THE AUCKLAND AEROPLANE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12712, 24 March 1911, Page 3

THE AUCKLAND AEROPLANE.

AN INTERESTING DESCRIPTION

Following is a description of the Auckland aeroplane Manurewa., which was given a trial flight on W rednesday: The machine is a bi-plane of the Farmun tyi>e, with a monoplanei tail, the length overall from the front el«----vator.to the rear elevator being 36ft. Gin., und the width of the machine, from tip to tip of the planes, 36ft. The' planes are superposed, the distance between being 6ft., and the width from the front tqt the rear of the planes 6ft. ,6in. The front portion of the lower plane is sft 6in from tho ground, the front elevator is 9ft long by 3ft wide, the measurements of the tail plane being 12ft long by 4ft wide, and tho tail elevator 12ft long by 18in Avide. The planes are covered with a 'fip-eeial fabric, the ribs being sewn into pockets. The timber used in the construction is principally Honduras ma- ' hogany, a woacl remarkable for its ■, i-trength in. comparison -to weight, and'1 the skids upon wlu'ch the structure is built are of ash. Magixalium sockets hold the various struts or distance pieces in position, and the machine as braced throughout with a'special high tension manganese* steel wire, some of which stands a breaking strain of over a ton. Every wire has a wire-strainer connected to it, iso that adjustments can bo made readily, and the tension lvgulatnd according* to the strains, to which they are subjected. The various controlling wires .are of a special flexible steel ware, and they are kd through copper tubes in various parts of the machine, to keep them away trom the mechanism. The powea- plant is situated iii the centre section of the machine, and is most compactly arranged. The/ engine, which ,is attached almost directly behind the pilot's seat, is a 60-80-h.p. E.N".V. aerial engine of eight cylinders, its weight being 2871b5, complete, and it drives an Bft 3in wooden propelkr, of 6ft pitch, at a maximum number of 1250 revolutions per minute. At "900 revolutions the machine will fly, thus allowing a considerable reserve power. The various control leveffs are carried forward to a control board fixed on the left-hand side of tlie -pilot, within easy reach. The radiators, which serve the' purpose of cookng the engine, are attached on ether side of it, and the fuel and lubricating oil tahks are suspended above. The controlling l-ever, which' operates both elevators and the balancers '(which are attached at the extreme edges of both top and bottom planes) is placed on the right-hand sida of the pilot's ?m at ' -wn' :Clll '*» in front of the engine. Jlie forward movement of this lever depraves th& front elevator, thus causing the tail to rise, and a revere© movement of-tho lever causes the front ot the machine to rise. It is these movements that regulate the longitudinal stability of the machine- when in flight, and lateral stability is secured by a mov^rvvent o f the same lever from right to loft, or vice versa. The steering of the machine is effected by means of a foot Jeter,' which is carried on an extension of the framework can-vine* the '.pilot* .seat. This lever oparatel two rudder^; ono attached above and the other b|low the tail plane. The machine wil} arise after proceeding a distance of 25 yards on the ground, and the flying speed can be. controlled w.thm frpm,3o to 50 mil, es per hour m still air. The machine, in starting runs on four rubber-tyred wheels, which £<ro smpended from1 Mit> ash skxls by means «f sjjeaial mbbor shock absorb- +»«, Upon "gaming sufficient momen- ' turn the front elevator is depressed,!the tail immediately rises, .and upon t!i« ii;ont elevator being altered tea posit tion sJightJy. above the level, the ma- ' fhjne slowly; rises.,. tJ ]Mm alighting the rubber sprijss take the initial shock which is thAr transferred to the skids if too great for the* springs. " THE MANUFACTUKE. iiio machine has been constructed for the syn&cate entirely in Auckland froi V ?' H IG ra^ ma^r,ials imported , Wf J?"? landr ]Vlessrs Walsh were I assisted m the conatrnction work by Messrs Vernon J Roberts, E. Trevor Hill, and R. Stock, all New Zealandf«,.res!dent in Auckland, and a veiv intracate and creditable pic^e of ™- chenapm has been turned out, wlidi reflects great credit on the bin' den" An eiToneoti* impression has gainel eve clcnco that the machine w«w° i££>rtod m?x«, but this is-entirely wrong the1 timbevr having been landed in iS %£ fi + i a"t' eve!T Portion of it turned Th^wo arf assei»bk>d V the, b.u£;i iho Mork was of great magnitude, ana cj Rowing tins the fitting and sew.ing Mimh thrcughoiit is excellent, and Sesfgar been paid {« t]THE SYXDICATE'S INTENTION. Uie lvtCTition of the syndicate is to dsinonstrate th«t modern flyina; ma-: chines cant be built in Now Zealand, by New ZeaLindeivs, and can success^ fully compete with these built in any part of i4ie world.. Exhibitions ot flight will be given in the different centres by this machine to demonstrate this, and then orders will be taken for tho consttuction of this, or any tyne of aeroplane The selling p r i Cc of ma<iiiii'js of thus particular type is £1500 •witli frco -timtion, and it is the intention of the syndicate to open a ndn" school shortly f<t the purprse of teach'! ing aviation in all its branches. I flic syndicate have bad an anxious time to- & m their present swrcess. Abmirt t»vo months ago the machine was complete, and was then taken out for o trwl inn on tho grounds-at the race- | course, to test the mechanism. After ?tf an. boi'r 1 s rol]i»ff it was decided- to ' attempt n short flight, which was ac- ; «j>mplish.c<i .satisfactorily. or three short flights were indulged in ana on one occasion a haght of 40ft' was reached. Owng to the small area ot tne ground jn whidx the practi.>in 2 th* machme took placa, a collision ot | ■uncd w.th a tence, when the machine was running to a standstill. A slight broejk was cavised to the lower plane I and this was promptly rebuilt. Beinc ! agani complete further rolling practice was mdukred in m a bijrger ground, the sivrlaco of which was very rou<rh and during ono trial, while 'traveling a t a-speed of 2o miles, ono of the skida cauglit m a mound of earth, and tho machine was thrown on ifc head civ? vg «"i fllmc st Col»Plet3 wreck.' Mr V. \\ aish was in the pjlot'a teat, and A^i WaS, thro""" , clear, bering unhurt. Although somewhat discouraged, tho builders; set to work again, and with great difficulty formed new timber, find managed to rebuild the whole machine '