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Aviation History
1932
1932 - 1079.PDF
FLIGHT, OCTOBER 27, 1932 THE BLACKBURN MACHINES : The unusual undercarriage of the monoplane is due to the use of the same points of attachment being used as on the biplane. (FLIGHT Pho tos.) To obtain a clear indication of what these comparative figures mean it is necessary to examine some of the weight items in slightly more detail. As would be expected, the monoplane wing has come out a good deal heavier than the biplane wings. Incidentally, in both cases the figure includes weight of engine mountings and nacelles. As the monoplane wing area is greater, the specific wing weight is not as greatly different as the figures indicate, being 2.45 lb./sq. ft. for the monoplane wing and 2.08 lb./sq. ft. for the biplane wings. The fact that the fuel weight of the monoplane is smaller than that of the biplane is due to a slightly smaller quantity being carried. There is a slight increase in the petrol system weight of the monoplane, due pre sumably to the fact that in the biplane the engines are almost directly under the tanks, and the whole system thereby simplified. As th.? two machines have not yet been through their tests at Martlesham, actual performance figures are not available, but the estimated performance figures are of interest in showing that from a performance point of view the two machines are very nearly identical. For example, the estimated top speed of the biplane at sea level is 123 m.p.h. (198 km./h.), and that of the monoplane 124 m.p.h. (199 km./h.). The estimated landing speed of the biplane is 60 m.p.h. (96.5 km./h.); that of the mono plane 57 m.p.h. (92 km./h.). The biplane has an esti mated service ceiling of 11,000 ft. (3,360 m.), while that of the monoplane is 14,600 ft. (4,460 m.). The initial rate of climb of the biplane is 630 ft./min. (3,2 m./sec), and of the monoplane 730 ft./min. (3,7 m./sec). Both machines have been designed for a cruising range of about 350 miles (563 km.), and both have a pay load of 2,000 lb. (907 kg.) for that range. s ss § § 53 n WITH A POBJOY THROUGH EUROPE e APT. MAXWELL, Joint Managing Director of Pob-joy Airmotors, Ltd., recently undertook a journey on the Continent during which he had to go a distance of about 2,800 miles. Naturally this was done by air in the Comper " Swift " with the Pobjoy motor. After leaving Hooton Aerodrome, in Cheshire, on September 14, Capt. Maxwell lunched at Heston, where he cleared Customs and subsequently landed in Brussels at 6 p.m. The following day Rotterdam was reached at dusk, after an interval at Antwerp for several business meetings. At Rotterdam Capt. Maxwell was shown the Pobjoy-engined Pander " Multi Pro " (described in FLIGHT for May 13, 1932), and after an evening with Mr. and Mrs. Koolhoven, Amsterdam was reached the following morning in thick weather. The lunch stop that day was at Hanover, and Berlin was reached later in the, afternoon. Wamemunde was reached on the Monday, despite a forced landing in a field necessitated by a terrific thunderstorm. Returning to Berlin by dusk, Capt. Maxwell spent the evening with Mr. Sedlmayr, of " Autoflug," and the fol lowing morning he left for Kassel. Here he met Herr Fieseler and saw the tailless twin Pobjoy-engined machine which is said to have a top speed of 146 m.p.h. After a somewhat hectic journey in bad weather, Niirenberg was reached the following night. The journey continued to Augsburg the following morning. The next stop was Boblingen, where the aircraft works of Dr. Klemm were visited, and later in the day Strasburg was reached. The trip to Paris the following morning was not without inci dent. The wind was so terrific over the Voges that a landing was perforce made at Nancy for the night. Ironic ally enough the trip to Le Bourget was made the follow ing morning in perfect weather. Over 41 hr., including a large amount of demonstration work, were flown during the trip, and the cost of petrol and oil only came to £22 17s. Throughout this time a cruising speed of approximately 115 m.p.h. was maintained and no adjustments at all were found to be necessary to the machine or the engine. A journey like this is a dis tinct contrast to the same route when that is travelled by train. Over 250 miles were covered each day, but the time taken in travelling was only 1\ hr., thus leaving the whole of the rest of the day free for business, combined with the comfort of spending each night in a hotel instead of a train. 25 25 25 Monospar Cabin Very Quiet WE recently took the opportunity of trying the Mono- spar which has now been fitted with four-bladed airscrews. The improvement is most noticeable. The cabin is now the quietest of any light cabin machine we have tried, and conversation can be carried on without raising the voice— an important factor in reducing fatigue on a long journey. The new airscrews give this interesting aircraft a cruising speed, at normal r.p.m., of 114 m.p.h., and there is no doubt of the ability to maintain height with full load when one engine is shut off. With regard to this desir able characteristic the Martlesham figures show that height was maintained on full load at 6,000 ft. Manoeuvring under these conditions is perfectly simple and turns can be made against the engine with ease. It is also remark able how well the Monospar flies " hand and feet off " ; this naturally means that the machine is admirable on long journeys. As a further variation it is amusing to fly in this manner and to make turns simply by the use of • the two Pobjoy engines. The interest aroused by the machine in both Italy and Switzerland has been very great and will, we imagine, be even greater in the near future. Werner Stocklin, Rue de Montchoisy 2, Geneva, Switzer land, is the address of the Swiss agent for General Aircraft, Ltd. A demonstration model will be delivered to him early in November. A particularly beautiful looking model finished in aluminium with red panels, by Cellon, Ltd., has just been delivered to Heston as a demonstration model for Brian Lewis & Co., Ltd., who operate from that airport. 1007
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