The Airship "Golden Hind"Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)
General
The Airship "Golden Hind"
Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)
Adventure stories; Flight -- Juvenile fiction; Voyages around the world -- Juvenile fiction
"Rather," was the reply. "Enough for 5000 miles; which means, allowing
for deviations from a straight uniform course, about six halts to
replenish petrol tanks. We carry no water ballast of any description.
When the fuel supply runs low, there is a tendency for the airship to
rise, owing to the reduced weight. To counteract this, a certain
quantity of brodium is exhausted from the ballonets into cast-iron
cylinders, where it is stored under pressure until required again. The
leakage during this operation is less than one-half per cent. Now we’ll
get on board."
Past groups of busy workmen the three ex-officers made their way. Both
Kenyon and Bramsdean noticed that the men worked as if they had an
interest in what they were doing. Several they recognised as being in
the same "Flight" in which they had served on the other side of the
Channel.
"Like old times," said Kenyon in a low voice.
"Rather, old son," agreed his chum.
They boarded the "Golden Hind," where workmen were putting finishing
touches to the interior decorations of the cabins. The floor was
composed of rigid aluminium plates, corrugated in order to provide a
firm foothold, and temporarily covered with sacking to prevent undue
wear upon the relatively soft metal.
The door--one of the four--by which they entered was on the port side
aft. It opened into a saloon 20 feet by 7 feet, which in turn
communicated with a fore-and-aft alley-way extending almost the extreme
length of the fuselage.
"We’ll start right aft and work for’ard," said Fosterdyke. "If you can
suggest any alterations in the internal fittings, let me know. It often
happens that a new arrival spots something that the original designer
has overlooked."
"Must have taken some thinking out, sir," remarked Bramsdean.
"M’yes," agreed Sir Reginald. "I’m afraid I spent some sleepless nights
over the business. This is my cabin."
The chums found themselves in a compartment measuring 15 feet in a
fore-and-aft direction and 10 feet across the for’ard bulkhead, the
width diminishing to the rounded end of the nacelle. It was plainly
furnished. A canvas cot, a folding table, and two camp chairs
comprising the principal contents. The large windows with celluloid
panes afforded a wide outlook, while should the atmospheric conditions
be favourable, the windows opened after the manner of those in a railway
carriage.
Retracing their steps, the chums inspected the motors immediately
for’ard of the owner’s cabin. Each was in a compartment measuring 10
feet by 6 feet, leaving an uninterrupted alley-way nearly 3 feet in
length between.
"The fuel and oil tanks are underneath the alley-way," Fosterdyke
pointed out. "I’m using pressure-feed in preference to gravity-feed. It
keeps the centre of gravity lower. What do you think of the engines?"
"Clinking little motors," replied Kenyon, enthusiastically, as he
studied the spotlessly clean mechanism with professional interest.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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