# Hs-129 Hash Marks



## Matt308 (Dec 6, 2008)

Anyone have an idea what the white hash marks aft of the engines were use for? I've seen them forward of the cockpit for dive bombing, but these are intriuging. And I have seen these same marks on Japanese airplanes too.


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## Airframes (Dec 7, 2008)

Purely a guess, but they could be for a similar reason, to line-up at the correct angle of dive/bank, in order to bring the gun on target. Or, possibly, a 'do not exceed' marking, relative to bank, in case of stalling-out, due to the effects of recoil when the gun is fired?
I hope someone has the answer Matt, as it's intriguing.


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## 109ROAMING (Dec 7, 2008)

With you Terry ,no idea but I'd like to know ,Good of ya to bring it up Matt

Please someone help


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## Njaco (Dec 7, 2008)

I would say - as a pure guess based on where they are located - that they're to gauge the angle of the flaps? Maybe for correct diving position? They seem to indicate the point on the far outer edge of the flap.


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## GrauGeist (Dec 7, 2008)

Yet another guess here...but don't they look to be along the lines of the pilot's maximum angle of rearward visibility?

The armor plate behind the pilot was huge.

Like I said though, just speculation.


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## Micdrow (Dec 7, 2008)

Possible answer here if any one can read the lanuage.


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## lesofprimus (Dec 7, 2008)

In Polish it translates into sign flaps... #32


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## Micdrow (Dec 7, 2008)

lesofprimus said:


> In Polish it translates into sign flaps... #32



Thanks Dan!!!


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## 109ROAMING (Dec 7, 2008)

Cheers Dan ,good stuff


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## Catch22 (Dec 8, 2008)

Yeah, all I can get from the German is weisse Streissen (white stripes). I would have to assume from Les' post that they're for the angles of the flaps.


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## Airframes (Dec 8, 2008)

Yeah, I got white stripes, yellow stripes, and indicator badge(s).
Looks like flap angle indicators, very possibly to do with gun use as well as normal flap deployment. Can't get the other bit, with the 'legend' for the drawing, as it might confirm it.


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## Matt308 (Dec 8, 2008)

Excellent guys. I would have thought that the flaps would be set in the cockpit (e.g., Flaps 15). I didn't think that in WWII they were still working with full range-unregulated flap controls.

Maybe for damage tolerance, perhaps. Good posts. Thanks.

Saw them again just yesterday on an F6F just aft of the cockpit. Two white lines running at different vertical angles on each side of the fuselage.


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## Njaco (Dec 8, 2008)

I've read where the cockpit was so small that even some instruments were placed outside of the cockpit - so perhaps there wasn't enough room for an indicator.


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## GrauGeist (Dec 8, 2008)

Here's the two pix of the Hs129 cockpit I posted in the "Pilot's View of Things" thread.

It really gives you an idea of how cramped it was.

Also notice the level indicator just ahead of the windsheild. Kind of looks like there were additional instruments on the other side of that, too.


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## Airframes (Dec 9, 2008)

Nice shots Dave. The one showing the instrument panel has what I think is the flap control lever, near the bottom left of the main panel, which appears to have the setting numbers on it, as per Bf109 etc. The 'stripes' on the wings, given that they are flap-angle indicators, would be for a quick visual confirmation, especially as it looks like the view of the flap control would be difficult, given the 'tight' cockpit conditions. Similar types of visual-indicator marks, stripes, multiple bands and so on, were used on the Bf109, P51 etc, and on some modern light aircraft. Simple, but effective.


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## 109ROAMING (Dec 9, 2008)

Man thats cramped!


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## Venganza (Dec 9, 2008)

109ROAMING said:


> Man thats cramped!



And with the triangular shape of the fuselage, there was barely room for the pilot's shoulders. Just one of the endearing qualities of the old "Panzerknacker".

Venganza


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## GrauGeist (Dec 9, 2008)

Cramped would be putting it mildly, and I kind of tossed this into the "Pilot's View of Things" because we had been discussing the tight confines of the Bf109 

Terry, one of the things I haven't seen on any of the Hs129 model kits, is the angle (inclinometer?) indicator assembly just ahead of the windsheild. Not sure if I've just been looking at "budget" kits, or perhaps I just wasn't paying attention.

And speaking of indicator marks, don't forget the dive angle indicator that the Ju87 had on the canopy!


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## Airframes (Dec 9, 2008)

Dave, the old Esci 1/48th scale Hs129 kit had the inclinometer, and I think the (very) old Airfix 1/72nd kit had a crude representation. 
Yep, the JU87 had the marks on the canopy, and the JU88 also had them, plus different colours for different angles. These are also visible on some Bf109's, used in the 'Jabo' role, being more noticeable on those fitted with the Erla canopy.


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## Micdrow (Dec 10, 2008)

GrauGeist said:


> And speaking of indicator marks, don't forget the dive angle indicator that the Ju87 had on the canopy!



Hum!!! I will have to do some looking. I use to have a good line drawing of these some where around here.


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## Venganza (Dec 10, 2008)

Let's not forget the Hs-129's Soviet counterpart, the IL-2, which had markings on both the windscreen and the top of the engine nacelle.

Venganza


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## GrauGeist (Dec 11, 2008)

Venganza said:


> ... the IL-2, which had markings on both the windscreen and the top of the engine nacelle.



I didn't know that about the IL-2...was it just the early versions, or all?

I hadn't noticed anything on the cowling, or is it possible I wasn't looking at the right variant?


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