FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1932
1932 - 1103.PDF
FLIGHT, NOVEMBER 3, 1932 :-:^^i^:-,. AT DEMONSTRATION OF ROCKET : On the left the rocket being lifted out of the car which brought it back from the spot where it landed. On the right the inventor holding the rocket, the wings of which are seen in the spread position. THE TILLING ROCKET W By EDWIN P. A. HEINZE I ORK on the development of rockets is progressing in Germany, though now in relative secrecy since investigators have discovered undue pub licity to be a heavy drawback. The recent unsuccessful rocket attempt by the German inventor, Winkler, on a Baltic island, can only discredit the really serious work this and other scientists are actually doing, and Winkler's attempt to attract public attention, and thereby gain new funds, was very ill advised. Yet, what is being done really merits the attention of all seriously interested in the progress of aviation, and this interest should not be distracted by the fantastic plans of some dreamers who speak of exploring the universe by means of rockets, paying visits to the moon and so on. This may come one day. But that is not the aim followed by serious workers now. Also, from a military point of view, rocket development demands careful attention. One is loath to admit it, and certainly no one in Germany dares openly speak of it, but it is a fact one cannot overlook that rockets may one day become a fearful weapon, able to destroy fortresses, ports and cities from long distances. At present the situation, however, gives no cause for anxiety on the latter score, for the development is still in its infancy. But a very impressive demonstration was recently made on the Berlin-Tempelhof aerodrome by the German engineer Tilling, of Osnabriick, who has developed a very promising type of rocket body, which can be con trolled in the air so that it comes sailing down to the ground like a soarer without doing itself or the landing ground the least damage. The rocket demonstrated by Tilling functioned very well. It is entirely made of aluminium and consists of a central shell body, to which are attached four long tail fins. Its overall length is 3 metres. The rocket tube or rocket motor, as it is called in Germany, which is inserted into the shell between the fin roots, is filled with powder of special composition, secur ing relatively slow burning. Tilling prefers the use of powder for experimental work since it is cheap and rela- SS Si Si Palmer Tyre Company's Loss WE regret to announce that the Palmer Tyre Co. have suffered the loss of their Director, Mr. Christian Hamilton Gray, through pneumonia. Mr. Gray was in his 74th year, and died after a short illness on October 30. With the late Mr. Sloper, he did a great deal of work in perfecting Palmer Aero Wheels and Tyres, and for over thirty years he has actively been engaged at the Silver- town works on the improvement and production of all classes of tyres. tively safe. He has developed powder rockets able to burn for almost 2 min. and thus giving a sustained im pulse of this duration, which already is a great step forward. The rocket demonstrated was capable of taking a charge of 22 kilogrammes) (48.5 lb.) in weight, which will drive it up 7,000 metres (23,000 ft.). To ensure the rocket coming down within the precincts of the aerodrome the inventor could only give it a charge of 6 kilogrammes, which was ignited electrically from a distance and drove the machine perpendicularly 800 metres (2,625 ft.) high. Arrived at the summit of its path two wings sheathed till now in two hollow fins gradually opened out, being actu ated by an automatic hydraulic mechanism, which is said to be very simple. The wings can be set so the machine can glide down uniformly either straight ahead or in spirals of greater or lesser diameter. For the purpose of the demonstration, which demanded the machine to come down as close to the starting point as possible, the wings were set to give a close descending spiral, and it came down within 400 metres of the starting point. Herr Tilling is now building a large machine of Duralu min, which will be provided with wireless controls enabling the operator from the ground to direct the path of the machine in the air and to make it alight at any definite point he desires. Later on a still larger model is to be built of electron. Herr Tilling has realised the deficiencies of powder as motive force for long-distance work and is now experimenting with liquid fuels. These offer great difficulties on account of their danger and the still rather insecure methods for controlling combustion. The inventor's aim is gradually to develop a machine for the transmission of mail across Germany controlled wholly by wireless. This would be the forerunner of a still larger machine carrying a pilot and capable of traversing very long distances. The machine demonstrated had a wing span of 4 metres and weighed 22 lb. The wing load only amounts to 12 kilogrammes per sq. m. (2.5 lb./sq.ft.). A Model Bomb-proof Shelter IT is reported from Berlin that the Steel Helmets organisation has built a model bomb-proof shelter near the Tempelhofer aerodrome, which will hold 50 people, and is elaborately protected against gas fumes. The Handley Page " Heyford " THE Handley Page, night bomber, type H.P.38(2Rolls Kestrels), which was flown at the last display at Hendon, will in future be known as the " Heyford." 1023
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
