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Aviation History
1929
1929 - 1279.PDF
FLIGHT, JUNK 20, 1929 THE COMPER SWIFTC. (L.A.) 7 Single-Seater Parasol Monoplane with 40-h.p., A.B.C. Scorpion II Engine THIS light aeroplane has been designed to suit the needsof those buyers who require at small cost a speedytourer and sporting racer. For club use it is ideal for advanced solo work. When a pilot has passed his dual-control stage, he has to employ, with the present aircraft available, a two-seater 90-h.p. aeroplane which probably isill-spared from the dual-control work for which it was designed. The solo pupil will, therefore, in nine cases out often have to wait his chance for the use of an instructional aeroplane, and then must pay for his solo flying at the higherrate of the two-seater. It should be borne in mind, too, that the costs of maintenance and repair of the larger aero-planes are very much greater than those of a small single- seater, such as the one now being described. The " Comper Swift " has a high top speed of just over100 miles an hour, a cruising speed of at least 80 miles an hour, and a range of 350 miles. This fact, coupled with theexcellent comfort and vision, renders the aeroplane most suitable for long cross-country work. At the same time, itslow landing speed of 30 to 35 miles an hour, combined with very carefully designed control surfaces and control systemand the inherent stability peculiar to the parasol monoplane, promises great popularity for local flying by solo pupils,and, for the reasons expressed above, the pilot who has passed through his dual instruction stage can keep up hisflying practice at a cost to himself which is so small that learning to fly need not come to a dead end after the pilot hasobtained his " A " licence, as so often happens when clubs are solely equipped with the large and more costly two-seaters. For racing and sporting events this private owner's aero-plane has features which must be the envy of those owning larger, but not necessarily faster craft. Those who remember the little C.L.A. 3, the direct fore-runner of the " Swift "—and its successes at the early Lympne meetings, know that races were won by this aeroplane partlybecause of its high top speed and partly because of its manoeuvrability round turning points. These features havebeen carefully preserved, while maximum vision in all directions has been added, which removes, perhaps, the onlyreal danger of modern racing conditions. The high top speed is made possible by clean designembodying a minimum of external struts or fitments. For example, the shock-absorbing system for the undercarriageis actually in the fuselage and there are no external bracing wires or cables. The pilot's cockpit places the pilot aft of the monoplanewing, and the forward deck of the fuselage, which runs into the top surface of the wing, is so shaped that the pilot cansee every point in the field of vision by a slight inclination of his head. It should be noted that the altimeter and speedindicator are mounted directly behind the rear spar on each side of the fuselage, as shown in one of our sketches—justwhere the pilot wants these instruments, and not mixed up A.B.C SCORPION ENGINE with pressure gauge, level indicator and revo ution counter,which are conventionally mounted on the main dash- board.Very simple and rapid " one-man " folding has been provided. To fold, one pin at the wing root is pulled forward,disengaging the front spar, and one pin is removed from the apex of the V-strut. The pilot then walks the V-strut(which swivels round its own attachments on the wing) to a clip at the wing tip. The rear spar being attached to thecentre section by a universal joint, the pilot at the wing-tip can twist the wing to any position he likes preparatory tomoving it round to a tail support. The same operation is repeated on the opposite side and the aeroplane is ready forgaraging, the space required when folded being only 7 ft. 6 ins. by 18 ft. by 6 ft. The fuselage construction follows the practice adoptedin the C.L.A. 3 and C.L.A. 4, and is a method of construction which has not only stood the service of years, but is alsoextremely robust for its weight. Built in three separate THE C.(L A ) 7 "SWIFT": Some constructional details. On the left the rib construction, and on the right a typical fuselage joint. 503
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