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Aviation History
1945
1945 - 2047.PDF
412 FLIGHT OCTOBER ISTH, 1945 CIVIL AUSTER all-up weight of 1,400 lb., with both aircraft cramming 150 hours' flying into two weeks. In one abnormally heavy landing one undercarriage leg was damaged and had to be changed, this being carried out in the open within three hours. After the new leg had been fitted a further 884 landings were completed without incident. It is, of course, obvious that trials such as these should impose the most rigorous conditions on the whole machine, not just its land- ing gear, and it says much for the Auster that both the aircraft tested came through the trials with flying colours. Structure Primarily, the airframe is an all-metal structure, althoughthe cabin floor, main-plane and tailplane spars and a few fuselage stringers are of wood. Tubular members of 45-and 35-ton steel made in various gauges and diameters are welded together to form a girder-braced structure to com-pose the fuselage. Wing structure is simple and orthodox and comprises two laminated wooden spars to which areattached warren-girder braced ribs of Birmabright spaced at about 15m. intervals. Drag bracing between spars com-prises cross wires, and tie tubes at about 30m. intervals throughout the span. The leading-edge nosing is light alloycovered, and the six inboard ribs are recessed on the under- side of the trailing edge for accommodation of the splitflaps. Flap hinges are carried on cantilever brackets off the rear spar as are the aileron hinges. Wing-to-fuselage attachment is by fork-end strap-fittingsthrough-bolted on the in- board end of each spar, thefork-ends picking up with lugs on the fuselage struc-ture and each joint being secured by a single bolt.The V-strut wing braces have a similar pick-up tothe fuselage at their lower ends, the upper attachmentbeing in light channel-mem- bers on both sides of eachspar; additionally, the V-bracing is stabilised be-neath the wing by a vertical The Cirrus Minor Series IIengine carried on its sturdy mounting makes a neatinstallation. Fitting the wooden stringers on the metal airframe for attachment of the fabric covering. This detail shows rib structure, drag-ties and cross-bracingtogether with strap-fork for attachment to fuselage. and horizontal tie-tube assembly. Fin structure is integralwith the fuselage, and the tailplane is similarly, of welded tube framework, each side being attached by a simplesocket joint secured with a single bolt front and rear. Rudder and elevator structure is also tubular, all tail unitsurfaces being of the flat-plate type; that is to say, they are parallel sided without camber. Initially, Austers had a subsidiary horizontal surfacebeneath the tailplane Which could be adjusted for incidence during flight and so providetrimming in pitch. On the civil version this auxiliarysurface has been deleted and instead a conventionaltrim tab fitted in the trail- ing edge of the port eleva-tor. The control for tail trimming is fitted in theroof of the cabin where it is accessible from both seatsand is also out of the way. However, we cannot helpfeeling that a trim control operated in the naturalplane and sense of the re- sult required would berather more convenient. It should not be difficult to fitthis between the front seats above the undercarriage" bungee " anchorage. On the score of serviceability the Auster hasa deal of advantage over many other machines ; being an all-metal, fabric-covered aircraftmakes it ideal for use in extremes of climate where such form of structure is not subject todeterioration from rapid temperature changes or high humidity. In addition, the absolutesimplicity of the aircraft makes it a ground engineer's joy, as well as being peculiarlyfitted to the particular needs of the aver- age private owner. All critical points are opento inspection by the embodiment of zipp fasteners in the fabric, and the quickly detach-able engine cowling panels makes accessibility to the engine wonderfully good. Noise Level The Blackburn Cirrus Minor Series II engineis very smooth and, even without silencing, is quite quiet. In point of fact the noise levelin the cabin is such that conversation can be carried on in a slightly raised voice, whilstwith an exhaust system incorporating a silencer, conversation in little more than
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