In its wing plan, the Burgess scout seaplane, resembles a sesquiplane, such as the Nieuport, in that the lower wings are so much shorter than the upper that it is almost a monoplane with auxiliary wings. It is also distinguished by the elimination of interplane struts, their place being taken by two flat members, which are practically extensions of the float supports. They are inclined outwardly in line with the latter and have the usual wire bracing in the panels.
Top Speed: 95 m.p.h.
Engine: 100 h.p. Curtiss eight-cylinder
Wingspan: 34 feet 4 inches
Weight: n.a.
Specifications from “Practical Aviation,†by Charles Hayward, 1919
Planes
The span of the upper wing is 34 feet 4 inches, while that of the lower is but 21 feet 6 inches, the chord of both being 3 feet 6 inches and the gap 4 feet. The height of the machine over all is 10 feet and its length 22 feet 3 inches. The upper plan is in four sections and has no dihedral or sweep back, nor are the upper and lower planes staggered. Each of the central sections of the upper plane is 11 feet long and they are joined by a pair of metal plates at the wing spars. Ailerons are attached to the outer, or overhanging, sections, which are 5 feet 10 inches long. Two sections comprise the lower plane, these extending 9 feet 4 inches at either side of the fuselage, which is 30 inches wide at this point. A distance of 8 inches is allowed between the leading edge and forward main spar while the trailing edge is 14 inches from the rear spar. The ribs are spaced but 9 inches.
The interplane struts are K shaped, are built up of spruce are covered with fabric. In forming the strut, one member runs from below the upper rear wing spar to the top of the lower forward spar, while a similar member crosses this from the upper forward to the lower rear spar, thus forming an X. A third member between the upper and ‘lower forward spars transforms the X into a K, the ends being filled in to a curve with balsam wood to produce a streamline effect.
Tail Unit
The horizontal stabilizer is approximately rectangular in form and is constructed on two spars, the rear one of which has a span of 11 feet. Wire braces are run from both the forward and the rear spars to the after end of the vertical fin at its top and also from the forward spar to the tail float below. rout of the vertical fin is built into the curved fuselage top. … small balancing portion is provided on the rudder, the lines of lieh are a continuation of the curve of the vertical fin.
Power Plant
The power plant is a Curtiss eight-cylinder water-cooled motor developing 100 h.p. at 1400 r.p.m., the tank capacity being sufficient for a flight of 2 ½ hours duration. It drives a propeller 7 feet 9 inches in diameter and having a pitch of 5 feet 9 inches, giving the machine a maximum speed of 95 m.p.h. and a landing speed of 50 m.p.h.
Floats
The main floats are 11 feet long by 3 feet wide and have a maximum depth of 17 inches. They are spaced 5 feet 6 inches from center to center, the forward horizontal strut between the floats being spaced 2 feet 2 inches from the bow, and the rear strut, which acts as a shock absorber, 7 feet 2 inches from the bow. From the horizontal transverse spacing member, struts are carried to points just aft of the radiator. The after spacing member is at the lower termination of the V struts, which run from the fuselage, and the lower plane as a continuation of the K-shaped interplane struts. This spacing member is attached to the float by rubber cord with metal guides to allow for the vertical movement of the floats.
The main support for the tail float takes the form of a 26-inch extension of the fuselage termination which is streamlined to a width of 7 ½ inches. A pair of struts 2 feet long is located 15 inches from the bow of the tail float and bracing wires run from their upper ends to the lower end of the rear strut. The dimensions of the tail float are, over-all length 4 feet 6 inches, beam 11 ½ inches, depth 12 inches.