Empire Aircraft

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 174, 26 July 1938, Page 4

Empire Aircraft

FINE NEW LANDPLANES LONDON, June 25. Tho Ensign, first of a fleet of 21-ton landplane air-liners ordered by Imperial Airways for European and Empire routes, has completed at Martlesham Heath—landplane experimental station of tho Royal Air Force —the severe and exhaustive official tests that govern the issue of a certificate of airworthiness for a new typo of aeroplane. The Egeria, second aircraft of the same class, is in the hands of the engineers for final adjustments. The two new air-liners are scheduled to go into service shortly. They will be succeeded by 12 similar craft, to complete a contract worth approximately £750,000 for 14 of these high-wing monoplanes, the largest landplane airliners yet to be commissioned. The Ensign contract is one of contracts for aeroplanes of an aggregate value of £3,500,000, which have been placed by Imperial Airways since the beginning of 1935. These orders concern, in addition to 14 Ensigns, 31 Short Empire (or “C” Class) flying-boats; eight Empire flying-boats modified to carry extra load and intend ,d for long trans-ocean passages; three much larger flying-boats provisionally styled the “C” Class development type; the Short-Mayo “composite aircraft”; three de Havilland Albatross monoplanes; and seven Diana (D.H.86) biplanes. Luxurious Accommodation The Ensign was designed and built by Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth Aircraft, Limited. It is mad- entirely of metal except for the fabric covering of relatively unstressed portions of the wings. The cantilever wings, which measure 123 feet from tip to tip, are metal-covered as far back as the single main spar and the streamlined fuselage is a monocoque metal stressed-skin shell. Split trailing-edge flaps, extending between ailerons (lateral controls) and fuselage, reduce the landing-speed and aid take-off. Four Armstrong Siddeley Tiger air-cooled radial engines aggregating more than 3600 h.p. provide power. They drive metal three-bladed controllable-pitch airscrews. The spacious fuselage holds three roomy cabins and a promenade, from the windows of -which pasasengers may watch tho changing scene below. Seating is available for 40 passengers in the European craft. The Ensigns attached to the Empire services, which must allocate more space to mail load, will seat 27 and provide sleeping accommodation for 20. The crew numbers five —captain, first officer, radio operator, flight clerk and steward. Immense Landing Wheels The cruising speed is 165-170 miles an hour and tho maximum speed in tho neighbourhood of 200 miles. The “ceiling” fully loaded to nearly 21 toils is approximately 20,000 ft. The take-off in

still air is achieved in only 20 seconds. I The normal range in still air is about 800 miles. j Immense landing wheels, each 6ift lin diameter, are used in the retractile undercarriage, which is the largest yet ; built. Tho interior decoration and ! furniture appointments of the air liner , are planned on luxury lines. Speci.il attention has gone to the elimination of noise from the passenger quarters. Furthermore, the high-wing nonoplane design gives passengers an uninter- | rupted downward view, a detail much favoured by experienced air travellers. Airways of India j Eight Ensigns are destined for use .on the Indian route. The annual load |of mails to be transported from India is estimated at 211 tons, which represents approximately four-fifths of a ton by each scheduled air service. Greatly reduced air mail carriage costs to the Indian Exchequer are expected from the commissioning of the new craft and the reorganised services. An important rearranges jnt of the Indian internal routes is planned. Indian Transcontinental Airways will cease to operate between Karachi and Singapore. The company's operations will be transferred to the England-Cal cutta services, of which they will operate half in conjunction with Imperial Airways. For this purpose Indian Trans-continental Airways will buy four Ensigris. The company’s capital will be trebled. The new air liners will increase fourfold the working capacity of the Indian Transcontinental Airways fleet—from 750,000 ton-miles to 3,000,000 ton-mile.-a yAar.