Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1921-11-26
BRITISH CRAB
GERMAN IDEAS
Secrets From Surrendered Planes
Used in New Craft.
ENGINES NOW ARE GROUPED

Altitude and Speed Are Sacrificed to
the Handling Of ExpIosives-Strone
Tendency to Keep to the Single
Engine Type for Commercial Ma
ehines-Two-Eneine Machines Fail
in Ministry Trials - Handley.Pase
Alone Went Through Satisfactorily.
The new airplane building at the
Bristol Aeropane company, writes
Mai &. e. Turner in the London Daily
Telegraph Is the latest expression Of
a method evolved by the Germans
during the war with view 10 long
distance bombing. Instead Of the en-
glnes being separated from each other
In the wings Of the machine. as they
are in most airplanes with two or
more engines. they are grouped in an
engine room in the body driving one.
two or more propellerS through shaft
ing and gears
Among the surrendered German air
planes were several examples illustrat-
-
designs was the low power as com
pared with British machines: Ger
man four-cnginc machine seldom had
greater power than | 600 horse power
whereas u British four-engine type
usually had half aS much again. The
gears OF the German machines were
heavy. The engineer standing In the
engine room. where four engines were
grouped H. two tiers. was In the mid
die Of maze of cylinders. rods and
tubing. and must have worked in ex-
tremely distressing conditions. ~
great expenditure Of fuel such ma
chimes were designed 10 carry big
load Of bombs. hut unless the return
Journey was 10 hc left very much 10
chance the distance Of the objective
could be little greater than that at
tainahlc by iwo.engine machines.
These machines would hardly be
suitable Tor commercial purposes
Big Load in Center.
Much is 10 be said for the grouping
Of the principal load ri the center. for
its separation To the right and left. as
I'm most two-encine types. * apt TO
+ prove embarrassing in the case of one
engine falling The advantages Of the
group system include that of reduced
head resistance aS compared with ex-
1 posing each engine 10 the air Separ-
atrly. The accessibility Of the engines
during flight IS m important ndvnn
J tagc The gearing OF the propelicrS
is also valuable but full advantage
cannot he taken Of II until propellerS
of variable pitch are used.
The ma>Sin: of The engines in the
body viii be detrimental L. The com
fort Of passengers unless cabins are
provided elsewhere \ disadvantage
Of the group system is the enormous
weight ut the center. Which seems
likely to can for increased weight Of
wings or strict limit 70 the spar
from left 10 right THIS may however
lie partly counteractcd by adopting tho
tripane or quadruplanc system Gas In
the new RrStoD. which. on the Other
hand. has is own disadvantages.
Of the hig German machines We're low
but doubtless nj the present time a
considerable Improvement in these re
spectS is possible The landing Of
such machines is apt to be difficult
on account ~ their -roat weight and
they must have airaromeS Of hard
surface
The two-engnc airplane is Pc
cullar class. iuaSmuch n The contln-
eency IF one engine failing leaves Il
with only half It's power but all itS
weight. AMI the half Of lis power oN-
erted at q thrust point away from the
center. with the result that a turning
tendency has "a he overcome.
Failed in Trials.
For the reasons mentioned the two
engine machines engaged IN tho Air
Ministry competition last wear. witt
one exception failed in trials in which
one or tho other of the engines had
10 be- stopped. These trials included
getting IN in limited space and
maneuvcring IN the air II was in
structive 10 note that the one machine
that wen; through satisfactorily was
the Hnndcy Page VS.. which was
driven by engines giving more power
i'm relation to the total weight Of the
machine than It's competitors. In its
case there We're only l1i2 pounds 70
the horse power. whereas the nearest
Of The others had me- less Than 1873
mounds ~ the horsepower. Thus the