December 15, 1918

December 15, 1918

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Properties of Airplane Fabrics

By E. Dean Walen25 min

News of the Fortnight

The Bréguet B-14 All-metal Airplane

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Properties of Airplane Fabrics

The design of heavier-than-air machines during their early stages of development was arrived at by cut-and-try methods. The wings of such machines were covered with plain cotton fabric, much the same as an ordinary sheeting material, coated with a beeswax compound or some form of glue.

By E. Dean Walen25 min

628629

News of the Fortnight

Departmental estimates presented to Congress include $165,000,000 for Army and $225,000,000 for Navy aviation activities for the next fiscal year beginning July 1, 1919. The most striking equipment appropriation of the Army budget is for the air service.
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The Bréguet B-14 All-metal Airplane

The Société des Ateliers d’Aviation Louis Bréguet, of VelizyVillaeoublay, France, are one of the oldest aircraft manufacturers in the world, the firm having been founded by M. Louis Bréguet, a wealthy electrical engineer, in 1908. After having experimented for some time with a combination airplane and helicopter machine, with which he actually succeeded in leaving the ground, M. Bréguet produced in 1909 the first tractor bitions, but derived from methodical investigations extending over a period of nearly ten years.
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The Boeing Aerodynamical Laboratory

There is so much at stake in the construction of aircraft that expense does not bulk as large as in other lines of manufacture, which explains why there should be a decided effort to obtain the best that research can give. In this connection all of the laboratories throughout the world where the laws of aerodynamics are being investigated command the attention of the aircraft manufacturing world.

By F. E. McKone9 min

612613

Editorials

THOSE who are awake to the development of the times cannot but wonder at the truly remarkable course aircraft and engine design and production have followed in the United States since our participation in the conflict. Next to the quickened sense of democracy, the richest heritage whiich this war has left the world is to be found in the wonderful advance made in the aircraft art and overwhelming proof of the practicability of air transportation.
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The Aeromarine, Type L, Aeronautical Engine

With the object of providing a power plant suitable for training and sporting machines, and appreciating that simplicity, accessibility and durability without undue weight are essential, the Aeromarine Plane and Motor Co. has developed a new six-cylinder, four-cycle aeronautical engine, known as Type L. This engine, which is water cooled and of the valve in the head type, has cylinders of 4¼ in. bore and a stroke of 6½ in. The weight of the engine is 375 lb., and when equipped with electric starter and generator it weighs 405 lb.

By Charles F. Willard4 min

628629

Personnel of the American Air Services

In the report of the Secretary of War that has just been made public, the following interesting statistics are given regarding the personnel of the Air Service from April, 1917, to May, 1918: On July 1, 1918, there were 823 naval aviators, approximately 2052 student officers, and 400 ground officers attached to naval aviation. In addition, there were over 7300 trained mechanics and over 5400 mechanics in training.
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