no

FLIGHT.

JULY

23, i936_

AUGMENTED OUTPUTS
Of Bristol Engines and Their B.H.P. : Particulars of New Models for the R.A.F. : New Gun Gear : Controllable Cooling : Sleeve Valve News
H E v a s t l y i m p r o v e d p e r f o r m a n c e of t h e l a t e s t aircraft a d o p t e d for service w i t h t h e R . A . F . is t h e o u t c o m e of t e c h n i c a l a d v a n c e s in a n u m b e r of d i r e c t i o n s . Cleaner a e r o d y n a m i c design, t h e a c c e p t a n c e of h i g h e r .wing loadings, slots a n d flaps, r e t r a c t a b l e u n d e r c a r r i a g e s a n d v a r i a b l e p i t c h airscrews all c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e general e l e v a t i o n . But t h e r e is a n o t h e r factor, a n i n t a n g i b l e one w h i c h is n o t evid e n c e d in t h e collection of n e w a n d e x p e r i m e n t a l a i r c r a f t a t t h e R . A . F . D i s p l a y , a n d t h a t is t h e g e n e r o u s p o w e r a v a i l a b l e from c o n t e m p o r a r y a e r o - e n g i n e s . N o t t h e least r e m a r k a b l e fact is t h a t t h e g r e a t e r n u m b e r of t h e engines c o n c e r n e d a r e essentially s i m i l a r t o t y p e s w h i c h a r e a l r e a d y e s t a b l i s h e d in service. T h e r e is n o b e t t e r e x a m p l e of this t h a n t h a t of t h e B r i s t o l M e r c u r y a n d P e g a s u s u n i t s , t h e l a t e s t series of w h i c h a r e o n o r d e r for Service e q u i p m e n t a t r a t i n g s far is excess of t h o s e of p r e s e n t s t a n d a r d m o d e l s . T h e m a r g i n of i m p r o v e m e n t in less t h a n t w o y e a r s is of t h e o r d e r of 200 h . p . from b o t h designs. For example, the G a u n t l e t s n o w in service a r e fitted w i t h M e r c u r y V I S engines delivering a m a x i m u m p o w e r of G45 h . p . : t h e M e r c u r y specified for t h e G l a d i a t o r a n d B l e n h e i m is g i v i n g 8 4 0 h . p . A d m i t t e d l y t h e h e i g h t a t w h i c h t h i s p o w e r is o b t a i n a b l e is 1,500 ft. lower t h a n in t h e former case, b u t t h e a d v a n c e is, n e v e r t h e l e s s , t r u l y r e m a r k a b l e . A g a i n , t h e P e g a s u s is k n o w n t o t h e service w i t h o u t p u t s u p t o 750 h . p . a t 4,570 f t . ; t h e P e g a s u s X X , now o n o r d e r for m a c h i n e s like t h e Wellesley, is c a p a b l e of d e v e l o p i n g 925 h . p . a t 10,000 ft. T h e take-off p o w e r is 830 h . p .

w h i c h h a s b e e n s t a n d a r d e q u i p m e n t i n t h e R . A . F . since the war. W i t h a t h r e e - b l a d e d a i r s c r e w t h e r e l a t i v e l y small angle b e t w e e n t h e b l a d e s d e m a n d s a s y n c h r o n i s i n g device which will a u t o m a t i c a l l y a d j u s t t h e firing p e r i o d t o t h e airscrew s p e e d a n d so r e m o v e t h e p o s s i b i l i t y of d a m a g e t o the airscrew d u e t o t h e firing p e r i o d g e t t i n g o u t of p h a s e . And that is w h e r e t h e n e w g e a r c o m e s i n . I t c o n s i s t s of a centrifugal g o v e r n o r w h i c h a d v a n c e s t h e c a m s a s t h e e n g i n e speed increases t o c o u n t e r a c t t h e o p e r a t i o n a l l a g of t h e s y s t e m . T h e s e c o n d d e v i c e h a s a l r e a d y b e e n r e f e r r e d t o in Flight b u t h a s n o t y e t b e e n d e s c r i b e d in d e t a i l . I t is the cont r o l l a b l e e n g i n e c o w l i n g w h i c h , b y l i m i t i n g t h e flow of cooli n g a i r t o n e c e s s a r y p r o p o r t i o n s u n d e r v a r i o u s flight condit i o n s , benefits p e r f o r m a n c e . T h e c o w l m a i n t a i n s uniform c y l i n d e r t e m p e r a t u r e s u n d e r all c o n d i t i o n s of flight; makes for fuel e c o n o m y u n d e r c r u i s i n g c o n d i t i o n s ; provides an a d e q u a t e c o n t r o l of a i r flow for g r o u n d r u n n i n g a n d extended t a x y i n g u n d e r t r o p i c a l c o n d i t i o n s ; a n d , in t h e event of an e n g i n e failure o n a m u l t i - e n g i n e d m a c h i n e p e r m i t s increased cooling a i r t o b e s u p p l i e d t o t h e r e m a i n i n g engines which w o u l d , of c o u r s e , b e w o r k i n g a t h i g h e r o u t p u t s while th; a i r c r a f t w a s t r a v e l l i n g a t t h e s a m e , o r p o s s i b l y a lower, speed.

