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Aviation History
1926
1926 - 0260.PDF
APRIL 15, 1926 THE ALBATROS L 72A A German Newspaper Carrier with Slotted Wings IT is a somewhat peculiar fact that although the slottedaerofoil was invented in this country at least as early as it was in Germany, hitherto we have not had a single aeroplanefitted^with slotted wings put on the regular air routes in order to test out by actual flying experience the merits of thedevice. It will, of course, be recollected that at about the same time that Mr. F. Handley Page discovered that extralift could be obtained from an aerofoil by fitting it with slots of a certain shape, a German engineer, Dr. Ing. GustavLachmann, attempted to take out a patent in Germany for a similar device. Whereas the patent was granted to Mr. Munich produced a cabin monoplane with slotted wings, but that machine was, we believe, regarded mainly as an experi- ment, and the mechanical gear for operating the auxiliary aerofoils was made somewhat heavier than it need have been, with the result that the utmost advantage was not gained from the provision of the slots. Now, however, a machine has been constructed by the Albatros works of Berlin- Johannisthal, one of the oldest of German aircraft firms, incorporating the Handley Page-Lachmann wing slots. The new Albatros, which is known as the Type L 72a, has been constructed to the order of the famous German publishing THE ALBATROS L 72A : This three-quarter front view shows the large-span, single-bay bracing and theclean nose. The radiator is a Lamblin. The under-carriage is of the oleo-pneumatic type. Handley Page in this and other countries, the original application by Dr. Lachmann was refused in Germany, because it was not considered that there was any reason to believe that such an arrangement would give extra lift. Later on the German Patent Office reconsidered this decision, and ulti- mately a patent was granted to Dr. Lachmann. Since that time Dr. Lachmann and the Handley Page company have, we believe, worked together amicably to mutual advantage, but it would appear that owing to official apathy in this country it has remained for Germany to bring out the first successful commercial aeroplane incorporating the slotted wing device. It is now some time ago that the Udet firm of firm Verlag Vlhtein, and is to be employed for the rapid distribution of newspapers, for which purpose the machine has been specially arranged to allow parcels of newspapers to be shot overboard at suitable points, where the parcels are picked up and conveyed by ground transport to the distributing office. The general lines of the Albatros L 72a are well brought out in the photographs and general arrangement drawings pub- lished herewith. The machine, it will be seen, is a normal tractor biplane, but is perhaps of rather unusually clean design, with but a single pair of inter-plane struts on each side, in spite of the relatively large span (42 ft.). The 220 THE ALBATROS L 72A : Side view. Note the depth of fuselage aft of the wings. 228
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