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Aviation History
1937
1937 - 2284.PDF
i8o FLIGHT. AUGUST 19, 1937. Piloted by Mr. Lankester Parker, the upper component of the Short Mayo Composite aircraft is now going through its flight tests. THE GREAT EXPERIMENT First Stage Reached in Evolution of Short-Mayo Composite Aircraft : Upper Component Now Being Flight-tested : Lower Component Expected Out Soon PRESSURE of work in connection with the Empire boats which Short Brothers are building for Imperial Airways, plus a number of military types for the R.A.F., has somewhat slowed down progress with the exceedingly interesting composite aircraft. However, Mr. Bibby, Short's works manager, has performed the almost incredible feat of completing 19 of the 28 boats originally ordered by Imperials, and No. 20 is almost finished, and will be ready to fly in about a week. This rapid progress, which must be very nearly without parallel in the history of the aircraft industry, has made it pos sible to concentrate recently on the composite, and last Thursday there came an opportunity to see just how far the composite has advanced. It has been a common error to assume that the lower component, which has been christened the Maia. is prac tically an Empire flying boat with slightly increased beam. That is very far from being the cass. The Maw was actually designed before the Empire boat, and differs from it in .many respects, although resembling it strongly in general appearance. Most obvious of the differences in external appearance are the tumble-home sides of the Maia compared with the vertical sides of the Empire boats. The greater beam over the chines was needed to give greater lateral stability on the water, the centre of gravity being considerably higher Getting ready to prove a theory. Mr. John Lankester Parker, Short's chief test pilot, with Major R. H. Mayo who origin ated the idea of the composite aircraft. (Flight photographs.)
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