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Aviation History
1942
1942 - 0881.PDF
APRIL 23RD, 1942 FLIGHT 405 THE HALIFAX 19 '^35 This three-quarter rear view of the Halifax shows an earlier production and was taken before a dorsal gun turret was fitted. turned flanges), but the material of the boxes, especially the flat front and rear plates, is many times thicker, as the loads in.this neighbourhood are very large. The general construction of the centre-section front spar is shown by a sketch. The centre-section rear spar is of different construction, with extruded T-section flanges and solid sheet web. A similar construction is employed for both front and rear spars in the outer wing portions, but the flange sections change from T to L. The wing ribs in the centre-section carry heavy loads and have solid sheet webs riveted be tween two L-section flanges placed back to back. The rib webs are stiffened by ver tical channel section's, one on each side of the web for the main stiffeners and on channel on one side for the inter mediate stiff eners. The trailing-edge ribs are of slightly digfc-fnt construction. The main ribi have channel-section flanges placed with the open side towards the skin. Instead of the solid sheet web of the between spar ribs, the top and bottom channels are connected by diagonal tubes, attached to the flange channel sides by fishplates. The spanwise stringers of the wing skin are cut at their intersection with the rib flanges. Unit Construction In the construction of the wing, as in that of the fuselage, small assemblies are formed into larger ones, and finally into quite large units, so that the work of assembly permits the greatest possible number of workers to be employed simultaneously. The actual production methods in force in the Handley Page works, which are very interesting, will be dealt with in detail in our associated journal Aircraft Production. An ingenious system has been evolved for transporting the latfge wing and fuselage portions from the manufactur- lp-g to the assembly shops, which are situated elsewhere. The wing centre-section, for example, is transported in a vertical position, with the engine mountings and bulkheads already in place, and the fuselage top (known as "the covered wagon ") already attached. The general construction and internal layout are shown HI the large drawing by Mr. M. A. Millar on page 398a The sting in the tail. The gunner's turret with its four Browning machine guns. and b. The system of breaking down the structure into a number of units is illustrated diagrammatically on page 399. The main dimensions of the Halifax are : Wing span 99ft. ; wing area 1,250 sq. ft. ; length o.a. 70ft. iin. ; fuse lage width (max.) 5ft. 6in. ; fuselage height (max.) 9ft. 6in. Detailed performance figures may not be given, but the maximum speed is in the neighbourhood of 300 m.p.h. Maximum range is about 3,000 miles, and maximum bomb load 51 tons. The two do not, of course, occur simul taneously. The four Rolls-Royce Merlin XX engines develop 1,175 h.p. each, at 20,500ft., and drive Rotol three-bladed, constant-speed, fully feathering airscrews of 12ft. 6in. diameter. Take-off and landing characteristics are very good, in spite of a wing loading of 47 lb./sq. ft. Readers who would like to compare the Halifax with the Short Stirling heavy bomber are referred to our issue of January 2gth, 1942, in which we published a long illus trated description of that machine.
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