
Описание
Страна: Великобритания
Год: 1917
J.Bruce British Aeroplanes 1914-1918 (Putnam)
Sage Types 4a, 4b, 4c
IN the summer of 1917 there appeared the Sage Type 4a, a two-seat float seaplane designed for patrol duties. The airframe differed very little from that of the Sage 3, and many components were identical.
The engine of the seaplane was the 150 h.p. Hispano-Suiza, which was fitted with twin stack-type exhausts; and single control only was provided in the forward cockpit.
The observer occupied the rear cockpit, in which a wireless installation was fitted. The floor of the rear cockpit was constructed to slide and give the observer a clear view directly downwards. The view from both cockpits was very good. The Sage 4a made its first flight on July 3rd, 1917, and underwent official trials some time later. It was not accepted as a patrol seaplane, but was recommended for adoption as a training aircraft.
A considerable amount of re-designing had to be done to convert the machine into a trainer. Dual control was fitted, and the engine mounting was modified in order to take a variety of engines of 200 h.p. The trainer version of the design was re-designated Sage Type 4b, but the modifications occupied ten months and it did not fly until May 17th, 1918.
When the Sage 4b appeared, it was powered by a 200 h.p. Sunbeam Arab engine driving a four-bladed airscrew. In appearance it was conventional but considerably cleaner than most contemporary British seaplanes. Its basic structure consisted of the usual wire-braced wooden framework, but the machine was characterised by excellent detail design. The undercarriage consisted of two main floats of pontoon type, and a small tail-float which was fitted with a water rudder.
The Sage 4b underwent its official trials at the Isle of Grain.
A few months later, Sages produced a folding-wing version of the type under the designation Sage Type 4c. This was an almost completely new design, but looked very similar to the Sage 4b. It was a new aeroplane, bearing the serial number N.117.
The chief structural modification in the Sage 4c was the fitting of folding wings; but the wings themselves were new, and were of increased span and chord. Additional interplane struts were fitted at the inboard ends of the mainplanes in order to preserve the truss with the wings folded. The tail-unit was redesigned, as the areas quoted in the dimensional tables show, but the only noticeable change was the straight leading edge on the tailplane: all previous Sage types had had slight sweep-back on the tailplane leading edge.
The Sage 4c was fitted with a 200 h.p. Hispano-Suiza engine, driving a two-bladed airscrew. The main floats were somewhat larger than those of the Sage 4b. Further refinements in detail design were incorporated in the Sage 4c, and it would have been easy to produce and maintain. Provision was made for the fitting of a wheel undercarriage if necessary.
The Sage 4c first flew on October 12th, 1918, and underwent its official trials on October 25th. In the air it handled well. It was stable about all axes, yet was so manoeuvrable that normal aerobatics were within its capabilities. In November, 1918, the Sage 4c was used to test the application of the Gosport system of flying instruction to seaplanes.
Both the Sage 4b and 4c had been adopted as standard British training seaplanes for 1919, but the Armistice was signed before contracts could be placed, and no production was undertaken.
SPECIFICATION
Manufacturers: Frederick Sage & Co., Ltd., Peterborough.
Power: Sage 4a: 150 h.p. Hispano-Suiza. Sage 4b: 200 h.p. Sunbeam Arab. Sage 4c: 200 h.p. Hispano-Suiza.
Dimensions:
Aircraft Sage 4a Sage 4b Sage 4c
Span 34 ft 6 in. 34 ft 6 in. 39 ft 7J in.
Length 32 ft 6 in. 34 ft 37 ft 6 in.
Height 11 ft 3 in. - 11 ft 7 in.
Chord 4 ft 9 in. 4 ft 9 in. 5 ft 3 in.
Gap 5 ft 5 ft 3 in. 5 ft 3 in.
Stagger 11-8 in. 1 ft 2-7 in. 1 ft 4-7 in.
