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Aviation History
1933
1933 - 1226.PDF
FLIGHT, DECEMmsR U. 1933 guns, fitted with Bristol " Mercury IV S.2 " geared and supercharged engine cowled by a Townend ring, had its wheels faired by spats, was modified in a few other minor details and given the type number S.S.19B. We would recall here that the Gloster development machine has appeared at the Aero Show and in the New and Experi mental Types Park at two R.A.F. Displays, each time as a different type—the S.S.18, S.S.19 and the S.S.19B (" Gauntlet "), and each time bearing its original number, j.9125. Thus are our fighters developed. The Gloster Co. put " all they knew " into the design, construction and development of their machine, and many were those who expressed their delight when it was made known that several of the type had been ordered for the R.A.F. as day and night fighters. Soon after this announcement, the type was christened the " Gauntlet " despite the fact that the Air Ministry had previously issued an order that single-seater fighters were to be known by names beginning with F. Although the " Gauntlet " is the first machine powered by the " Mercury " to be adopted, we do not doubt that this new Bristol engine will give service equally as fine as its larger brother (or is it sister?) the " Pegasus." The " Mercury " engine, which drives a wooden airscrew, is designed specially for installation in high-performance fighting aircraft and develops 570 h.p. at 14,000 ft. The bare weight is 945 lb. It now seems likely that a " Mer cury' " of later type than the IV.S.2 will be fitted to the production " Gauntlets," which will use a new type of engine cowling. The " Gauntlet " is certainly one of the strongest fighters ever built. The two-bay wing cellule ensures rigidity for aerobatics and while diving at high speeds ; terminal velocity dives have frequently been made. During these manoeuvres the deflection of the spars, which are of high-tensile steel strip, is very small indeed. It would seem that the Gloster Co. is finding the " two-bay " arrange ment of great value in fighters—the " Gnatsnapper " Fleet fighter, originally a single-bay type, now employs a two- bay structure similar to that of the " Gauntlet." Frise ailerons on all four wings ensure excellent lateral control. The fuselage:, a rectangular structure faired to an oval section, is built in three sections—the engine mounting, the centre portion (built up of square tubes with wire bracing almost eliminated) and the rear section, which is a braced structure of round tubes. The equipment specified for Day and Night fighters is all carefully stowed away. This includes two Vickers guns with their C.C. gear and 1,200 rounds of ammunition, wireless, oxygen and night- flying equipment. Tankage for 81 gallons of fuel and 6 gallons of oil is provided. Four 20-lb. bombs may be §3 SB S55 CERTIFIED EXTRACT FROM MARTLESHAM REPORT M/572/3, DATED AUGUST, 1933 S.S. 19B Single-seater Day and Night Fighter Aircraft recently named the " Gauntlet " All up weight Tare weight j Climb— 1,000 ft. 5.000 ,. 10,000 ,, 15,000 ,, 20,000 ,, Service ceiling Speed at sea 5.000 ft. 10.000 „ 15,000 „ lfi.son ,. 20,(100 ,. Stalling speet Diving texts— Total flying evel . . weight, 3,550 lb. Centre of gravity position. 6-4 in Height at Commence ment Ft. 20,000 16,000 Height at Maxi.mim A.S.I. Ft. 13.000 9,000 Maximum A.S.I. M.p.h. 275 :>.»'• i . . 3,858 lb. . . 2,704 , . . 32 sees 2 min 5 ,, 8 ,. 11 ,, 42 sees 24 ., 12 .. 43 ,. . . 33.350 ft. 169-5 m.p.h. 184-5 199-5 .. 214-0 .. 215-5 .. 212-5 54 0 aft of datum point- Maximum R.P.M. 2,600 2.6110 Height at Commence ment of Recovery Ft. 12,000 8.000 ,, ,, ,, ,. » Height Level Might Ft. 9,800 5,800 carried in a rack in the port bottom plane. Although a Hucks starter claw is fitted, an R.A.E. Mark IIA com pressed-air starter will be generally used. The wing-tip navigation lights are carefully built into the leading edge, and even parts of the Holt flare brackets are faired. Small " doors " in the sides of the cockpit facilitate entry- and exit, for the modern fighting pilot with his para chute and other accoutrements is no fairy. The machine is easy to maintain under adverse condi tions, and the engine, guns, belt boxes, wireless, etc., are all easily accessible. It is desirable for a machine which is used for night flying to have no tricks when landing. The new " Gaunt let " lands slowly, and by the use of brakes the landing run is kept short. The S.S.19 ran about 170 yd. on land ing ; it is unlikely that the run of the " Gauntlet " will differ to any great extent. Although a two-bay biplane, the " Gauntlet " provides a fine fighting view for the pilot ; fine, that is, as the fighting views of conventional tractor biplanes go. The centre section of the top plane is narrowed in both thickness and chord—a feature to be found in Gloster fighters for many years back. We think the R.A.F. will like the " Gauntlet." as as ss THE HOUSE OF LORDS AND AIR POWER ON December 7 the question of air power was again discussed in the House of Lords on a motion for papers by Lord Allen of Hurtwood (Nat. Lib.). He said that Lord Londonderry had foreshadowed an increase of air armaments. He said that a knock-out blow could be delivered to London probably in 48 hours. He suggested international ownership of civil flying and the provision of an air force for the League of Nations. Lord Mottistone denied that London could be paralysed by a blow from the air. That was a complete delusion, although in certain cases great damage could be done. The most absurd exaggerations were made about the use of poison gas from the air. The problem of using gas was a very complicated one. Lord Londonderry welcomed the chance of correcting some of the very far-fetched conclusions and mis-state ments which had been made after his speech on Novem ber 29. He repeated extracts from that speech to dispel the idea that he had foreshadowed a new policy of a great increase of armaments. Over ten years ago the Government of the day laid down a Home Defence policy which, in order to set an example and to encourage dis armament, had been repeatedly postponed. At Geneva they had always taken ut> the principle of parity, which was to be found in the British Draft Convention, which had been accepted in principle by every nation at the Disarmament Conference. But he had indicated that in the absence of air disarmament by other Powers they could not indefinitely postpone that old programme. But .over and above the large increases which had already taken place in the strength of foreign air forces, a number of countries had lately decided upon, and in some cases actually embarked upon, new programmes of expansion. The Government still adhered to the policy of the British Draft Convention. There could not be any challenge or threat in his statement. He then explained some of tht difficulties of international ownership of civil aircraft, both public air liners and private machines. He said that so far no satisfactory scheme for the internationalising of civil flying had been put forward. He repeated the words he used at Geneva last February: —'' Any scheme for the internationalisation of civil aviation must satisfy at least the following conditions. In the first place it must be so framed as effectively to prevent all possibility of the re sources of civil aviation being used for military purposes in the event of an outbreak of hostilities. In the second place, it must not prevent or hamper the fullest develop ment of aviation in every country for civil and commercial purposes, nor must it restrict freedom in the realm of experiment and research." Lord Londonderry then passed to the suggestion of in ternationalising air armament. He called that the erec tion of a super-State at Geneva, and said that the Government could not contemplate such an idea. The League was a pacific body, not one to make war. He enumerated some of the difficulties in organising an inter national force. He concluded by saying that certain powerful nations did not belong to the League, and a super-State would require the adherence of every con siderable nation. 1260
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