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Sopwith Military Biplane

Sopwith Military Biplane.jpg The Antoinette Monoplane - top viewThumbnailsThe Curtiss Biplane in flightThe Antoinette Monoplane - top viewThumbnailsThe Curtiss Biplane in flightThe Antoinette Monoplane - top viewThumbnailsThe Curtiss Biplane in flightThe Antoinette Monoplane - top viewThumbnailsThe Curtiss Biplane in flightThe Antoinette Monoplane - top viewThumbnailsThe Curtiss Biplane in flightThe Antoinette Monoplane - top viewThumbnailsThe Curtiss Biplane in flight
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A machine that has achieved success, owing to its power of varying speed, is the Sopwith military biplane. Adopting a practice that has become general, its wings are fitted upon what is practically a monoplane body. Tail-planes and rudder are the same as in a monoplane. The top main-plane, as will be seen, is set slightly in advance of the lower. The system is called “staggering”; and the idea is that, by placing the upper plane ahead of the lower, the total lifting power will be increased. It has been proved a disadvantage of the biplane that, when the main-planes are placed one above another, there is a slight loss of lift owing to the fact that, acting upon the air as they do quite close to each other, a certain amount of interference occurs between them—one tending to disturb the air-stream in which the other moves. By “staggering” the two planes this interference is overcome; but some makers regard it as a small consideration, and build their planes in the ordinary way, allowing as large a gap as possible between them. In the Sopwith military machine, engine and propeller are in front of the main-planes; then come the places for pilot and observer. The pilot sits first, and the body of the machine is so high that only his head appears above it, while just in front of his face, to deflect the wind-rush from the propeller, there is a raised section of the hull which acts as a screen. Behind the pilot, sitting in a second opening in the hull, is the observer. He has a view forward, rendered the better by setting back the lower-plane; while at the point at which it joins the body of the machine, immediately below him, this plane is hollowed out, so that he can look directly upon the earth below. Small windows are also fitted upon either side of the hull. Through those in front the pilot may glance when descending from a flight, so as to judge his distance from the ground, while the others are utilised by the observer, as he turns to look from side to side. This biplane, and many others, is balanced against sideway roll by ailerons, and not by warping the wings. Constant warping, such as is necessary in the everyday use of machines, has been declared to strain a plane and render it weak; therefore the use of ailerons is now favoured.


A. Propeller
B. Motor, partly hidden by shield
C.C. Main-planes
D. Pilot’s seat
E. Observer’s seat
F. Outlook windows in side of hull
G. Rudder
H. Elevating-plane
I. Landing gear.

Author
The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Aeroplane, by Claude Grahame-White and Harry Harper
Published 1914
Dimensions
1200*456
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