A geodetic airframe is a type of construction for the airframes of aircraft developed by British aeronautical engineer Barnes Wallis in the 1930s (who sometimes spelt it "geodesic"). Earlier, it was used by Prof. Schütte for the Schütte Lanz Airship SL 1 in 1909.[1] It makes use of a space frame formed from a spirally crossing basket-weave of load-bearing members.[2] The principle is that two geodesic arcs can be drawn to intersect on a curving surface (the fuselage) in a manner that the torsional load on each cancels out that on the other.[3]
A section of the rear fuselage from a Vickers Warwick showing the geodetic construction in duralumin. On exhibit at the Armstrong & Aviation Museum at Bamburgh Castle.
18th-century American warship's "Diagonal riders" in their construction
The "diagonal rider" structural element was used by Joshua Humphreys in the first US Navy sail frigates in 1794.[4] Diagonal riders are viewable in the interior hull structure of the preserved USS Constitution on display in Boston Harbor.[5][6][4] The structure was a pioneering example of placing "non-orthogonal" structural components within an otherwise conventional structure for its time.[6] The "diagonal riders" were included in these American naval vessels' construction as one of five elements to reduce the problem of hogging in the ship's hull, and did not make up the bulk of the vessel's structure, they do not constitute a completely "geodetic" space frame.[citation needed]
Calling any diagonal wood brace (as used on gates, buildings, ships or other structures with cantilevered or diagonal loads) an example of geodesic design is a misnomer. In a geodetic structure, the strength and structural integrity, and indeed the shape, come from the diagonal "braces" - the structure does not need the "bits in between" for part of its strength (implicit in the name space frame) as does a more conventional wooden structure.
Aeroplanesedit
Wellington Mk.X HE239 of No.428 Sqn. RCAF, illustrating the geodetic construction and the level of battle damage it could sustain and still return to base
The earliest-known use of a geodetic airframe design for any aircraft was for the pre-World War I Schütte-Lanz SL1 rigid airship's envelope structure] of 1911, with the airship capable of up to a 38.3 km/h (23.8 mph) top airspeed.[7][unreliable source?]
The Latécoère 6 was a French four-engined biplane bomber of the early 1920s. It was of advanced all-metal construction and probably the first aeroplane to use geodetic construction. Only one was built.
Barnes Wallis, inspired by his earlier experience with light alloy structures and the use of geodesically-arranged wiring to distribute the lifting loads of the gasbags in the design of the R100 airship, evolved the geodetic construction method (although it is commonly stated, there was no geodetic structure in R100).[8] Wallis used the term "geodetic" to apply to the airframe; it is referred to as "Vickers-Wallis construction" in some early company documents.[9] "Geodesic" is used in the United States for aircraft structures.[10]
The system was later used by Wallis's employer, Vickers-Armstrongs in a series of bomber aircraft, the Wellesley, Wellington, Warwick and Windsor. In these aircraft, the fuselage and wing were built up from duralumin alloy channel-beams that were formed into a large framework. Wooden battens were screwed onto the metal, to which the dopedlinen skin of the aircraft was fixed. The Windsor had a woven metal skin.
The metal lattice-work gave a light and very strong structure.[2] The benefit of the geodetic construction was larger internal volume for a given streamlined shape.[9] Flight magazine described a geodetic frame as sheet metal covering in which diamond shaped holes have been cut leaving behind the geodetic strips.[11] The benefit was offset by having to construct the fuselage as a complete assembly unlike aircraft using stressed-skin construction which could be built in sections. In addition, fabric covering on the geodetic frame was not suitable for higher flying aircraft that had to be pressurised. The difficulty of providing a pressurised compartment in a geodetic frame was a challenge during the design of the high altitude Wellington Mk. V. The pressure cabin, which expanded and contracted independently of the rest of the airframe, had to be attached at the nodal points of the structure.[12]
Geodetic wing and fin structures, taken from the Wellington, were used on the post-war Vickers VC.1 Viking, but with a metal stressed-skin fuselage.[13] Later production Vikings were completely stressed-skin construction marking the end of geodetic construction at Vickers.[14]
^ ab"Keel Hauled". USS CONSTITUTION MUSEUM. September 2016.
^Brooks, Rebecca Beatrice (27 June 2017). "Construction of the USS Constitution". History of Massachusetts Blog.
^ abOtton, Patrick (1997). USS Constitution Rehabilitation And Restoration. Third International Conference on the Technical Aspects of the Preservation of Historic Vessels Conference Proceedings. San Francisco Maritime Park Association.
^. www.earlyaeroplanes.com. Archived from the original on 12 November 2013. Retrieved 22 February 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
Buttler, Tony (2004). British Secret Projects: Fighters & Bombers 1935-1950. Hinckley: Midland Publishing. ISBN978-1-85780-179-8.
Murray, Iain (2009). Bouncing-Bomb Man: the Science of Sir Barnes Wallis. Haynes. ISBN978-1-84425-588-7.
