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Aviation History
1940
1940 - 0771.PDF
MARCH 14, 1940 Good visibility commends the layout of the Praga E.210 pusher for a light army co-operation machine. For the observation of artillery fire up to, say, fifteen miles behind the lines, a heavier and faster machine is considered necessary. A French writer considers that this might follow the layout of the Potez 63, a twin-engined three-seater, fast and manoeuvrable, and armed with two fixed and two free machine guns. France is certainly using her Potez 63s for reconnaissance, but it is not certain that these machines are used for artillery spotting. At the moment the aircraft used by the world's air forces for this latter duty are mainly single- engined two-seaters. The high monoplane wing is favoured as good visibility is essential and the machines are of robust construction. The Lysander obtains its slow-flying qualities from Handley Page lift slots and slotted flaps which enable the machine to be flown even in a careless manner yet with complete safety. Take-off and landing qualities are, of course, also improved. Although the majority of artillery observation machines are of high-wing design the standard type in use in the U.S. Army Air Corps—the North American O-47—is a mid- wing monoplane carrying a crew of three and having accommodation for an observer in the bottom of the fuse- lage, which is provided with appropriate transparent panels. More lately the Bristol Company has built the type 148 army co-operation machine, which is arranged as a low- wing monoplane. The crew has a roomy transparent cock- pit enclosure. Above is the Fieseler Storch, a slow-flying machine used by Germany for army co- operation work. A distinctive twin-engined army co-operation machineis the Focke Wulf Fw 189 shown on the left. Some time ago the French developed what seemed to amount to a passion for what they called the avion de travaille, which could be used as an army co-operation machine or advanced trainer. Typically this type was a twin-engined monoplane of very sturdy and simple construction, special consideration being given to the view of the observer. The external transparent observation " cars " seem to have been abandoned. The best example of the light army co-operation machine at present in service is Germany's Fieseler Storch, which can fly at about 31 m.p.h. It has a 240 h.p. engine, but top speed has been sacrificed to usefulness at the lower end of the speed range and to vision, the cabin having side windows built out from the fuselage proper. Of similar layout is the Stinson "liaison observation" machine now being built for the U.S. Army Air Corps. Slots and flaps are fitted and visibility from the cabin is unusually good, but performance details are lacking. Although rotating-wing aircraft are often condemned lor army co-operation duties on account of the vulnerability and complicated maintenance, various types have been considered for the work. These are the Cierva (hinged blade with tilting-axis control); the Hafner (hinged blade with feathering control) ; the Herrick (rigid rocking blade with rotor control); and the Wilford (semi-rigid blade with feathering control). The possibilities of helicopters have not been overlooked ; these might have a single rotor, co- axial rotors or side-by-side rotors. With regard to equipment, one of the most promising developments is television, which is generally considered to have great possibilities for reconnaissance work. Designation of Aircraft „ GREAT BRITAIN Westland Lysander FRANCE Hanriot 510 AMERICA North American 0.47 _. GERMANY R«eler Storch HenschelHs 126 BOHEMIA-MORAVIAAwoA-304... LetovS-50 ." r ITALYUproniCo 134 . Kr;n,<KjRo37 1AR. ^"MANIA Span ft. in. 50 0 49 3 46 4 46 9 47 7 62 II 56 0 44 2 31 235 4 40 ? W.ng Area «i. ft 260 339 348.6 279.7 340 489.6 462 290.5 337.4 385 ARMY CO-OPERATION Wing Load- ing Ib./ sq. It. 23.1 24.19 21.6 9.8 20.8 19.63 17.9 19.6 15.4 17.5 GrossWeicht IV, 6,015 8,184 7.533 2.910 7,084 °,58I 8,291 5,334 5.214 6,760 Disposabl e Loa d Ib. 1,855 2,118 1.698 1.014 2 332 2.981 1.481 2,204 1.837 1.950 Engine Type Bristol Perseus XII Gnome-Rhone K9 Wright Cyclone GI03A ... Argus As 10c Bramo Fafnir 323 Walter Super-Castor 1-MR Avia RK. 17 Gnome-Rhone 14M Isotta-Fraschini XI RC.40 Pi»B<rioPXR I.A.R. K.I4 #B A A A A A A A A L A A AIRCRAFT RatedPower h.p. 745 1.540 860 240 830 860 840 870 900 700 870 Max. At. Speed rained at m.p.h. ft. 230 10.000 217 9,800 243 - 108 — 229 16.400 200 5,740 187 3,280 223 11,480 242 — 201 9.800 208 12,150 Climb To In ft. min. 15,000 11.5 9,800 6 10,000 5.75 3,280 4 19.680 11.7 13,120 19 16,400 16 11.400 5.5 19.680 16 13.100 8.5 ServiceCeiling tt 26.000 22,960 29,700 17,000 26.400 19 000 24.600 27.800 24,000 23,000 26,200 TypicalArmament 3 rang 3 rang 2 remg None 2 rcme 3 remg 3 remg 3 rcmij 3 rang3 rang Z rents Progres s IS PA IS IS IS PA PA OP PA OP OP
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