B.E.1 edit
(later R.F.C No 201)
, which consisted of a large fixed stabiliser and elevator and an oval rudder without a fixed fin. The undercarriage...they all have undercarriages, don't they, wheels, two skids, sprung skid on tailpost.
Powered by a 60 h.p. Wolesly engine, the aircraft's only resemblance to the Voisin, fitted with a silencer. This early experiment in stealth technology led to this particular aircraft being sometimes referred to as the "Army Silent Aeroplane". A large radiator was mounted vertically between the front cabane struts. This aircraft first flew on 1 January 1912 at Farnborough piloted by de Havilland.
It was shortly followed by a second nearly identical aircraft, designated the B.E.2, not because it was a new type but because it was the second airframe of "Bleriot" configuration constructed at Farnborough. It differed in having wings of equal span and a 70 hp (52 kW) Renault engine. Makes a public appearance at Brooklands that month. Later become RFC no 202.
A third similar aircraft , powered by a 60 hp E.N.V. and nominally a rebuild of a Howard Wright biplane was produced later that year. This was originally designated B.E.5, but this designation was later re-used for a different type, the aircraft becoming RFC 205 (notable accident) The BE 2a designation first appear on a drawing dated 20 February 1912, these drawing showing an aircraft with unequal-span wings with slight dihedral. The first aircraft delivered had this arrangement but differed from 201 in having a short top decking immediately aft of the engine. Later aircraft added decking between the pilot's and observer's seats. The equal span wings were later standardised, and retrofitted to earlier production aircraft. (a modification of the oil system)
B.E.2b, designed in early 1914 had a revised decking with smaller cockpit openings.
Ophist edit
Used for a wide variety of experimental purposes at Farnborough, and a distinguished service career including the first V.C. awardd to a member of the air services, service in the Daredanelles &c
HW edit
North edit
John Dudley North | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 February 1893 Sydenham, London, United Kingdom |
| Died | 11 January 1968 (aged 74) Bridgenorth, Shropshire, England |
| Nationality | United Kingdom |
| Occupation | Aero-engineer |
| Spouse | Phyllis Margaret |
Early Life edit
John Dudley North, (1893–1968) was born at 18 Kinver Road North, Peak Hill, Sydenham, on 2 January 1893, the only child of Dudley North, a solicitor, and his wife, Marian Felgate. He was educated at Bedford School After leaving school he became an apprentice in marine engineering.
Aviation career edit
North's career in aviation began when he won two competitions in The Aeroplane. Charles Grey, the editor, arranged for his his apprenticeship to transferred to Horatio Barber's Aeronautical Syndicate at Hendon. When Barber wound up the Aeronautical Syndicate he joined Grahame-White Aviation, also at Hendon, being appointed chief engineer at the age of nineteen. Between 1912 and 1915 he designed a number of aircraft for Grahame-White, including the Grahame-White Charabanc and the Grahame-White Type XI
In 1915 North left Grahame-White and joined the Austin Motor Company to oversee the aircraft production being undertaken by the company.
At the end of 1917 North joined Boulton and Paul as chief designer to their newly founded aicraft design department. Boulton Paul had been producing aircrft under lcense and had decided to start a their own design department, and North was put in charge.
The first machine North designed for Bouton Paul was the Bobolink,
In 1917 he moved to [[Boulton Paul]as chief designer of who had decided to start designing their own aircraft
No. 3 Baby edit
completed in May 1909
non rigid, envelope of goldbeaters skin initially powered by two three-cylinder 8 hp Buchet engines driving a single 6 ft (1.82 m) propellor: tisengine latr being replaced by a 30 hp R.E.P. radial engine driving two propellers
length 84 ft Dia 24 ft 8 in Capacity 21,000 ft³ max speed 20 mph
Châssis porteur. — The undercarriage is one of themost remarkable features of the aircraft. Il comporte trois roués:A l'avant, a small steerable wheel de 50 centimètres de diamètre, munie d'un pneu de grosse section ; linked to the rudder control, elle permet de diriger aisément l'appareil lorsqu'il roule sur le sol, au départ ou à l'atterrissage. Lorsque l'aéroplane se reçoit sur l'avant, le choc est amorti par des ressortù logés dans les tubes qui relient cette roue au fuselage.
Slightly arriere of the centre of gravity, there are two other pneumatiques de 70 centimètres de diamètre, réunies par un essieu et dont la, voie est de 2 m. 10. Cette largeur de voie donne une excellente assiette à l'appareil, au moment de l'essor. Ces roues sont reliées au fuselage par une suspension amortisseuse brevetée, with oleo-pneumatic brakes, described and illustrated in l'Aerophile of 15 april 1909, p. 177.
Groupe moto-propulseur. — Le moteur du Louis- Breguet lll est un Gnome de 50 CV., tournant à 1.200 tours par minute. Il actionne, par engrenages démultiplicateurs, une hélice tractive qui ne tourne qu'à 600 tours. because of the slow speed of rotation vitesse de rotation, cette hélice, à pales souples en aluminium, a un diamètre de 2 m. 85 et son pas moyen est de 2 m. 90.