January 01, 1970
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A geodetic airframe is a type of construction for the airframes of aircraft developed by British aeronautical engineer Barnes Wallis in the 1930s who sometimes spelt it geodesic Earlier it was used by Prof Schutte for the Schutte Lanz Airship SL 1 in 1909 1 It makes use of a space frame formed from a spirally crossing basket weave of load bearing members 2 The principle is that two geodesic arcs can be drawn to intersect on a curving surface the fuselage in a manner that the torsional load on each cancels out that on the other 3 A section of the rear fuselage from a Vickers Warwick showing the geodetic construction in duralumin On exhibit at the Armstrong amp Aviation Museum at Bamburgh Castle Contents 1 Early examples 2 Aeroplanes 3 See also 4 References 4 1 Inline citations 4 2 SourcesEarly examples edit nbsp 18th century American warship s Diagonal riders in their construction The diagonal rider structural element was used by Joshua Humphreys in the first US Navy sail frigates in 1794 4 Diagonal riders are viewable in the interior hull structure of the preserved USS Constitution on display in Boston Harbor 5 6 4 The structure was a pioneering example of placing non orthogonal structural components within an otherwise conventional structure for its time 6 The diagonal riders were included in these American naval vessels construction as one of five elements to reduce the problem of hogging in the ship s hull and did not make up the bulk of the vessel s structure they do not constitute a completely geodetic space frame citation needed Calling any diagonal wood brace as used on gates buildings ships or other structures with cantilevered or diagonal loads an example of geodesic design is a misnomer In a geodetic structure the strength and structural integrity and indeed the shape come from the diagonal braces the structure does not need the bits in between for part of its strength implicit in the name space frame as does a more conventional wooden structure Aeroplanes edit nbsp Wellington Mk X HE239 of No 428 Sqn RCAF illustrating the geodetic construction and the level of battle damage it could sustain and still return to base The earliest known use of a geodetic airframe design for any aircraft was for the pre World War I Schutte Lanz SL1 rigid airship s envelope structure of 1911 with the airship capable of up to a 38 3 km h 23 8 mph top airspeed 7 unreliable source The Latecoere 6 was a French four engined biplane bomber of the early 1920s It was of advanced all metal construction and probably the first aeroplane to use geodetic construction Only one was built Barnes Wallis inspired by his earlier experience with light alloy structures and the use of geodesically arranged wiring to distribute the lifting loads of the gasbags in the design of the R100 airship evolved the geodetic construction method although it is commonly stated there was no geodetic structure in R100 8 Wallis used the term geodetic to apply to the airframe it is referred to as Vickers Wallis construction in some early company documents 9 Geodesic is used in the United States for aircraft structures 10 The system was later used by Wallis s employer Vickers Armstrongs in a series of bomber aircraft the Wellesley Wellington Warwick and Windsor In these aircraft the fuselage and wing were built up from duralumin alloy channel beams that were formed into a large framework Wooden battens were screwed onto the metal to which the doped linen skin of the aircraft was fixed The Windsor had a woven metal skin The metal lattice work gave a light and very strong structure 2 The benefit of the geodetic construction was larger internal volume for a given streamlined shape 9 Flight magazine described a geodetic frame as sheet metal covering in which diamond shaped holes have been cut leaving behind the geodetic strips 11 The benefit was offset by having to construct the fuselage as a complete assembly unlike aircraft using stressed skin construction which could be built in sections In addition fabric covering on the geodetic frame was not suitable for higher flying aircraft that had to be pressurised The difficulty of providing a pressurised compartment in a geodetic frame was a challenge during the design of the high altitude Wellington Mk V The pressure cabin which expanded and contracted independently of the rest of the airframe had to be attached at the nodal points of the structure 12 Geodetic wing and fin structures taken from the Wellington were used on the post war Vickers VC 1 Viking but with a metal stressed skin fuselage 13 Later production Vikings were completely stressed skin construction marking the end of geodetic construction at Vickers 14 See also editDesign principle Figure of the Earth Geodesic dome Geodesic disambiguation Geodetic systemReferences editInline citations edit Nowarra Heinz J 1988 Deutsche Luftschiffe Parseval Schutte Lanz Zeppelin in German Friedberg Ponzun Pallas Verlag ISBN 978 3 7909 0332 4 Retrieved 2 December 2018 a b Buttler p 93 Buttler p 94 a b Keel Hauled USS CONSTITUTION MUSEUM September 2016 Brooks Rebecca Beatrice 27 June 2017 Construction of the USS Constitution History of Massachusetts Blog a b Otton Patrick 1997 USS Constitution Rehabilitation And Restoration Third International Conference on the Technical Aspects of the Preservation of Historic Vessels Conference Proceedings San Francisco Maritime Park Association Archived copy www earlyaeroplanes com Archived from the original on 12 November 2013 Retrieved 22 February 2022 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link Murray p 34 and p 44 a b Geodetic Aircraft Design Barnes Wallis Foundation https archive org details sim journal of aircraft january february 2002 39 1 p 18 Flight magazine December 15 1938 p 548 From Bouncing Bombs To Concorde Robert Gardner 2006 ISBN 0 7509 4389 0 p 33 Bailey Watson C B 24 May 1945 Vickers Viking Flight archived from the original on 4 June 2016 From Bouncing Bombs To Concorde Robert Gardner 2006 ISBN 0 7509 4389 0 p 65 Sources edit Buttler Tony 2004 British Secret Projects Fighters amp Bombers 1935 1950 Hinckley Midland Publishing ISBN 978 1 85780 179 8 Murray Iain 2009 Bouncing Bomb Man the Science of Sir Barnes Wallis Haynes ISBN 978 1 84425 588 7 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Geodetic airframe amp oldid 1220694445, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
