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Aviation History
1942
1942 - 0985.PDF
MAY 7TH, 1942 Thirty-seventh of the Second Series FLIGHT FRIEND or FOE ? Two American Transports : D.C-3 and CW-20 CONCENTRATION on military types of aircraft is apt to cause the civil transport type to be overlooked, yet it comes just as much within the purview of the spotter as its more aggressive com panions ; there are many of them doing valuable service in this country and in other theatres of war. This week we deal with two well- known American types of twin- engined transport, the Douglas D.C-3 and the Curtiss-Wright CW-20, which 455 readers of Flight will remember that the first of its type to arrive here was described in these pages* not very long ago. This was the St. Louis, which was flown across the Atlantic fitted with extra fuel tanks in the for ward part of the passenger cabin. The fuselage was designed to pro- Hff are very similar in general appear ance. Both are operated by British . Overseas Airways in this country, and between here and the neutral air port at Lisbon, so spotters in Great Britain need to be familiar with their characteristics. Of the two, the latter is perhaps the more interesting at the moment because it is one of the latest of the American transport aircraft to be seen this side of the Atlantic, and vide a pressure cabin for high- altitude flying, but apart from its rotundity when compared with the slimmer lines of the Douglas, and its small "airtight" windows, there is little or nothing about its external ap pearance to in- dicate this DOUGLAS D.C-3. Broad apex to fin and rudder and straight trailing-edge above pointed tail of fuselage. Pronounced backsweep to leading-edge of tailplane. Fixed tail wheel. special feature. In any case, it was not required when B.O. A. took it over, and the pressure equipment had been removed. Two easily spotted differences in the tail assemblies of the D.C-3 ar>d the CWT20 provide quick clues to their respective identities. The first is that the former has a fixed tail wheel, whereas that of the latter is fully re tractable, and the second is the shape of their fuselage extremities ; that of the Douglas forms a point jutting out from below the rudder, while that of the CVV-20 blends smoothly into the trailing-edge of the rudder to form a continuous curve. The marked difference in contour of the respective fins and rudders is clearly sho,vn iiv the small drawings, while as regards their tailplanes, it will be seen that that of the CW-20 is of appreciably higher aspect-ratio, giving less back- sweep to the leading-edge. There are also obvious differ ences in their respective trailing-edges. CURTISS - WRIGHT CW-20. Curved apex and trailing-edge to fin and rudder. High aspect- ratio t^ilplane, tapered on both edges. Fully retractable tailwheel. Next Week:— Taylor era ft and Wicko.
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