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Страна: Великобритания

Год: 1916

J.Bruce British Aeroplanes 1914-1918 (Putnam)

London and Provincial School Biplane Type No. 4

  THE London and Provincial Aviation Co. operated a flying school at Hendon aerodrome from 1914 onwards. The company built some training machines of the Caudron type for use at their school.
  In 1916, A. A. Fletcher left the Martinsyde concern to join the London and Provincial company, and he designed two trainer aircraft for his new firm. The first of these was a small and thoroughly conventional little two-bay biplane, powered by a 50 h.p. Gnome rotary engine, and known as the London and Provincial Type No. 4.
  The London and Provincial concern later moved to their own aerodrome at Edgware, and it was there that the machine was flown.
  After the Armistice, the London and Provincial company tried to market the little Gnome-powered biplane as a cheap aeroplane powered by an engine which was easily obtainable. Unfortunately, the Gnome’s lack of dual ignition led to the A.I.D.’s refusal to approve the aircraft, and production could not be undertaken.


SPECIFICATION
  Manufacturers: The London and Provincial Aviation Co., Edgware, London, N.
  Power: 50 h.p. Gnome.
  Dimensions: Span: 32 ft 6 in. Length: 25 ft 3 in. Height: 8 ft gin. Chord: 4 ft 74 in. Gap: 5 ft. Span of tail: 10 ft 6 in. Airscrew diameter: 7 ft.
  Areas: .Wings: 280 sq ft. Ailerons: each 10 sq ft, total 40 sq ft. Tailplane: 24-75 sq ft. Elevators: 16-25 sq ft. Fin: 3 sq ft. Rudder: 6 sq ft.
  Weights: Empty: 655 lb. Loaded: 1,070 lb.
  Performance: Maximum speed at ground level: 60 m.p.h. Climb to 5,000 ft: 20 min. Endurance: 11 1/2 hours.
  Tankage: Petrol: 8 gallons. Oil: 4 gallons.



London and Provincial School Biplane

  DEVELOPED from the Gnome-powered London and Provincial Type No. 4 was the larger two-seater with the 80 h.p. Anzani radial engine: it appeared in the middle of 1916. The later machine displayed several characteristics which combined to produce a certain likeness to Fletcher’s earlier design, the Martinsyde Elephant.
  In construction, the Anzani-powered London and Provincial biplane was typical of its period. The fuselage was basically of rectangular section with ash longerons; the forward portion had diagonal spruce struts for bracing and was covered with ash plywood, and the rear portion was cross-braced by wire in conventional fashion. A rounded top-decking was fitted.
  The equal-span wings were also of wooden construction and had sharply-raked tips: ailerons were fitted to upper and lower mainplanes. The tail surfaces were of generous area and conventional construction. The undercarriage was a simple vee structure consisting of two faired steel tube vees connected by two steel tube spreader-bars between which the axle lay. The wheel track was unusually wide, presumably to ensure ground stability in an aeroplane intended for use as a trainer.
  The type was built in small numbers by the London and Provincial Aviation Co. for use at their own school, and the machine proved to have good flying qualities. It was quite manoeuvrable, and in the hands of G. Smiles set up a number of looping records at Hendon in 1916.
  For experimental purposes, one of the London and Provincial machines was flown with a set of S.E.5 mainplanes strapped to the underside of its own lower wings. Presumably this was done to test the feasibility of transporting spares in this way; it is recorded that the London and Provincial biplane flew satisfactorily with its unusual load.
  Later, the type was used in parachute experiments, and many jumps were made with “Guardian Angel” Parachutes. On July 10th, 1918, W. L. Wade, wearing one of these parachutes, made a live drop from an L. and P. Anzani biplane flying at 400 feet. The aeroplane was flown by Captain R. Payze, R.A.F.
  Five London and Provincial biplanes came on to the British Civil Register after the Armistice. The machine which became G-EAQW was fitted with a 100 h.p. Anzani instead of the original 80 h.p. engine.


SPECIFICATION
  Manufacturers: The London and Provincial Aviation Co., Edgware, London, N.
  Power: 80 h.p. Anzani; 100 h.p. Anzani.
  Dimensions: Span: 37 ft. Length: 25 ft. Chord: 5 ft. Gap: 5 ft. Dihedral: 1° 30'. Span of tail: 12 ft 10 in. Wheel track: 7 ft. Airscrew diameter: 8 ft.
  Areas: Wings: 350 sq ft. Ailerons: each 14 sq ft, total 56 sq ft. Tailplane: 36 sq ft. Elevators: 19 sq ft. Fin: 6 sq ft. Rudder: 9 sq ft.
  Weights (with 80 h.p. Anzani): Loaded: 1,400 lb.
  Performance: Endurance: 3 hours.

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Описание:

  • J.Bruce British Aeroplanes 1914-1918 (Putnam)
  • A.Jackson British Civil Aircraft since 1919 vol.3 (Putnam)
  • Журнал Flight