FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1946
1946 - 0152.PDF
86 FLIGHT JANUARY 24TH, 1946 THE D.H. KORNET the tail control surfaces were ineffective on take-off speeds under 80 m,p.h. While there was no inherent tendency to swing on take-off or even a likelihood of it with this arrangement, the possibility of the aircraft being deflected from its course by an external influence, and the subse- quent difficulty in correcting, could not be overlooked. Handed engines turning " down and in " were, therefore, fitted, and, although the stabilising effect of the arrange- ment was lost, directional control on take-off and landing was satisfactory. " There was a considerable delay after the mock-up,stage was reached on the prototype Hornet, but once approval was given (in August, 1943) work went ahead rapidly, and the first flight was made in July of the following year. During the production period the prototype was sub- jected to a weekly C. of G. check, and a log was kept on each component weight. The estimates proved very accurate, and the final weight was within 200 lb. and, unusually, on the right side! In view of the high performance expected of the Hornet, it was apparent that a safety factor of ten would be re- quired, so while the Mosquito type of construction was quite suitable for the fuselage, the wing called for different treatment. The N.P.L. were behind the design for the wing section, which is similar to that of the Vampire, but with rather less camber. It is understood to have proved satisfactory up to very high diving speeds, with Mach numbers in the region of 0.78 at altitudes and 0.72 lower down. In a wing of reasonable depth, it was not possible to obtain the requisite strength and rigidity from all-wood construction, and it is in the ingenious combination of wood and metal in the design of the Hornet wing that the main structural interest lies. Wide use is made of the Redux bonding process introduced some three years ago FUEL TANKS HO I RIB WINC ATTACHMENT The radiators and air intakewith filter are shown in posi- tion in this sectioned view ofthe wing. RADIATORS 7 -INTERCCOLER OIL sC0OLANT CONTROLLABLE EXIT FLAP WINC ATTACHMENT JOINTS VENEER REDUXED T0,DURAl VENEER REDUXED TO DURAl. VENEER REDUXED TO DURAL EXTRUSION REAR SPAR fROHT SPAfl The composition of the front and rear wing spars is clearlyshown in this drawing. by Aero Research, Ltd., under the direction of Dr. N. A. de Bruyne. Very briefly summarised, the wing is a two- spar structure of 45ft. span and is made in one piece. Light-alloy extrusions are embodied in spars of mixed construction; ribs are either of wood, alloy or a mixture of the two, and the skin is a wood sandwich on top and metal below. In the main, wood is used in com- pression and shear, and metal in tension. Wood and Duralumin The lower booms of the spars are dural extrusions, the top booms are of spruce and the webs com- pressed plywood. Details of construction are shown in the illustrations. It will be seen that the bottom boom comprises two duralumin right-angle extrusions to each of which is bonded a wood veneer. The- two are cold-glued and bolted to the compressed ply web, arid the joint is finished off with a layer of Chatterton's compound as a protection. At the top, the ply veneers of the web are separated and the thicker section curved over at rg angles to meet the under surface of the top boom. The remaining thinner section of the web is glued to the front face of the boom. Between front and rear spars, the double top skin of the wing is reinforced by Kpanwisi- stringers narrower than but similar to the spruce top boom. The skin is of glue and screw construction and is attached to the top booms in this manner. The bottom skin, which is of alclad reinforced with dural stringers, has detachable panels to ;>ive access to the tanks. These panels are a part of the stressed skin. Various t ^pes of ribs are used and, as will be seen from the drawings, there are fifteen in each main plane. The centre fuselage pair are composed of compressed plywood sandwiched between alloy sheet. The lower booms are duralumin extrusions of inverted " T " section, the upright
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
