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Author Topic: Most Surprising Fighter Fact?  (Read 12964 times)

Offline Angus

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Most Surprising Fighter Fact?
« Reply #90 on: January 08, 2004, 06:04:45 PM »
Hehe, Mathias Rust's Moscow flight is not to be forgotten!
And landing safely on the red Square!
Anyway, as previously mentioned, the Pearl Harbour attack was also monitiored, but mistaken (sort of) for a friendly flight.
A single blip on the British radar system in what....1941(?) got British planes scrambled, including the famous ace, Alan Deere. The target got lost while flying low behind mountains, then disappearing. It turned out to be Rudolf Hess!!!!!
Well, how incredible is it that a single blip in darkness makes it within 12 miles of NY, or for that sake, Long Island, say approaching Brooklyn from the South-East, then turning away and flying out of range without returning hails?
I'd say it would be pretty probable, - even more so in heavy inbound and outbound traffic. The more, the merrier, Widewing ;)
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It was very interesting to carry out the flight trials at Rechlin with the Spitfire and the Hurricane. Both types are very simple to fly compared to our aircraft, and childishly easy to take-off and land. (Werner Mölders)

Offline eskimo2

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Most Surprising Fighter Fact?
« Reply #91 on: January 08, 2004, 09:33:34 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by Angus
some questions....
1. What exactly is a "Frangible" bullet?
 


Frangible bullets are made from powdered lead and Bakelite plastic.  They shatter into lead dust and chunks on impact.  They still managed to do some damage on occasion.  A few RP-63s were actually shot down when fragments found their way into coolant or oil lines.  My father in law actually got hit on the cheek by a fragment once (in his RP-63).  It made it through the door /fuselage seem even though there were extra baffles in the seam.  The RP-63 was only armored for frontal hits.  The students and instructors were not supposed to shoot when the RP-63s broke off.  Once a student did shoot and hit the aileron.  It knocked the stick/wheel out of his hand and busted up the aileron.

eskimo
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Offline Virage

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Most Surprising Fighter Fact?
« Reply #92 on: January 08, 2004, 10:08:12 PM »
That planes like the sbd and p47 weren't allowed to fly inverted.
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JG11

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Offline Shuckins

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« Reply #93 on: January 08, 2004, 10:32:20 PM »
That the P-47N, developed for Pacific Combat, carried 950 gallons of fuel, had extended wings with squared off tips, and tipped the scales when loaded, at 20,160 pounds. It had a range of 2,200 miles.

A single-engine, single-seat fighter that weighed more than ten tons.  Unbelievable.

Shuckins
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Offline Halo

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« Reply #94 on: January 30, 2004, 08:21:11 PM »
A surprising fighter fact I cannot find is what WWII fighter has the highest percentage of fabric or wood in its construction?  

And what is the most successful WWII fighter that includes some fabric or wood in its construction?  

And what is the WWII fighter that you would least expect to have that but does?  

And finally, if not too lengthy or impractical, a list of the WWII fighters having some fabric or wood in their construction?  

I've been surprised periodically to stumble across a comment here and there about x fighter having fabric-covered rudders or even wings, but I don't know a source that makes much of an issue out of that.  

Obviously earlier fighters naturally were more likely to have fabric or wood in their contruction, but I'm under the impression that some of the most successful late fighters also had some non-metal parts.
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Offline joeblogs

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fabric & wood
« Reply #95 on: January 30, 2004, 09:19:04 PM »
Most WWII planes had fabric covered control surfaces - reduced loads on the pilots and minimized inertia.

A number of planes used wood for skin- the swordfish, mosquito, numerous Russian A/C and a few US planes that did not make the front lines. The gypsy moth was still in use in Britain as a tranier and it was almost entirely wood and cloth.

-blogs

Quote
Originally posted by Halo
A surprising fighter fact I cannot find is what WWII fighter has the highest percentage of fabric or wood in its construction?  

And what is the most successful WWII fighter that includes some fabric or wood in its construction?  

And what is the WWII fighter that you would least expect to have that but does?  

And finally, if not too lengthy or impractical, a list of the WWII fighters having some fabric or wood in their construction?  

I've been surprised periodically to stumble across a comment here and there about x fighter having fabric-covered rudders or even wings, but I don't know a source that makes much of an issue out of that.  

Obviously earlier fighters naturally were more likely to have fabric or wood in their contruction, but I'm under the impression that some of the most successful late fighters also had some non-metal parts.
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Offline joeblogs

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what are you saying?
« Reply #96 on: January 30, 2004, 09:21:31 PM »
Wasn't just a few weeks ago we had an amatuer pilot (drunk) taking turns around the statue of liberty?

Sure they caught him but the point is that he got there and goofed off for some time with a 100 HP engine....

-blogs

Quote
Originally posted by HoHun
Hi Widewing,

>It would be extremely difficult to sneak in within 12 miles of NYC in a Taylor Cub, much less a very large plane like the Junkers.

I'd say it would have been much easier than, for example, flying a Cessna through the Soviet air defense system in the 1980s to land it in the heart of Moscow :-)

(Not that I believe the Ju 390 (or Me 264) mission actually took place.)

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)
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Offline joeblogs

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The I-16....
« Reply #97 on: January 30, 2004, 09:28:37 PM »
...was the last production fighter that was dynamically unstable, that is until the era of fly-by-wire. In other words, when you push the controls over and let go, the plane just keeps on turning... It took some training to fly this plane. But it could turn on a dime...

-blogs
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Offline Westy

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Most Surprising Fighter Fact?
« Reply #98 on: January 30, 2004, 09:35:28 PM »
Surprising Fighter Fact:

Kurt Tank designed the F8F Bearcat!!!
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Offline MiloMorai

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« Reply #99 on: January 31, 2004, 01:12:35 AM »
Did you know that a B-17 was rigged to fly using 'fly by wire' during WW2.

Supermarine look at putting a V-tail and gull wings on a Spit design.

Angus, the 6 cannon was only a mock-up on DP845., a Type 337(MkIV).
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Offline TBolt A-10

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« Reply #100 on: January 31, 2004, 03:22:59 AM »
In the span of just a few years, we went from biplanes to jet fighters.  Now, THAT surprises me each time I think about it.  :cool:

TBolt
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Offline GRUNHERZ

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« Reply #101 on: January 31, 2004, 03:46:54 AM »
I hate your avatar, it freaks me out. Please get a new one.
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Offline TBolt A-10

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Most Surprising Fighter Fact?
« Reply #102 on: January 31, 2004, 03:55:20 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by GRUNHERZ
I hate your avatar, it freaks me out. Please get a new one.


When you turn off the lights and go to sleep tonight, just remember that he's there in the silent shadows . . . watching you.  :D

TBolt
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Offline Crumpp

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« Reply #103 on: February 01, 2004, 10:53:58 AM »
Someone mentioned the Junkers NY flight was to drop an Atom bomb.  This is very possible.  Many of the OSS missions Targeting the German Heavy Water production have just been declassified.  The Germans were closer than the allies to an Atom bomb at the start of WWII.  
   They took a different approach than Manhattan and the allies were able to severly hinder their production.  Without that interference the Germans probably would have had a working atom bomb years ahead of the allies.

Crumpp
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Offline Westy

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Most Surprising Fighter Fact?
« Reply #104 on: February 01, 2004, 08:52:24 PM »
"Without that interference the Germans probably would have had a working atom bomb years ahead of the allies. "

 Sorry.  That's just more Luft'46 type fantasy.
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