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Страна: Великобритания

Год: 1912

Единственный экземпляр

A.Jackson Avro Aircraft since 1908 (Putnam)

Avro Type F

  In the spring of 1912 A. V. Roe’s fertile mind conceived the idea of an enclosed aeroplane affording the occupants complete protection from the elements. He straightway designed two such machines, the first of which was a single seat, mid-wing monoplane known as the Type F.
  Structurally similar to the Avro 500, it used the same undercarriage, tail unit and small rudder (this time linked to a steerable tail skid), but there the similarity ended. The box-girder fuselage was of streamlined shape built up from four wooden longerons and cross struts, reinforced by triangular plywood stiffeners in each bay and braced internally with piano wire. By unlacing the fabric half way along the rear fuselage to expose steel jointing plates, the fuselage could be taken apart quite easily to facilitate packing. Its maximum width was only 2 ft but there was sufficient depth for the pilot to sit wholly inside with a somewhat restricted view through a number of celluloid windows. Entry was through a sheet aluminium trapdoor in the roof and large circular holes were provided in each side through which the head could be thrust when flying in poor visibility. Fuel and oil tanks were situated inside the fuselage, remote from the engine to reduce risk of fire.
  The mainplane, constructed in two halves round a built-up front spar, was mounted on the centre line of the fuselage and braced by wires to a stout kingpost under the fuselage and to a pylon of steel tubes on top. Lateral control was by wing warping.
  The Type F monoplane was erected at Brooklands in April 1912 and Wilfred Parke made the first take-off on May 1, climbing the machine steeply on half throttle. It was the first flight in the world by an aeroplane with a totally enclosed cockpit. Critics predicted that oil thrown back by the 35 hp Viale five cylinder radial engine would completely obscure the pilot’s vision but this proved not to be the case. It was a carefully maintained engine well known to Parke, being that taken from the Type D school machine which he had flown from Brooklands to Abingdon in the previous January. First circuits were made on May 3 and test flying continued until May 17 when, during a flight over Chertsey, 1,000 ft was reached for the first time. On May 25 it was decided to show the machine at Hendon but the engine failed soon after take-off and in the ensuing forced landing at Weybridge, Parke hit a fence and turned over. There was little damage and the Type F was dismantled by four men in 25 minutes for return to the workshops.
  For some months the machine languished at Brooklands until taken out by R. H. Barnwell on September 13. After one or two straight hops, the front part of the skid was broken in landing and the aircraft turned over, suffering serious damage in the process. Barnwell was unhurt but it is evident that the Type F did not fly again.


SPECIFICATION AND DATA
   Manufacturers: A. V. Roe and Company, Brownsfield Mills, Great Ancoats Street, Manchester; and Brooklands Aerodrome, Byfleet, Surrey
   Power Plant: One 35 h.p. Viale
   Dimensions:
   Span 28 ft. 0 in. Length 23 ft. 0 in.
   Wing area 158 sq. ft.
   Weights: Tare weight 550 lb. All-up weight 800 lb.
   Performance: Maximum speed 65 m.p.h. Initial climb 300 ft./min.
   Production: One aircraft only, first flown at Brooklands 1.5.12, damaged beyond repair at Brooklands 13.9.12. Engine preserved at the Science Museum, London, and the rudder by the Royal Aero Club.

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Описание:

  • A.Jackson Avro Aircraft since 1908 (Putnam)
  • M.Goodall, A.Tagg British Aircraft before the Great War (Schiffer)
  • P.Lewis British Aircraft 1809-1914 (Putnam)
  • Jane's All The World Aircraft 1913
  • Журнал Flight