58 



Popular Science Monthly 



This adds to the strength of the entire biplane. 



But the Germans have improved upon 

 the Nieuport in this: They have spread 

 the central struts which hold the upper 

 wing to the fuselage or body, far apart. 

 Hence the two wings are tied together by 

 only two sets of struts — the triangular 

 ones previously described and the central 

 ones. Why was this done? Simply to 

 avoid the use of wires. In the older ma- 

 chines, by which I mean machines that 

 flew in the early weeks of the war, there 

 were a far greater number of wires than 

 would now be considered permissible. 

 Wire bracing extended in all directions. 

 Now, a piano wire which vibrates a 

 distance of half an inch to either side of 

 its normal position offers as much re- 

 sistance as a rod one inch in diameter. A 

 wire may seem thin, but when it vibrates 

 it is the equivalent of a thick rod. It 

 offers much resistance as a result. And 

 so we find the airplane designers of the 

 world trying to get rid of wires. The 

 builders of the Albatross have gone far 

 in this direction. 



From the British, the Germans copied 

 the rounded outline of the tail fins. The 

 tail surfaces of a flying machine have 

 much the same effect as the feathers of an 

 arrow. They steady the machine. The 

 perfect target arrow has rounded feathers. 

 This explains the British tail formation 

 of the German Albatross. 



More than any other lighting machine 

 thus far designed the Albatross is shorn 

 of projections. Indeed, the craft ap- 

 proaches a bird in cleanness of line. The 

 water tank, for instance, is no longer 

 found near the engine; it is built into the 

 upper wing. The radiators, through 

 which the GGCling water circulates, lie 

 flat against the fuselage or botiy. 



Steadying fins and rudders and ailerons 

 (the hinged surfaces at the rear corners of 

 the upper wing, serving to balance the 

 machine from side to side) must be strong 

 and stiff and yet free from external sup- 

 port. But their wind resistance must be 

 low. The Germans met the situation 

 by giving the fins and rudders a stream- 

 line form, which means a shape that parts 

 the air most easily. The steadying effect 

 of a fin depends in part on its area. 

 Additional area was gained very cheaj)ly 

 by filling out the space between the fuse- 

 lage or body and the tail-skid. 



The fuselage or body in which the single 

 fighter sits is noticeably large. But mark 

 the lines. This smooth, correctly de- 

 signed bulk, large as it is, parts the 

 air with the lowest possible resistance. 

 Note how the fuselage and the wings 

 are tied together so as to get rid 

 of struts and wires. The idea is not new, 

 but it has been so ingeniously carried out 

 that it deserves mention here. 



The exhaust from the engine is care- 

 fully collected and conducted downv/ard 

 and rearward. Whiffs of exhaust gaa 

 should not be added to the tribulations 

 the pilot already has to bear. 



It takes a certain amount of muscular 

 effort to swing a rudder quickly. Clearly, 

 the fighter who can swing his rudder most 

 quickly has the greatest maneuvering 

 ability. The muscular effort involved, 

 must not retard a man from making the 

 right turn at the right moment. Hence 

 we find that in the Albatross all the con- 

 trolled surfaces are balanced, which means 

 that triangular extensions are provided 

 beyond their pivots. You will find this 

 clearly brought out in the tail of the 

 Albatross as it is shown in the accompany- 

 ing drawing. 



Since the entire machine must be swung 

 around in order to aim a gun, it is obvious 

 that as many as twelve guns could be 

 mounted if there were place for them. 

 Indeed, on the Nieuport as many as five 

 have been carried — three on the upper 

 wing and two firing through the propeller. 

 No doubt a similar practice is followed 

 by the Germans. In our drawing we have 

 shown only two machine guns firing 

 through the propeller. 



How astonishing it is to find the in- 

 ventions of fairy-tale writers brought to 

 rsalization. For years we have been en- 

 tertaining our children witi^ cc oi tiie 

 most beautiful fairy-tales of Hans Chris- 

 tian Anderson — a tale in which a wicked 

 prince rashly essays to fight God himself 

 with ships flying through the air and 

 mounting guns that rain thousands of 

 bullets in response to the mere pressing 

 of a button. Look at the Albatross and 

 you will see the magical l)uttons attached 

 to the control-lever. Who knows but 

 flying machine designers may find other 

 improvements suggested in what we have 

 been pleased to consider the poetic 

 vaporings of romancers! 



