Missing In Action....1942

[mikeesik]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

Great story.

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

use what is avail.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by cashflyer

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

Those are fine. The post-war wings were designed to use PK screws and the ribs were pretty sharp on the edge, so if someone rib-stitched them eventually some of the cord would be cut, and the fabric coming loose.

All of a sudden you have become a test pilot as the wing was not the shape intended and you may or may not get on the ground in one piece.

[mikeesik]

When i worked at the airport.. I saw many different crafts.

I , myself who know's not much was feeling great next to some aircraft and then...I was really
dissapointed in what I learnt. Mustangs post war had canvas tailings-
AT6 TEXANS-or Canadian HARVARDS =same thing.

I DID NOT KNOW THIS before my work tenure.
When I did come to realize it was the truth, I almost felt betrayed in some weird way.

canvas and wire still existed -wow!

[cashflyer]

What is this?
It reminds me of a Boeing P-26 - but the turtledeck and markings are wrong.

Originally Posted by varmint

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

[Joeaksa]

Believe its a Brewster Buffalo?

Yep, Wiki looks about the same:
https://www.google.com/search?q=brewster+buffalo&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=2Gu&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=z7CvT8qnGofY2QWCiMHpCA&ved=0CH4QsAQ&biw=1680&bih=978

[Joe Bob]

USMC called them the 'Flying Coffin'................

[varmint]

The Prime Minister secured a historic deal that will see the fighter aircraft dug up and shipped back to the UK almost 67 years after they were hidden more than 40-feet below ground amid fears of a Japanese occupation.
The gesture came as Mr Cameron became the first Western leader to meet Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese democracy campaigner held under house arrest for 22 years by the military regime, and invited her to visit London in her first trip abroad for 24 years.
He called on Europe to suspend its ban on trade with Burma now that it was showing “prospects for change” following Miss Suu Kyi’s election to parliament in a sweeping electoral victory earlier this year.
The plight of the buried aircraft came to Mr Cameron’s attention at the behest of a farmer from S****horpe, North Lincs, who is responsible for locating them at a former RAF base using radar imaging technology.
David Cundall, 62, spent 15 years doggedly searching for the planes, an exercise that involved 12 trips to Burma and cost him more than £130,000.

Spitfires buried in Burma during war to be returned to UK - Telegraph

[varmint]

pappy boyington flew the buffalo as part of an early evaluation program. he thought highly of it. but the model delivered to the marines was far overweight. the corp wanted a bunch of added features. and it ruined the performance.

the finns bought the earlier model and racked up staggering kill ratios agains the russians.

[cashflyer]

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

Believe its a Brewster Buffalo?

With the hakaristi, I thought it was a Nazi plane. I did not realize the Finns use that marking.

[Joeaksa]

Harvey,

The Finn's actually were fairly successful with the bird and had many Ace's with them. Truthfully they were heavy, under-powered and until the later ones had light armor and no sealing fuel tanks, so not the most desireable in combat.

[Tim Hancock]

Originally Posted by mikeesik

When i worked at the airport.. I saw many different crafts.

I , myself who know's not much was feeling great next to some aircraft and then...I was really
dissapointed in what I learnt. Mustangs post war had canvas tailings-
AT6 TEXANS-or Canadian HARVARDS =same thing.

I DID NOT KNOW THIS before my work tenure.
When I did come to realize it was the truth, I almost felt betrayed in some weird way.

canvas and wire still existed -wow!

Nothing wrong with fabric covering.... It is light and strong. My current long term project is a modern aerobatic aircraft (DR107 "One Design") rated to +/- 10 g's and it has fabric covered lower fuselage and tail feathers. The only downside is that paint eventually cracks and if one wants to keep the aircraft looking show quality it wil likely need to be recovered some day.

Pitts biplanes all have fabric covered fuselages/wings/tail feathers. Staudacher and current Panzl aerobatic aircraft that are competitive in the world aerobatic championships have fabric covered tail feathers and lower fuselages.

I personally trust 4130 steel structures covered with fabric much more than composite structures long term.

[imcarthur]

On the subject of fabric (Wellingtons were fabric over a geodetic frame), more from my father's writings:



On a different humourous note:



Ian

[romad]

fabric control surfaces for weight, balance, and anti flutter. Controls were direct connect fly by"real wire". It also gives you lighter control pressures.

[daepp]

Originally Posted by 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.

Wow - that's a very impressive list!