ABOUT HOW MODEL AIRCRAFT DID

Any machine is not born suddenly starts with something more simple. It happened with the plane-monoplane. Its forerunner was destined to become a flying model. Was 1887. Professor of physics and astronomy, scientific Secretary of the Smithsonian scientific Institute of Washington Samuel Pierpont Langley was seriously interested in issues of flying heavier than air. Having done a series of aerodynamic experiments to test model wings for vertical installation — “revolving machine” Langley was engaged in the construction of flying models. But first, he carefully studied everything that was already reached before him, in particular flying models are heavier than air, which were built in 70-ies in France. At that time the greatest success in model experiments reached the Frenchman Alphonse Peno, first to use rubber motor for rotating the propeller of a model aircraft, and Austrian Wilhelm Kress.

 

Model A. Peno “PLANFOR” had one wing, he was placed horizontal tail and, finally, the pusher propeller. Model V. Kress had two wings, were placed one after another. Behind the rear edge of the second wing had two pusher propeller, and behind them a horizontal and vertical stabilizer.

 

In Paris V. Kress demonstrated flying his twin-engine models, in which the propellers rotated from withing the rubber. But in 1876, working in St. Petersburg, he started flying model airplanes in the hall of one of the then centres of scientific thought of the Russian capital — in the Salt town on the banks of the Fontanka river.

 

I must say that at the same time with V. Kress worked to create flying models of aircraft and our compatriot Alexander Mozhaysky. In 1876 he successfully showed in Kronstadt flying his model with a spring motor. Nine years later, in 1885, under the scheme of A. F. Mozhaysky builds and tests the world’s first airplane.

 

In the late 80-ies of C. L. Langley, repeating in the U.S. experiences with flights Paris rezinomotornaya models emphasizes the model of Kress. However, the results of experiments do not satisfy the American Professor, as the rubber motor allows to achieve a long flight. He tries to adapt to the model of a pneumatic motor, but to no avail, because his work is too short. Finally after nine years of hard work, 1896, Langley creates a suitable “model” engine — steam engine, weighing 464, Along with the watertube boiler full weight of the entire propulsion system was 2.9 kg. the Engine develops a power of 1 HP at steam pressures up to 10.5 ATM.

 

The engine was installed on the fifth under the account model built by Langley. Flying weight it reached 11 kg. the Previous four models fly poorly due to excessively heavy steam engine, but the fifth acted in the air perfectly.

 

 

 

For the last of its model Langley chose the layout of wings, propellers and tail almost the same as V. Kress on his rezinomotornaya models. Only the wings it was rectangular and not like a bird, as in the model of the Austrian. The model had the fuselage truss assembled from thin steel tubes. Fastened to it one after another two rectangular wings, which had considerable cross “V”, each with span 4220 mm in length of the entire apparatus 4660 mm. Behind the rear wing housed the tail, consisting of the stabilizer and fin. Steam engine located in the fuselage, rotated two propellers with a diameter of 1200 mm at a speed of 1200 rpm. Its model called the Langley “Aerodrome”. Note that at that time there were no concepts like “airplane” or “airplane”. The model was launched with a special catapult, which consisted of the guide rails and the springs, letting her push at the time of the derailment. Catapult mounted on a barge, standing at the shore of the Potomac river, which hosted the experiments.

 

This is how the flight model in a letter to the French Academy of Sciences, the inventor of the telephone Graham bell accidentally present at the launch: “the Airfield” went straight up against the wind and moved with remarkable stability circles with a diameter of about 90 meters, continuously elevating: after about a minute and a half in height, which I thought was equal to about 30 meters, screws stopped, and to my surprise, the car did not fall, but gently slipped into the water, which it struck no blow so that immediately can resume the experience.” Bell’s letter ended with the words: “it seems to Me that any man that being present at this interesting sight, would have seen the possibility of flight in the air by mechanical means.”

 

The message is immediately effective: a large number of fans of Aeronautics, as it was then called aviation, keenly interested in models of Langley. In the September issue of the French magazine “Aeronaut” for 1896 published information about the experiments of Langley and the device it models.