cient for about 5 hours at cruising speed, or something like 325-350 miles. It is, however, of interest to note that if the machine does not carry a passenger, and a petrol tank is built into the fuselage, the petrol capacity can be increased to suffice for about 12 hours' flying. A hand-starter, operated by a lever in the pilot's cockpit, enables the engine to be started without outside assistance, as was repeatedly demon- strated on Monday last by Mr. Broad. The wing construction is extremely simple, with I-section spars, spindled out from the solid, and with very simple ribs. The wing bracing is in the form of streamline wires, and there is but one pair of inter-plane struts on each side. The wings have been designed to fold, an operation occupying but a few minutes, and in the folded state the machine only occupies a width corresponding to the span of the tail plane, or approxi- mately 9 ft. Ailerons are fitted to the bottom plane only, in order to make them more accessible, but the lateral control appears to be sufficient. The ailerons are hinged at the top of the spar, instead of on the centre line, and thus it has been possible to cover the gap between wing and aileron with a fabric strip. A detailed weight specification is not available, but we learn lhat the weight of the machine empty is 764 lbs. Allowing 160 lbs. each for pilot and passenger, about 60 lbs. for luggage and 100 lbs. for petrol, the total loaded weieht should thus be in the neighbourhood of 1,250 lbs. PERSONALS Married Mr. WILLETT AMALRIC BOWEX-BUSCARLET, R.A.F., only son of Mr. and Mis 1". C. Buscarlet. of Newcastle, was married on February 21, at the Parish Church, Marwood, Barnstaple. to Miss VIOLET MARY, eldest daughter of the late Mr. J. M. MONTAGUE and of Mrs. Montague, of Broom Hill. Barnstaple. Flight-Lieut. H. \\ . EVENS, K.A.F.. eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Evens, of Wostcliff-on-Sea, was married on February 21, at St. Pancras Church. London, to JEAN, youngest daughter of Capt. and Mrs. KAI rn \\ HiTEHF.An.'of Blyth, Northumberland. Capt. HERBERT CKORGK POWELL REES (late R.A.F!, son of Mr. and Mrs. H. Powell Rees, ot Haling, was married at Birmingham on February 28. to OCTOBKRA NERQVISE. youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs J. M EDWARDS, of Brooklands Terrace. Swansea. HORACE BOWYEK SMITH. RFC. eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Smith of Bath, was married on February 23, at Burley- in-Wharfedale Parish Church, to JOAN ALSTON CRESSWEI.L, fourth daughter of Lionel Cresswell. J.P., C.A.. and Mrs. Cresswell. ot The Hall. Burley-in-Wharfedale. WILLIAM SHAW, eldest son of the late Mr. and Mrs. George Shaw, Leigh, Lanes., was married on February 23 at St. James's Church, London, W.. to SADIE ELIZABETH, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George BAKER, Royal Air Force Cranwell. Lines. The Rev. VIENER, C.B.E.. M.A.. K.H.C.. Chnplain-in-Chief, R.A.F., was married on February 23. at Christ Church. Mayfair, to VIOLET MARGARET, second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. P. E. F. KEATCH. of Twickenham and India. The marriage took place on March 2 very quietly at St. Mark's Church, Torquay, of Maj. R. C. BURTON, late Cent. India Horse and R.A.F., and MAUD, daughter of Maj. and Mrs. SEVVALLIS WINTER, and grand-daughter of the late Lieut-Col. H. B. Winter, of Drayton, Norfolk. To be Married The engagement is announced of Capt. F. ROY WALKER late Middlesex Regt., and R.A.F., and PATTY DEVEREUX HICKMAK, younger daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Claude Hick- man, late of Bickley, Kent. 129
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