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Aviation History
1937
1937 - 0562.PDF
212 FLIGHT. MARCH 4- 1937. struction of aircraft, and of engines, components and equip ment ; to certify the same, and to certify and approve the constructor.- thereof; to examine and certify persons em ployed in the design, construction or repair of aircraft and of engines, components and equipment of aircraft, or in the main tenance or operation of the same ; to make recommendations lor the issue cf certificates of the airworthiness of aircrait , to survey and report on aircraft for the information of in surers and others ; to classify and register aircraft and publish particulars thereof, etc." E. G. Brown's Progress AT the statutory meeting of E. G. Brown and Co., Ltd., of Northumberland Park, London, N.i7, it was stated by Mr. Edwin Gecige Brown that the firm had more orders on its books than at any time in its 25 years' history. Tn January, 1936, possession had been taken of their new- aircraft works, covering 16,000 sq. ft., which had been equipped with the latest plant for this particular work. An additional 15,000 sq. ft. was being devoted to the manu facture of special lightweight motor bodies, of their own design, to an Air Ministry -specification. E. G. Brown and Co. undertake numerous forms of aircraft presswork among which fuel tanks are a speciality. Aircraft Manufacture and Maintenance TO be completed in about thirtv-two weekly parts, Aero Engineering, edited by Sqdn. Ldr. H. Nelson, M.B.E., A.M.I.Mar.E.., is being published by George Newnes, Ltd. The series will cover the production, assembly, testing and maintenance of aircraft, and the first number, which will be on sale at is. next Wednesday, gives a good idea of the general aim of the work. It contains articles on Essential Requirement-: cf Modern Aircraft, A Short Survey of Aircraft Production, and Maintenance and Overhaul of the Gipsy- Major; there is also a data sheet on the Singapore III. Very fully illustrated with photographs and sketches, Aero Engineering should be of considerable assistance to works operatives ground engineers, K.A.F. mechanics and others. Aircraft Companies and Unit Trusts A CONSIDERABLE increase in the number of investors with interests in the motor and aircraft industries is indicated in a survey of unit trust development now being made by the Unit Trusts Association. The survey shows that securities belonging to more than forty motor and aviation companies have been selected for inclusion in the Unit Trusts' portfolios of member companies in the Association. Among the aircraft companies, the Fairey Aviation Co., Ltd., appears most frequently in the portfolios of securities, closely followed by other well-known firms such as the Bristol Aeroplane Co., Ltd.; the De Havilland Aircraft Co., Ltd.; Handley-Page, Ltd. ; Hawker-Siddeley Aircraft Co., Ltd. ; and Short Bros. (Rochester and Bedford), Ltd. Details are obtainable, from the Trusts' information bureau at Salisbury Square House, Fleet Street, London, E.C.4. Dynamometry AN interesting new transmission dynamometer was described by Mr. N. S. Muir, of the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborougn, in his lecture to the R.Ae.S. last Thursday. The new dynamometer serves to measure the torque trans mitted from the engine to the airscrew, and consists of a spring element inserted in the drive. The deflection of the spring undei the transmitted torque is measured by an electri cal system developed at the R.A.E. from the basic principle of Ford's torsiometer. Fundamentally it consists of a set ol electrical transfcimers the primaries of which are energised by an A.C generator, the variation of air gaps in the iron cores bei'lg used to provide a variation of secondary output voltage, which is arranged to be proportional to the change ol air gap The deflection of the spring element in the dvnamometi-i is arranged to vary the air gap a like amount, and therefore the ovtput voltage is a measure of the torque. The known null leading method is employed, whereby the output from the dynamometer is balanced by an equal and opposite output from a similar set of transformers, the air gaps of which are varied by a hand micrometer mechanism. When the outputs are in electrical balance, the reading on the scale of the hand micrometer mechanism is a measure of the mean deflection of the spring and therefore of the mean torque. The apparatus has been developed at the RAF .,„ 1 torque metei is now in use m flight on an engine power vestigation, while another is in use in the 24ft. wind tunnel" for which it was specially designed as a piece of research equnV ment. In the paper Mr. Muir gave some typical result- obtained in flignt on a radial engine. Small-size Metal Construction THE Students' Section of the R.Ae.S. listened recently to very interesting lecture by Mr. J. I. Waddingtori on metal construction applied to a small aeroplane. Mr. Waddingto took as an example C-W Aircraft's Cygnet, and explained very clearly, and in considerable detail, not only the problems in volved but the particular methods employed in solving them Thus the lecture proved a description of the Cygnet as well as the reasons why the different components were constructed in any particular manner. Mr. Waddington came to the con clusion that machines of a gross weight of 1,300 to 1,500 lb were about the smallest it would be practicable to build in stressed-skin construction. Something New in Plugs AFTER considerable experiment by the K.L.G. Company a new type of aero plug with six platinum/iridium wire earth points of 0.020m. in diameter and Jin. in length radially arranged over a flat-headed electrode, has proved to be very successful. Several important advantages are now claimed for this new design as a result oi practical tests. Bench tests with single- cylinder units running at high duty up to 200 B.M.E.P. and complete engine tests under type test conditions show that this plug is capable of com pleting the 100 hours without cleaning or resetting of gaps. It is probable, therefore, that double this time could elapse between reconditioning under normal flying conditions at cruising power. Oiling-up troubles, particu larly in the lower cylinders oi The business end of the new K.L.G. plug with its six platinum - iridium earth points. radial air-cooled engines, into which oil tends to drain, seem to be resisted to a greater extent by the new design. There are two advantages to be gained from the low voltage characteristics of platinum/iridium wire. A comparatively small current will produce a spark, due to the low resistance of the wire, and this means that even though the insulation of the plug may become fouled by carbon, lead or surplus oil, the resistance of the points is still so low that a spark will pass more readily there than elsewhere. The auto-ignition temperature for a plug is normally about 700 (leg. C, but in this case is stated to be raised to as high as 1,000 deg. C. Platinum/iridium shows a low degree of erosion and it is for this reason that cleaning and resetting is required less frequently In any case, however, no special tools are needed to adjust clearances in thin wire earth points, and it is stated that there is no risk ol their becoming loose in the plug body. The 18 mm. plug type number is V.7/4, or with ball-ended terminal V.7/4-B. Short-reach 12 mm. models are available with or without ball-end, V.6/4-B. and V.6/4 respectively.. Integrally screened versions are manufactured and progress is being made with a 14 mm. model. No Hot Spots AN interesting pamphlet dealing with the Cross rotary valve has been printed. The valve is explained and illustrated in a simple manner, and the complete results obtained from an engine using it show a high degree of efficiency. Tin- niakfM are Cross Rotary Valve Patents, 35, Mid ford Road, Comae Down, Bath. ' Cellactite Building Materials T should be noted that Cellactite and British Uralite, ltf» 1 who are makers of roofing, roof ventilators, Ave FF^ cowls, etc.. while supplying enamelled " Urastone to '" js coloured appliances do not supply paints or ena separately, as was, perhaps, inferred in a recent paragrat -• I
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