WIX Archives
Re: Wood? .... it's called Metalite
Posted by Steve T on Fri Dec 13, 2002 04:45:55 PM
In reply top Re: Wood? .... it's called Metalite posted by Richard Allnutt on Fri Dec 13, 2002 02:41:04 PM
: It was used for its lightness, and strength. I don't know
: how effective it was,
Apparently it was terrifically strong. Vought used it very extensively in their unusual XF5U-1 project (the "Flying Flapjack"); when it was decided to scrap the one F5U built, reportedly a wrecking ball was used, dropped from above--and on the first go it bounced off the airframe!
The F5U sadly never did fly (though a "flying mockup" did, to prove the concept--the wooden V-173). Now there would be an interesting replica to try. Wonder how it'd do at Reno...!
It'd be neat to see an F7U in the air. Vought certainly built some inventive designs. How many F7Us remain BTW? I know of this one, and Walt Soplata's, and I assume Pensacola has one also...?
S.
:
: Hope this helps.
:
: Cheers,
: Richard
:
: : Wood in the wings? That's sometihng I'd never thought a
: bo
: : ut it, I'd just assumed that jets were pretty much all a
: lu
: : minum (well, unless you're using titaium, boron, compsit
: es
: : ...) Yeah, PLEASE piut the pics on a web page
: :
: : Chris