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Aviation History
1937
1937 - 0778.PDF
296 FLIGHT. MARCH 25, 1937. Thence we passed to the physical laboratory, housed in another building. Here are standard machines known to all engineers for the purpose of testing ferrous and non- ferrous metals. There are numerous vibration machines ior determining the properties of materials against fatigue; in some of them the tests are made under controlled condi tions of temperature. There is a special machine, designed at Guidonia, for the purpose of testing aircraft control cables under working conditions. One long, horizontal machine operated by an hydraulic ram tests parachutes in the action of opening, a silent reminder of the man who gave his name to the station. Leaving that building, we walked to the nearer end of the hydrodynamic test house. This building contains a test tank 442.5 metres long, 6 metres wide and 3.75 metres deep (1,638 ft. by 19 ft. 8 in. by 12 ft. 4 in.). Inside the tank, which is made of concrete, are transverse under-water ramps to prevent surge during tests. Across the tank stood one of the two testing cars, the slow-speed car, a partially streamlined vehicle mounted on four pneumatic tyres. Auxiliary metal wheels which just clear a metal rail on each side of the tank obviate the possibility of a crash following the bursting of a tyre. The test apparatus is mounted inside the car, and, in the usual manner, records of the tests are auto matically plotted on revolving drums during the course of a run. The unit to be tested is mounted on an arm which projects beneath the car. At the far end of the tank stood the high speed car, a fully streamlined vehicle that, ex ternally, looks like the latest thing in rear-drive motor cars. Like the slow-speed model, it is driven by electric motors acting direct on the driving wheels; but, instead of straddling the tank, the high-speed car is mounted on a run way on one side of the tank, with its operating arm projecting from one side. Inside the car, of course, are the necessary re cording instruments. The slow-speed car travels at a maximum speed of 31 m.p.h., while the high-speed car reaches 67 m.p.h. The controlling mechanism is grouped on a kind of observation bridge at one end of the tank. Controls to regulate the current supplied to the driv ing motors are mounted on a panel, together with electric braking mechanism and speed indicators ; an electric diagram on the top of the panel indicates during the course of a run the exact position of the car at all times, so that the control operator need not take his eyes off the controls. During the last 50 metres of the run at each end of the tank the cars are automatically braked, but the control operator can apply additional braking power. He can also apply braking power at any other part of the run. As an additional check upon speed a cinematograph camera mounted in each car photographs the run simultaneously against a clock and against marks placed on the side of the tank. This provides a completely accurate check upon the speed throughout the, whole of the run. The high-speed car enables the test models to reach scale take-off speeds. Beneath the tank is the power house, complete with its own generating and tiansformer plant to provide the power needed for the driving of the two cars. Here, in the hydrodynamic section at Guidonia, are evolved the latest Italian types of floats and hulls. After having seen this remarkable plant one would ven ture to forecast that still more efficient seaplanes and flying- boats will be built by Italian engineers, whose marine air craft have many years since made formation flights from Italy to Rio de Janeiro and to Chicago and back again. The radio department at Guidonia is set in garden-like surroundings. The view above shows the interior of one of the numerous laboratories. In the radio department both aircraft and ground sets are studied, designed and kept up to date
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