YATES monoplane (Victor Yates, Cavendish Place Eastbourne, Sussex)

   This monoplane was built by Yates in April 1911 prior to his becoming a pupil of FB. Fowler of the Eastbourne Aviation Co. Yates aviator's certificate No.306, was issued in September 1912.
   The machine was a two-seater tractor of conventional type built of steel tubing, with Chater-Lea lugs. No wood was used in the construction. The fuselage was a triangular section open girder mounted on a wide chassis with nose wheel, in addition to a tail wheel. Two radiators were mounted in the form of a vee below the engine. Control was by double rudder, ailerons and elevator. The wing ribs were sewn into pockets in the canvas covering so that broken ribs could be replaced without having to strip the whole of the wing fabric. The machine was tried out at Mr. Gribble's farm at Wilmington, but the machine was apparently incapable of flight and Yates eventually flew a Bleriot monoplane.

   Power: 35hp Alvaston two-cylinder horizontally opposed water-cooled.
   Data
   Span 34ft
   Chord 7ft 6in
   Length 25ft