GRAY monoplane (William Edrington Gray and E.L. Gray, Lake District area)

   The brothers were reported to have built a monoplane in 1910-1911 and a biplane with Humber engine in 1914-1915. There is some confusion, for W.E. Gray recorded in 1966, details of a monoplane built and flown in March 1917; presumably this should be 1911.
   The layout was of a conventional tractor monoplane, which was mainly constructed of yellow pine, with corner blocks glued and wrapped with glued fabric. The elevator and rudder were made of steel tube.
   The fuselage was fully covered with fabric, and terminated with a tail unit with small triangular fixed surfaces on either side, to which was hinged a large one piece elevator. The shield-shaped rudder pivoted on a post above the fuselage and was provided with a large balance area. Roll control was by ailerons. The undercarriage consisted of separate half-axles pivoted on inverted vees and a central skid.
   There is no information on the biplane, which was probably not completed after the outbreak of war.

   Power: 35hp Humber three-cylinder air-cooled fan-type radial (referred to as from the Windermere monoplane) driving a Chauviere propeller
   Data
   Span 32ft
   Length 21ft 6in
   Area 189sqft
   Area tailplane 10 sq ft
   Area elevator 23 sq ft
   Weight 650 lb
   Weight allup 800 lb
   Speed 35-40 mph
   Materials cost ? 50