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Aviation History
1943
1943 - 0498.PDF
2OO FLIGHT FEBRUARY 25TH, 1943 CONSTELLATION The Lockheed P-38 Lightning under the wing of the Constellation. Each is claimed to be the fastest in its class. The wing ofthe new transport is similar, aerodynamically, to that of the fighter. It is fitted with ordinary Fowler flaps and so-called manoeuvrng flaps. reducing landing speed, give three sets of performance characteristics. When extended, the manoeuvring flaps increase the lift for rapid climb or manoeuvring at low speed in foul weather or icing conditions. Retracted into the wings, they.do not interfere with high speed and long- range operation. The Fowler flaps, when lowered, reduce speed to 77 m.p.h. for safe landing. Low-drag Nacelles Design of the engine nacelles and cowlings also marks an aerodynamic advance, as the Constellation, with a 2,000 h.p. engine in each nacelle, is said to have no more drag than the 800 h.p. Lockheed Model 14 transport, which has a gross weight of 17,500 lb. The cowling has a nose of small air-inlet area, and in- creases in radius gradually and continuously from the nose- back to the largest diameter. This contour results in uniform increase in airstream speed around the nacelle without extreme velocity over any part of the cowling. Compression shocks on the cowl nose at extremely high speed, as in a sharp glide from great altitude, are avoided, yet air-pressure drop is sufficient to cool the engine during a low-speed climb. Nacelles and cowlings are made of stainless steel and have a fire-proof bulkhead of the same metal separating the engines from the wing interior, with access to the engines from a walkway within the wing. Each nacelle as equipped with remote-control fire extinguishers and six- teen thermostatic couplings to warn the flight engineer automatically, but fire can burn in a nacelle for half an hour without interrupting flight or causing serious damage. Engines are installed with particular attention to con- venience and speed in servicing and maintenance. Power- plant assemblies are interchangeable, with all fuel, oil, water and electrical lines provided with quick-detachable connections at the fire-proof bulkhead. Oil-cooler flaps, cowl flaps, carburettor air ducts and the like are integral assemblies. Thus it is possible to make a complete power- plant exchange forward of the iire-proof bulkhead in approximately 45 minutes. The number of right- and left- hand parts has been reduced to a mini- mum, with remov- able engine mounts, exhaust collector rings, stack and tail pipe back to near the fire-proof bulk- head, engine cowl- ing and removable nacelle cowling made identical. To assure inter- changeability between aircraft in service, the follow- ing parts were built on aircraft produc- tion jigs: Inner and outer wing panels ;• wing tips; ailerons; The nose shows thepeculiar aerofoil section of thefuselage. The en- gines are Wright18-cyl. Cyclones of 2,000 h.p.
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