WIX Archives

Re: Fabric control surfaces

Posted by Ray Crawford on Wed Aug 07, 2002 12:49:14 AM

In reply top Fabric control surfaces posted by Rocsoe on Tue Aug 06, 2002 08:51:32 PM

Well, a bullet will just as easily pass through an aluminum-skinned control surface as a fabric covered one.
It's easier to manufacture a fabric covered control surface.
On the other hand, a metal-skinned control surface resists exposure to the elements much better than the fabric alternative. Not to mention the vulnerability of fabric surfaces if exposed to fire. I've seen photos of a Mosquito that flew through a fireball (flak burst, another aircraft exploding?) and the control surfaces had been burned clean of fabric. The aircraft returned to base, by the way.
Also, with the increase in speed seen in the later part of the war, problems were beginning to crop up with fabric covered control surfaces. I can't recall the exact problem but I believe it had something to do with the fabric bulging at high speed and ruining the effectiveness of the control surface. This seems to have been the most important reason for abandoning fabric.
Fabric was used on the aircraft used in the beginning of the war but increasingly fell by the wayside as time wore on.



Ray
: Why do most of the WWII fighters use canvas or cloth on th
: e movable surfaces. Just curious but keep getting conflic
: ting answers. I've heard bullits would pass thru the fabr
: ic, I've also heard that weight was a factor.
:
: Thanks
:
: Ros

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