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Aviation History
1926
1926 - 0044.PDF
top plane is perfectly straight, but the bottom plane has adihedral of 1^ degrees. Fittings are mainly of duralumin and the inter-plane struts are steel tubes with sheet aluminiumfairings. The wing section is a fairly thick one (about 9 in. on the top plane) and was chosen on account of its high . Kj.3 .value of the ratio TF~2, which governs the climb. In the construction of the fuselage two distinct methods have been employed. The f>-ont portion, in which the cockpits for pilot and passenger are accommodated, is a flat-sided, plywood- covered box, built rather stronger than strictly necessary in order to provide protection for the occupants in case of a JANUARY 28, 1926 would not suffice would be during a steep dive. The petroltank has a capacity of 50 litres (11 gals.) and the oil tank. which is placed immediately ahead of the engine, has acapacity of 12 litres (2-64 gals.). The undercarriage is of simple type, the two wheels beingcarried on short stub axles hinged to the lower longerons of the fuselage and braced forward by tie-rods forming horizontalV's with the axles. Springing is provided by telescopic struts running to the top longerons of the fuselage, and rubbershock-absorbing gear. The tail planes are of duralumin and steel construction and fabric covered, and provision is made for trimming the tail plane, this obviously being advisable in a machine of this crash. The rear portion of the fuselage is in the form of welded steel tubes with piano-wire bracing, and the two halves of the fuselage are joined just aft of the passengers' cockpit. Incidentally it may be mentioned that the lower plane passes through the wielded tube portion where the question of its insertion and attachment is rather easier, owing to the fabric covering. As already mentioned, the 55 h.p. Siemens radial engine is mounted on four steel tube struts from the top of the fuselage, on a structure independent of the wing structure. A neat aluminium cowl fairs the engine into the top wing surface and a spinner round the propeller boss at the back completes the fairing of the power unit, of which only the outer portions of the cylinders project. The petrol tank is built into the top plane forward of the engine, and although it is stated that gravity feed is employed, provision is made for maintaining SL slight pressure in the petrol tank. As the tank is ahead of the engine, presumably the only time when gravity feed 'M W The Alba tr osL.72 : The 55 h.p. Siemens radialengine is mounted on the trailingedge of the top plane, and drivesa pusher air- screw. The viewfrom the cockpits should be ex-cellent. type, where considerable changes in trim may be expected between the " engine on " and " engine off " condition. It is stated, however, that the machine handles very nicely, and that the only change with engine fully throttled down is a slight tail-heaviness which is easily corrected by slightly in- creasing the angle of incidence of the trimming tail plane. The main overall dimensions of the Albatros L.72 are shown on the general arrangement drawings. Following are the main item weights : weight of machine empty, 450 kg. (990 lb.) ; pilot and passenger, 160 kg. (352 lb.) ; petrol, 38 ks. (83-6 1b.) ; oil, 12 kg. (26-4 lb.) ; total loaded weight, 660'kg. (1,452 lb.). The wing loading is 5-38 lb./sq. ft. and the power loading 26-4 lb./h.p. With the useful load indicated above, the original machine attained atop speed of 125 k.ni./h. (78m.p.h.) at ground level, and the landing speed was 65 k.m./h. (40 m.p.h.). An altitude of 1,000 metres (3,300 ft.) was reached in 12 minutes. LENGTH. SPAN . . 23 -7-5" . TOP . 35'- 9-5" BOTTOM 24'— l' AREA OF MAIN PLANES27O SQ.FT. ALBATROS L.72. 55 HP. SIEMENS ENGINE A MODERN " PUSHER " LIGHT 'PLANE : General arrangement drawings of the Albatros L.72 with 55 h.p. Siemens radial air-cooled engine. 44
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