Aircraft

Hummel Bird

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Hummel Bird began as a modified Watson Windwagon, but the designer/builder, Morry Hummel, of Bryan, Ohio, highly modified it and called it Hummel Bird, using the Revmaster R-800 rather than the half-VW. The LSA airframe has been modified and strengthened, tail area increased, and a locking tailwheel added for better ground control. A high L/D Schreder #3 airfoil and flaps also were used.

Excellent single place aircraft. Features all aluminum construction. Fast and inexpensive to build, many were flying.

Engine: Revmaster R-800.
Gross weight 520 lbs.
Empty weight 275 lbs.
Wingspan 18 ft
Length 13 ft 4 in
Vmax 115 mph.
Cruise speed 105 mph.
Stall 45 mph.
Climb rate 700 fpm.
Takeoff run 350 ft
Range 420 sm.

Engine: half VW, 37 hp
HP range: 30-40.
Span: 18 ft
Length: 13 ft 4 in
Height: 4 ft.
Wing area: 63 sq.ft.
Gross: 550 lbs.
Empty Weight: 270 lb
Useful Load: 250 lb
Fuel cap: 7 USG.
Speed max: 135 mph.
Cruise: 105 mph
Stall: 45 mph
Rate Of Climb: 800 fpm
Range: 250 sm.
Service ceiling: 13,000 ft.
Take-off dist: 300 ft.
Landing dist: 600 ft.
Landing gear: nose or tail wheel.
Cockpit width; 22 in
Seats: 1

Humber Roger Sommer biplane

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The fifth aircraft produced by Humber was a British version of a biplane designed by Frenchman Roger Sommer, and derived essentially from the Farman III of 1909.

Two Roger Sommer biplanes were completed towards the end of 1910. One of the latter carried the first official air mail in India. This event was part of the Universal Postal Exhibition held in Allahabad in India during February 1911. During the exposition, the French pilot Henri Pecquet, on February 18, flew across the Jumna river from Allahabad to Naini Junction, in all some 8km / 5 mi with 6500 letters. Four days later, a ‘regular’ service for the duration of the exhibition was opened by Pecquet and Captain Walter G Windham, the aircraft that they used again being the Humber-Sommer biplane.

Airmail flight
24 March 1911 Roger Sommer with 12 passengers to beat Louis Breguet record of 11 on the previous day

Engine: Humber 4-cyl, 50 hp
Wingspan: 13.92 m / 45 ft 8 in
Wing area: 47 sq.m / 505 sq.ft
Length: 12.19 m / 40 ft
Payload: 91 kg / 200 lb
Max speed: 56 kph / 35 mph
Seats: 2

Humber

TerryLeave a comment

A number of types were produced by Humber before World War I , none of them designed by the company, whose principle interests were in the motor industry.

The Humber Motor Company Ltd. manufactured a British version of the Bleriot XI in 1910, known as the Humber- Bleriot Monoplane.

At the 1910 Olympia Aero Show Humber exhibited a single-seat monoplane designed by aviator Hubert Le Blon. Powered by a three-cylinder Humber engine, it had variable-camber wings and a small diameter tapering wooden boom served as the fuselage. Two further Bleriot modifications were built to the design of Captain T. T. Lovelace, and two Roger Sommer biplanes were completed towards the end of 1910. One of the latter carried the first official air mail in India.

The fifth aircraft produced was a British version of a biplane designed by Frenchman Roger Sommer, and derived essentially from the Farman III of 1909.

Hulton 1969 hang glider

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Designed by E.A.S. Hulton, London, UK, in 1969, this biplane hang-glider was wooden frame and fabric covered, based on the Ferris 1906 and the Anderson & Singer glider of 1911, with all-moving tailplane.
The upper and lower surfaces of each wing were fabric covered. Ailerons were on the lower wing only. No brakes or flaps were fitted.

Landings were made using leg undercarriage.

Only one was built, the first flight on 8 March 1969 from the I in 2 slope at the White Horse Hill, Uffington, Berkshire. The second flight, from the same site, piloted by David Potter, was unable to correct an almost vertical bank to port that developed, and the glider crashed from 50 ft. The pilot suffered bruising and a short period of unconsciousness. The glider was wrecked.

Wingspan: 6.10 m / 20 ft 0 in
Length: 3.88 m / 12 ft 9 in
Wing area: 14.86 sq.m / 166 sq.ft
Aspect ratio: 5