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Aviation History
1937
1937 - 1257.PDF
MAY 13, 1937 FLIGHT. 47i The wings of the new Kronfeld Drone afford welcome shelter from the rain. The nature of the Palmer tyres proven construction was evident in a section of a tyre which, together with brake con trols, brakes (available with hydraulic or pneumatic operation), and a dismantled tail wheel gave an excellent idea of the Palmer contributions towards present- day aeronautics. * * » It was stipulated that no engine could be exhibited unless sectioned, so the Kestrel XVI and Merlin models were ab sent from the Rolls-Royce stand. There was, however, the " cut-away " 600 h.p. Kestrel VI which is still in great demand. * * * • Parts for " H "-shaped engines formed the nucleus of the Napier display, which included a Robertson oil cooler (manufac tured by an associated company) destined for a Pegasus in one of the Short Empire flying boats. A case of Rapier compo nents really drove home Napiers' superb design and workmanship, which has given Great Britain a flying start over other nations in the production of multi- bank in-line engines. * * * The action of the P.B. Deviator or stabilised gyroscope was illustrated on its makers' stand by a model, as was the functioning of the successful automatic control by the same manufacturers. The total weight of the automatic control was given at 60 lb., which is a credit able figure for such an efficient piece of apparatus. A " portable invisible light detector " operating on a longer wave length than has hitherto been possible (thus constituting, it was claimed, the basis of any directional control for use in fog) was unfortunately not shown. * * * Short and Mason, Ltd., had hit on the happy idea of putting some of their more historic devices on show. There was, for example, an altimeter from the old May fly and one for the Hon. C. S. Rolls. A record made by a portable altigraph of Flt./Lt. E. L. Moles' recent execution of sixty-seven loops in a glider over Almaza was a particular attraction. * * * Although not listed to exhibit, R.T.E. presented their ARE 100 equipment, which provides, among other things, visual and . aural direction finding and homing indication. The smoke trail wind-indicator licensed from Ahrens by General Aircraft was shown—not working—in the display hangar. The apparatus is fed by gravity with crude oil, and when sunk in the ground causes no obstruction. Avery's weighed in with a self-indicat- . ing universal test machine, direct-reading hardness testing apparatus and impact- test gear. * * • Examples of the two-shoe servo brake were shown by Bendix, Ltd. The hydraulic brake described in Flight of October 29, 1936, and several sizes of the mechanically operated model were to be seen partly sectioned or as compon ents. The principle of the two shoes with the special link connection to con vert rotational energy taken up by the first shoe to braking power on the second could be clearly seen and understood. * # * Chief among the Lockheed display were the '' six-ton '' undercarriage jack for the Ensigns and the remote control panel with a single transmitter and grouped selector levers. Mechanical lock ing of each unit is incorporated in the system and a common indicator shows the position of each auxiliary. * * * The fitting of an exhaust gas analyser as a standard instrument, to enable the pilot to secure mixture adjustment for the lowest efficient fuel consumption during flight, is now becoming very common on commercial aircraft. The latest complete Cambridge Mixture Indi cator installation was to be seen. * * # On the Dunlop stand a revolving tail wheel with half the tyre made of Ecta electrically conducting rubber demon strated its property of discharging any static electricity acquired by an aero plane. A brake system and machine gun operating gear were also to be seen ; a dual relay connected to the rudder bar gives differential braking and a separate supply line via a firing button and spade grip on the control column makes the system very suitable for multi-gun air craft. * * » A modified form of the Service type P.4 Aperiodic compass, the Husun P.4.L., was on the stand of Henry Hughes and Sons, Ltd., and could be seen to have all the qualities of careful design characteristic of these compasses. An operational temperature range of 100 deg. C.—that is, from +50 deg. C. to 50 deg. C. is provided for. * * « As a contrast to the latest aircraft wireless equipment on view at the Marconi stand there was also an early Marconi aircraft set made in 1919 and several antique coherers of about 1900. The original Marconi patent was framed centrally and grouped round it could be seen a fixed anti-icing aerial, a stream lined fairlead, a constant-speed windmill and a rota table D/F loop. * * * Like a pair of large black spirit lamps, two Heston-Toledo landing flares (Air- work, Ltd.) rested unobtrusively on a box. These flares are self-lighting and are designed for dropping from a lorry in the case of an emergency caused by floodlight failure. Illumination and marking-out of an aerodrome can be carried out in about five minutes. Around the Aircraft Park Those who could disregard the discom fort of wet feet to the extent of making a really thorough tour of the visiting machines should have seen quite a lot to interest them. As far as special equipment was con cerned, the Standard Radio Phoenix and the Air Dispatch Dragon were probably the most intriguing. The former is already well stocked with radio gadgets, but Mr. Auping, the company's demonstration pilot, apologetically explained that the installa tion process is by no means complete, and that the finished machine will be a true " flying laboratory." Its flame colour has not been arranged for beauty, but for effectiveness and to make it quite clear to other pilots that the machine is one to be avoided. The Dragon has been equipped for air-survey work in this country. In addition to a three-axes P.B. automatic pilot, the camera itself has its own automatic stabil iser. From what we hear the tests have proved the layout to be extremely satis factory. Among the passengers of the K.L.M. D.C.3 were Mr. Plesman, the managing director of the company, and Capt. H. Spry Leverton, the Croydon manager, who had only just returned from a short period of convalescence in Cornwall—and was looking very fit indeed. Very few of the spectators can have realised that the Kronfeld Drones (new and old), which arrived in formation, were flown respectively by Mr. and Mrs. Kron feld General Aircraft were well represented by three Monospars, and the now well-known ambulance received a great deal of atten tion from the general public—many of whom must have felt a desire to lie down on the stretcher and rest their wet and weary feet. Quite the most terrific display was given by the pilot of a Miles Sparrowhawk after the departure of the mulitude. We think we know who it was, and only a knowledge of this particular pilot's aero-batic skill prevents us from labelling the performance as both dangerous and un necessary. Steep climbing turns below the level of the tree and hangar tops do not inspire people with anything but a desire to go and seek shelter. Incidentally, what caused the appearance of the white plumes of smoke, water, or fuel from the wing-tips at certain critical moments during the pilot's display ? Great minds among the remaining spectators worked out complicated theories to explain how the fuel, in certain circumstances, could travel to the wing-tips, or how the intense humidity of the atmosphere could have caused the miracle. Feeling fairly certain of the pilot's identity we think that the effect was deliberately planned, and we may see more of it at other meetings. Not, please, below the tree-tops, Mr. 1
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