Notebook of James Stuart Leslie Ross - Part 11

Instruments (Lec2) 29.7.17
Bourdon Pressure Gauge.
used to show air Pressure in petrol
tank.
Consists of a flat phosphor bronze
tube bent to the shape of a part of
a circle. One end is sealed & other
connected by copper tubing to top
of petrol tank.  The air pressure
tends to straighten the tube out
& the amount of its movement
is conveyed to a pointer which
gives a reading in lbs per sq in.
A hand pump is provided to keep
pressure at required amount. A
mech. pump also, is sometimes used.
An overload release valve prevents
pressure exceeding required amount
 

Aneroid Barometer or Altimeter
Aneroid consists essentially of a thin
corrugated metal box pumped out to
a partial vacuum and sealed. This

held in tension by a strong spring which
tends to distort the box out with a
power, which is at sea level about
equal to the atmospheric pressure
which tends to collapse the box in.
On rising to higher altitudes the
atmos. pressure decreases which
allows the spring to distort the box
to an extent depending on the height.
This movement of the box is conveyed
to a pointer by means of a delicate
& magnifying system of levers,
the movement being converted to
a rotary motion by means of a
fine silver chain passing round
a pulley on the pointer spindle.
A stave spring tends to keep
the chain taut. As the
pressure varies on the ground
the zero position of pointer is not
constant.  To allow for this, a thumb
screw is provided by means of
which the dial may be rotated.
unit the Zero mark coincides with

 

Instruments (contd)  29-7-17
the position of the pointer.  The
instrument is compensated for errors
caused by changes in temperature.
The dial is graduated in thousands
of feet
Lists of Instrument carried on dashboard

1. Rev. Indicator  - R.P.M of engine.
2.  Air Speed Indicator - speed of machine

through air in M.P.H.
3. Altimeter - Height in thousands of feet.

4. Pressure Gauge - air pressure in petrol
tank.

5. Petrol Gauge - amount of petrol in tank

6. Clinometer - Lateral Stability

7. Transmitting Thermometer - Temperature

of water in radiator.

8. Compass

9. Watch

        ________

Trans Therm.  Tube D container

filled with liquid ether which

transfer heat from radiator to

instruments

 

20- 7- 17
Wireless Lecture 1   
Instruments

1. Sterling Transmitter

2. 6-roll Accumulator

3. Aerial Wire

4. Aerial Bracket.

5 Safety Plug.

Tuning. The closed cet or primary clip

placed on wave length required,

the open cet or aerial clip always

remains on the outside turn. The

Aerial is the same length in feet

as the valve length in metres.

Safety Plug is a protection against fire. It should

never be inserted until it is

necessary to transmit.  It should always
be removed immediately transmitting is

finished. 

Hand-drawn diagram - see original document

 

Photography   26.7-17

 

Camera is fitted to a machine by means

of a cone-shaped fitting into which

camera is securely fastened & which

is attached to two wooden struts

fastened to top or bottom longerons.

Where possible, the whole fittings are

then strapped together

Best height for taking photos, 6 to 7

thousand feet.

Reasons:- You are covering a numbered

square in 1/20000 map (1000 yds Square).

Aerial conditions are best, at that height.

Before a photographic flight:-

See Camera is properly adjusted,

i.e. lens clean, shutter slit adjusted,

(usually ½" to 1 inch), tension fully wound,

shutter "Set", plate indicator set at zero,

fit, on charger boxes withdraw slides

& clip back

During a photographic flight:-

Ride with machine, dead level

over spot, against wind ^with  engines throttled down To take

 

a photographic, see handle is fully

withdrawn, shutter set, (see "Set" Wheel)

pull release (this takes the photo.) To change

plate & reset shutter, press forward

handle 2/3 of way gently & then push home

very firmly & withdraw with a bang.

After a photo. flight

Pass all remaining plates into the

exposed plate box &, close slide.

Release tension, deliver plates with

report to photographic reports. 
Report contains map reference for each

plate exposed, date, time of day (roughly)

flying heights, general weather conditions

& type & no. of machine.

Sighting

By means of sight on camera, or

looking straight, down one of struts

hand drawn diagram see original

R.F.C.Charger Box,

"C" Type Camera.

18 - 5" x 4" plates.

Photography   26 -7.17

Flying Height in Inches x 5" =

Lens Focus

Distance covered by side of plate taken

6000 x 12 x 5

8 x 36             =  1250 yds   X

4/5 = 1000 yds

Area taken by plate 4" x 5"=

1250 yds x 1000 yds

27.7.17

Uses of Photographs:-

To Staff, For study before an attack.

To artillery  Shows progress of bombardment.

Batteries can be located by tracks

& blast marks & greater accuracy

can be attained for pinpoints.

To Pilots & Observers Study of photos

before a flight. For purposes

of comparison. Before going on

contact patrol careful study of

photo is absolutely essential.

Used to show &, record results of

shoots.

Long or Distant, Photography carried

out by Army Sqdns, (DH4's

Bristol Fighters, etc).
Short Photog (Trench work, batteries etc)

carried out by Corps Sqdns,

(RE80, AW's BE2 E's).

For Stereoscopic Work.

Flying at 6,000, To get a good

overlap, photo to be taken

every 10 secs.

Never take more photos than

necessary

Fly up wind nose of machine

towards target, & throttle down. See it over

leading edge, trailing ^edge &, then

sight. Best height, about 7000 ft.

On Long Photog. about 9 or 10000 ft.

Select prominent objects in area of the

objects to be photographed. & use them as a guide

Never put nose down when exposing plate

when exposing, don't dodge "Archie".