Adjustable

Flaps

Refinement
A l t h o u g h in c a p a c i t y a n d g e n e r a l l a y o u t t h e n e w engines a r e similar t o t h e m o r e familiar m o d e l s b e a r i n g t h e s a m e type name, they incorporate certain refinements which are w o r t h y of special n o t e . E x t e n d e d research i n t o t h e c o w l i n g q u e s t i o n (a large a m o u n t of which h a s b e e n r e c o r d e d in Flight) has enabled t h e fins t o be m a d e d e e p e r t h a n in t h e p r e v i o u s series so t h a t w i t h t h e redesigned c y l i n d e r b a r r e l s , w h i c h h a v e finning of closer p i t c h , t h e r e r e s u l t s a n increase in cooling a r e a of over 40 p e r c e n t . T h e dry-sump lubricating system employed on t h e new engines follows n o r m a l B r i s t o l p r a c t i c e , b u t n o w i n c o r p o r a t e s a device for p r o v i d i n g a high initial oil p r e s s u r e w h i c h e n a b l e s t h e engines t o be o p e n e d u p t o full p o w e r in a m u c h s h o r t e r space of t i m e t h a n p r e v i o u s l y . T w o of t h e accessories w h i c h c a n be s u p p l i e d w i t h t h e n e w engines a r e of o u t s t a n d i n g i n t e r e s t . T h e first is a device w h i c h h a s been c h r i s t e n e d t h e B r i s t o l a u t o m a t i c a d v a n c e gun gear control a n d h a s b e e n i n t r o d u c e d in view of t h e a d o p t i o n of t h r e e - b l a d e d a i r s c r e w s , h i g h e r e n g i n e s p e e d s a n d a n d a n accelerated r a t e of fire. T h e s e i n n o v a t i o n s necessit a t e a m o r e flexible t y p e of s y n c h r o n i s i n g c o n t r o l t h a n h a s h i t h e r t o been p r o v i d e d b y t h e fixed t y p e of C.C. g u n gear

