| Technical data | |
|---|---|
| Type | 'Oriol' (The Eagle) |
| Function | Experimental |
| Year | 1916 |
| Crew | 1 |
| Engines | 1*80hp Gnome |
| Wingspan | ~10m |
'Oriol' (The Eagle) by E.R.Engels
|
Unusual high-wing single-seat tractor monoplane. Project was ready on Spring 1915, and on April 10, 1915 author obtained 2500 rubles (large money for 1915) for construction. Aircraft was built at Sevastopol Flight School workshops (at Kacha).
What was so unusual about this aeroplane?
- Its wing was rigid enough and did not require traditional king post and bunch of support wires/struts. And most unusual about the wing the whole halves of a wing (right and left) served as ailerons.
- Pilot was completely hidden in fuselage. His cockpit was equipped with side windows and periscope for forward view.
- Tail section carried right and left airbrakes, supposed to assist the turn in flight (when operated separately) and cut Landing Roll (when operated simultaneously).
- "History of aircraft construction in the USSR", Vol.1 p.202-203;
- Aircraft layout was reconstructed by K.K.Artseulov and K.F.Kapustin, who new it very well.
Assembly was finished without E.R.Engels. On September 22, 1915 he was transferred to position of Workshop Supervisor at Gutuevskaja School of Naval Aviators (Petrograd) and late same year - together with the school - to Baku. There he started to fly seaplanes - and started project of his own seaplane, abandoning the 'Oriol'.
Aircraft was finally assembled and tested in 1916. But since designer himself abandoned his 'child' - no detailed tests were performed, restricting trials to high-speed taxi.
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