Two kingposts of steel tube are fitted
to each plane and braced with wire to stiffen the whole
structure.
The planes are attached to the envelope by means of skids and
stay wires. The skids, composed of spruce, are fastened to the
envelope by eight lacing patches.
The car, it will be remembered, is a B.E. 2C fuselage stripped of
its wings, rudders and elevators, with certain other fittings
added to render it suitable for airship work. The undercarriage
is formed of two ash skids, each supported by three struts. The
aeroplane landing wheels, axle and suspensions are abandoned.
In the forward end of the fuselage was installed a 75 horse-power
air cooled Renault engine driving a single four-bladed tractor
propeller through a reduction gear of 2 to 1. The engine is of
the 8-cylinder V type, weighing 438 lb. with a bore of 96 mm. and
a stroke of 120 mm. The Claudel-Hobson type of carburettor is
employed with this engine. The type of magneto used is the Bosch
D.V.4, there being one magneto for each line of cylinders. In
the older French Renaults the Bosch H.L.8 is used, one magneto
supplying the current to all the plugs. Petrol is carried in
three tanks, a gravity and intermediate tank as fitted to the
original aeroplane, and a bottom tank placed underneath the front
seat of the car.
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