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Aviation History
1963
1963 - 2237.PDF
1036 FLIGHT International, 26 December 1963 LETTERS... Three sketches accompanying Dr Jamison's article clearly disclosed the selection of the Burnelli lifting-body principle as being most desirable. Other scientists of great stature have more recently confirmed the superiority of the Burnelli configuration for supersonic application as well as subsonic. Considering the unsatisfactory safety and economic records of current conventional designs and the positive proof of lifting-body superiority, it is incredible that the design staffs of government-subsidized aircraft manufac turers on both sides of the Atlantic persist in pursuing the orthodox. It is my opinion that these designers and manu facturers have long since settled themselves in the proverbial rut and until they are jarred out of their lethargy the air transport industry will stagnate at its present unsatisfactory level. New York 17, NY CHALMERS H. GOODLIN, President, Burnelli Avionics Corp Historians and Pioneers SIR,—Words nearly failed me when confronted by Harald Penrose's letter (December 5 issue); but here goes:— (1) When I told him there was overwhelming evidence of the Wrights having directly inspired the European revival, it is a pity he did not bother to ask me for it before plunging in with all this quite irrelevant stuff about Chanute, Maxim (whose machine influenced no one, and which incidentally had elevators fore and aft), etc. The entire revival stemmed directly from Ferber and Archdeacon, followed by Esnault- Pelterie, who deliberately and admittedly copied the Wright's configuration and controls, and deliberately set out to emulate them when the rest of Europe was asleep. It is quite absurd to challenge what can so easily be shown from a set of photos and the contemporary documents. (2) No one except Harald has ever before come up with his second absurdity in suggesting that the Wright 1903 Flyer touched the ground (and even scored a long groove) on its 59sec flight. It did nothing of the kind, and only broke its front elevator on landing. (3) Harald's third, and even less excusable absurdity is to misquote and make nonsense of my statement about sustentation. I said in my letter ". . . then ability to be controlled," not "than." The late Director of the RAE agreed (see my book) that the obvious order of merit was sustentation, then controllability. This was equally obvious to the early birds themselves. (If only you would do some work, Harald, and read what they said, and of what they did; or at least take my word for it as one who has spent years sifting the evidence about these far-off affairs.) A Early European experiments mentioned by Mr Charles Gibbs- Smith in a letter on this page: top, Ferber Wright-type glider of 1902; centre. Archdeacon Wright-type glider of 1904; bottom, Esnault-Pelterie's second Wright-type glider with the front elevator exchanged for elevons, 1904 (4) Harald cannot wriggle out of responsibility for giving a clear impression that he doubts the veracity of the Wrights: he has just this instant done it again—and worse than ever— in deliberately throwing doubt on the 59sec flight when he must know of Orville's detailed, lucid, and never-contested statement on the subject. By introducing such a suggestion at all he is clearly implying that Orville was a liar. If anyone really wants the real evidence on these early matters, he need only come and see me—no fee for consul tation! London Wl CHARLES H. GIBBS-SMITH Aeroplanorama — Schiphol Airport's museum, subject of Mr Moroney's letter on the facing page. Among the exhibits can be seen a Tiger Moth, Cierva C.30 Autogiro and Spitfire. The biplane in the foreground is a Fokker C.V-D and the uncovered fuselage is that of a Fokker S.4 trainer. Looming over all is a Fokker F.VIIA transport, which made its last flight only about three years ago. Under its starboard wing is a Fokker Spin (Spider), the Dutch pioneer's first design. Also in the centre enclosure are a Wright Flyer and a Lilienthal-type glider. In one far corner is a cabin section mock-up of a Lockheed Electro II, contemporary equipment with KLM. From the ceiling is suspended a free balloon. On the wall is on impression of a naval battle on the Haarlemmermeer, watery cockpit of many Spanish-Dutch con flicts, on the drained site of which Schiphol Airport and several villages now stand
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