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Aviation History
1925
1925 - 0214.PDF
APRIL 9, 1925 Three-quarter front view of the Savoia S.55 torpedo and mine-laying mono-seaplane with twin boats and tandem engines (400 h.p. Lorraine-Dietrich). centre section is mounted, by a system of M-struts, a stream- lined nacelle containing the two 400 h.p. Lorraine-Dietrich engines, arranged in tandem, the front one driving a tractor screw and the rear one a pusher screw. It will be observed that the engine nacelle is inclined so that the line of thrust of the engines is some 8 deg. out of the horizontal, and a slight upward pull or push is exerted. No doubt this is done in order to direct the slipstream on to the tail—the engines, necessarily, being fairly high in this machine. Cooling of the engines is effected by a radiator mounted in the nose of the nacelle. The pilot's cockpit is located in the leading edge of the centre section, the wing at this point having a maximum depth of about 3 ft. Underneath in the middle of the centre section is mounted the torpedo, or mine-laying gear, there being a clear space of about 8 ft. between the two hulls for this purpose. The span of the centre section is 19 ft. 4 ins., and the chord at this point is 16 ft. 6 ins. The outer wing sections, which have a pronounced dihedral angle, taper sharply from root to tip, both as regard chord and thickness—the chord and thickness at the tip being 9 ft. 9 ins. and 8 ins. respectively. The leading edge sweeps back some 15", while the trailing edge is only slightly inclined. Balanced ailerons of the inclined axis type are employed for lateral control. The tail surfaces are carried by two pairs of V-outriggers from the centre section and the hulls. The top beam of each V is attached to the upper surface of the centre section, near the rear main spar, while the lower beam is attached to the stern-post of the hull. The two V's are cross-braced, and in addition each has a vertical strut at its forward and rear ends. Mounted on the top of th^Jiorizontal stabilising surface—-which is of rectangular plan form, of 97 sq. ft. area—are three triangular vertical fins, to the trailing edges of which are hinged balanced rudders. As regards the two hulls or boats, which are spaced about 13 ft. apart, these are a little over half the total length of the machine—being-, in fact, about 30 ft. 6 ins. long, and having a beam of 5 ft. 3 ins. They are of the single-step V-bottom type, and are so constructed that if desired they can be formed into cabins, accommodating 12 passengers, for commercial work. A gunner's cockpit is provided in the stern of each of the hulls, from which a very good range of action is obtained. An important feature of the S.55 is that it is very easily dismantled for transport—the wings being in three detachable sections, each of the hulls can be detached from the centre section, while, of course, the tail unit is easily dismantled. The engines may readily be inspected, even during flight, and one is sufficient to maintain the machine in the air. The main characteristics of the S.55 are as follows :— Span 78 ft. 9 ins. Chord 16 ft. 6 ins. to 9 ft. 9 ins. O.a. length 52 ft. 6 ins. Height 6 ft. 6 ins. Wing area ),000-7 sq. ft. Weight emp^y 8,158-5 lbs. Weight loaded 12,568-5 lbs. Weight/sq. ft 12-5 lbs. Weight/h.p 15-7 lbs. Speed range .. .. .. 56 to 130 m.p.h. Climb to 3,000 ft 3 mins. Climb £o 16,000 ft 60 mins. Range of action . . . . . . 5 to 10 hours t t t t t t t t • The Savoia S.55 twin-boat mono- seaplane in flight, launching its torpedo. 214
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