Author Topic: Windshield Wipers? (Read 1128 times)

Halo · « **on:** March 22, 2004, 07:03:05 PM »

With all the interest in oil leaks in AH2, the question arises What WWII combat aircraft had windshield wipers, and were they or any other system (e.g., the reported 109 fuel spray antidote) effective in clearing oil or other gook off combat aircraft canopies?

Halo · « **Reply #1 on:** March 23, 2004, 09:24:38 AM »

The first recorded use of a windshield wiper on a WWII fighter aircraft was recorded March 23, 1944. 1st Lt. Flynn Stone was flying his P-51B at 23,000 over the Mediterranean Sea when a migrating stork jettisoned his payload directly on to the Mustang windshield.

Fortunately Lt. Stone's mechanic, TSgt. Barney, had installed an unauthorized prototype test windshield wiper for just such a contingency.

Lt. Stone quickly grabbed the wiper control, concealed as Do Not Push, and pushed.

The X-Wiper was found after the war on an apartment building roof in Helsinki.

Lt. Stone was never found. Nor Barney either.

SunTracker · « **Reply #2 on:** March 23, 2004, 03:07:28 PM »

Staga · « **Reply #3 on:** March 23, 2004, 03:32:29 PM »

bad trip.

hawker238 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 23, 2004, 04:28:12 PM »

What would a stork be doing at 23k?

Staga · « **Reply #5 on:** March 23, 2004, 04:38:10 PM »

Flying high ?

BenDover · « **Reply #6 on:** March 23, 2004, 05:03:04 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Halo
The first recorded use of a windshield wiper on a WWII fighter aircraft was recorded March 23, 1944. 1st Lt. Flynn Stone was flying his P-51B at 23,000 over the Mediterranean Sea when a migrating stork jettisoned his payload directly on to the Mustang windshield.

Fortunately Lt. Stone's mechanic, TSgt. Barney, had installed an unauthorized prototype test windshield wiper for just such a contingency.

Lt. Stone quickly grabbed the wiper control, concealed as Do Not Push, and pushed.

The X-Wiper was found after the war on an apartment building roof in Helsinki.

Lt. Stone was never found. Nor Barney either.

Thats got to be a myth.

humble · « **Reply #7 on:** March 23, 2004, 05:07:28 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Halo
The first recorded use of a windshield wiper on a WWII fighter aircraft was recorded March 23, 1944. 1st Lt. Flynn Stone was flying his P-51B at 23,000 over the Mediterranean Sea when a migrating stork jettisoned his payload directly on to the Mustang windshield.

Fortunately Lt. Stone's mechanic, TSgt. Barney, had installed an unauthorized prototype test windshield wiper for just such a contingency.

Lt. Stone quickly grabbed the wiper control, concealed as Do Not Push, and pushed.

The X-Wiper was found after the war on an apartment building roof in Helsinki.

Lt. Stone was never found. Nor Barney either.

We have a new BBS Ace....

Halo · « **Reply #8 on:** March 23, 2004, 07:47:16 PM »

Wuz just funnin with ya. Flintstone and Barney, get it? It was a serious question, got no responses, and then when I reread it the farout aspects of a windshield wiper on a fighter took over.

I see wipers on airliners, think they were on bombers, probably used only on the ground or at slow speeds.

But ... dawns on me I really wonder about aircraft windshield wipers. If they were used on transports, wouldn't they be handy on other aircraft too?

Dunno. One of those things that seems rather obvious but gets elusive the more you consider it.

What do high speed aircraft do when flying through heavy rain? Does the airflow keep the windscreen clean?

Cobra412 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 23, 2004, 08:51:10 PM »

I know on the F-15 we have a duct that runs up to the front of the wind screen that can blow out air from the heat exchangers. I'm really not sure on how much they actually use them or if there is any constant conditions that they would be used for. I have seen them used after a heavy rain though prior to launch.

Oh and on the whole bird thing seems very ironic but the F-15 had an incident with a bird. At an altitude of something like 30 or 40 thousand feet an F-15 ran into a very large bird. The debris that was left on the F-15 was found out later to be during the investigation to be an Eagle. Makes ya wonder what the heck the eagle was doing up so high.

Glasses · « **Reply #10 on:** March 23, 2004, 10:37:55 PM »

Getting High on hypoxia?

I think though at above 200mph indicated frost and moisture would not form outside the windshield since it would be too" hot" for anything to stick though at lo speed situations I would think these windshield wipers would be needed.

Pyro · « **Reply #11 on:** March 23, 2004, 11:29:38 PM »

Windshield wipers on aircraft are for taxiing purposes. They aren't made to be operated inflight and even if they could, they wouldn't serve any purpose. At aircraft speeds, rain doesn't accumulate. It runs off pretty much instantly.

BenDover · « **Reply #12 on:** March 24, 2004, 02:10:52 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Halo
Wuz just funnin with ya. Flintstone and Barney, get it?

I knew there was something up with their names.

bozon · « **Reply #13 on:** March 24, 2004, 05:43:39 AM »

what about bugs on the windshield?

If I'll ever take biology, my thesis will be on the mechanism that guides flying insects directly into fast moving human faces. how those insects manage to intercept a human face riding a bike at 200 mph is nothing short of miraculous.
that's got to be nobel prize work.

Bozon

frank3 · « **Reply #14 on:** March 24, 2004, 08:43:39 AM »

What's a stork?