Flight, December 1922

THE NAPIER "CUB" FLIES

   AFTER a long and searching series of tests on the bench, the 1,000 h.p. Napier "Cub" carried out last Friday afternoon, its first official test under actual flying conditions, incidentally marking another eventful day in the history of British - and the world's, for that matter - progress in aviation. This was the first occasion on which an aero engine of such a high power as 1,000 h.p. has ever successfully taken the air - in flight, that is, not for consumption!
   It is most satisfactory to know that this notable event was achieved by a British firm - or more correctly - firms, for it is not much use designing and building an aero engine of ever-so-many horse-power if you cannot also produce a machine, into which to put it, that will fly. So we must not forget the share of this achievement due to A. V. Roe and Co., Ltd., the builders of the Napier-Avro Bomber which successfully bore aloft the "Cub," roaring, as Shakespeare would have said, "as gently as a sucking dove."
   Air Vice-Marshal Sir W. G. H. Salmond, K.C.M.G., C.B., D.S.O., Director of Research, and several officials of the Air Ministry were present at Friday's demonstration, and, we understand, that the Director of Research was very impressed by the performance of both engine and machine.
   Inasmuch as this Napier-Avro combination is the property of the Air Ministry, we are, unfortunately, unable to give any particulars either of the Napier "Cub" or the Avro. Bomber other than those already generally known to our readers from what has been previously published in FLIGHT. For the purpose of placing on record this notable event, however, we give herewith those brief particulars available of engine and machine.
   The aeroplane to which this huge Napier is fitted is a specially constructed long-distance Bomber for the British Air Ministry designed and built by Messrs. A. V. Roe and Co., Ltd., of Southampton, one of the oldest aircraft firms, whose machines have achieved a great reputation It is a further development of the Avro "Aldershot" which made its debut at the last R.A.F. Pageant at Hendon, where it won the Air Force Handicap.
   This bomber, the most powerful single-engined aeroplane in the world, is designed to give an exceptional wide range of action. In its fuselage are two decks. On the top one the machine gunner and pilot are accommodated whilst the lower deck is fitted with bomb sighting and dropping gear.
   To carry out all its functions this machine needs a crew of three, and arrangements are ingeniously contrived that they can change places whilst the machine is in flight. Ladders are in position between the decks, making it easy for the crew to change positions as required. The wings of this machine are designed so that they will fold back, thus economising considerably in space for housing purposes.
   The whole machine, with the exception of certain parts of the wings, is constructed of metal. It is provided with dual control, with side-by-side seating, and is fitted with self-sealing petrol tanks.
   As this machine is designed for long-distance flights, special electrical equipment is installed for keeping the hands and feet of the crew warm, and at the same time preventing the guns from freezing.
   The motive power is a single 1,000 h.p. Napier engine, whose performances on its bench tests have been so satisfactory. It is interesting to note the compactness of the machine, and the small appearance of the nose when one considers that a 1.000 h.p. is stored away in a length of only 7 ft. 6 ins. A petrol engine starter is fitted, and does its job well without any fuss.
   The "Cub" was designed and built at the Napier factory at Acton, and although this is the first engine of its type to fly, there are other machines in course of construction for this engine, which will be flown in due course. The principal features in the design of the "Cub" are now well-known. It is built "X" shape of 16 cylinders - 4 rows of 4 cylinders - and h.p. for h.p., even better results have been obtained with this engine than with its famous prototype the 450 h.p. "Lion." Although the engine develops over 1,000 h.p., its total weight is only 2,200 lbs. - truly a remarkable achievement. It is particularly economical in oil and petrol consumption considering the power developed.
   As regards the performance of the Napier-Avro combination, from our observations of Friday's test both appeared to give entirely satisfactory results. The engine ran with remarkable smoothness and silence. In fact, after the flight Hinkler said he could not realise he had over 1,000 h.p. in front of him. The machine took off after an extremely short run - well under the 200-yd. mark - and climbed very well indeed. Once in the air, Hinkler put it through all kinds of manoeuvres, including some fine banked turns. He told us that it is very nice on the controls and easy to manage. In landing the machine runs but a very short distance after first touching.
   As for its pilot, the hero of the London-Turin non-stop flight, etc., we all know Bert Hinkler, so need say nothing further about him other than that the next time we go to see him fly the Napier-Avro we will take a magnifying glass to find him when in situ. After the flight, Hinkler was presented with a handsome cigarette case by the Napier Co.
   Later in the afternoon we witnessed a test flight with an Avro "Bison" fitted with a Napier "Lion," and just as we were leaving the aerodrome we saw Hinkler execute a beautiful loop.

