Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-29
AVIATION
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.

tional loads which would far over
balance the aerodynamic advan-
tageS of this arrangement"
There would be ample room
within the great wing for the en-
gtneS. Though the wing Is not
thick, relatively, the structure is
so huge that it is possible to walk
inside the wing for nearly its en-
tire length. The control room is
connected with the engine nacelles
by a passage running through the
main wing.
Compressed Air Starters.
The engines are started by COM
pressed air provided by a small
compressor driven by a separate
gasoline engine. The entire sup
ply of electric current for the big
craft also is produced by this
compressor. The fuel system also
is OF interest. The fuel tanks,
containing a total capacity of
4,227 gallons, are built into the
bottom of the hull. They are con-
nected with central reservoir or
collecting pot" from which fuel
is pumped to two 79-gallon tanks
in the leading edge of the wing.
A hand-driven pump, a wind
driven pump and an electric pump
insure the supply under all con-
ditlonS. All gauges are located on
the control deck The entire pipe
system is accessible during flight.
The oil tanks, having a capacity
OF 423 gallons, are located in the
wing.
?he hull, IN addition to berg
divided into decks, is further di-
vided into nine water-tight COM
partmentS and each wing stub
into four such compartments.
The bulkheads are so located that
the hull will float with any two
compartments flooded. The hull
Is of the "one-step" type, the step
being similar to that found in
high-speed motor boats and
smaller flying boats. So large is
the hull, however, that in landing
a large amount of air is COM
pressed behind this step by the
water. Two curved tubes, open
ing on the sides of the hull above
the wing stubs, permit the air to
escape.
The passenger deck is divided
into IL compartments, which may
be arranged for day or night
transportation of passengers. The
rooms vary in length from nearly
Z to 9 feet and are connected by
corridor running the full length
of the hull. Entrance to the plane
is through doors in the sides of
the hull above the wing stubs.
opening into an entrance room.
This room opens on the corridor
connecting the passenger cabins
and is connected by metal stair
ways with the control deck above
and the hold below. Two other
stairways at other points in the
passenger deck lead to emergency
hatchways on top of the hull.
Signal Post in Tail.
A manhole in the rear of the
hull gives access to a crows nest"
in the end of the tail, which is
used as a signaling post during
the operation of mooring. There
is a space in the tail which may
be used to swing hammocks for a
small crew.
Dual controls are. provided in
the pilot room for two pilots. The
controls are conventional. Wheel
controls actuate the ailerons and
swinging of the columns on which
the wheels are mounted controls
the elevator. Pedals operate the
rudder. Three wheels are between
the seats. These control the water
rudder and the angle of attack of
the auxiliary rudders and of the
elevator balancerS. Despite the
great size of the controlling sur
faces, they are so perfectly ad-
justed, with balancing surfaces
provided, that the pilots can con-
troll them by hand without auxil-
larry power controls.
The flight instrument dials are
normally placed, except that the
complex instrument board for the
IL engines is in a separate room
aft of the control cabin. Lieut.. |
Schildhauer has arranged for the
installation of a Sperry artificial
horizon, an instrument which !
shows the pilot the true horizon
when flying blind. He also is at
tempting to obtain new type of
gyroscopic flight direction indica-
tor, only one of which so far has
been built.
Carries 81 Tons.
Though the plane itself weighs
less than 10000 pounds, it will fly
easily with q gross load, including
fuel and oil, crew and pay load, of !
1921 pounds. With this total |
load the plane weighs So tons, and
so loaded was able to take off
from Lake Constance in calm air
after a run of IS seconds. At sea
level the take-off run would be
SIS seconds, with a full load. The
plane has attained a maximum
speed of 131 miles per hour at an
altitude of 1,4OO feet.
DR.. Dornier has expressed the
belief that his plane can be used
profitably for service over nom
stop distances of 1000 to 1.5OO
kilometers, or 622 to 932 miles.
with large number of passen-
gers. At an economical operating
speed, he estimates, it will be DOS
sible to carry comfortably 10000
Kilograms or 22,046 pounds of pas,
60