FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1954
1954 - 0168.PDF
82 FLIGHT CORRESPONDENCE The Editor of "Flight" does not hold himself responsible for the views expressed by correspondents in these columns; the names and addresses of the writers, not necessarily for publication, must in all cases accompany letters. Stressed-skin Pioneering IN the article "The First Fifty Years" in your issue of December 11th, the claim is again made that die Short Silver Streak of 1919 was the first to have a stressed-skin fuselage. Whilst not wishing to decry Mr. Oswald Short's pioneering work in this field, I would venture to point out that load-carrying metal skins were introduced by Dornier as early as 1917. The Dornier Csl of diat year was a two-seater, braced-low- wing, twin-float seaplane. This had a metal-skinned fuselage of rectangular section with large corner radii. Although probably inefficient by modern standards, it was in fact a pure monocoque, as no longitudinal members were used. In the following year, 1918, Dornier produced the D.l, a single- seat fighter biplane. This remarkable aircraft not only had a metal fuselage, but also stressed-skin cantilever wings! I have seen this aircraft myself in the Dornier Museum at Friedrichshafen and was very impressed by the clean lines and apparent stiffness of the structure. Some confusion may exist over die precise definition of die term "stressed skin." In general this implies that bending end- loads, torsion and direct shear are carried by the skin, or skin/ stringer combination. I do not know the structural details of the Silver Streak, but the above Dornrer products may certainly be considered to have utilized stressed skin. There may have been earlier examples of this method of con struction; could it be that die Junkers J.l of 1915, which you mention as being of welded steel sheet, was one of them? Totternhoe, Beds. LYNDON G. MCFARLANE. [We submitted a copy of the above letter to Mr. Oswald Short, who comments as follows—ED.] "I was unaware that Dornier had made the metal box-like fuselage described by your correspondent. Although such a structure could properly be termed 'a stressed-skin structure', it did not inspire the design and construction of the Silver Streak, nor did it add anything to the advancement of aircraft construction. "On the other hand, die Silver Streak introduced a new system of aircraft construction by which perfect streamlined forms could be made in the outer skin itself. Also, the greater mass of the metal was placed at the greatest distance from the longitudinal axis where, because of its circular form (in section), it would provide the strongest form, to with stand bending and torsional pressures, for a given weight of structure. "Junkers, the German aircraft designer, followed my system of con struction. When starting in January 1927, he built the Ju86. Dornier, who' visited our works at Rochester and saw the Singapore I flying-boat, afterwards said to Mr. Robert Blackburn: 'We thought we knew all about metal aircraft construction in Germany, but I have learned some thing in England.' The German writer on aeronautics, Von C. Walther Vogelfang, wrote in his book, Das Wunder der Gross und Riesenflugzeuge: 'The Silver Streak marked an epoch in aircraft construction.'" Referred to in the letter from Mr. Lyndon G. McFarlane on this page are the Dornier Dl single-seat fighter, the Domier Cs1 two-seat floatplane and (right) the metal fuselage structure of the Csl. Mr. Shenstone's Paper T HIS meeting of shop stewards and panel representatives, covering all grades employed by B.E.A.C. Engineering Base at London Airport, having studied the paper which Mr. Shen- stone read to the Institute of Production Engineers on December 19th, fully supports the constructive criticism made by him. We deplore the fact that, in order to create sensational news, the Press has distorted the issues raised by Mr. Shenstone, and has shown a complete disregard for the future of Britain's exports of civil aircraft. We would appreciate the same degree of publicity being given to our support of our chief engineer as the attacks on Mr. Shen stone received. London Airport. ALL PANEL SECRETARIES. [The above letter is signed by the secretaries of the following local panels and/or committees: Joint Panel; Maintenance and Repair Engineering; Supervisory, Engineering and Technical; Draughtsmens', Planners' and Tracers'; Radio (Industrial); Clerical.—Ed.] THERE is a lot to be said both for and against outspoken criticism, and to live in a country where criticism is for bidden must be intolerable. But there is one .unfortunate thing (obviously overlooked by most newspaper reporters) to be remembered in this connection, and as a frequent traveller abroad I would like to draw your readers' attention to it. Foreigners do not always read criticism in the context or spirit in which it is written or spoken. This may be due to the language difference, or in the case of English-speaking foreigners, it may also be intentional. So what? you may ask. Well, almost anyone in the export trade will answer that one. Our rivals in business in a market which is getting more competitive each week are certainly not slow to seize on and use to their own advantage any titbit of adverse criticism of British products, especially if it comes from a qualified man speaking about the goods made in his own country. Once upon a time this might have been considered unethical, but today it is apparently accepted as good salesmanship. I would be the last to suggest substituting cut-throatery for our traditional methods, which on the whole are respected overseas, but so many companies and representatives lack enterprise, are pitifully slow to take action, and are afraid to spend a pound abroad to make a hundred. It would be a start if some export departments could just sound more enthusiastic. But the most important things are still the quality, price and delivery dates of the product. Condition and appearance at the time of delivery also count for a lot. I have a private bet with myself as to which country I shall be in when I first hear that it is quite the practice in British aircraft factories to drag the units across the hangar floor before they are assembled. And now please excuse me while I speak to a designer friend who has just come into the Club. I have a word of constructive criticism to whisper in his ear. London, W.l. G. SAUNDERS. IN BRIEF A reader in Holland, Mr. B. C. F. Klein, c/o W. Lorestraat 17g, Leeuwarden, is endeavouring to obtain three-view scale drawings of the Douglas XB-42 Mixmaster and XB-43 Jetmaster and Chance-Vought XF5U-1 "Flying Flapjack"; he wonders if any readers in Britain, America, or elsewhere can assist.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
