A aviation & planes forum. AviationBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » AviationBanter forum » Aviation Images » Aviation Photos
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Westland-Hill Pterodactyl



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old July 8th 17, 03:10 PM posted to alt.binaries.pictures.aviation
Miloch
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 24,291
Default Westland-Hill Pterodactyl

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westland-Hill_Pterodactyl

Pterodactyl was the name given to a series of experimental tailless aircraft
designs developed by Geoffrey T. R. Hill in the 1920s and early 1930s. Named
after the genus Pterodactylus, a well-known type of Pterosaur commonly known as
the pterodactyl, all but the first were produced by Westland Aircraft Ltd after
Hill joined them.

Captain G.T.R. Hill developed the Pterodactyl series in an attempt to develop a
safer aircraft: many pilots lost their lives when their aircraft stalled, went
into a spin and flew into the ground, and Hill wanted to develop a design which
was resistant to stalling and spinning. The pioneer J. W. Dunne had previously
developed stable aircraft in the form of tailless swept wings and Hill took
Dunne's ideas as his starting point.

Helped by his wife, he constructed a prototype which was flown as a glider in
1924. The design gained official interest and in 1925 it was fitted with a 35
h.p. Bristol Cherub engine and taken to Farnborough. It was later demonstrated
to the Secretary of State for Air, Sir Samuel Hoare.

All subsequent examples were funded under Air Ministry contract and built by
Westland Aircraft, who took on Hill for this purpose. The first Westland-built
type, the Pterodactyl I, was built to Air Ministry Specification 23/26. It took
the form of a braced shoulder-wing monoplane with fully moving wingtips and a
single pusher propellor. If both tips were moved in the same way they functioned
as elevators, in opposite ways then as ailerons. It was designated the Mk. IA or
IB according to which engine was fitted. It and subsequent models flew initially
from RAF Andover, the Mk. IA flying in 1928.

The Mks II and III failed to gain Ministry acceptance.

Hill's Pterodactyl designs were all intended to handle safely without any
definite stall point, allowing reliable recovery without loss of altitude even
by inexperienced pilots. The characteristic wing was of moderately tapered and
swept planform, with reverse taper at the root to improve pilot vision.

The wing was "washed out", having a slight twist which reduced the angle of
incidence progressively towards the tips, providing a near-stationary overall
centre of pressure and ensuring that the aircraft was stable in pitch. Thus, no
horizontal stabiliser was needed and the craft was tailless, allowing the
fuselage to be relatively short.



*

 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
UK1 K2770 Westland Pterodactyl.jpg Joseph Testagrose Aviation Photos 0 July 29th 13 12:13 PM
Buff at Hill AFB. Glenn[_4_] Aviation Photos 0 February 23rd 13 09:59 PM
Hill AFB F-4 Glenn[_4_] Aviation Photos 2 December 27th 12 03:39 AM
Tex Hill Big John Piloting 8 October 16th 07 11:57 PM
CV-17 Bunker Hill retirement? DDAY Naval Aviation 29 May 27th 06 05:19 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 10:35 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 AviationBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.