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Aviation History
1928
1928 - 0109.PDF
FEBRUARY 16, 1928, mounting used, the engine becomes very accessible, as threeof our photographs show. The two floats are also of all-Duralumin construction,with the exception of the centre-section of the starboard float, which is made of steel so as to support the main petroltank, which is situated here. The floats are of the single-step type, and have single central longitudinal bulkheads towhich are attached the transverse frames, spaced some 2 ft. apart. A number of longitudinal members are fittedbetween the frames. The controls are of perfectly normal type, and there is no form of variable gearing except the slight amount introduced in the ailerons by the forward angle of the aileron cranks. In spite of this the machine is reported to be relatively easy to handle in so far as a machine flying at somewhere in the neighbourhood of 300 m.p.h. can be called " easy." Owing chiefly to lack of time in which to produce an all-metal wing, the wings of the S.5 are of wood construction. Doubtless a certain amount of experimentation would have had to be done before an all-metal wing could be produced, and to save time the well-tried and proved wood construction was adopted. The two wing halves of the machine are built on the normal two-spar principle, with ribs of normal type except for the somewhat unusually wide flanges necessary in order to secure the screw fixings of the wing radiators. From the bracing wire fittings to the tip of the wing there is a diagonal member introduced, the function of which is to stiffen the wing tip against torsion and thus reduce the chances of wing flutter being set up. The wing covering is J- in. three-ply, and over this are placed the radiators which are of the wing-surface type and have a perfectly smooth exterior. The radiators form a large percentage of" the total wing surface, and when it is remembered that the average wing loading is 28 lbs./sq. ft., which may be increased to 2 G. or more during rapid turns, etc., while the local loading may in places reach a much higher figure still, it will be realised that to design radiators of low weight and yet subject to such great loads was no easy task. It is not possible to give details of the radiators ultimately evolved, and which gave no trouble whatever, beyond stating that they lie snug against the wing surfaces, and are divided into top surface and bottom surface units, the method of feeding them from the header tank being illustrated by sketches. The wing section is a bi-convex (symmetrical) one of medium thickness. Bracing of the wings is, as already mentioned, entirely by streamline wires, the top point of the fuselage deck fairing THE SUPERMARINE S.5: The tail of the Schneider Trophy Winner. The control cranks are inside the stern portion of the fuselage. serving to stabilise the whole bracing system of wings and floats. Petrol, Oil and Water Systems With a fuselage of such very small cross-sectional area, the subject of petrol system, and also to some extent oil and water system, became somewhat of a problem. It was found that there would be no room in the fuselage for a petrol tank, and ultimately it was decided to place the main tank in the starboard float. This has the advantage of lowering somewhat the centre of gravity of the machine, and also the offset load on the starboard side helped to counteract engine torque both when accelerating on the water and in flight. The distance the petrol had to be lifted was, however, such i [" FLIGHT " Copyright Sketches THE STJPERMARINE S.5 : 1, Details of rudder and elevator cranks inside stern of fuselage. The elevatorcrank is offset to clear the rudder post. 2, the fittings at the top of the fuselage to which are anchored the anti- lift wires. This point stabilises the entire bracing system. 3, diagrammatic perspective view of two main frames,with bracing wires and tubes, engine bearers and engine mounting. 97 D2
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