M.Goodall, A.Tagg British Aircraft before the Great War (Schiffer)

Журнал Flight

Flight, September 2, 1911.

THE DIXON MONOPLANE.

   READERS of FLIGHT will doubtless remember reading of experiments that were carried out by Mr. H. S. Dixon at the Acton Aerodrome some time ago. They resulted in rather an unfavourable manner owing to the premature disablement of the machine as the result of one of those severe contacts with terra firm a that are so frequent during the early stages of learning to fly. The machine itself was of a distinctly uncommon design, and the accompanying illustration of it will probably be of interest to a large number of readers who make a study of these different systems of aeroplane construction.
   The Nipper, as Mr. Dixon calls his first attempt, is a monoplane of the tail-first type, and is also characterised by its boat-shaped body. The leading plane consists of a tiny biplane, each member being about 2 ft. 6 ins. span and the same in chord, and, as the photographs show, the planes of this member have a considerable angle of incidence. Extending out from the gap of this leading plane are the two halves of a monoplane elevator, which is controlled by a universally pivoted lever in front of the pilot's seat. The sideways movement of this same lever is used to operate the rudder planes that will be noticed mounted vertically above the extremities of the main wing. These rudders were intended to be used as brakes, and lateral equilibrium was maintained by steering thereby into the eye of the wind. Most of the framework is made of bamboo and the wings have aluminium leading and trailing edges. The pilot's seat, as will be observed from the illustrations, is situated practically in line with the leading edge, while the propeller, which is of 6 ft. 8 ins. diameter, works in a recess in the trailing edge. The engine, a 25-h.p. V type air-cooled Advance, is mounted just in front of the rear main-spar. A simple A type under-carriage, fitted with wheels and skids, is mounted under the main wings to support the bulk of the weight when the machine is on the ground, but a lighter carriage, also fitted with wheels and skid, is placed further forward to take the weight of the leading portion.


Flight, March 15, 1913.

THE TWINING PROPELLER.

By E. W. TWINING.

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   One of these propellers was, some little time ago, supplied to Mr. H. S. Dixon and fitted to his 2-1-P-0 type (tailless) monoplane, with which he was then experimenting on the Aviation Ground at Acton.
   Figs. 5 and 6 are photographs of the machine and power-plant, showing the propeller fitted. The diameter is 6 ft. 4 ins. and pitch 4 ft., revolutions 1,000. The engine is a 4-cyl. air-cooled, of 25-h.p. It should, however, be stated in favour of the propeller that although the machine repeatedly got off in runs of less than a hundred yards, the engine was never required to be run "all out."
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