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Aviation History
1945
1945 - 2275.PDF
-546 FLIGHT NOVEMBER 22ND, 1945 TO-MORROW'S LIGHT AIRCRAFT without reheating the m£tal and, con- sequently, weakening It. Distortion is arpfciier trouble that sometimes malces it difficult to work to close limits. In a tried production model such as the Taylorcraft all these problems have long been solved, but they must be considered afresh in deciding the materials for a new design. On considerations of weight, cost, accuracy and ease of working, wood is probably still the best material for a light aircraft. Improvements that we are likely to see include moulded ply- wood monocoques to give attractive fuselage lines, and compressed and im- pregnated wood to save space in highly stressed members, such as centre-sec- tion wing spars. In this way we may eventually reach the all-plastic airframe. High or Low Wing? In the Miles M.38 family, plywood monocoque fuselages replace the box type of earlier models. The box fuselage., probably still wins on weight, because of the relative^pfe^ cision and simplicity of its stress analysis. It also gives a good wing-fuselage joint for a low-wing monoplane—only its somewhat crude appearance is against it. A fundamental decision in deciding the outline is be- tween high wing or low wing. The low wing has been the British, indeed, the Euro- pean, tradition. Only in America has the high-wing fashion persisted. Even there, the proportion of high wings among the new post- war projects is relatively low. The mid-wing is out alto- gether for tractor types, be- cause it interferes with the cabin space and blocks the pilot's view. The high-wing type gives good inherent stability and good view earthwards, but cuts off the pilot's view in a turn. The fuselage is easy to get into, and Can be^uilt satisfactorily of wel,jj«utube, but not so easily of wood, be- cause of the concentrated loads and large openings for The D.H. Moth Minor of pre-war design had a top speed of 118 m.p.h. Fully loaded it had an all-up weight of 1,550 lb. and the normal range was 300 miles. Production plans were interfered with by Nazi aggression in 1939. doors and windows. The low-wing monoplane allows a lighter fuselage and is much better suited to wooden construction, as the fuselage can be a simple wooden box with a curved lid into which the passengers climb from on top. It also provides a better anchorage for the under- carriage legs and enables them to be kept out of the slip- stream, or,retracted if desired. This does not by any means exhaust the pros and cons of a subject that can be argued indefinitely. Suffice it to say that the low wing is in the ascendant, and is almost certainly the best for an all-wood aircraft. Although the typical pre-war light aircraft, high wing The unorthodox Stearman-Hammond Y which K.L.M. used before the war to train their pilotsin the art of tricycle landings. It is a two-seater with a 150 h.p. Menasco engine and numerous interesting features. Designed expressly as a " fool- proof " aircraft, the Ercoupe has a maximum speed of 100 m.p.h. and stalls at 31 m.p.h.
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