E s s e n t i a l l y , t h e B r i s t o l c o n t r o l l a b l e c o w l i n g t a k e s t h e form of a series of a d j u s t a b l e flaps r o u n d t h e t r a i l i n g edge of a long-chord cowling. T h e p r i n c i p l e of a c t u a t i o n of the flaps ij a n endless R e y n o l d s c h a i n r u n n i n g i n s i d e t h e rear cowl s u p p o r t r i n g a n d o p e r a t i n g a screw m e c h a n i s m through s p r o c k e t w h e e l s . T h e g e a r is i r r e v e r s i b l e , so flight loads are self-contained. C o m p l e t e w i t h t h e r e a r c o w l support ring t h e d e v i c e w e i g h s 25 l b . T h e final d r i v e is suitable for m a n u a l , hydraulic or electrical o p e r a t i o n . T h e possible flap a n g l e r a n g e is 0-30 d e g r e e s , b u t this is n o r m a l l v l i m i t e d t o 25 d e g r e e s , w h i c h r e p r e s e n t s 2I revolut i o n s of t h e d r i v i n g s p r o c k e t . T h e following t a b l e , in a d d i t i o n t o s e t t i n g o u t d a t a on the n e w t y p e s of M e r c u r y a n d P e g a s u s e n g i n e s for t h e R.A.F., gives figures for t h e P e g a s u s X c e n g i n e , w h i c h is t h e power p l a n t of t h e n e w S h o r t E m p i r e flying b o a t s . T h e Pegasus X c is t h e c o m m e r c i a l v e r s i o n of t h e f a m o u s " X . " All the e n g i n e s listed a r e a p p r o v e d for u s e w i t h d e Havilland cont r o l l a b l e - p i t c h a i r s c r e w s . T h e p o w e r l i m i t s of t h e Pegasus XX, w h i c h , i n c i d e n t a l l y , h a s r e c e n t l y c o m p l e t e d a highly satisf a c t o r y t y p e t e s t , r e s u b j e c t t o official c o n f i r m a t i o n . D e v e l o p m e n t is still p r o c e e d i n g v i g o r o u s l y a t t h e Bristol w o r k s o n s l e e v e - v a l v e e n g i n e s , a n d figures for a new Perseos h a v e j u s t c o m e t o h a n d . T h e e n g i n e is d e s i g n a t e d t h e Perseus V I I I , is m o d e r a t e l y s u p e r c h a r g e d a n d , like i t s fellows, is of 1,520 c u . in. c a p a c i t y . R u n n i n g o n fuel of 87 octane numb e r i t s m a x i m u m o u t p u t is 8 1 0 h . p . a t 5 . 2 5 0 ft. and 2,525 r . p . m . F o r t a k e off a t sea level 700 h . p . is a v a i l a b l e .

Mercury VIII and IX. [lore ... Stroke . . Cubic capacity Airscrew rotation Airscrew ratio Take-ofT power at maximum take-off r.p.m. Maximum take-o(I r.p.ni. ... International rated power Maximum climbing r.p.m (International r.p.ni.) Maximum power for all-out level flight (5 minutes)... Maximum level flight r.p.m. (5 mins.) ... Nett weight to A.M. Schedule E. 124, Issue 3. Diameter 5}in. (146 m/m.) OJin. (16S m/m.) 1,519 cu. in. (24.8 litres) L.II. tractor Merc. VIII 0.572 : 1 Merc. IX 0.500 : 1 700/730 B.H.P. 2,650 795/825 B.II.P. at 13,000ft. (3.960 m ) 2,650 810/840 B.H.P at 14,000ft. (4,265 metres) 2.750 980 lbs. (444 kgs.) 51.5in. (1.307 metre-!)

Pegasus X, XI and XII. 5f in. (146 m/m.) 7|in. (190.6 m/m.) 1,753 cu. in. (28.7 litres) B.H. tractor Peg. X 0.50 : 1 Posr. XI 0.572 : 1 Pes. X I I 0.666 : 1 920/900 B.II.P. 2.475 810/850 B.II.P. a t 4,000ft. (1,220 m.) 2,250 875/915 B . H . P :U 6,250ft. (1,905 metres) 2.600 1,005 lbs. (456 kgs.) 55.3in. (1.405 metres)

Pegasus Xo. 5Jin. (146 ni'm.) 7iin. (190.5 m/m.) 1,753 CO. in. (28.7 litres) L.H. t r a c t o r 0.50 : 1 910 B . H . P . 2,475 740 B . H . P . a t 3,500ft. (1,070 m.) 2.250 790 B . H . P . a t 5,500ft. (1,675 metres) 2,600 1,015 lbs. (460 kgs.) 55.3in. (1.405 metres)

Pegasus XX. 5?in. (146 m/m.) 7iin. (190.5 m'm) 1,753 cu. in. (28.7 litres) L.II. tractor 0.50 : 1 830 B.II.P2,4 75 820 B.H.P. a* 9,000ft. (2 "'15 ro.) 2,250 925 B.H-P- a t 10,00'ift. (3,050 metres) 2.600 1,015 lbs. (460 kgs.) 55."3in. . . (1.405 metres)