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Aviation History
1934
1934 - 0298.PDF
FLIGHT, MARCH 29, 1934 GOING—GOING—GONE : The " Seagull V " catapulted at Farnborough. The first picture shows the machine being drawn up the slope to the catapult. Then comes a picture showing the claws which secure the machine. In the next all is in readiness for launching by the catapult, and finally the " Seagull V " is seen just as it leaves the catapult, piloted by Fit. Lt. S. R. Ubee. (FLIGHT Photos.) in the early days of flying boats. In a single-engined boat there are several advantages in adopting the " pusher " arrangement, notably in that the airscrew is kept well up out of the way of spray, and secondly that in picking up moorings and manoeuvring on the sea generally, the crew can use the forward deck without risk of being struck by the propeller blades as might occur in a tractor machine. Some weeks ago we had the privilege of witnessing cata- pult trials of the " Seagull V " at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough. The large new catapult of ship's type (i.e., not the transportable type demonstrated at R.A.F. Displays) was used for the tests. The photo- graphs at the top of this page show the stages in the launching. The machine was wheeled up the slope until the four claws of the catapult could be engaged with the fittings at the step and on the chine of the aft portion of the hull. When the four attachments had been secured, the telescopic ram of the catapult was retracted, carrying the machine with it. The Bristol " Pegasus " engine was started, and Fit. Lt. Sydney R. Ubee, of the Experimental Section, R.A.E., took his place in the machine, wedging his head firmly against the padding at the back of his head ; he raised his hands in signal, the catapult crew " fired," and in the space of a few seconds the machine was in the air. In spite of the very short time in which the machine was accelerated from rest to flying speed, there was a marked absence of shock or jerk, and the impres- sion was one of extreme smooth- ness. Careful watching failed to reveal any tendency of the machine to tip up or down, but whether that was due to the skill of the pilot or to the fact that two accelerating forces were at work—the catapult near the bottom of the machine and the airscrew thrust an equal distance above the centre of gravity—is difficult to say. One would ex- pect that at the instant when the machine leaves the catapult, and the lower accelerating force is FOR STOWAGE : The " Seagull V " with wings folded. Note the small folded width. 298
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