M.Goodall, A.Tagg British Aircraft before the Great War (Schiffer)
Deleted by request of (c)Schiffer Publishing
WILSON monoplanes and biplanes
Although Edgar Wilson was mainly interested in achieving flight by vertical lift, he built a monoplane in 1909 at Wembley Park, which was shown at the Imperial Exhibition held at Shepherds Bush in June, in a dismantled condition.
A scheme for a later monoplane was published, with a letter in The Aero in June 1909. This was to be a canard type with twin pusher propellers and tapered warping wing, with birdlike upward curves. The engine was to be a 25hp Smith made by David J. Smith & Co. of London.
Wilson also claimed at the time to be working on an improved Wright type biplane, with front boxkite elevator and boxkite tail, to compete for the prize for the London to Manchester flight. A pair of gyroscopes for control of lateral stability were to be employed. Nothing further was heard of these projects, or of his proposals for a helicopter and an ornithopter. Data for the biplane is given below.
Power: 16hp engine driving two 6ft 6in propellers.
Data
Span 32ft
Chord 6ft 6in
Gap 6ft
Area 528 sq. ft
Length 32ft
Front elevator 10ft by 3ft
Tailplane 8ft by 5ft
Weight 600 lb.
P.Lewis British Aircraft 1809-1914 (Putnam)
Wilson Monoplane
The Wilson Monoplane of 1909 was designed by Edgar Wilson. It was fitted with a 25 h.p. engine built by David J. Smith and Co., of London, which drove two pusher propellers mounted behind the wings. A three-wheeled undercarriage was fitted and the tips of the wings flexed for steering.