Missing In Action....1942

[HardDrive]

Not sure why, but the photos are very compelling. Beautiful.

[James Brown]

even the mustang has fabric covered control surfaces. it is still a "all metal" aircraft,

[Bill Douglas]

A nice and dry environment for preserving things.

[Adam]

[A930Rocket]

Great story.

What's the reasoning behind fabric covered surfaces? Weight? Durability against battle damage?

[cashflyer]

Originally Posted by KNS

Pretty amazing! I hope it's restored. Very cool looking photo all by itself.

Originally Posted by kach22i

Right, I see it now - got turned around. Gotta wonder if that was part of the previous damage or not.

From a different news article:
Since the discovery, the wreck has been seriously vandalized - a travesty the whole aviation world seems unable to stop. The perspex has been smashed out, bullet holes appear in the cowling and other forms of damage and theft seem to be underway.

Original Kittyhawk HS-B Discovered > Vintage Wings of Canada

[Joe Bob]

Bedouins are the scavengers of the Desert. They could give a crap about an Aircraft's history....all they see is scrap value.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

Great story.

What's the reasoning behind fabric covered surfaces? Weight? Durability against battle damage?

In the "old days" the entire airplane was covered in fabric (usually Grade A cotten, now lightweight Dacron, like sail material), then a "Dope" was brushed or sprayed on and that both protected and covered the fabric. A "fabric job" was usually done every 3-5 years. Labor was cheap and plentyful then.

Then came large quanities of aluminum and they started making big bits out of it. Finally entire airplanes were made out of metal but they kept the fabric covered control surfaces due to the weight (they are usually at the far end, or outer reaches of the airplane) that was reduced and continued this until after the war then it was slowly replaced by all metal airplanes.

Now its pretty much an art form and while people like Tim Hancock and myself still do work in "dope and fabric," but its a dying art. My local FAA office has been hounding me for several years now to get my inspectors ticket renewed again as they have almost no one around here that knows how to work with dope and fabric, and very, very few of their people have any hands on time in this.

[944Larry]

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

In the "old days" the entire airplane was covered in fabric (usually Grade A cotten, now lightweight Dacron, like sail material), then a "Dope" was brushed or sprayed on and that both protected and covered the fabric. A "fabric job" was usually done every 3-5 years. Labor was cheap and plentyful then.

Then came large quanities of aluminum and they started making big bits out of it. Finally entire airplanes were made out of metal but they kept the fabric covered control surfaces due to the weight (they are usually at the far end, or outer reaches of the airplane) that was reduced and continued this until after the war then it was slowly replaced by all metal airplanes.

Now its pretty much an art form and while people like Tim Hancock and myself still do work in "dope and fabric," but its a dying art. My local FAA office has been hounding me for several years now to get my inspectors ticket renewed again as they have almost no one around here that knows how to work with dope and fabric, and very, very few of their people have any hands on time in this.

put me in the boat with you 2. I always enjoyed doing it, except for the "rib stitching".

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by 944Larry

put me in the boat with you 2. I always enjoyed doing it, except for the "rib stitching".

I absolutely HATE rib stitching as well. Good thing is that the airplanes I have fussed with the last 30 years (Aeronca's) use PK screws and not rib-stitching. Sure helps!

[cashflyer]

Ummm... we just covered an Aeronca wing and there was plenty of rib stitching.

???

[gshase]

I have flown dozens of WWII aircraft and I do not recall anything that did not originally have cotton on all of the control surfaces.

[944Larry]

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

I absolutely HATE rib stitching as well. Good thing is that the airplanes I have fussed with the last 30 years (Aeronca's) use PK screws and not rib-stitching. Sure helps!

Ag Cat used pop rivets, that works well (fast) too.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by cashflyer

Ummm... we just covered an Aeronca wing and there was plenty of rib stitching.

???

If it was a pre-war model, or WW2 model, then thats fine but if it was a post-war Aeronca we need to talk.

There are legal issues with using rib stitching on a metal rib designed for PK screws.

[cashflyer]

Prewar. I think it was a 65CA.
I didn't realize the later ones used no stitching.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by gshase

I have flown dozens of WWII aircraft and I do not recall anything that did not originally have cotton on all of the control surfaces.

Tell us more. I have two flights, one in a Mustang and one in a 17.

Cool stuff.

[Joe Bob]

Then you guys should amend the 'ALL METAL' comments on Wikki. It's the reason I asked. The Canadien guys are the ones that brought up the skeletal portions of the P-40 and mentioned that they were fabric covered.

I simply looked at the pics, made a search and made a comment.

BTW, all you gals follwing this thread....I have a 12 inch all metal wanker....the last 3 inches is canvass and dope.....but it ain't on the 'net....so, it's a 'foot'.....

[varmint]

anybody else hear the story of the squadron of spitfire mark 2s found in burma?


these things are out there. here's a favorite from karelia.

[EarlyPorsche]

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

The P-40 was an all metal fighter. I wonder why the ailerons and rudder just have the interior supports left?

Control surfaces were fabric

[gshase]

German Fi156,BF109 And JU52 R.A.F. AOP4, PT26 and Supermarine Spitfire U.S.PT17,PT19 ,PT22,PT23,L3,L4,L5,L13,L19,BT13,BT15,T6, T28,T34,T50,C45 C47,P51,B17,B24,B29,PBY5,F4U5,HU16,C123 J4F-2,Sherman Tank, Half Track. And I have covered control surfaces on C47,Super 3, T6,FI156,PBY5A. Tomorrow morning @ 0830 I get to Fly a PT26 and a L5.