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Aviation History
1950
1950 - 0793.PDF
FLIGHT, 27 April 1950 5*5 The Northrop YC of three engines, -token, the nosewheel leg on the Scandia has been lengthened, and the take-off characteristics improved. The " jumping-type" take-off is a con- comitant of insufficient lift and, there- fore, too high a fly-off speed. The pilot has to rock the aircraft to a higher in- cidence by the application of a good deal of elevator, whilst the mam wheels are still on the ground. In this condi tion, the main wheels are providing the only friction force with the nose-down moment about the e.g., and when the wheels do finally leave the ground, the pilot is presented suddenly with too much elevator-up for safe climb. This effect is most usually found on aircraft in which the e.g. is at a high level, or in which the main wheels are too far back relative to e.g. So much for the few design data. But what about design criteria for the choice between a nosewheel and a tailwheel undercarriage layout? From the arguments presented, the conclusion may be drawn that the tricycle undercarriage should be used on every new aircraft with, perhaps, the following exceptions: (i) Very light, slow-landing types which do not require a great deal of piloting skill, or aircraft required to operate on rough or soft surfaces. In the latter in- stance, the nosewheel tyre would need to be unduly large in order to prevent digging-in on take-off or landing. Even so, there is a design trend to- intro- duce tricycle undercarriages in these classes. (ii) Single-(radial)-engined tractor-airscrew aircraft, especially carrier-borne* or training types which, owing to the engine being close to the e.g., could have only an unreasonably short wheelbase. But the latest U.S. trainers are mostly tricycle types. (iii) Special aircraft, e.g., racing types, where weight economy and top speed performance is of primary I25B Raider is remarkable among modern typei not only for its use but also for the extremely short wheelbase of its undercarriage. importance, and where the safety and comfort of the pilot and the ease of control are secondary. For all other types, especially military and transport air- craft, the nosewheel undercarriage has become a "must." The trend can already clearly be seen in Britain and in France, where various aircraft manufacturers are modify- ing their originally tailwheel-equipped types to take a nose- wheel undercarriage, e.g., the Vickers Viking and Handley Page Hermes. As far as the U.S.A. is concerned, the writer cannot recollect even one civil transport aircraft in produc- tion, designed during or since the war, which is equipped with a tailwheel landing gear. [The Northrop Raider and possibly the Douglas Super DC-3 might be mentioned.— ED.] In the personal aircraft field, only two out of nin< aircraft in quantity production in America have tailwheel undercarriages, and the best known light aircraft, namely the Bonanza, Navion and Ercoupe, are tricycle-equipped. It has not been the intention in this article to prove that the majority is always right; nevertheless, the general trend toward the use of a nosewheel undercarriage would seem to confirm that, in spite of its shortcomings, and design difficulties, it has definitely become a safer and more useful type. MILITARY VARIANTS MENTION is now permitted of live new variants ofstandard Service aircraft, as noted below : Faircy Firefly A.S.6.—As its designation denotes, this mark of Firefly is for anti-submarine operation. It is identical with the A.S.5 as now in service, except for revision of the arrange- ments for carrying certain types of external stores. Bristol Brigand T.4.—An advanced-trainer development of the Brigand bomber. Westland-Sikorsky Dragonfly H.C.2.—Officially classed as a communications aircraft, this military- version of the civil S-51 helicopter is >o\vered with a Leonides 50 engine. dc Havilland Mosquito P..R.35.—An adaption of the Mosquito B.35 bomber equipped to operate as a special night- photographic aircraft. Handley Page Hastings Met.i.—A specially equipped de- velopment of the Hastings military transport for long-range, meteorological reconnaissance. It may be remembered that the Halifax bomber was similarly developed into the Halifax Met.6. ROYAL ENTRY FOR KING'S CLP OVER forty aircraft, with speeds ranging from 130 to 350m.p.h., have already been entered for this year's King's Cap Race, which is to be flown from Wolverhampton Airport on June 17th. All these entries art* subject to official accept- ance by the race committee of the Royal Aero Club. In issuing these preliminary details, the Royal Aero Club is gratified to be able to announce that H.R.H. Princess Mar- garet has graciously entered a Hawker Hurricane, which is to be flown by G/C." Peter Townsend. (Last year, it will be remembered, the Princess entered a Miles Whitney Straight, in which Townsend only just failed to qualify for the final.) One of the fastest entries, a Supermarine Spitfire, is to be flown by a wom^n. Miss R. M. Sharpe, who is a test pilot for W. S. Shackleton, Ltd. Two other women pilots, Mrs. M. M. Rendall, PX-A.I.A., and Lady Sherborne, have entered. The iormer will i\\ a Rapide and the latter a Vega Gull. A two-seat Spitfire Trainer is also entered Last year's winner, J. N. Somers, has again entered hisGemini, and the holders of second and third places last year, K. Paine and A. L. Cole, will again be flying their Miles HawkSpeed Six and Comper Swift respectively. There are six twin- engined entries, a D.H. Dove from Tanganyika, a Rapide andfour Geminis. The Miles marque is represented by no fewer than 23 of the 40 entries. The smallest aircraft competingwill be two 85 h.p. Comper Swifts. The race will consist of three laps over a four-sided course,starting and finishing at Wolverhampton. The course is 100 km (slightly over 62 miles) in length and the total distancewill be approximately 186 miles. The course has been fixed at roo km so that any good times set up may be submitted tothe F.A.I, for confirmation as world class records in this closed-circuit distance category. A full list of entries will beissued shortly. AERO GOLFING SOCIETY NEWS THE spring meeting of the Aero Golfing Society was playedat Sunningdale Golf Club, near Ascot, on April 18th, when, in spite of extremely bad weather, there was a goodattendance. The morning competition over 18 holes medal play for the Instone Challenge Cup (presented by the late SirSamuel Instone in 1923) was won by P. Q. Reiss, playing off 8 handicap with a net score of 78, and the runner-up, whowas awarded a Society Tankard, was C. P. M. Hunting with a score of 86 — 7 = 79. There were 26 entries. In the afternoon, with improved weather conditions, thecompetition was iS holes four-ball best ball medal, and resulted in a tie with a score of 70 between J. A. T. Ryde, playingwith C. P. M. Hunting, and C. Boyes, playing with R. R. S. Cook. The former couple were judged the winners with abetter score on the last nine holes and were each awarded a Society Tankard. The first summer meeting of the Aero Golfing Society will beheld at St. George's Hill G.C., near Weybridge, on Tuesday, May 16th, when the principal competition will be that foi theFlight Challenge Cup. It is worthy of mention that the cap- tain of the St. George's Hill Club this year is G/C. P. W. S.("George") Bulman, C.B.E., M.C.. A.F.C.
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