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Aviation History
1945
1945 - 0174.PDF
FLIGHT JANUARY 25TH, IQ45 MONOCOQU PART II In This Second Article the Features of Several Differ/mt Systems are By MAURICE F. A/.LWARD AVERY wide variation is apparentin the detail design of modernmonocoques, and it is difficult to locate features that can be con- sidered as standard. Some firms, how- ever, have acquired small "habits" which appear regularly upon new types produced. Some of the different ways in which manufacturers have reacted to the complex problems of a modern monocoque are interesting and worth studying in detail. Bristol Development The story of Bristol monocoque development begins with the Bristol Type 143, the fuselage of which was exhibited at the Paris Aero Show in October, 1934, where it attracted a good deal of attention because j^£>rfs stressed-skin con- struction. Then followed years of intensive development and research, the result of which was the smaller " Type 142," and an indication of the success achieved is given by the fact that on its full-load trials it clocked no less than 280 m.p.h. in level flight—which was some 40 m.p.h. faster than our best fighters of that day. Lord Rothermere's faith in naming this machine "Britain First"—later to be developed into that long line of Blenheim bombers— seemed particularly justified. Tests were instigated on the fuselage with severe cut- aways to accommodate exit pa,aels, a turret and bomb doors. Bristols thus started a research policy directed towards the perfection of a stressed-skin construction which, while being particu- larly robust, should be adaptable to gradually in- creasing loads and able to accommodate within the shell of the fuselage an in- creasing quantity of acces- sible and removable load. This work has reached its culmination in the Beau- fighter. The fuselage of this fighter claimed by some still to re- tain the proud title of "Britain's most formidable night fighter"—is built in two main portions. The iront fuselage is built up be- FORMERS STRINGER OUTER SKIN TYPHOON BEAUFIGHTER NOSE PORTION: Note the heavy rear former used as a crash arch. tween a former of sheet metal and a reja&rkable rear forging, which is utilised as a crash arch should the aircraft turn on its back. This portion contains the pilot together with his instru- ments and controls. Two keel members space the two formers apart, and above these are two longerons, Entrance is made through a hatch in the floor, which is ingeniously mounted on trunnions at its mid point so that when open it forms a wind-break for the pilot when baling but. The rear fuselage is a fine example of a " foundation stone'' mentioned in the .previous article, for it is very robust indeed. Two substantial keel members extend the full length and are utilised for mounting the four 20 mm. cannon carried beneath the floor. Above these, three longerons run down each side, which together with several reinforced formers of lipped channel section placed back to back some distance apart, form the basic structure of this portion. The reinforced formers have a plate riveted across the flanges on the inboard » side. Most of the stringers are beaded angle extrusions. Countersunk rivets secure the skin to the formers and stringers, which are not attached to each other, the formers being notched to clear the stringers. The Hawker Typhoon It has been stated that when,, early in 1933, work beg^fi on the Hurricane, Hawkers knew that fighters of the future would have stressed-skirt fuselages. It •was realised that the tubular form of construction, utilis- ing the Hawker patent fuselage joint, would be un- REAR MONOCOQUE BUTT JOINT FRONT MONOCOQUE The riveted "transport joint" of Typhoons utilises a butt strap as illustrated
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