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Aviation History
1937
1937 - 2172.PDF
140 FLIGHT. AUGUST 5, 1937. The Rolls-Royce "temple " is consecrated to the Merlin and Kestrel XVI. (180 h.p. max.), the Super Castor (480 h.p. for take-off), the inverted four- and six-cylinder units, already well known, and the intriguing little Mikron, which draws the Koolhoven Junior. Then, of course, there are the Hirth, Argus and Siemens displays. The Hirths are the HM60R (3.6 litres, 80 h.p.), the HM504A (3.98 litres, 100 h.p.), the HM506A (5.97 litres, 160 h.p.) and the HM508E (7.96 litres, 240 h.p.). All of which reminds us that everyone would be happier if certain manufacturers would simplify the designation of their pro ducts. But whatever their titles, the Hirths make a brave show. Argus present the AS10C 240 h.p. in verted vee-eight, which is a commend able, though not, of course, entirely new, effort. It goes almost without saying that the Siemens (Brandenburgische Motoren- werke) offering is the SI114A seven-cylin der radial which has proved particularly popular for aerobatic machines in Ger many So much for engines. The Big Two It is not surprising that Fokker and Koolhoven have the most impressive dis plays among the individual construc tors. Le Faucheur, the twin-hulled Fok ker attack machine, was absent, but, as already recorded in Flight, it has made its preliminary flights. Fokker's number one string is the D-21 monoplane fighter —a Mercury-powered, low-wing single- seater with a cantilever undercarriage ordered en serie bv the Dutch Army Air Service. The story goes that .the D-21 will be regarded as a general-purpose fighter and that something with a higher performance will be adopted for home de fence. Denmark and Finland have placed orders. With the Mercury VII giving 840 h.p. (max.) at 14,000 ft., it is estimated that a speed of 278 m.p.h. would be at tained. Alternative armament is: one cannon (Hispano engine) and two or four machine guns; one large-bore machine gun in the fuselage and two of rifle calibre in the wings; four rifle cali bre guns (two in fuselage and two in wings) ; or two 20 mm. cannons in the Domiers show a model of the DO-19 heavy bomber which has four Bramo engines. The prototype has been flying for about three months. Models with engines of fractional h.p. circumscribe their anchorage at high speed. wing and two machine guns in the fuse lage. A superb collection of models illus trates progress in Fokker design since the Spin (!) of 1911 to the T.5 bomber now in production. Further models and pictures depict methods and products of the Fokker plant. One gathers, by the way, that the big three-engined Fok ker flying boat illustrated was designed, unsuccessfully, to a Dutch Naval speci fication. It has most peculiar bomb stowage arrangements in the hull. A story is going the rounds that a series of T.VI bombers will be acquired by the Dutch Government in addition to the T.Vs, although, everything considered, it strikes one that Holland would do bet ter to concentrate on fighters. On the National Defence stand are the Fokker C.X, which correspends, more or less, to our Hind and the C.nW float plane, which is consonant with our Osprey. Both are standard types; the C.X (Kestrel V) has tapered wings, but the C.nWs are parallel in chord and the Cyclone F engine is specified. The latter aircraft shares a shallow pool with a col lapsible dinghy and a school of lethargic goldfish which, by this time, should be able to write a creditable essay on Fokker float design. History Out of the past come Fokker's original Spin, which is not nearly so alarming as some devices of its period; a D.7 fighter of war-time vintage, used until compara tively recently in the Netherlands Indies; and the glorious (in fame, if not in figure) old F.2 K.L.M. transport. • Koolhoven persists with his Wellsian FK55 shaft-drive fighter which has already been dealt with at fair length in Flight. Reports of flying trials would be far more convincing as publicity matter than the statement that the machine was " de ' clou ' van den laatsten Partjschen Salon." Near by is the Mikron-engined Kool hoven Junior two-seater, which seems quite a sensible little craft but which, again, is known to readers. Perhaps the best advertisement for the name of Koolhoven is the Rolls-Royce- engined FK26 transport biplane of 1919 —a real pioneer. This was lately saved from possible destruction on an English junk heap and shipped to Holland.
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