Author Topic: Focke Wulf Wood propeller. (Read 596 times)

SFRT - Frenchy · « **on:** January 19, 2003, 05:17:43 PM »

Did the FW had a wooden prop? All models? Only some? Why? Thank you.

empty · « **Reply #1 on:** January 19, 2003, 06:43:25 PM »

I believe they all had wood propellers. Actually wooden blades set into carriers at the spinner. I'm not certain what the build process was, I recall a remark made in some documentation regarding the wavy surface finish on a D9's prop being due to the finish on the wood.

I suspect the reason was do to material technology and/or availability. The FW's props (all models) had a large cord width. I'd imagine an all metal prop would have been a significant weight in addition to other problems. A number that comes to mind on the Ta152s prop was 60-cm width.

Could be I am wrong, I'll look back into it...now you got me thinking about it. I know that some did, then so did some early mark spits and hurri's. Who knows, may have just been easier and cheaper to make that way. Germans are pretty resourceful with engineering tasks, do the most the least better than everyone else.

MiloMorai · « **Reply #2 on:** January 19, 2003, 06:44:11 PM »

Late war Fw fighters as well the 109 had wooden propellors. The Spitfire had Jablo wooden propellors.

Those wide blades are made from wood.

Glasses · « **Reply #3 on:** January 19, 2003, 07:20:22 PM »

Wasn' t because Dipl. Tank was an interior decorator?

ra · « **Reply #4 on:** January 20, 2003, 07:40:19 AM »

Late model FW's also had some wooden fuselage components.

frank3 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 20, 2003, 07:47:32 AM »

didnt the Hurricane had a full wooden fuselage? with foil spawn over it? or did it had steel/aluminium tubes?

MiloMorai · « **Reply #6 on:** January 20, 2003, 09:11:04 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by ra
Late model FW's also had some wooden fuselage components.

Not only the Fw but other German a/c. ie. 109.

Many Soviet fighters (Yak, LaGG, La) were constructed of wood. Japan also had wooden parts in its late war a/c.

Hristo · « **Reply #7 on:** January 20, 2003, 01:38:14 PM »

Fw 190A-9 was planned with wooded propeller, a norm for late war LW planes due to shortage of strategic materials. However, whenever the metal propeller was available, it was put on A-9 instead. So, you have quite a number of both subvariants.

Prior to A-9, all A models had metal propeller.

Wooden propeller had even wider blades than all metal Fw 190A propeller.

GRUNHERZ · « **Reply #8 on:** January 20, 2003, 01:43:19 PM »

Fw190D series always had wood prop. Only Fw190A9 had them in A series. All modern wartime Bf109 had metal three blade props.

HFMudd · « **Reply #9 on:** January 20, 2003, 03:36:19 PM »

Don't be fooled into thinking that just because man has been making things from wood for 50,000+ years that it is "low-tech" or a poor choice as compared to aluminum, steel or plastic. Wood is quite strong for its weight, easy to machine, good in compression, resistant to fatigue and has predicatable failure modes. These things make it a good choice for many applications.

Refer to the "Stiffness vs. Weight" chart at
this link. The numbers might surprise you.

As an aside, the same is true of steam locomotives. Compare the tractive effort available from a 1950's "Big Boy" to a modern diesel sometime...

SFRT - Frenchy · « **Reply #10 on:** January 20, 2003, 05:09:31 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by HFMudd
Don't be fooled into thinking that just because man has been making things from wood for 50,000+ years that it is "low-tech" or a poor choice as compared to aluminum, steel or plastic. Wood is quite strong for its weight, easy to machine, good in compression, resistant to fatigue and has predicatable failure modes. These things make it a good choice for many applications.

Refer to the "Stiffness vs. Weight" chart at
this link. The numbers might surprise you.

As an aside, the same is true of steam locomotives. Compare the tractive effort available from a 1950's "Big Boy" to a modern diesel sometime...

Let me guess ... you recently retired and already feel obsolete to the Society?

HFMudd · « **Reply #11 on:** January 20, 2003, 05:30:57 PM »

LOL. No, actualy just a guy who likes to sail (wood and spaced composite hulls) and a train nut.

Furious · « **Reply #12 on:** January 20, 2003, 06:19:29 PM »

the wooden propellors worked much better than Alfred Tank's (Kurt's retarded brother), idea of using a wooden engine.

F.

hazed- · « **Reply #13 on:** January 20, 2003, 08:15:29 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by HFMudd
LOL. No, actualy just a guy who likes to sail (wood and spaced composite hulls) and a train nut.

they make steam trains out of wood? how do they stop the coal burning it?

>SNORK<

WhiteHawk · « **Reply #14 on:** January 21, 2003, 11:31:54 AM »

From what I read. Wood props are just fine and dandy, until a bullett hits them, and then they shatter instead of get a dent.
This is bad for the wood prop lover and the pilot.
Wood props were due to a shortage of metal in germany.