ROBOT AIRCRAFT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23896, 25 August 1939, Page 6

ROBOT AIRCRAFT

FOR GUNNERY PRACTICE (From Our Own Correspondent) LONDON. July 27. Radio-controlled, pilotless, target aircraft, simulating enemy bombers and moving at faster speeds than hitherto have been attainable by such aircraft,, are to be provided for naval gunnery practice using “ live ” ammunition. ' . . The 14,000-ton aircraft earner Argus, unique among naval craft in providing a floating home for “ robot ” aeroplanes, is to be equipped in due course with Queen Wasp biplanes which are now in production at the Airspeed factories, Portsmouth. Superhuman hands, in the form of remote radio apparatus transmitting signals to which the aircraft responds, steer the Queen Wasp through the sky. Thus are the gunners presented with a real-life target, to hit if they can; up to the present using slower target in the shape of De Havilland Queen Bee light biplanes, the balance has swung heavily in favour of the aircraft escaping the gunfire untouched .... The basic characteristics of a moscope rotating at speed are used to control the robot plane, checking it should it tend to wander from the course commanded by the remote radio operator. Installed in the pilots cockpit the gyro sco P e ’ s is Pivoted freely on gimbals in a frame. When spinning, the wheel tends to maintain stability even if the “frame (that is, the aircraft) is moved or rotated. Hence, relative movement is set up between the wheel and the aircraft which encloses it, and this movement is used to govern an automatic pilot apparatus, known as “ George ” throughout all flying circles. The automatic apparatus operates two piston valves, the pistons of which are connected to the gyroscope rings and the cylinders are attached to the aircraft members. If the aeroplane begins to stray from the course set by the remote radio operator, the gyroscope brings 'the pistons into play to operate rudder and elevator as required to correct the movement. When it is under radio control, ailerons of the Queen Wasp are locked fast. Clean overall lines of the Queen Wasp enable best use to be made of the power supplied by the Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah IX 350 h.p. radial aircooled engine. Catapult launching attachments are provided for “robot” take-offs. Wings are arranged to fold to occupy the smallest possible space in the limited hangar space of an aircraft carrier. Slotted flaps to the upper wings assist alighting and take-off and, incidentally, improve control when the aircraft is being taxied by radio control on sea or ground. Performance may not be revealed; the Queen Wasp, however, is known to be much faster than the Queen Bee and to reach a higher “ ceiling.”