M.Goodall, A.Tagg British Aircraft before the Great War (Schiffer)
Deleted by request of (c)Schiffer Publishing
WORSWICK monoplane (Alfred Worswlck, The Woodlands, Gathurst, Wlgan, Lancashire)
Worswick designed and constructed his first monoplane during 1909, after several years of study of aeronautics. The machine was constructed in sheds, which he also built for the purpose. Despite all the thought and effort expended, the machine apparently never flew due to excessive weight, mainly because of the heavy engine.
The fuselage was of oval section with a flat top, changing to a flat vertical section at the rear forming an integral fin. The internal structure included oval and horseshoe shaped frames and longitudinal members; the forward section was covered with aluminum sheet, the rest with fabric. The pilot was said to be protected and entirely covered in, being provided with a 'gelatin' screen. If required as a military machine, the aluminum could be replaced with bulletproof metal. The two halves of the tapered wing, were attached at the top longerons on either side of the fuselage and were braced to triangular overhead pylons, without dihedral.
The elevator was made in halves and was mounted through the integral fin; each half could be operated independently for roll control. Each half elevator was triangular in shape and about the same length as the fin. The whole cruciform section of the rear fuselage was moveable for control in pitch. The pilot sat between the wings and operated the irreversible controls, by means of three concentric steering wheels. The engine, which was behind the pilot, drove twin pusher propellers behind the wings, through shafts and universal joints.
Certain features of the machine were covered by patent No.8591/1908 and Nos.1656 and 5525 of 1909.
Power: 20hp eight-cylinder vee of unknown type.
Data
Span 33ft
Chord 9ft tapering to 5ft 3in at tips
Area 240 sq. ft
Length 14ft
Area elevators 40 sq. ft
Area rudder 10 sq. ft
Weight 600 lb.
Weight allup 1,000lb.
WORSWICK motorplane type C No.I (Motorplanes Ltd., Gathurst, Lancashire)
Alfred Worswick formed a company in 1909, of which he was managing director, to exploit his designs. This monoplane was a development of the earlier machine and it appeared in the early part of 1910.
The aluminum skinning had been discarded and a lighter, lower powered motor reduced the weight. The wings of this version were joined on the centerline, with seven degrees of dihedral, the whole being mounted on vertical and splayed struts above the fuselage. The wing was flat on the lower surface, and heavily cambered on top forming a deep section, and was designed as a cantilever. The trailing edge for 2ft 6in of the chord was flexible for lateral control, presumably superseding the differential tail surfaces used previously. The aircraft included ash, pine and mahogany in its construction with a steel tube undercarriage which incorporated spiral springs.
The whole of the business, equipment and stock was auctioned on 24 May 1911. This included one monoplane chassis with wings and 10-12hp Humber engine and also a monoplane chassis assumed to be that of the original machine. Worswick died in 1917.
Power: 10-12hp Humber driving two two-bladed 4ft diameter pusher propellers.
Data
Span 31ft
Chord 9ft tapering to 5ft 3in at tips
Area 190 sq. ft
Area elevator 40 sq. ft
Area rudder 22sq ft
Weight 450 lb.
Weight allup 850 lb.
P.Lewis British Aircraft 1809-1914 (Putnam)
Worswick Monoplane
The Worswick Monoplane was designed and built during 1909 at Gathurst, Wigan, Lanes., by Alfred Worswick. It was fitted with an eight-cylinder 20 h.p. engine which drove two pusher propellers behind the wings by means of rods and universal joints. The circular-section fuselage was constructed of ash and was covered with aluminium. The cruciform tail unit was movable as whole and was controlled from a triple steering-wheel consisting of three wheels mounted, one behind the other, on one shaft. Span, 33 ft. Wing area, 200 sq. ft. Weight loaded, 600 lb.
