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Aviation History
1936
1936 - 1420.PDF
MAY 2& 1936. FLIGHT. 579 THE WILBUR WRIGHT LECTURE Seventieth Anniversary of the R.Ae.S. Lends Interest to an Important Annual Event STUDYING THE EXHIBITS : (Left to right) Mr. R. Fairey, Mrs. Fairey and Mr. C. R. Fairey ; Mr. J. E. Hodgson (the expert on early aeronautical history), Lord Sempill, Mrs. E. C. Gordon-England, Miss Daphne Gordon-England, and Mr. Gordon-England ; Lt. Col. Sir Francis Shelmerdine (Director General of Civil Aviation) and Lt. Col. J. T. C. Moore-Brabazon (President of the R.Ae.S.). HELD last Thursday, the Royal Aeronautical Society's annual reception at the Science Museum, South Kensing ton, gained added interest and importance by reason of the fact that this year sees the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Society. A special exhibition of historical relics was shown in commemoration. As usual the proceedings began with the presentation of the awards, and a list of the recipients appears at the end of these notes. This ceremony was followed by the reading of the Wilbur Wright lecture, the lecturer this year being Mr. D. R. Pye, M.A.. F.R.Ae.S., M.I.Mech.E., and the title of his lec ture being "Slippery Surfaces." This, it turned out, dealt with lubrication, and the lecturer delivered a most interesting paper on this very obtuse subject, succeeding, most ingeniously, in making it intelligible to an audience composed largely of members' wives and lady friends. Mr. Pye began by giving a description of the condition of matters in a lubricated journal bearing, and pointed out that careful experiments have shown that in this case there are usually some thousands of oil molecules between the shaft and the bearing. He went on to discuss boundary lubrication, in which it could be shown that there was only a single layer of molecules between the surfaces. Such a condition of things in a normal bearing would lead to an imminent risk of breakdown if it occurred for an appreciable length of time. From this he went on to discuss lubricating oils generally, and pointed out that these fell into two groups, in both of which the molecules have the shape of a chain. In one group, the mineral oils, each end of the chain is alike, and in the other, the vegetable and animal oils, one end of the chain possesses unsatisfied oxygen molecules which are anxious to adhere to any metal surface presented to them, so that a layer of mole cules of this type on such a surface may be compared with a field of growing corn. On the other hand, the mineral oil molecules arrange themselves at random. Mr. Pye then proceeded to describe some recent experiments to discover the actual temperature conditions in a bearing. There is a well-known property of metals, exemplified by the thermopile, that if two different metals are connected together and the junction is heated a voltage will be generated which is proportional to the temperature. In order to make use of this phenomena for the purpose desired, a metal disc, capable of rotation, was used, and at some distance from the centre a pencil of another metal was pressed on it with the aid of a spring. The disc was covered with oil and rotated. The voltage produced over the junction between the pencil and the disc could be easily ascertained by normal electrical methods, and the result showed that the actual temperatures were sur prisingly high. Mr. Pye pointed out that the temperature of the disc and the pencil did not rise appreciably, and that the high temperature was confined to the molecules of the metals which were actually at. or very close to, the points of contact. He emphasised the importance of this result, pointing out that cue temperature of the lubricant between the disc and the pencil must be equally high, and that this may result in the complete revision of our ideas of the nature of the best lubri cation oil for severe conditions. One direction in which revision was likely was that it might be necessary to increase considerably the temperature at which lubricating oils are required to remain stable. After the lecture members and their friends adjourned to the buffet or to the special exhibition which the Society had arranged. This contained a number of exhibits to illustrate the early history of the balloon, the aeroplane, and the Society, most of which were shown for the first time. Among them were relics of the property of Sadler, the first British aeronaut, in cluding his silver compass. Original drawings of the Henson and Stringfellow machine were shown, and there was also an original drawing of one of Pilcher's gliders. The Society ex hibited the first volume of its first minute book (opened at the page showing the first meeting), and a number of books and relics from its collection, including the first passport issued to a pilot of aircraft. This was dated 1836, and belonged to " Charles Green, aeronaut." Those who had not the opportunity of being present at the reception can see the collection at the Science Museum, where it will be on view for one month. At the Council Dinner The reception was preceded by the annual Council dinner, and the following were present as guests of the Council: — The American Ambassador, Viscount Swinton, Major Baden- Powell, the Belgian Ambassador, Prince Yon Bismarck, Sir William Bragg, Capt. Davey, Mr. Griffith Brewer, Mr. C. R. Fairey, A.V.-M. Freeman, Mr. J. M. Kennedy, Dr. F. W. I^anchester, Lt. Col. Scanlon, Sir Francis Shelmerdine, Lt. Conidr. Stevens, Mr. H. T. Tizard, and Mr. J. D. Watson. Among those present at the reception were : — Capitaine de Corvette Albertas, Capt. Natal Afmand, the Duchess of Bedford, Group Capt. Briggs, Col. Calderara, Air Comdre. Chamier, Engineer G. Gervassy, Mr. H. R. Gillman, Maj. Halford, Air Comdre. Hearson, Group Capt. Hynes, Mr. W. Lappin. Mr. C. F. G. McCann and Mrs. McCann, Sir Francis McCk-an and Lady McClean. Lt. Col. Lock-wood Marsh and Mrs. Lockwood Marsh, Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Navlor, Mr. P. P. Nazir, Mr. and Mrs. E. Ower, Cdr. H. E. Perrin, Capt. H. Petre, Sqn. Ldr. Potts and Mrs. Potts, Mrs. Pye, Mr. and Mrs. E. F. Relf, Maj. T- C. Savage and Mrs. Savage, Ladv Shelmerdine, Mr. and Mrs. H. O. Short, Mr. F. R. Simms and Mrs. Simms, Prof. R. V. Southwell, Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Stieger, Sir Alliott Verdon-Roe, Air Comdre. Verney, Col. R. Wenninger, Mrs. Wimperis, Mrs. Wingfield. Awards of medals was made by the President, Col. J. T. C. Moore-Brabazon, as follows : — British Gold Medal for Aeronautics, Dr. H. Fckener; British Silver Medal for Aeronautics, Mr. A. J. Rowkdge (these gentlemen were unable to be present, so the awards were formally announced); Silver Medal of the Roval Aeronautical Sccietv, Mr. B. N. Wallis; Simms Gold M-"';d, Mr, W. S. Fnrren; Tavlor Gold Medal, Mr. E. F. Relf; Sir Charles Wakefield Gold Medal, Mr. C. R. F:>irey; Busk Memorial Prize, Mr. R. P. Alston.
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