Monday, May 27, 2013

Boeing 247

Boeing 247

The Boeing Model 247 was an early United States airliner, considered the first such aircraft to fully incorporate advances such as all-metal (anodized aluminium) semimonocoque construction, a fully cantilevered wing and retractable landing gear. Other advanced features included control surface trim tabs, an autopilot and de-icing boots for the wings and tailplane.

"Ordered off the drawing board", the 247 first flew on February 8, 1933 and entered service later that year. Subsequently, development in airliner design saw engines and airframes becoming larger and four-engined designs emerged, but no significant changes to this basic formula appeared until cabin pressurization and high altitude cruise were introduced in 1940, with the first pressurized airliner, the Boeing 307 Stratoliner.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_247 .
http://theageofaerospace.co.uk/boeing/watch/ep1/ch4 .

Saturday, May 25, 2013

DH89 Dragon Rapide


DH89 Dragon Rapide > .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGZ6-isXw-8 .


Introduced in 1934, the de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide was one of the world's first completely 'streamlined' airliners. Designed as a short haul specialist between England and Europe (well, in reality, Scotland, Ireland and France), the plane was powered by two air-cooled inline-6 Gipsy Queen engines, each of them capable of 200 horsepower.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGZ6-isXw-8

De Havilland Dragon Rapide G-AIDL flight - pilots eye view
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaZ79yexR28

de Havilland airliners, biplanes and monoplanes
https://youtu.be/Q0zHZeNPCMc?t=2m48s

de Havilland airliner aircraft from the 1930s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGZ6-isXw-8

De Havilland DH 84 Dragon pre flight maintenance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZLR1FQ-4UU

de Havilland Fox Moth, Dragon Rapide and Dragonfly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOdOTBAw3lA
DH-89B Dragon Rapide
https://youtu.be/MOdOTBAw3lA?t=1m53s
DH-90 Dragonfly
https://youtu.be/MOdOTBAw3lA?t=2m51s

DH 83 Fox Moth
https://youtu.be/Q0zHZeNPCMc?t=4m37s
https://youtu.be/0W1-y_6Qnfk?t=5m22s
https://youtu.be/MOdOTBAw3lA?t=35s

Underneath the sleek skinned exterior the Rapide is built mainly from lightweight plywood. Up to eight passengers had to be weighed alongside their luggage before they were allowed on.

Brilliantly combining form and function, every detail of this beautiful aircraft is streamlined, making it an iconic aerodynamic pioneer with a range of 578 miles (at a leisurely132 mph). Central London to central Paris took 3 hours and 40 minutes - easily the fastest way to go at the time.

What makes it great… the DH.89 set a new benchmark in streamlining, decades ahead of modern aerodynamics.

Time Warp… A one way ticket to France cost £4 back in the mid 1930s, which equates to around £350 today. So, a bit more than Easyjet, but what a way to travel!

Douglas DC-1, DC-2, DC-3

Inside The Cockpit - mah >> .

Planes That Changed the World - Douglas > .

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Handley Page HP-42

.Imperial Airways Handley Page H.P.45 flight operations at Croydon Airport (c1935) > .
Handley Page HP-42 > .


The Handley Page H.P.42 and H.P.45 were four-engine biplane airliners designed and manufactured by British aviation company Handley Page, based in Radlett, Hertfordshire. It held the distinction of being the largest airliner in regular use in the world upon the type's introduction in 1931.

Refuelling Hanno at Samakh, Tiberias, Palestine, October 1931.
Refuelling Hanno: Samakh, Tiberias, Oct '31.
The H.P.42/45 were designed in response to a specification issued during 1928 by British airline Imperial Airways; the two models share considerable similarities, the H.P.42 being optimised towards greater range at the expense of payload while the H.P.45 was optimised towards payload at the expense of range, allowing the H.P.45 to carry more passengers over shorter distances. Imperial Airways approved of Handley Page's proposals and ordered four aircraft of each of the two variants to serve as the new land-based long-distance flagships of its fleet.

On 14 November 1930, the prototype, named Hannibal, conducted its maiden flight. Following their introduction into Imperial Airways, they formed the backbone of the airliner's land-based fleet through most of the 1930s and, along with the company's numerous flying boats, have been considered to be icons of their era. A total of eight aircraft were built, four of each type; all were named, with names beginning with the letter "H". Three of the survivors were pressed into Royal Air Force (RAF) service at the outbreak of the WW2. By the end of 1940, all of the aircraft had been destroyed as a result of several accidents.

sī vīs pācem, parā bellum

igitur quī dēsīderat pācem praeparet bellum    therefore, he who desires peace, let him prepare for war sī vīs pācem, parā bellum if you wan...