| Aero Research Limited | |
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HW100 - 45000
UAW55 - 105000 RRW100 - 175000 PKRR - 7500 |
Aero Research Limited Aero Research Limited (ARL) was a British company that pioneered several new adhesives, intended initially for the aeronautical industry. Formed in 1934 by Norman de Bruyne at Duxford, Cambridgeshire from an earlier company of his, the Cambridgeshire Aeroplane Construction Company, ARL started a long-term relationship with the de Havilland company by initially working on reinforced phenol-formaldehyde resins for use in variable pitch propellers. This material, being lighter than aluminium alloys, offered much-reduced centrifugal loads on the hub bearings. This was followed by work on synthetic urea-formaldehyde adhesives and led to the Aerolite range of wood glues, used on the Horsa glider and the de Havilland Mosquito fast bomber and later, fighter. ARL was responsible for developing a number of aeronautical-related adhesives, including Aerolite 306, Aerodux 500, Redux - a metal-to-wood, metal-to-metal adhesive, used on the de Havilland Hornet and Comet, and the epoxy resin Araldite. Other products included its Aeroweb honeycomb core, and Fibrelam panels. ARL was later sold to Ciba in 1947 and its range of products later marketed under the Ciba (ARL) name. De Bruyne Snark Snark Role - Experimental four-seat monoplane National origin - United Kingdom Manufacturer - Aero Research Limited Designer - N. A. de Bruyne First flight - 16 December 1934 Number built - 1 The de Bruyne DB-2 Snark was a British experimental four-seat cabin monoplane designed by N. A de Bruyne and built by Aero Research Limited (ARL) of Cambridgeshire. It was built to test low weight, bakelite-bonded plywood, stressed skin wing and fuselage structures. Development Apart from the structure the Snark was a conventional looking low-wing four-seat cabin monoplane, powered by a nose-mounted 130 hp (97 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Major piston engine. Registered G-ADDL the Snark first flew from Cambridge on 16 December 1934 flown by de Bruyne. Though stressed plywood skinned aircraft had been built before, it was claimed at the time that the Snark was the first to have been designed with full stress calculations, including loads carried by both wing and fuselage skins. This led to a high loaded/unloaded weight ratio of 1.82; the similarly engined, almost exactly contemporary 3/4 seat Miles Falcon had achieved 1.62. In May 1936 the Snark was transferred to the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough for research into the aerodynamics of thick wing monoplanes, with serial number L6103. The aircraft was sold by the RAE on 8 June 1938 but was destroyed by German bombing at Croydon Airport in 1940. Specifications Data from General characteristics Crew: 1 Capacity: 3 Length: 24 ft 7 in (7.49 m) Wingspan: 42 ft 6 in (12.95 m) Empty weight: 1,200 lb (544 kg) Gross weight: 2,200 lb (998 kg) Powerplant: 1 × de Havilland Gipsy Major inline piston engine, 130 hp (97 kW) Performance Maximum speed: 123 mph (198 km/h, 107 kn) Cruise speed: 110 mph (177 km/h, 96 kn) Range: 450 mi (724 km, 390 nmi) Service ceiling: 15,500 ft (4,725 m) Rate of climb: 600 ft/min (3.0 m/s) |