Dihedral 2° 30' 2° 30' 3°
Incidence: Upper 3° 3° 3° 10'
Lower 5° 5° 3° 10'
Span of tail 11 ft 4 in. - 11 ft
Airscrew diameter 9 ft - 9 ft
Areas (in sq ft):
Wings 330 330 386
Ailerons: Each 18 18 21
Total 72 72 84
Tailplane 26 26 24-4
Elevators 24 24 21-2
Fin 4 5 5-5
Rudder 10 9 8
Weights (lb) and Performance:
Aircraft Sage 4a Sage 4b Sage 4c
No. of Trial Report - - N.M.237
Date of Trial Report - - October 25th, 1918
Type of airscrew used on trial - - A.B.7202
Weight empty 1,620 - 2,215
Military load - - Nil
Crew - - 360
Fuel and oil - - 300
Weight loaded 2,662 2,709 2,875
Maximum speed (m.p.h.) at
sea level 83-5 95-5 -
3,000 ft - - 97-2
6,500 ft - - 96-6
10,000 ft 79 85-1 93-7
13,000 ft - - 83-1
m. s. m. s. m. s.
Climb to
1,000 ft - - - - 1 30
2,000 ft - - - - 3 00
3,000 ft - - - - 4 30
4,000 ft - - - - 6 00
5,000 ft 12 00 - - 8 00
6,000 ft - - - - 10 00
7,000 ft - - - - 12 15
8,000 ft - - - - 15 00
9,000 ft - - - - 17 50
10,000 ft 32 00 25 00 21 20
I 1,000 ft - - - - 25 30
12,000 ft - - - - 30 15
13,000 ft - - - - 36 50
Ceiling (feet): service - - 13,700
absolute 12,600 14,400 15,800
Endurance (hours) 4 2 1/2 2 1/2
Tankage: Petrol: Sage 4a, 48 gallons: Sage 4b and 4c, 35 1/2 gallons. Oil: Sage 4a, 6 gallons; Sage 4b and 4c, 4 1/2 gallons.
Service Use: No Sage seaplane saw operational service. The Sage 4b and 4c were tested at the Isle of Grain.
Production: One Sage 4a was built and later converted to the Sage 4b. One Sage 4c was built.
Serial Numbers: N. 116: Sage 4a, later 4b. N.117: Sage 4c.
Описание:
- J.Bruce British Aeroplanes 1914-1918 (Putnam)
- H.King Armament of British Aircraft (Putnam)
- Jane's All The World Aircraft 1919
- Журнал Flight
Фотографии
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C.Owers - British Aircraft of WWI. Vol.7: Experimental Fighters Part 3 /Centennial Perspective/ (81)
Sage Type 4a trainer No. N116 on the occasion of its first flight on 17 May 1918. Delivered as a Type 4 to the Isle of Grain by rail in June 1917, it was powered by a 150-hp Hispano-Suiza engine. Wrecked on 24 July 1917, it was reconstructed with a Sunbeam Arab as the Type 4a. It went to Calshot as a reserve aircraft and survived until around June 1919.
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J.Bruce - British Aeroplanes 1914-1918 /Putnam/
Sage Type 4b.
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J.Bruce - British Aeroplanes 1914-1918 /Putnam/
Sage Type 4c. The Sage 4c with wings extended.
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J.Bruce - British Aeroplanes 1914-1918 /Putnam/
THE SAGE TYPE 4c SEAPLANE: This machine is very similar to the Type 4b , except that it has folding wings.
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Журнал - Flight за 1919 г.
Side and front elevations of the Sage machines.
Другие самолёты на фотографии: Sage No.1 - Великобритания - 1916Sage No.2 Scout - Великобритания - 1916Sage No.3 Training Biplane - Великобритания - 1916
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Журнал - Flight за 1919 г.
Plan views of the Sage machines.
Другие самолёты на фотографии: Sage No.1 - Великобритания - 1916Sage No.2 Scout - Великобритания - 1916Sage No.3 Training Biplane - Великобритания - 1916