Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-08
Unlimited Speed Is Sought
BY Aeronautical Engineers

historic from the standpoint that it
probably is and will be the last Ameri-
can racer to have flown with wheels for
a landing gear.
Retractible Gear Unsatisfactory.
Retractible landing gear, both wheels
and pontoons, have been put forward in
the past as solution for the speed
/ problem, but in both cases they have
been found unsatisfactory. principally
because OF the factor of safety they
offer in strength, and, in the case of
wheels, the necessity for increasing the
thickness of the wings to house the
discs when drawn up. But engineers
have not given up the retractible chassis
idea by any means. particularly in view
OF the recent findings of the national
advisory committee for aeronauticS that
the landing gear of plane alone con-
tributes 40 per cent of the total re-
sistance of the fuselage. The advisory
committee made tests on full-scale
airplane, minus wings. in the gigantic
wind tunnel at Langley Field, and for
the first time gave to the aeronauticaI
world an accurate ratio of the drag"
of the landing gear
BY eliminating the gear in flight
much more speed could be obtained and
when the time came to land, II the
wheels or pontoons could be brought out
into view again, reasonably safe land
ing speed could be attained Once this
is accomplished, of course, the engineers
will not be satisfied that airplane speed
limit has been reached. Some device
for winding in some of the wing surface
will be conceived, probably, thereby
Transforming the airplane into a flying
engine or flying fuselage; and when
the time comes to land, push out the
wing area again and land at a safe
speed.
Refinements to existing design-"clean
ships" in other words, plus more horse
power at the same expenditure Of
weight-have contributed in the inme-
date past to the increased speed of
these specially built craft. A 1000
horsepower engine, weighing less than
900 pounds, would help boost the fig
ure. but where is such an engine to be
obtained? One pound per horsepower
has been the goal of the designer for
many years, and 1t has just about been
reached in powerful high-speed racing
engines.
Look to Next Races.
More knowledge of propeller efficiency.
more knowledge on special fuels also
go into the high-speed plane. AL
these things and many more that the
public does not know about--and, fur
thermore, hasn't a chance to know
about until success begins to appear on
. the horizon-are being mulled over
daily throughout the world. The brains
of the universe are thinking about the
: next Schneider international seaplanc
, race to be held in England in 1929.
They are thinking to the extent that
J the drawing boards are overpopulated
: in Italy. England. possibly France, Ger
many, and maybe-but doubtful
America.
This event is the airplane derby of
the world. When aeronautical brains
have exhausted themselves in search
!, for more speed, as last, shameful re-
: sort, they will turn to the piling up
! of the landing speed in order to get
= more top speed. But for every mile-an-
! hour increase to the landing speed
. there will not be a CORRESPONDING in
5 crease to the top speed. It has been
. figured out here that the most the top
: speed can benefit by a mile-an-hour
increase to the landing speed is between
s four-tenths and flve-tenths of mile
I | an hour. --
: To some it may seem a waste OF
) time to try and develop q 400-mile-an-
, hour airplane. because who of the
. everyday. present generation wants to
r travel that fast? But the object is
not to get Mr.. Average Man whizzine
about the countryside at 400 niles an
I hour--it is to get him travelling in his
i business and pleasure at a cruising
: speed" of ITS miles an hour or 50.
s The majority of commercial airplanes
today cruise at around 100 miles an
, hour. In fiat country they offer not
! much of an advantage over the speedy
: railroad train. and therefore the pane
. will never be the trains competitor
' under such conditions. But fiIi a plane
!, with Is passengers or more and Shoot
/. 1t up to New York from Washington al
: cruising speed" of ITS miles pei
! hour--a speed at which the ENGINES
: will not be laboring unnecessarily
= speed at which there is about IS miles
. an hour In reserve!
The followers of high-speed develop
( ment look to the high-speed plane Il
produce this l75-mile-an-hour soeed II
everyday commercial planes Who viii
develop engines. design. construction
! In aircraft" they argue with speed
: alone as the objective. unless we 90;
6 We win blaze the trail and allow COM
$ mercial aviation to profit by our ex-
e periences and achievements.