Thought I'd be nice

[Motherland]

Found this BEAUTIFUL belly shot of a captured 109F. Figured it would be a good reference for underwing weathering 

[Xasthur]

A thought crossed my mind... I've never seen those sorts of oil leaks on a German operated 109.

Did the Brits use bad oil or something? I've seen several spits absolutely drenched in oil.

[Motherland]

A thought crossed my mind... I've never seen those sorts of oil leaks on a German operated 109.

Did the Brits use bad oil or something? I've seen several spits absolutely drenched in oil.

It was, infact, leaky. So much so that it would cover the front of the drop tank with a film of oil.

[Krusty]

They simply had dedicated ground crews that kept the planes very clean to keep morale up for the pilots. You'll find 109s being very clean, then 110s of the same era totally drenched in oil or exhaust stains. There was a double standard for the "elite"...

[Guppy35]

They simply had dedicated ground crews that kept the planes very clean to keep morale up for the pilots. You'll find 109s being very clean, then 110s of the same era totally drenched in oil or exhaust stains. There was a double standard for the "elite"...

Please tell me you are being sarcastic....

[Krusty]

No. Perhaps I simplified it, but I've read that the 109s were better maintained than the 110s and other planes. This is especially true earlier in the war. It was a matter of pride I suppose.

I don't know if it was a concious morale effort, or just somehow came across that way.

[Xasthur]

It was, infact, leaky. So much so that it would cover the front of the drop tank with a film of oil.

(Image removed from quote.)

That's not oil, Motherland, that's fuel from the DT.

I've read something specific about that, as there was a belief that the front of the DTs were clear.

[colmbo]

That's not oil, Motherland, that's fuel from the DT.

I've read something specific about that, as there was a belief that the front of the DTs were clear.

Sure looks like oil and it's in a location you'd expect for oil dripping from a vent line.  I can't see how fuel would drip down the front of the drop tank, inflight the airstream would blow it aft, on the ground gravity would run it aft.

[Xasthur]

If that were the case, why would the oil marks be soley restricted to the forward cone of the DT?

There is not a single streak, speck or stain aft of the forward section of the DT. If it were the case that oil was leaking from the aircraft and onto the DT I suspect it would not be in such a uniform fashion.

Like I said, my source states that the stains on the DT are from fuel related spillage and not from engine oil overflow.

I will confirm and quote this reference at work tomorrow and get back to you all on this tomorrow night.

[Motherland]

The oil marks would be solely restricted to the front of the cone because, on the ground it would just drip down the front and coat it, and then during flight it would blow along the belly. It wouldn't drip down at all.

[Bodhi]

They simply had dedicated ground crews that kept the planes very clean to keep morale up for the pilots. You'll find 109s being very clean, then 110s of the same era totally drenched in oil or exhaust stains. There was a double standard for the "elite"...

Please provide a source that says they had crews dedicated to cleaning the aircraft for morale purposes.

[Bodhi]

The oil marks would be solely restricted to the front of the cone because, on the ground it would just drip down the front and coat it, and then during flight it would blow along the belly. It wouldn't drip down at all.

That is absolutely correct fine sir. 

[Krusty]

Please provide a source that says they had crews dedicated to cleaning the aircraft for morale purposes.

Please don't twist my words.

I said that had dedicated ground crews, as in good ground crews that worked round-the-clock to patch bullet holes and keep the planes clean and in working condition.

I never said they had special washing crews.

[Guppy35]

Please don't twist my words.

I said that had dedicated ground crews, as in good ground crews that worked round-the-clock to patch bullet holes and keep the planes clean and in working condition.

I never said they had special washing crews.

I think where it's rubbing folks the wrong way, is that you are implying that somehow LW fighter ground crews were just a bit better then anyone else.  It goes along with LW rides being more uber, or LW pilots being overall better etc. You also implied that somehow any other LW pilots outside of fighter pilots were somehow not 'elite' in the eyes of their ground crews.

Ground crews from any of the combatants worked incredible hours and with fierce dedication to keep 'their' bird flying.  Think about the ground crews on Rabaul that were manufacturing replacement parts in caves to try and get a few Zeros back up.  You've got B17s that should never fly again being rebuilt and spliced back together and going back into combat. 

I remember Bud Anderson speaking about his ground crew.  He'd made an off hand remark that the green camo on his 51D would show up against the snow after the first snowfall in the winter of 45.  He came out the next day and his ground crew had been up round the clock and had stripped the camo paint off.  He was nearly in tears when he talked about it.

No where, in all my years of learning about this stuff have I ever seen a direct quote from anyone saying that the LW fighter ground crews were uber.

I can give you a million quotes where pilots from all nations talk about how hard their ground crews worked.

[Bodhi]

Please don't twist my words.

I said that had dedicated ground crews, as in good ground crews that worked round-the-clock to patch bullet holes and keep the planes clean and in working condition.

I never said they had special washing crews.

You said, "They simply had dedicated ground crews that kept the planes very clean to keep morale up for the pilots." 

That would lead any reasonable person to believe you were implying they had special washing crews.