History of Airplanes

This interesting aeroplane, designed and built by the Aeronautical Syndicate, Ltd., in England, was such a departure from other early monoplanes, that it excited a great deal of comment. Many pioneering flights were made on this “All-British” machine, and it speedily took its place among prominent airplanes of the day.

Specifications from “Monoplanes and Biplanes,” by Grover Loening, 1911

The Frame

A very fine quality of Honduras mahogany is used almost exclusively in the framework. The main members of the frame are two very long skids, upon which the rest of the frame is built up. These skids are wide apart, and take the place of a central chassis. The joints of the frame are made of aluminum and are very neat.

The Main Wing

The main plane is made in three sections, the one between the frames and back of the propeller having a similar chord and less incidence than the other sections because of its position in the slip stream of the propeller. The two outer sections of the plane are turned up slightly, giving a dihedral angle effect. The surfaces are made of one layer of an Egyptian cotton fabric stretched tightly over numerous wooden ribs. The plane is braced by cables to the struts and frame of the central section. The spread is 32 feet, the chord 6 1/2 feet, and the surface area 190 square feet.

The Elevators

Out at the front, under the horizontal front fixed keel plane, is the single-surface elevation rudder. This is operated by wires leading to a lever which is moved to and fro, as on the H. Farman biplane. The elevator is 8 feet wide, 2 1/2 feet deep, and 20 square feet in area.

The Direction Rudder

Two identical surfaces at the rear serve as direction rudders. They are controlled by a foot pedal or by the side-to-side motion of the lever, as desired.

Roll Control

Ailerons fixed to the trailing edge of the main surface at either end control the transverse balance. They can be operated by pedals or by the side-to-side motion of the lever, as desired. These ailerons are 5 feet wide and 2 feet deep.

Keel

There is a large horizontal keel placed well out in front, and called the “leading plane,” 14 feet wide and 3 feet deep. It exerts a considerable lift, and is set at a greater incident angle than the main surface, thus employing the principle of the dihedral angle for longitudinal balance. The incident angle of this plane can be altered at will. There is no rear tail.

Propulsion

A 30 horse-power Green engine, placed at the center in front of the main plane, drives direct a 7 1/4 foot propeller at 900 r.p.m. The position of the propeller is a curious one, working as it does in a slot in the framework.

Landing Gear

The landing gear of this machine on the strong and serviceable skids is one of its distinguishing features, and one which has been highly praised. There is little doubt that in rough landings a framework of this kind is about as safe and strong as could be desired. It resembles the old Wright frame in many respects. On each skid at the front, below the seat, is fitted a pair of wheels attached by springs, and at the rear are two smaller wheels. The Seat is very conveniently placed out in front of the motor as regards comfort, but in case of accident this disposition is dangerous. The center of gravity is very far forward, and necessitates a considerable lift on the part of the “leading plane.”

Speed, Weight, Loading and Aspect Ratio

The speed is about 46 miles an hour. The total weight in flight is 670 pounds; 22 1/2 pounds are lifted per horse-power, and 3.5 per square foot of surface. The aspect ratio is 5 to 1. A racing type “B” and a passenger type “C” are also built.