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Aviation History
1934
1934 - 0562.PDF
FLIGHT, JUNE 7, 1934 CT71QMMERCIAL /-[V/AT/ON — AIRLINES AIRPORTS— FEEDER LINE MACHINES - Three High Performance Civil Aircraft, each with an estimated top speed of at least 170 m.p.h. kARTICULARS of three fast commercial aircraft ofthe " feeder line " type, now being built, are con- tained in a " Resume of Commercial Information " compiled by the Directorate of Civil Aviation, The fastest of these three, a Blackburn monoplane, will probably be, when completed, the fastest multi-seater com- mercial aircraft constructed in Great Britain. This machine is an all-metal, low-wing, cantilever monoplane, with re- tractable undercarriage, and will be fitted with two Napier " Rapier VI " sixteen-cylinder air-cooled engines, each giving 305 h.p. at 3,500 r.p.m. at 10,000 ft. (3 048 m.). Ten passengers and a crew of two will be carried at an estimated -cruising speed of 173 m.p.h. (278 km. /hr.) at 5,000 ft. (1 524 m.). The top speed should be 196 m.p.h. (315 km./hr.), the landing speed 63 m.p.h. (101 km./hr.), the service ceiling 23,000 ft. (7 010 m.) and the range 500 miles (805 km.). The main dimensions are as follows: — Span, 58 ft. 4 in. (17,81 m.) ; length, 41 ft. (12,5 m.) ; height, 12 ft. (3,66 m.) ; and wing area, 470 sq. ft. (43,7 m.2). The weight empty is given as 4,740 lb. (2 150 kg.), and the total weight, which includes the crew of two, electrical and general equipment, is 8,600 1b. (3 901 kg.). It seems likely that this aircraft will have a Duncanson single-spar wing. A "Scaled Down " Mailplane Rather smaller and slightly slower than the Blackburn monoplane are two Boulton & Paul biplanes now under construction for " feeder line " work with Imperial Air- ways. These machines may be said to be " scaled down " versions of the Boulton & Paul " Mailplane " (two " Pegasus "). They are to be fitted with two Armstrong Siddeley " Jaguar " VIA. engines giving 450 h.p. each, which will be mounted in similar fashion to the " Pega- sus " in the " Mailplane." The figure given as a top speed (175 m.p.h.) is interesting in that there is a four-engined aircraft already being used by Imperial Airways, which, though having a lower power, carries a considerably greater payload at about the same speed. The new Boulton & Paul is, however, designed to operate from very much smaller aerodromes, and therein lies the explanation. With a wing loading of 12.55 1b./sq. ft. (61,27 kg. /m.2) the landing speed should be rather lower than that of the four- engined machine, for which the figure is 15.6 lb./sq. ft. It is estimated, in fact, to be 62 m.p.h. (100 km./hr.). The main dimensions are as follows:—Length, 40 ft. 6 in. (12,34 m.) ; span, 54 ft. (16,46 m.) ; height, 12 ft. « in. (3,8 m.) ; and wing area, 717 sq. ft. (66,6 m.2). The weight empty is 6,000 lb. (2 722 kg.), weight loaded 9,400 1b. (4 264 kg.), and pay load 1,870 lb. (848 kg.). At cruising speed the range should be about 420 miles. A Six-Seater. A third aircraft, constructed by A. V. Roe & Co., Ltd., is also of the feeder line type, and is to be known as the " Avro 652." Although of only 554 h.p., it will carry six passengers at a maximum speed of 175 m.p.h., and is a low-wing monoplane with retractable undercarriage. Two Armstrong Siddeley " Cheetah " engines, giving 277 h.p. at 2,100 r.p.m., will be fitted.^ to K cv*smg speed at 1,000 ft. (305 m.) is estima+^t,,;.. ',<-°e -U0 m.p.h. (241 km./hr.), the landing speed 64 m.p.h. (103 km./hr.), dura- tion at cruising speed 3.13 hr., initial rate of climb 950 ft./ min. (290 m./min.), and service ceiling 15,600 ft. (4 755 m.). Main dimensions are as follows:—Span, 56 ft. 6 in. (17,22 m.) ; length, 42 ft. 3 in. (13,17 m.) ; height, 9 ft. 8 in. (2,98 m.) ; and wing area, 410 sq. ft. (38,1 m.2). The wing loading, at 16.1 lb./sq. ft. (78,6 kg./m.!), must be considered rather high for a British commercial eircraft. The power loading is 12.24 lb./h.p. (6,35 kg./h.p.). Weight loaded, with a crew of two, wireless, lighting equipment, fuel, and oil, is given as 6,598 lb. (2 993 kg.), and the weight empty as 4,192 lb. (1 901 kg.), while the pay load is 1,080 lb. (490 kg.). BUENOS AIRES-CORDOBA SERVICE THE Government aviation works at Cordoba, Argen- tina, have constructed the machines which are operating on the service between Cordoba and Buenos Aires. In general layout, these aircraft resemble a French design. The type is a low-wing monoplane with 450-h.p. air-cooled engine driving a metal airscrew. Wooden construction is used for the wing and the fuselage of chrome molybdenum steel tubes. The weight empty is 3,858 1b. (1 750 kg), gross weight 6,195 lb. (2 810 kg), range 6 hours, or 684 miles (/ 100 km), maximum speed 140 m.p.h. (225 km / hr) and cruising speed 121 m.p.h. (195 hm'jhr). At present the service is flown without interme- diate landings, but it is hoped that business may soon develop at the various towns en route. ANOTHER AIR MAIL PEN- NANT : A new air mail service between Inverness and KirkwaU, Orkney, was inaugurated on Tues- day of last week (May 29) at Londman Aerodrome, Inverness, when the Royal Ait Mail Pennant was presented by Sir Frederick Williamson, Director of Postal Services, to Capt. Fresson, of Highland Airways. RAILWAY AIR SERVICES, LTD. WING COM. A. H. MEASURES has been appointed to the position of Superintendent to Railway Air Services, Ltd. He joined the staff of the Royal Aircraft Factory in 1912, and from 1917 to 1920 was Officer Commanding Eastern and Western Aircraft Repair Dep6ts. From 1920 to 1925 he was in Egypt with the Royal Air Force, and was subsequently appointed Officer in Charge of the School of Technical Training, Manston, Kent. On retiring, in 1930, he entered the service of Imperial Airways. 562
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