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Aviation History
1931
1931 - 1078.PDF
FLIGHT, OCTOBEK 9, 1931 .•f •»£, The New German " Tailless" By EDWIN P. A. HEINZE X the instigation of Dr. Hermann Kohl, the success-ful German ocean flier, Herr Lippisch, the chief engineer of the Khoen-Rossitten Association, andhis staff have developed a tailless plane, which has so far shown excellent flying qualities. It was recentlydemonstrated at Berhn-Tempelhof airport before a party of prominent people interested in aviation and represen-tatives 01 the Press. Dr. Hermann Kohl, as he said in a speech, sees in the development of this type of aeroplanethe present most promising step towards achieving more economical machines capable of profitable long-distancetransport work across oceans and continents. He is per- sonally interested in the early perfection of such planes,with which, as we know from other sources, he plans inaugurating a regular transport service between Europeand America. From the performance of the first trial machine it wouldappear that the new type promises well for the future. It was first built as a sailplane,which was successfully flown at the Rhon, and the experiencethere gained was such as to en courage altering the design intothe present motor-driven plane. In the sailplane the body wassituated below the wing. It has now been built into the latter,with its top protruding above it, while the lower wing surface isflush. The wing is of the canti- lever type, with a pronouncedlateral dihedral angle. It has been constructed entirely ofwood, with plywood leading edge and fabric covering. For this sizeof plane the wing has an unusu- ally deep section, and its plancontours are those of an equi- lateral triangle, with a veryobtuse apex angle forming the front, while the long base lineconstitutes' the trailing edge. The fuselage projects out infront, and contains two seats arranged one behind the other,the front one being equipped with the usual type of controls. THE "HERMANN gives a good idea of THE THREE-WHEELED UNDERCARRIAGE: The front wheel is steerable. KOHL": This view from below the plan form of the tailless machine From the rear seat one has prac-tically no view of the ground, as one is situated in the centre ofthe wing. An old Bristol " Cherub " engine of 30 h.p.maximum output, presented by Herr Croneiss, the managingdirector of the Deutsche Ver- kehrsflug Company (which is thesecond largest German air trans- port company), is fitted at therear end of the fuselage, and drives a metal two-bladed pusherairscrew. The cockpits are covered by hinged hoods withwooden frames and cellon panes, some of which, at the side, areslideable. The trailing edge of the wingon each side is formed by two ailerons, the inner set serving aselevators. The rudder fins are located on top of the wing tips,and have no lateral supporting struts, which are entirely avoidedin the whole machine, giving it a very neat appearance and ensur-ing good aerodynamical qualities. While the fins and the attached A BIRD'S EYE VIEW: The trailing edge flaps are divided into elevators and ailerons. 1008
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