M.Goodall, A.Tagg British Aircraft before the Great War (Schiffer)
Deleted by request of (c)Schiffer Publishing
HUMBER monoplane (Lovelace type)
Capt. T.T. Lovelace was engaged by Humber as designer and pilot, and he produced as his first design a machine which was shown at Olympia in March 1910, before it had flown. Later it was taken to Brooklands, where it was tested by Lovelace who carried out straight flights up to 10ft high on 25 May 1910. One of these resulted in a heavy landing and some damage, the machine being reported as tail heavy.
The aircraft was seemingly evolved from the basic Bleriot XI design, with some changes introduced. It featured a long central skid behind the undercarriage, carrying the warp control on one of its supporting vee struts. There were large swept tail surfaces with trailing curved elevators and a long rudder with a pointed end. The engine was water-cooled with two narrow, vertical radiators at the front.
Power: 50hp Humber four-cylinder inline, water-cooled driving a 7ft diameter propeller
Data
Span 33ft (33ft 3in)*
Chord 6ft 10in (6ft.9in.)*
Length 26ft 6in (26ft 8in)*
Area 210 sq ft (232 sq ft)*
Area tailplane 36 sq ft
Area elevators 32 1/2 sq ft
Weight 500 lb
Speed 50mph
Price ?750 (?775)*
*Alternative figures from The Aero
P.Lewis British Aircraft 1809-1914 (Putnam)
Friswell Monoplane
The Friswell Monoplane, designed by Capt. T. T. Lovelace, was constructed during 1909 by Friswell (1906) Ltd. It resembled a Bleriot and was finally sold at an auction.
Humber Lovelace Monoplanes
Two monoplanes designed by Captain T. T. Lovelace were exhibited by Humber Ltd.. of Coventry, at the Olympia Aero Show of 1910. Both were single-seat tractors, but differed in their size and in the engines fitted. That equipped with the three-cylinder 30 h.p. Humber had a span of 33 ft., and a length of 26 ft. 6 ins. It was priced at ?750. The four-cylinder 50 h.p. Humber-engined machine had a span of 29 ft., a length of 26 ft. and a wing area of 192 sq. ft. Its empty weight was 500 lb. Price, ?775. Both machines were of the modified Bleriot type, having a central skid fitted to the undercarriage and a fixed fin and a pointed end to the rudder.
Журнал Flight
Flight, March 12, 1910
THE SECOND OLYMPIA AERO SHOW.
AEROPLANES.
Humber.
Two British-built monoplanes of the Bleriot type are on view on Messrs. Humber's stand, as well as a monoplane and a biplane designed by Capt. Lovelace. The main planes of the last-mentioned are of 41 '6 span, and the total lifting surface is 526 sq. ft. The Lovelace type monoplane is of 29 ft. span with a total lifting surface of 232 sq. ft. In each the engine fitted is a 50-h.p. 4-cyl. water-cooled Humber.
Flight, March 26, 1910
FLYER SILHOUETTES FROM OLYMPIA.
HUMBER MONOPLANE (LOVELACE TYPE)
Leading Particulars of the Humber Monoplane (Lovelace type).
General Dimensions.-Areas-Main planes, 210 sq. ft.; fixed tail, 16 sq. ft.; elevator, 16 sq. ft.; rudder, 10 sq. ft.
Lengths.-Span, 33 ft.; chord, 6 ft. 10 ins.; camber, 5 1/4 ins., situated about 26 ins. from leading edge; leverage of rudder, 20 ft.; skid track, 4 ft. 9 ins.; overall length, 26 ft. 6 ins.
Angles.-Incidence 6 1/2°; dihedral, 1 in 11.
Materials.-Oval steel tube struts, hickory chassis, American elm spars in frame from front end to the splice behind pilot's seat, behind which ash spars are used; fabric, Mackintosh.
Engine.-50-h.p. Humber, 4 cylinders.
Propeller.-Humber; diameter, 6 ft. 11 ins.; pitch, 3 ft. 6 ins.; material, laminated mahogany, spruce, and walnut.
Weight.-Weights not known.
Speed of Flight.-50 m.p.h. for loading lift.
System of Control.-Warping of wings, elevator, and rudder.
Price.- L750.
MONOPLANE of modified Bleriot design. The peculiarity in the construction of the frame consists in the use of tubular steel struts of oval section. The timber used is hickory, American elm and ash. The machine is mounted on two wheels in front and also has a single rigid skid supported upon three triangular tubular steel struts. The control, which consists of wing warping, elevator and rudder, is effected by a steering wheel, mounted upon a jointed shaft so that the steering column can be moved sideways and to and fro, as well as being turned upon its axis.
Flight, October 1, 1910
Folkestone Meeting.
ALTHOUGH, as we recorded in our last issue, the first two days of the meeting at Folkestone produced some good flying, the proceedings on Wednesday of last week were marred by the serious accident to Barnes. A strong northerly wind had been blowing all the morning, and it was not till half-past four that there was any possibility of demonstrations. Then Barnes, having got the engine of his Humber monoplane to run properly, determined to take his chance. He rose to a height of about 80 ft., and flew against the wind for half a mile, then turning. It was then apparent that the engine was not running well, as the flying was unsteady, but Barnes managed to clear some trees and a hedge, and after coming very close to the earth, the machine suddenly rose for some distance. Then something happened, and the spectators were amazed to see Barnes leave his seat and leap to the ground from a height of some 30 ft. Relieved of the weight of the pilot the machine shot upward for a few feet, then turning over and crashing to the ground. The doctors and ambulance men who hurried to the spot where Barnes had fallen found that he had fractured his skull and broken his wrist. These injuries were attended to on the ground, and then the aviator was conveyed to the Royal Victoria Hospital, where, according to the latest reports, he is making good progress towards recovery.
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