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Aviation History
1937
1937 - 0975.PDF
APRIL 15, 1937. FLIGHT. 367 CORRESPONDENCE The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the views expressed by correspondents. The names and addresses of the w not necessarily for publication, must in all cases accompany letters intended for publication in these columns. " INDICATOR " INDICTED With plenty of power certain tricky features can be for-M AY I again use a little space in your correspondence given and forgotten, but with low power these features will kill columns to protest against those who are continually pilots and the whole ultra-lightweight resurrection with them, finding fault with, and writing-down, the ultra-light aero- I don't expect the impossible, but I do expect the 1937 planes without a C. of A. This time it is your own " Indi- machines to be better than those which appeared at the cator" who draws forth the protest. It is not the first time Lympne meetings twelve years ago. The Drone can be left he has done it, but this time the tone of his article (page out of the argument; it has shown its worth over a number 352, April 8) is so very much in line with that of the people of years."—ED.] whom one cannot help classing as out-and-out snobs, whose snobbish ire is always aroused at the very thought of the ultra- THOSE GROUND-SIGNS lightweights encroaching on their previous expensive exclusive- T AM writing to you, as the Editor of one of the leading aero ness. •*- publications in the country, to ask that, either through I write as one who operates both the normal type and the the pages of your magazine or by other means, it be suggested ultra-lightweights, with and without C.s of A., and can claim to the councils of all British towns of upwards of, say, 6,000 extensive knowledge of the operation of both. "Indicator" inhabitants that they should indicate the name of the town states that without a C. of A. it is not possible to take a so that it is legible from the air. I should suggest either machine abroad. This is ridiculous. I have travelled with painting it boldly on the top of a gasometer, as has been done a Drone in Holland, Belgium and France, landing in odd in many.places already, or on any other suitable building, or fields for meals and accommodation at the "locals." I had by making the name in flower-beds or white stones in the a slight mishap in France which necessitated dismantling the public gardens, if such exist. An arrow or other means of machine and having it transported overland to St. Inglevert indicating true North might be added. Aerodrome. As well as adding to the complete security of those in the It will interest your readers to know that this tour was air, by allowing them to know for sure exactly where they made, not only without a C. of A., but also without a were on the map, it would benefit those on the ground by Garnet, and I was not inconvenienced in any way by the lack abolishing much prolonged noise from aircraft circling to make of these. If any of your readers wish to verify this fact they sure of ground features and their relative compass positions, should enquire of Monsieur C. Graugry, Commandant, Aero- Surely the very small expenditure of labour and material would drome de Saint Inglevert. At this gentleman's hands I received be no objection to many councils giving this small help to air the courtesy and assistance which one would not dream rjf navigation, if it were but brought to their notice, expecting from any of our own officials. This also effectively Yatesbury, Wilts. A. S. PETER. disposes of the suggestion that the ultra-lightweights can be [Not once, but many times over a period of years, Flight used only for aerodrome circuits. has drawn attention to this matter. One of the objections fre- " Indicator" then goes on to imply that the ultra-light- quently put forward is that such "signposts" would guide weights should possess characteristics akin to having a virtual enemy aircraft in time of war—as though the names could automatic parachute. How should we expect the ultra-light- not be painted out, or otherwise obliterated, in a few hours. weights to do things to which the heavier type of aeroplane ED.] does not aspire? Even a Drone will spin when really grossly CMM *» DTTWC ill-treated. It happened accidentally only last week, when I GLENN MARTIN S LATEST witnessed a pilot attempt a really tight stalled turn at 450 ft. \K TILL you allow me to suggest to you that the particulars It was instructive to see, at such close quarters, a machine VV you published in the April 8 issue of Flight of the new doing a spin about an axis which appeared to be about 6ft. Martin boat would have been of even greater interest had you inboard from the wingtip. The spin continued for more than included a calculation of the estimated maximum range and a complete turn and then the pilot pulled out with more probable cruising speed and necessary power output for these than 150ft. ground clearance, and by his subsequent "joy" conditions? flying showed that his heart had not been affected in the. Your published information checks with mine, and my cal- same manner as those of the spectators. Could a mistake at culations for maximum range are based oh the following data this altitude have been made in any other machine and the (Aero Digest, March, 1937) :— pilot have lived? Of course not. We hear too often that the Useful load, 32,643 lb. Maximum fuel capacity: Petrol, deceased had "spun in." 3,800 U.S. gallons (22,800 lb.) ; oil, 276 gallons (2,070 lb.). One more hit back at "Indicator's" article—dead-stick Seven in crew. Baggage allowance, 1,380 lb. landings. It is common practice when completing a down- On a 3,000-mile non-stop trip taking 20 to 24 hours an allow- wind journey with a Drone at the enormous height of 3,000 ance for consumable stores, emergency rations and rhiscel- to 4,000 ft. to stop the engine completely when within five laneous equipment can easily amount to 680 lb. If any sort miles of the aerodrome, as it saves petrol and helps one to 0f maii ioad is to be taken along some of the 26 sleeping pas- get down more quickly, quite apart from the pleasure of being sengers will have to be left behind. able to hear sounds coming up from the ground while travel- Assuming five of the crew occupy bunks, there will be ling gently downwards at 2 to 3 miles per hour above stalling accommodation for 21 passengers. A crew of seven must be speed. There is no risk of overshooting or undershooting at allowed some baggage and equipment, so if the gross weight any aerodrome with more than 400 yards clear run. allowance is taken at 200 lb. each, the actual pay-load begins Our club members qualify for the " open ticket " after about ^0 take shape : 40 hours' flying at less than 153. per hour, and they are then (^w of geven at 200 lb , 0o lb allowed to choose their own landing grounds and visit their .Twenty-one passengers and baggage at mends at their own discretion with less financial responsibility 220 lb 4 620 avail it6 PrfVate °Wner Under the bCSt inSUraDCe P°liCy Mail and express ' '.'.'.'.'.'.''.'.'.'.'..'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'. 1 ',o7S \ \ ,vaia e. Consumable stores and equipment not in Can any other type of club machine be allowed out under . . emDtv 68o such conditions as these? Of course not. we g 1 p y " " Indicator," like so many others, speaks from the experience Total 7 773 lb of a few test flights, which in the end is no more than ignor- . hi IS ance. Let him and his type read and digest this letter and Actual pay-load 5,693 lb. cease doing untold harm by their outpourings (whether they // .~Z , • , mean it or not), which cause the use of that unsavoury word This figure is just over 9 per cent, of the gross weight; which "snob." . H. R. DIMOCK, compares most favourably with any other form of transporta- Ely, Cambs. Ely Aero Club. tion—ocean liners or railway trains^ [" Indicator " says : " If snobbishness consists of a pious Using 5? per cent, power-425 b.b;,P- per engine-the specific hope that all ultra-lightweights, within their different consumption will be about 0.44 lb./h.p./hr. For 1,700 b h.p. categories, should be as safe and as useful as possible—then I therefore, the consumption will be 125 U.S. gallons per hour, confess to such a fault. An ultra-lightweight is all that 90 and permit a cruising time of 30 hours per cent, of us can afford, but it is surelv not in the best Assuming the cruising velocity at altitude to be 140 m.p.h. interests of the movement that any of these machines should on 1,700 b.h.p., the rang will be 4,200 miles in still air. be either dangerous or useless If 5oo b.h.p. per engine is used—approximately 60 per cent
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