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Aviation History
1932
1932 - 0341.PDF
FLIGHT, APRIL 15, 1932 The Airspeed " Ferry" 3 DE HAVILLAND "GIPSY" ENGINES w HEN work on the rigid airship R.100 ceased, the technical staff had to look around for positions elsewhere. Fortunately, the majority were able to secure work with various aircraft firms, while at least two, Mr. N. S. Norway, who had been chief de signer to the Airship Guarantee Company for a time, and his chief assistant, Mr. A. H. Tiltman (some years ago connected with the de Havilland Aircraft Co.), decided to establish their own aircraft company, as it was felt that there was still room for a firm to produce air craft of a type not hitherto introduced on the aircraft market. Norway and Tilt man succeeded in interest ing Lord Grimthorpe in their undertaking, and the company was established under the title Airspeed, 1 Limited, with works and offices at Piccadilly, York. Sir Alan Cobham also joined the board of directors. Since their establishment the firm has been working away quietly on a machine of novel design. The first machine has now been com pleted and flown, and is at present at Martlesham undergoing official tests. It is known as the " Ferry," and it is be lieved that many of its un usual features owe their origin to the wishes of Sir Alan Cobham, who wanted some machines specially suitable for his forthcoming tour of the country. High performance and long range were not a necessity, but a large number of passengers for a limited horse-power was. Consequently Messrs. Norway and Tiltman designed a machine which has, as they express it, v' a large cabin and a small petrol tank." When we say that this machine is designed to carry 10 AIRSPEED " FERRY " Three Length o.a. . . Wing span .. Wing chord . . Wing gap [ . . Overall height Wheel track Main planes (includii Ailerons (total) Undercarriage planer Fin Rudder Tailplane Elevators Machine bare Disposable load Normal gross weight Wing loading Power loading Per/or Maximum speed near ground Stalling speed Initial rate of climb. Rate of climb at 10,000 ft. (3 050 m Service ceiling " Gipsy " Engines Dimensions Areas ig ailerons) . Weights 8-43 lb./sc 15 lb./h.p. mance (Estim 112 m.p.h 49 m.p.h 800 ft./mi ) 370 ft. /mi 15,500 ft. ft. in. . 39 8 . 55 0 5 9 6 0 . 14 3 . 14 2 sq. ft. 610-5 62-8 30-4 9-7 21-9 39-4 26-1 lb. . 3,300 2,100 . 5,400 j. ft. (41,6 (6,83 kg./ ated) (180 km. ( 79 km. a. (4,06 m a. (1,88 m (4 720 m.) kg-/ CV.) 'h.) 'h.) /sec. /sec. m. 12,1 16,76 1,75 1,83 4,35 4,32 m», 56,75 5,84 2,83 0,9 2,03 3,66 2,43 kg. 1 500 955 2 455 Tl2.) ) ) paying passengers on a total of 360 h.p., or 36 h.p. per paying passenger, it will be realised that here should be a machine very economical to operate, while the three- engined power plant, with such reliable units as the Gipsy II and III, should rule out entirely the risk of a forced landing. From Sir Alan Cobham's point of view, the use of the " Ferry " will also have the advantage that it will show its passengers something of a three-engined passenger aeroplane on a slightly reduced scale, and thus give them an idea of what the air line machines are like to fly in. The multi-engine idea has already become deeply- rooted, and many will go up quite gladly in a three- engined aircraft who would hesitate to entrust them selves to a single-engined type. For joy-riding, three engines are, perhaps, not strictly speaking necessary, but considerations of the outlook of potential passen gers are well worth study ing. The functions of the " Ferry " are not, of course, confined to joy riding. For air routes on which the traffic is not great, such a machine might be usefully employed, the carrying capacity being good and the cruising speed enough for many purposes. In the table of data most of the relevant character istics of the " Ferry " are set out in a form con venient for reference. It will be seen that the machine is not a particu larly small one, the wing span being 55 ft. and the wing area, including that enclosing the undercarriage axles and radius rods, being 641 sq. ft. The normal gross weight is 5,400 lb., of which something like 2,100 lb. is disposable load. This THE " FERRY " : Unusual Features are the placing of the central engine, the raising of the lower plane wing roots, and the winglet enclosing the axles and radius rods. (Photo, by courtesy of the " Yorkshire Herald.") 317
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