NOVEMBER 3,

1938.

FLIGHT.

385

Small diameter juid general compactness characterise the new Alvis Leonides nine-cylinder radial. gears which are housed in the rear cover. The camshaft -bearings and cam faces are lubricated via the hollow camshaft by a low-pressure system which is supplied by oil from the scavenge pumps. All other parts are splash lubricated. Oil drains from the crankcase by tubes at either end of the cam box. Two scavenge pumps are provided, one at each end of the camshaft; that at the front end delivers oil through the camshaft to the rear end, whence it is delivered to the oil tank. An Amal carburettor is fitted, the mixture being distributed by means of a symmetrical " T " shaped induction pipe to a common inlet port, to Nos. 1 and 2 cylinders and similarly to Nos. 3 and 4 cylinders. The hot, scavenged lubricating oil is circulated through a muff surrounding the induction pipe immediately above the carburettor. At the rear, situated vertically, are two Scintilla magnetos with automatic advance mechanism, driven a t half engine speed by helical gears. When the engine speed reaches 1,700 r.p.m. full spark advance is obtained. Cooling is on the '' end to end '' principle, an air chute being fitted on each side of the engine. Petrol consumption at cruising speed is about 17 pt. per hour. Dimensions are: Length over airscrew hub, 32.3m. ; width, 10.5m. ; height, 26.5m. MAKERS: Aero Engines, Ltd., Kingswood, Bristol.

ALVIS
C O far as aero engines are concerned, Alvis, Ltd., are con^ centrating on the nine-cylinder Leonides, which should prove an eminently suitable power plant for such aircraft as intermediate and advanced trainers. The cylinder barrels' Of the Leonides are bolted to the crankcase and are of nitrided steel and fitted with " Y " alloy cylinder heads. The head is shrunk on to the barrel, and both units are very heavily finned. Pistons are of forged aluminium alloy with cooling and stiffening fins beneath the crown. There are two valves to each cylinder, each valve being operated by independent, completely enclosed, and pressure-lubricated rocker gear. Both valves are of highresistance austenitic steel, the exhaust valve being sodiumcooled and having a steliited seat. Ignition is by dual compensated cam magnetos, fully screened against radio interference. Mixture is supplied to the cylinders through a geared centrifugal supercharger by an S.U. fully automatic carburetter with boost control. The carburetter intake is oil heated. Lubrication is on the drysump principle, oil being supplied to all the principal

working parts of the engine via a single pressure pump and scavenged through scavenge filters by two pumps working in tandem. All accessory drives are taken from the gear box, which can be fitted to the rear cover of the engine or driven by a cardan-shaft. Provision is made for fitting the following accessories: Fuel pump, hand/electric starter, generator, vacuum pump, fluid pump, air compressor, revolution counter drive, and one spare drive. It is claimed that the engine is easily installed, being supplied complete with flexible or fixed four-point mounting. I t is fitted with all brackets and attachment for N.A.C.A. cowlings and pressure baffles, standard designs being available, though special designs can be developed to suit individual installations. The airscrew is driven through a bevel-type reduction gear, alternative ratios being 0.5 : 1 or 0.63 : 1. The engine operates as a left-hand tractor and accommodates either a fixed-pitch, variable-pitch, or constant-speed airscrew. Particularly noteworthy are its small overall dimensions, the diameter being only 4 i | i n . Fitted with the 0.5 : 1 reduction gear, the Leonides is 52m. long, the alternative gear ratio adding an inch. Fuel of 87 octane number is required. Fuel consumption under economical cruising condir tions . is. given as 0.52 p t . / b . h . p . /hr.
MAKERS: Alvis, Ltd., Jit

Coventry.

Characteristics of the Armstrong-Siddeley Tiger, Cheetah and Genet Major series may be compared in these views.