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Aviation History
1938
1938 - 0393.PDF
FEBRUARY TO, 1938. FLIGHT. A NEW "FLAT FOUR" FROM AMERICA Menasco of 50 h.p. UNTIL recently the Menasco Manufacturing Co., of LosAngeles, California, had confined their efforts to invertedin-line air-cooled engines of between ioo and 250 h.p. Their work in this class, both in normal and supercharged forms, has earned them a wide reputation. A new Menasco is now being introduced in a class which, in this country at any .rate, has suffered some neg- lect. It is one suitable for the small private- owner types now prov- ing so popular across the Atlantic. Known as the M.5, it is a 50 h.p. hori- zontally opposed four- cylinder of 1444 cu. in. (2,360 c.c.) capacity, having bore and stroke of 3|in. X3jiri. (89 mm. x 95 mm.) respectively. Development work has been proceeding for more than twelve months, and an engine has recently completed exhaustive tests. One thousand M-50S having a compression ratio of 5.5 to 1 and giving 50 h.p. at sea level with an engine speed of 2,550 r.p.m. are scheduled for imme iiateproduction. Constructional details follow orthodox modern practices.A one-piece crankshaft is carried in two main bearings. Alloy heads are boltedto heavily finned nickel- cast-iron blocks, and thevalve gear is enclosed. A wet sump system isused, with gear-type oil pump. The sumpholds four quarts and is finned for addi-tional cooling. The carburettor isan up-draught Strom- berg with altitudecontrol, and ignition is by a single Bendix-Scintilla magneto. It should not be difficult to convertthe engine for dual ignition, and its chance of popularity in thiscountry, where there is room for a dependable unit of this type, wouldbe increased. The width of the engine is27i%m-> and the weight a little under 160 1b. The 50 H.p, Menasco. Swooping Over the Border ., ••-.•>-. THE " dawn patrol," that sporting type of club event whichgets so many enthusiasts up betimes on Sundays and wins breakfasts for the wily ones, is not easily staged anywhereand everywhere. Up north, for example, the Border' Flying Club finds thatthe cold, cold dawn business would have to be greatly over- done, for the nearest "neighbouring" aerodrome to Carlisleis some fifty miles distant, and the other few are a hundred miles or more away. Thus they have hit on the idea of what, falling back to thehistory book, they call a "border raid." On Sunday, March 6, raiders from the Scottish clubs—Scottish, Edinburgh andStrathtay—will try to reach Carlisle unobserved by way of four valleys, those of Glenkens, Sanquhar, Liddesdale andMoffatt. Carlisle's defence will be assisted by the Newcastle Club. The war will take place between 11.30 and 12, amilunch will be early enough to allow the warriors to return to their own camps for the usual busy Sunday afternoon'sflying. All of which sounds very entertaining—provided it does notinvolve "flying in formation with a train, a car and a tug," to quote a pilot of our acquaintance who once found cloudsforcing him lower and lower into some horrid Pennine (or maybe Mendip) cleft. An alternative suggestion, of course, and one in which theAir Ministry might be persuaded to co-operate, would be a balloon barrage across the end of each valley. Handbook for Newcomers "How to Become a Pilot," by Captain R. L. Preston ; 3s. 6d.; Sampson Low, Marston and Co., Ltd. "FUDGING from the number of enquiries which are received J by various clubs, and, for that matter, by ourselves, from young people and others who want to learn to fly but have not the least idea how to set about it, there should always be room for books which answer all such questions for the prospec- tive pilot or owner. Originally published nine years ago. How to Become an Air Pilot has now been revised once again and carries a fair amount of new information. All the details of licences and examinations are clearly given and there is a list of clubs and schools which is at least as up to date as any other. Something like ninety pages are devoted to test answers to typical questions in the technical examination and here the book overlaps another excellent one, which has also been in circulation for a large number of years— that by John Leeming covering the " A " licence syllabus. In the section devoted to the buying of an aeroplane the posi- tion of the second-hand machine, in comparison, for instance, with a second-hand car, is satisfactorily explained. One ot the better similes in the book is that concerning aircraft insurance. The owner is asked to treat the whole matter as if the underwriter had bet him 10 or 15 to 1 that he would not crash his machine during the year. If all motorists thought of insurance in this way there would not be quite so much of the " that's all right, I am insured " kind of motoring. Topics of the Day Continued from page 145) machine over the local landscape, but the spreading motion has the effect of reduc- ing the rate of deceleration. Any thought on the development of ideas which will reduce the possibility of minor but expensive accidents must, for the sake of aviation as a whole, be given due prominence. Always remembering that, as far as the daily Press is con- cerned, a perfectly successful forced land- ing is a crash within the meaning of the act. INDICATOR. FOR THE CLUBS; Something light and inexpensive in the way of crash equipment for towing behind a car. Fitted with L. and G. foam equipment, rescue hook, etc., it is handled by tbe Lindsay-Neal Aviation Co., 7-8, Norfolk Street, London, W.C.2.
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