Flight, July 1923

Gothenburg International Aero Exhibition 1923

THE MACHINES

A.V.Roe and Co., Ltd., Manchester

   THE machine which will be exhibited by A. V. Roe and Co., Ltd., at the Gothenburg Exhibition, Aircraft Section, is an Avro "Aldershot-Cub," fitted with a 1,000 h.p, Napier "Cub" engine. Unfortunately, having been but recently designed for the British Air Ministry, constructional details of this interesting machine are not available, and we are, therefore, only able to give but the briefest general description.
   The "Aldershot-Cub" - the most powerful single-engined aeroplane in the world - is a development of the standard Avro "Aldershot" long-distance bomber, which is fitted with a 650 h.p. Rolls-Royce "Condor" engine. This latter machine, it may be of interest to note, made its first appearance at the 1922 Royal Air Force Pageant, when it took part and obtained first place in a handicap race flown on that occasion.
   As fitted with the "Cub" engine, the "Aldershot" has been modified in one or two details as compared with the Standard machine - for instance, a four-wheeled oleo undercarriage in place of a two-wheeled one.
   The most interesting feature of this machine is its very large fuselage, which has two decks. On the top deck, or upper storey, the pilot, and machine gunner are accommodated, the former being located under the trailing edge of the top plane, with the gunner immediately behind him. The lower deck is fitted with the bomb sighting and dropping gear. This "pill dispensing compartment" is provided with port-hole windows in the sides of the fuselage, and is remarkably roomy.
   To carry out all its functions this machine needs a crew of three, and arrangements are ingeniously contrived so that they can change places whilst the machine is in flight. Ladders are in position between the decks, making it easy for the crew to change positions as required.
   The wings of the "Aldershot" are swept back, and are designed so that they will fold back, thus economising considerably in space for housing purposes. Considering the size of the wings the arrangements for folding - a by no means easy problem in this particular case - have been exceedingly well carried out, and alone constitute a remarkable piece of designing.
   The whole machine, with the exception of certain parts of the wings, is constructed of metal.
   The tail plane, which by itself would almost serve as a wing for a light 'plane, is mounted above the rear extremity of the fuselage, on the top of a large vertical fin. The ailerons on the top plane are provided with small auxiliary balancing planes, which extend above and forward of the ailerons.
   Another interesting point is that the machine is fitted with self-sealing tanks, so that should they be pierced by bullets they would not leak, burst or catch fire. The machine is fitted with dual control, the two pilots being seated side by side.
   As this machine is designed for long-distance flights, special electrical equipment is installed for keeping the hands and feet of the crew warm, and at the same time preventing the guns from freezing.
   It is interesting to note the compactness of the machine and the small appearance of the nose when one considers that a 1,000 h.p. is stored away in a length of only 7 ft. 6 ins. It is necessary to have a small petrol engine, which is fixed in the machine, to start the big engine.
   As regards the performance of the "Aldershot-Cub," while no actual figures are available, it may be said that on the occasion of the Royal Air Force Pageant held this year at Hendon, when it took part in the parade and "fly past," together with various other types of Service machines - from single-seater scouts upwards - it seemed to take off, "zoom," and land with as much ease as did the smaller fry.