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Aviation History
1946
1946 - 0158.PDF
FLIGHT JANUARY 24TH, 1946 THE D.H. HORNET Manufacture of the Sea Hornet and all associated draw-ing-office work are the job of the Heston Aircraft Com- pany. While this separation of parent and child is farfrom an ideal arrangement, good co-operation and under- standing, particularly between the two design staffs, hasenabled work to progress satisfactorily. Main units art- sent dry-screwed as required, from Hatfield to Heston,where modification and final assembly take place. Navalising the Hornet In addition to the folding wings, the Sea Hornet isequipped with arrester and accelerator gear, and these two call for major modifications to the fuselage unit.A property of the normal Hornet wing is the even dis- tribution of load throughout the frame members and skin.In direct contrast to this, the load for the folding wing must be concentrated at the hinge point and then re-distributed through the outer and inner wing sections. This is achieved by increasing the number of spanwise stringers,particularly in the region of the front spar, by reinforcing the spar webs (this is inherent strengthening in view of thejoint fittings) and by inserting sections of dural sheet between the plywoodsheets of the top skin near the wing joint. This metal "belt" is actuallyinserted between the stringers, which are split horizontally to receive it.The sheetb are Reduxed to the wood, and the separated part of the stringersreplaced and scarf-jointed outboard of the alloy sheets. Bolts are then putthrough the reinforced skin in place of screws. The number seven ribs of theoriginal wing would lie at the folding point, but are removed in favour oftwo new reinforced metal ribs, 7 and 7a, which carry the joint fittings fortheir respective sections. Two separate levers in the cockpitoperate the folding mechanism. Small locking pins must first be withdrawnmechanically by moving one control ; then the second brings the Lockheedhydraulic jacks into operation through a sequence valve, the main bolts beingwithdrawn first and the folding com- mencing afterwards. A small flag oneach wing shows at once if the mechanical locks are withdrawn.. The V SCARFJOINT PLYWOOD (Top) In contrast to the normal wingtop skin construction and attachment, inset is a section through the reinforcedSea Hornet skin showing the split stringer and the positioning of thealloy sheets. Inside the SeaHornet fuselage, two modified bulk-heads are seen, also part of thelongeron rein- forcementsto which (on the outside) are boltedthe arrester hook attachmefittings. wings can befolded in five seconds or spreadin twelve. They can be spreadwith a 1,000 lb. bomb in position,can be folded separately, and may be stopped at any position desired.The arrester hook is attached at two points to the fuse lage, and the fittings are bolted through to two heavylongerons ironically called "straights." These long curv- ing laminated wood members reach fprward to the lowerrear wing-attachment fittings, which are of steel in place of the standardduralumin forgings. The hook attach- ment fittings are also screwed andReduxed to the fuselage. The steel hook itself is coated with Colmony towithstand the sawing of the cable. Three fittings comprise theaccelerator attachments which can be used with twin, close-twin orAmerican-type single-track equipment. Two large hooks are located belowand bolted to the front-wing spars beside the attachment points, and thesnap coupling is attached to lugs which are a part of a saddle-like addition tothe tail-wheel compression leg. A modification which may be adopted onall Hornets is the provision for sling- ing, the pick-up points being on theinboard engine ribs. it will be noticed that the externalaerial on the Hornet appears to stretch from tail fin to cockpit enclosure. Thisis, in fact, true, but the wire passes through a small hole in the enclosure,through two small pulleys inside the top of it, and finally attaches to thearmour plate behind the pilot's head. SPLIT SPRUCE STRINGER The Sea Hornet with wings folded and arrester hook slung under the fuselage. The wing-folding modification has added 280 lb.to the total weight and the entire " navalising " including equipment, 550 lb.
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