SEPTEMBER 23,

1920

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shock-absorber is fitted for the land undercarriage, so that when the machine is running over the ground, each side is sprung at three points, providing a form of progressive springing which should make the machine very comfortable to handle ashore. The amphibian gear consists of two wheels mounted on a structure of steel tubes. This structure hinges on the front float cross-tube, and its rear horizontal member has its ends resting in slots in the top of the floats. A locking arrangement is provided by means of which the rear tube is secured to a set of shock-absorbers inside the floats. The hooks of this arrangement are operated through cables from the pilot's cockpit, and its details will be clear from the accompanying sketches. The whole land undercarriage forms a rigid unit, its members travelling up and down with the wheels around the pivot formed by the front transverse float tube. . ..
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SOME FAIREY QUICK-RELEASE DEVICES : These are used on the external drag cables to facilitate casting off when folding the wings
action. As the wings are braced by external drag cables it becomes necessary to provide some means for quickly casting off these cables when the wings are to be folded, and the manner of doing this is indicated in the accompanying- sketches, which show the release devices. The inter-plane struts are in the form of steel tubes enclosed in streamline fairings, and the manner of securing the struts to the spars, as well as the attachment of the lift and anti-lift wires, is shown in one of our sketches. The two main floats of the Fairey are of the plain, rectangular section, single-stepped type, with the portion aft of the step extending a considerable distance aft so as to support the tail without the aid of the tail float. When, however, the wings are folded the tail float takes the load, as already mentioned. The main floats are sprung from the cross tubes of the undercarriage by rubber shock-absorbers. When on the sea, the machine has each float sprung both forward and aft. A third

A Fairey inter-plane strut fitting

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The Supermarine Amphibian, 360 h.p. RollsRoyce " Eagle." Generally speaking, the Supermarine Amphibian entered for the Air Ministry Competition is similar to the well-known Supermarine " Channel type," although as regards actual dimensions the new machine is somewhat larger. Built for reliability in commercial work rather than for " stunt " performance in the actual competition, the machine is somewhat heavily loaded both per sq. ft. and per h.p., although her performance is by no means bad. One has always associated sturdy construction with the Supermarine boats, but the present one is, or at any rate gives the impression of being, extraordinarily strong, as an amphibian craft should be to be of any practical use. In fact, we understand that the machine is excessively strong, and that in future repetitions of the design a considerable amount of weight can be'saved. I t should be remembered that the machine was designed and built in a hurry, and many little refinements for which tl^ere

THE AIR MINISTRY COMPETITION : Wheeling out the Supermarine Amphibian flying-boat, 360 h.p. Rolls-Royce " Eagle " engine .> . I0l6