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Aviation History
1933
1933 - 0931.PDF
FLIGHT, NOVEMBER 2, 1933 IT is a peculiar paradox that, with regard to mechanical contrivances, models give birth to the finished machine, and the finished machine in its turn is responsible for more models. These latter models are generally designed and manufactured for the benefit of the young, and, in that they .do embody the primary principles of their larger brothers,' are usefully educative. There comes a time, however, when models become so interesting and clever that they cease to be the preroga tive of the young agd attract to them those of riper years. The writer not many years back visited a friend aged about 45 years. This friend had a son whom the writer interrupted studiously engaged in constructing a little truck out of a No. 1 Meccano. The father was found proudly surveying a beautifully-finished model of the Eiffel Tower, made out of a No. 6 Meccano and a few extra accessory parts. Turning to matters aeronautical, we find a similar posi tion. Model aeroplanes, a few years ago, were crude little articles roughly constructed, powered by elastic strands, and many of them incapable of sustained flight, even though advertised so to do. Children used to throw these models into the air hopefully, in public parks and other open spaces. Later on, boys of a more mature age began to study these models seriously, and very interesting were some of the results. Now model aeroplanes are beginning to get beyond the brains of youth, and fully-grown men with well-developed brains are becoming not only interested but intrigued. The man to whom the serious study of aeroplane models owes much is Mr. A. E. Jones, of 97, New Oxford Street, who has manufactured some very interesting and extremely clever models, and, what is more, has instilled his own enthusiasm into the minds of others—many others. Mr. Jones, some little time ago, realising that power by twisted elastic had its limitations, turned his attention to the petrol engine, and re-designed Mr. Westbury's successful little two-stroke engine. This little engine is named the " Atom Minor," and the other day Mr. Jones brought his improved version round to FLIGHT Offices to be photographed. The result is pub- ished on this page. What was not photographed, how ever, was the intriguing scene of Mr. Jones giving a demonstration run to practically the entire "staff of FLIGHT, 'iid by far the most interested spectator was the Technical "-ditor ; incidentally; it is rumoured that a new appoint ment is shortly to be made on the staff of FLIGHT, that of Model Technical Editor! Anyhow, the interest displayed 'V the Technical Editor of FLIGHT is sufficient advertise- ' ' T^ of the engine's qualities. The " Atom Minor " is a two-stroke, single-cylinder 'ngine, and with coil, condenser, and petrol tank weighs under two pounds. The cylinder bore is 1 in. and the ^troke 11 in. It develops l/5th b.h.p. at about 3,500 revs. 'he crank case and piston are of aluminium alloy. The A RELIABLE MODEL AERO ENGINE The " Atom Minor." The upper illustration shows this small two-stroke petrol engine, suitable for use in model aircraft. Note the penny piece, which gives an idea as to the size of this engine. The little carburettor can be seen behind the exhaust "snout." For model aircraft an airscrew is, of course, fitted instead of the flywheel shown. The wooden test bench can be supplied and is really necessary. Below we show a model monoplane, constructed by Captain Bowden, fitted with the original "Atom" engine, starting off on its recent record flight of some ten minutes" duration ot Fairey's Great West Aerodrome, when competing for the " Sir John Shelley Cup " cylinder ribbed with ordinary heat diffusing fins. The crankcase cover on the driving side is box form (an im provement on the earlier model), and cylindrical. It con tains two ball bearings of the Hoffman or Skefko ring type, which form, with their case, an extension of the crankcase, the bearings being thus allowed to run in oil. The lubrication is done by mixing oil with the petrol. The contact breaker is located on the exterior of the crankcase just behind the driving end of the crankshaft, and is operated by a cam on the shaft itself, which works a plunger up and down through the casing. The " Atom Minor " can be used for model motor boats as well as for model aircraft. It is not cheap, the price of the complete engine being £10 10s., but nobody who has examined the engine and realised fully the amount of work that has been put into it can say that this price is extortionate. It is not Mr. Jones' intention to provide a cheap engine ; his primary object is to supply an engine that is reliable, strong, and capable of giving good and long service ; all the engines he supplies are fully tested on a bench and given a sufficiently long run to assure their reliability. The parts of this engine can be pur chased separately, or a set of castings, or working draw ings, the latter at the small cost of 10s. 6d. The fitting of the engine into a model aircraft should not be a very difficult problem to those who have studied the making of models. It seems that the appearance on the market of engines for models will put model aircraft on a new footing, and open up all kinds of possibilities; so much so that regula tions will have to be laid down as to where such models can be flown ; it is obvious that they cannot be flown just anywhere, for a metal prop., even though it be only a foot long, can do considerable harm. # \ 1109
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