I was just wondering if any of our resident Spitfire experts know what the approximate angle of foward rake was on the MKI?
I have various scale drawings and could measure it from there, but they might well be incorrect!
Looking at various pictures of them, to my eye, there doesn’t seem to be any difference in the rake on early & late production marks (it’s MKI’s of the BoB period I’m interested in), but some clarification on this would be handy.
(Btw, I’ve have Mark12’s detailed post on Spit/Seafire U/C legs & wheels from a while back, but it doesn’t talk about the forward rake of the various types).
Cheers
Paul
By: Bradburger - 14th May 2008 at 21:45
Thanks everyone, most helpful!
The reason I asked was I have been tasked with providing suggestions for improving a Flight Simulator MKI which is due to be updated, and the rake of the U/C on the original was not enough, so I though I’d see if I could get a definitive answer so it can be corrected.
Ed, I think you can guess who’s it is! 😉
Cheers
Paul
By: Fluffy - 14th May 2008 at 21:07
Looking at 2 drawings 30050 sht 86 and 36150 sht 11 with the gear down a line is drawn thru the middle of the top and bottom mainspars to the ground then another line is drawn down thru the wheel retaining nut thus giving the rake measurement. They are on the Mk1 drawing 2.68 inches and on the MkIX 5.34inches. Hope this helps as the drawings do not give angles.
By: Mark12 - 14th May 2008 at 20:57
Wedge shim?
Mark
By: Eddie - 14th May 2008 at 20:43
Paul – as you know Spitfire undercarriage geometry is a funny thing because of the angled pintle, and there were certainly differences along the way. I have checked the pintle drawings in my collection, and there is certainly a difference in angles between the 300 series drawing and the 351 series drawing. Without going into too much depth, it appears that there is a roughly 4 degree difference in rake between the two (the 351 drawing being raked forward more).
Ed
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May 14, 2008 at 7:30 pm