August 17, 1929

View Full Issue Table of Contents

The Induced Drag Viewpoint of Performance

THE subject of airplane performance from the point of view of the modern theory of induced drag has been very popular lately and has been treated in several recent papers.1 The present communication does not furnish any results which are in principle new, but rather presents some of the standard formulas in a new form which is felt to have definite advantages, both in exhibiting the essential physical elements in performance, and also in making it easy for the designer to utilize the results.

By CLARK B. MILLIKAN15 min

370

British Methods of Steel Aircraft Construction

IN THE preceding article an account was given of the methods of steel construction employed by two aircraft manufacturers in Great Britain. The work of the remaining firms which have contributed to the development of this type of construction will be outlined in this, the concluding article of the series.

By W. H. SAYERS15 min

360

Wight Control in the Design of Aircraft

THERE are two factors predominating in the performance of a heavier-than-air craft. These are its aerodynamic form and its weight. The designer of a successful airplane, which must be one of superior performance, is confronted primarily with the incorporation of aerodynamic excellence into the design and with the securing of the lightest structure possible, consistent with the necessary safety requirements.

By FREDRIC FLADER11 min

338

Ford Motor Company and American Aeronautic Development

THE SUMMER and fall of 1926 saw many progressive changes at Ford Airport. One of the most important of these was signalized by the test flights on the first tri-engined Ford monoplane to reach the test flying stage. It will be recalled that the first tri-engined craft built by the company was destroyed in the fire which razed the airplane plant on the morning of Jan. 17 that year.

By JOHN T. NEVILL9 min

328

Final Preparations for the National Air Races

LIKE A LOCOMOTIVE, steamed up, and rolling speedily down the right-of-way toward its destination, the 1929 National Air Races and Aeronautical Exposition, with Clifford W. Henderson, managing director, at the throttle, has negotiated the grade and, at this writing, is beginning to coast in to the goal of success in what Henderson believes will be the criterion of all future American aeronautical events.

By JOHN T. NEVILL9 min

336

The Ryan B-5 Brougham

EMBODYING a number of refinements in design and equipment over the old B-l and B-3 Models, the new Ryan B-5 Brougham is now in production at the Mahoney-Ryan Aircraft Corporation factory, Anglum, St. Louis County, Mo. One of these planes already has been used in a record flight made by Miss Marvel Crosson in California.

358

Side Slips

IT SEEMS TO us that the sponsors and fliers of the St. Louis Robin took a long chance of having their wonderful endurance record declared unofficial. So far as we have been able to find out from the papers they didn’t use either a second-hand motor or a rebuilt airplane.

By Robert R. Osborn5 min

Editorial

Air Mail “Tests”

TO THOSE who are professionally engaged in aviation, and who have as a matter of course kept in touch with each step in the evolution of America’s air mail service, it seems almost incredible that any intelligent man can still be uninformed on where that service goes and what it does.

330

Expanding Markets While Promoting Sales

BY FAR the greatest strides forward in commercial aircraft manufacture today are being made in distribution. Planes and production methods are essentially the same as they were two years ago, although material improvement has also been made in this direction.

By JUSTIN A. MCINANEY5 min

August 101929

August 241929

August 17, 1929

August 17, 1929