G.Swanborough, P.Bowers United States Navy Aircraft Since 1911 (Putnam)

BURGESS L

The Burgess Company, sometimes called Burgess & Curtis because of the prominence of Greely S. Curtis (no relation to Glenn L.) in its affairs and also called Burgess-Wright because of its manufacture of aircraft under the Wright's patents, produced several training designs for the Navy before becoming a Division of Curtiss Aeroplane & Motor Company in 1917. These included six Model S seaplanes (A70-A75), two HT-B (A155, A156), six HT-2 (A374-A379) and six U-2 (A380-A385). The 125 hp Hall-Scott powered Model S illustrated was number AH-25 before being reserialled A70.

Jane's All The World Aircraft 1919

Type S is a twin-float tractor seaplane.
Type U is a central-float tractor seaplane.
  
Model Navy School Tractor. Tractor Hydro.
Type S. U.
Length 30' 30'6''
Span 46'6'' 46'
Useful load, lbs. 750 640
Motor, h.p. 125 100 Curtiss Oxx2
Fuel capacity 4 hours 4 hours
Speed, Max 73 70
Speed, Min 41 40
Seating capacity 2 2

Журнал Flight

Flight, January 18, 1917.

THE BURGESS TYPE "U" SEAPLANE.

   A TYPE "U" Burgess tractor seaplane was recently delivered to the Massachusetts Militia, and underwent exhaustive tests with the following results. The speed range, with and against the wind, over a carefully measured course averaged 40 to 67,9 m.p.h., and the climbing speed was 210 ft. per minute. The best gliding angle came out at 1 in 7,5. Other characteristics are given in the accompanying performance curves.
   The upper plane is built up in three sections, the central section measuring 14 ft. 7 ins. and the outer 16 ft. 1 in., giving a total span-of 46 ft. 9 ins. The lower plane, having a span of 38 ft. 3 ins., is in two sections, each attached direct to the fuselage. The chord of both planes is 6 ft. 3 ins., and the gap is 6 ft. Inverted V struts support the upper plane above the fuselage, on each side of which two pairs of struts separate upper and lower planes. From the outer interplane struts, a pair of diagonal struts support the extremities of the upper plane. Hinged to the rear spar of the upper plane are ailerons having an area of 45 sq. ft. each. The front spars are located 6 ins. from the leading edge, and the rear spars 1 ft. 9 ins. from the trailing edge. The total supporting area of the planes is about 500 sq. ft., and the total weight of the wings, with struts and wires, is 520 lbs. A factor of safety of six is employed in the construction of the planes.
   The tail planes consist of a fixed triangular stabilizing surface in two sections, attached to the fuselage 2 ins. below the top longerons, and two elevator flaps of 12 sq. ft. area each with a partially balanced rudder mounted between them. Forward of the rudder is a vertical triangular fin having an area of 10 sq. ft. The weights of the elevators and rudder are 20 lbs. and 15 lbs. respectively. Dual Dep. control is employed.
   The fuselage is 24 ft. 8 ins. in length, 2 ft. 3 ins. wide from the nose to the commencement of the tail plane, where it tapers to a vertical knife edge. It will be noticed that the top longerons extend from end to end in a perfectly straight line level with the line of thrust, whilst the lower ones are given a stream-line curve. On top of the fuselage is a turtle-deck forming the cowling for the engine, and cockpit shields. The greatest depth occurs at the rear interplane struts, where it is 3 ft. 11 ins. The weight of the body is 200 lbs.
   The floats consist of one long main pontoon and two wing-tip floats. The former is 19 ft. long, with a beam of 2 ft. 4 1/2 ins. and a depth at the step of 1 ft. 10 ins. It is attached to the fuselage by three pairs of stream-line struts, the front pair, 3 ft. 5 ins. long, joining the fuselage at the nose, the centre and rear pairs, both 2 ft. 6 ins. long, joining at the front and rear spar attachments respectively. From nose of pontoon to the first pair of struts is 3 ft. 2 ins., between first and second pair 4 ft. 8 ins., between second and third 5 ft. 3 ins., leaving 5 ft. 11 ins. to stem. A 2-in. step occurs 10 ft. from the nose. The wing floats have a length of 6 ft/6 ins., and are attached by struts, in continuation of the outer interplane struts, some 3 ft. below the planes. The main pontoon weighs 350 lbs., and the wing floats weigh 70 lbs.
   The engine is a Curtiss OXX-2, 100 h.p., eight-cylinder, coupled direct to a Burgess tractor screw, 7 ft. 9 ins. diameter and 5 ft. 4 ins. pitch. It is mounted in a removable housing and is totally enclosed by the cowling. The radiator is mounted in the nose of the fuselage, and weighs 76 lbs.; 51 gallons of water are carried.
   The following are the main characteristics of the type "U" Burgess seaplane :-
   Span, upper 46 ft. 9 ins., lower 38 ft. 3 ins.; chord, 6 ft. 3 ins.; gap, 6 ft.; overall length, 30 ft. 5 ins.; height, 11 ft. 2 ins.; weight, empty, 1,798 lbs.; useful load, 558 lbs.; speed range, 40-70 m.p.h.