Hi All,
Found this in an A&AEE report on DK290, it mentions that :-
……. The aircraft was a production B MK.IV Mosquito, second series, i.e. it had extended engine nacelles and 20’9″ span tailplane……
So previous aircraft, ( B.IV. series I, PR.1, & W4052 NFII prototype ) had a shorter tailplane span …
( otherwise why would the A&AEE report the size of the tailplane on DK290)
I have checked all my reference books and none mention a different span tailplane, they only mention different nacelles (front & rear) and U/C doors.
Anyone know what size the shorter tailplanes were ?
And presumably, as they were shorter they had a different profile ?
Any mossie experts out there ?
Cheers
Jerry
p.s. just found this in a web search
The nacelle was also significantly shorter at the wing trailing edge, stopping at this point. This reduction in the size of the nacelle also meant that these earlier machines had a smaller tailplane surface area in order to balance stability, and possibly CoG.
http://scaleplasticandrail.com/kaboom/index.php/component/content/article/439
By: Bruce - 17th October 2010 at 17:19
From memory, and I’m sure I will be corrected, the span of the tailplane was changed in an effort to cure the tail buffeting (eventually cured by extending the nacelles rearward).
W4050 did have the small tail, but this was replaced as the experiments went on, and had been replaced by a full production tailplane by the time it was fitted with two stage engines. It retains that tailplane today.
Bruce
By: brewerjerry - 17th October 2010 at 16:26
AP2019D (Mosquito IV, Volume I) quotes 19ft 51/2 inches for the span of the tailplane.
Hi
Many thanks, for the info….19ft 51/2 inches….
I have some mossie AP’s but not this particular one.
Have a good weekend, thanks all for the replies.
cheers
Jerry
By: JDK - 17th October 2010 at 12:26
The PR.34 had enlarged elevator tips/horn balances if that’s what you’re thinking of?
That’d be it, thanks!
By: mhuxt - 17th October 2010 at 12:10
Sorry, the numbers I quoted were from the centreline, so full span is twice that.
By: MarkG - 17th October 2010 at 11:35
Thanks, but I was thinking of a different shape of the aerodynamic balance tips/horns – this may relate to the high-altitude fighters?
The PR.34 had enlarged elevator tips/horn balances if that’s what you’re thinking of?
By: Arabella-Cox - 17th October 2010 at 10:40
AP2019D (Mosquito IV, Volume I) quotes 19ft 51/2 inches for the span of the tailplane.
By: JDK - 17th October 2010 at 10:19
Edit – JDK, I think it was the elevator covering which changed, fabric to metal.
Thanks, but I was thinking of a different shape of the aerodynamic balance tips/horns – this may relate to the high-altitude fighters?
By: mhuxt - 17th October 2010 at 10:13
DK290 was fitted with a tailplane with 10degrees of dihedral in June 42 to try and cure instability with heavy bomb loads. The standard tail was still better though. W4050 was fitted with the small no1 tailplane and then later the no2 larger span one but what the span was I dont know.
Richard
The brillian Italo-Japanese (!) Aero Detail #23 book gives the span of the smaller tailplane as 2.966m, the larger as 3.185m.
It also gives measurements in inches, but as there’s a fraction printed in an extremely small font size, and I’ve spent all day staring at the computer screen, metric will have to do.
“Never mis-under-estimate the metric system.”
Edit – JDK, I think it was the elevator covering which changed, fabric to metal.
By: JDK - 17th October 2010 at 08:46
Didn’t Mosquitoes get two different sizes of elevators? Or am I mis-remembering?
By: pogno - 17th October 2010 at 08:43
DK290 was fitted with a tailplane with 10degrees of dihedral in June 42 to try and cure instability with heavy bomb loads. The standard tail was still better though. W4050 was fitted with the small no1 tailplane and then later the no2 larger span one but what the span was I dont know.
Richard
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October 17, 2010 at 4:18 am