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Aviation History
1931
1931 - 0117.PDF
FLIGHT, FEBRJARY 6, Three-quarter rear view of the " Scud " glider. (FLIGHT Photo.) is attached the skid chassis. The top longeron is necessarilycut away in way of cockpit, but the wing-truss struts are >o arranged that virtually they form a continuation of thetop longeron over the cockpit—the top longeron, as a stressed member, thereby becoming redundant between the wing-drag strut attachments fore and aft. Owing to the light structure weight of the machine, it isnot necessary for the pilot to be much in front of the centre .if gravity, and it has therefore b;?en possible to arrange thepilot's seat upon the two fuselage bulkheads which form the points of attachment of the wing-lift struts and the skidsliock-absDrbers. This concentration of the main loads on to the two central bulkheads of the fuselage, results in aparticularly stiff and light structure capable of dealing with severe landing loads. The design of the fuselage also lendsitself to dealing with launching loads—both the hook and the release attachment on the tail—without putting strainsother than direct tension on the longerons. The wing is a simple cantilever construction covered withplv forward of the rear spar, the ply skin dealing with drag and torsional loads and forming with the two spars a boxconstruction, particularly stiff in torsion. The trailing edges are of cord, as a reminder to thosehandling the wing on the ground that this part of a wing, tven when provided with a stiff trailing edge is quite unsuitedfor either handling or supporting the wing. The landing skid is attached to the fuselage at the threepoints : in front, at the launching hook, in such a way that any side movement can take place without straining theattachment or the fuselage ; the two shock absorbers under the main bulkheads form the other two points of attachment.The shock-absorbers consist each of two sausage-shaped rubber blocks resting in a cup-like fitting on the skid, withthe fuselage seating, at the apex of its V-shaped bottom, between the two blocks—giving a self-centring arrangement which, with a side load due to drift while landing, does notput a twisting strain on the shock-absorber assembly or its attachment to the fuselage. The only positive attachmentsof the skid at these points to the fuselage are leather side- pieces whose main function is to prevent the skid from fallingaway from the fuselage when the machine is off the ground. These leather attachments are each secured to the fuselageby one through bait only, -vviiich on withdrawal permits the skid and shock absorbers being dropped clear for repairor the renewal of the rubber blocks, which may then be dropped into place on the skid fittings. The principal characteristics of this glider are ;— Dimensions—Span Length o.a.Height A reas— Main 'plane (including ailerons) ElevatorsRudder 25 ft. 3| in 13 ft. 4 in.4 ft. 01 in. 85 sq. ft. .. 10 „5 .. Weights—• Tare weight 103 lb. Pilot 160 ,, Gross . . . . . . . . . . 263 ,, Wing loading .. .. .. .. 3-1 Ib./sq. ft. Performance—Gliding (L/D maximum) : Optimum gliding angle, 15-1 ; machine speed, 35 m.p.h. = best gliding speed for maximumduration (calm air). Soaring (L3/D2 maximum) : Minimum rate of descent,3-23 ft./sec. ; machine air speed, 31 m.p.h. = best soaring speed for maximum climb and duration (minimum up-current required, 3-23 ft.-sec). HE BUENOS AIRES EXHIBITION : This Avro " Avian ", " Cirrus-Hermes " II engine, has been shippedto Argentina, where it will be used for demonstration flights at El Palomar aerodrome. 113
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