the mastery of the air(操纵空气)-第21章
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rough。 A long and narrow float is preferable for rough water； as it is able to
cut through the waves； but comparatively little 〃lift〃 is obtained from it。
Some designers have provided their water…planes with two floats；
others advocate a single loat。 The former makes the machine more stable
when at rest on the water； but a great rawback is that the two…float
machine is affected by waves more than a machine fitted with a single
float； for one float may be on the crest of a wave and the other in the dip。
This is not the case with the single…float water…plane； but on the other hand
this type is less stable than the other when at rest。
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Sometimes the floats become waterlogged； and so add considerably to
the weight of the machine。 Thus in Mr。 Hawker's flight round Britain； the
pilot and his passenger had to pump about ten gallons of water out of one
of the floats before the machine could rise properly。 Floats are usually
made with watertight compartments； and are composed of several thin
layers of wood； riveted to a wooden framework。
There is another technical question to be considered in the fixing of
the floats； namely； the fore…and…aft balance of the machine in the air。 The
propeller of a water…plane has to be set higher than that of a land aeroplane；
so that it may not come into contact with the waves。 This tends to tip the
craft forwards； and thus make the nose of the float dig in the water。 To
overcome this the float is set well forward of the centre of gravity； and
though this counteracts the thrust when the craft 〃taxies〃 along the waves；
it endangers its fore…and…aft stability when aloft。
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CHAPTER XXXV A Famous British Inventor of
the Water…plane
Though Harry Hawker made such a brilliant and gallant attempt to win
the L5000 prize； we must not forget that great credit is due to Mr。 Sopwith；
who designed the water…plane； and to Mr。 Green； the inventor of the
engine which made such a flight possible； and enabled the pilot to achieve
a feat never before approached in any part of the world。
The life…story of Mr。 〃Tommy〃 Sopwith is almost a romance。 As a lad
he was intensely interested in mechanics； and we can imagine him
constructing all manner of models； and enquiring the why and the
wherefore of every mechanical toy with which he came into contact。
At the early age of twenty…one he commenced a motor business； but
about this time engineers and mechanics all over the country were
becoming greatly interested in the practical possibilities of aviation。 Mr。
Sopwith decided to learn to fly； and in 1910； after continued practice in a
Howard Wright biplane； he had become a proficient pilot。 So rapid was his
progress that by the end of the year he had won the magnificent prize of
L4000 generously offered by Baron de Forest for the longest flight made
by an all…British machine from England to the Continent。 In this flight he
covered 177 miles； from Eastchurch； Isle of Sheppey； to the Belgian
frontier； in three and a half hours。
If Mr。 Sopwith had been in any doubt as to the wisdom of changing his
business this remarkable achievement alone must have assured him that
his future career lay in aviation。 In 1911 he was graciously received by
King George V at Windsor Castle； after having flown from Brooklands
and alighted on the East Terrace of the famous castle。
In the same year he visited America； and astonished even that go…
ahead country with some skilful flying feats。 To show the practical
possibilities of the aeroplane he overtook the liner Olympic； after she had
left New York harbour on her homeward voyage； and dropped aboard a
parcel addressed to a passenger。 On his return to England he competed in
the first Aerial Derby； the course being a circuit of London； representing a
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distance of 81 miles。 In this race he made a magnificent flight in a 70…
horse…power Bleriot monoplane； and came in some fifteen minutes before
Mr。 Hamel； the second pilot home。 So popular was his victory that Mr。
Grahame…White and several other officials of the London Aerodrome
carried him shoulder high from his machine。
From this time we hear little of Mr。 Sopwith as a pilot； for； like other
famous airmen； such as Louis Bleriot； Henri Farman； and Claude
Grahame…White； who jumped into fame by success in competition flying；
he has retired with his laurels； and now devotes his efforts to the
construction of machines。 He bids fair to be equally successful as a
constructor of air…craft as he formerly was as a pilot of flying machines。
The Sopwith machines are noted for their careful design and excellent
workmanship。 They are made by the Sopwith Aviation Company； Ltd。；
whose works are at Kingston…on…Thames。 Several water…planes have been
built there for the Admiralty； and land machines for the War Office。 Late
in 1913 Mr。 Hawker left Britain for Australia to give demonstrations in the
Sopwith machine to the Government of his native country。
A fine list of records has for long stood to the credit of the Sopwith
biplane。 Among these are：
British Height Record （Pilot only） 。。。 。。。 11；450 feet 〃 〃 〃 （Pilot and
1 Passenger） 12；900 〃 〃 〃 〃 （Pilot and 2 Passengers） 10；600 〃 World's 〃
〃 （Pilot and 3 Passengers） 8；400 〃
Many of the Sopwith machines used in the European War were built
specially to withstand rough climate and heavy winds； and thus they were
able to work in almost every kind of weather。 It was this fact； coupled with
the indomitable spirit of adventure inherent in men of British race； that
made British airmen more than hold their own with both friend and foe in
the war。
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CHAPTER XXXVI Sea…planes for Warfare
〃Even in the region of the air； into which with characteristic British
prudence we have moved with some tardiness； the Navy need not fear
comparison with the Navy of any other country。 The British sea…plane；
although still in an empirical stage； like everything else in this sphere of
warlike operations； has reached a point of progress in advance of anything
attained elsewhere。
〃Our hearts should go out to…night to those brilliant officers；
Commander Samson and his band of brilliant pioneers； to whose
endeavours； to whose enterprise； to whose devotion it is due that in an
incredibly short space of time our naval aeroplane service has been raised
to that primacy from which it must never be cast down。
〃It is not only in naval hydroplanes that we must have superiority。 The
enduring safety of this country will not be maintained by force of arms
unless over the whole sphere of aerial development we are able to make
ourselves the first nation。 That will be a task of long duration。 Many
difficulties have to be overcome。 Other countries have started sooner。 The
native genius of France； the indomitable perseverance of Germany； have
produced results which we at the present time cannot equal。〃
So said Mr。 Winston Churchill at the Lord Mayor's Banquet held in
London in 1913； and I have quoted his speech because such a statement；
made at such a time； clearly shows the attitude of the British Government
toward this new arm of Imperial Defence。
In bygone days the ocean was the great highway which united the
various quarters of the Empire； and； what was even more important from
the standpoint of our country's defence； it was a formidable barrier
between Britain and her Continental neighbours；
〃Which serves it in the office of a wall Or as a moat defensive to a
house。〃
But the ocean is no longer the only highway； for the age of aerial
navigation has arrived； and； as one writer says： 〃Every argument which
impelled us of old to fight for the dominion of the sea has apparently been
found valid in relation to the supremacy of the air。〃
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From some points of view this race between nations for naval and
aerial supremacy may be unfortunate； but so long as the fighting instinct
of man continues in the human race； so long as rivalry exists between
nations； so long must we continue to strengthen our aerial position。
Britain is slow to start on any great venture where great change is
effected。 Our practice is rather to wait and see what other nations are
doing； and there is something to be said for this method of procedure。
In the art of aviation； and in the construction of air…craft； our French；
German； and American rivals were very efficient pacemakers in the aerial
race for supremacy； and during the years 1909…12 we were in grave peril
of being left hopelessly behind。 But in 1913 we realized the vital
importance to the State of capturing the first place in aviation； particularly
that of aerial supremacy at sea； for the Navy is our first line of defence。 So
rapid has been our progress that we are quite the equal of our French and
German rivals in the production of aeroplanes； and in sea…planes we are
far ahead of them； both in design and construction； and the war has proved
that we are ahead in the art of flight。
The Naval Air Servi
