# Heinkel He-111 “drooped ailerons”



## MrB17F (Jan 3, 2020)

A question for the Heinkel He-111 experten. I have noticed in some photos, the ailerons on the He-111 seem to droop with the flaps down, most noticeable with full flaps in landing configuration. I am not having much luck finding any information about this. Both ailerons have a very long servo tab, to relieve the load on the controls. (Test pilot of prototype complained about the heavy ailerons). The tabs are very noticeably deflected opposite to the ailerons. I have attached a photo of an He-111H-1 in landing configuration, where you can see both ailerons down slightly with both tabs up. Anyone have the pilots flight manual?

Regards,
Jeff


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## MrB17F (Jan 3, 2020)

MrB17F said:


> A question for the Heinkel He-111 experten. I have noticed in some photos, the ailerons on the He-111 seem to droop with the flaps down, most noticeable with full flaps in landing configuration. I am not having much luck finding any information about this. Both ailerons have a very long servo tab, to relieve the load on the controls. (Test pilot of prototype complained about the heavy ailerons). The tabs are very noticeably deflected opposite to the ailerons. I have attached a photo of an He-111H-1 in landing configuration, where you can see both ailerons down slightly with both tabs up. Anyone have the pilots flight manual?
> 
> Regards,
> Jeff
> View attachment 565696


Finally found a nice German site with the answer in German. After a bit of translating I found out that the ailerons are indeed linked with the flaps and the servo tabs. Two flap settings, 15° and 64°, the exact angle or ratio of the aileron droop I have not yet determined. If modelling an He-111 with flaps at 64°, remember that the ailerons are noticeably drooped and the servo tabs opposite.

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## Crimea_River (Jan 3, 2020)

Good info. I don't think this type of thing was unique to the He111 though. I don't have specifics but I seem to recall this feature being present on other machines.


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## MrB17F (Jan 3, 2020)

Crimea_River said:


> Good info. I don't think this type of thing was unique to the He111 though. I don't have specifics but I seem to recall this feature being present on other machines.


Oh yes, definitely many other aircraft have this feature, from light to heavy. I had not heard of it being used on the He-111, and never saw it mentioned in any of the articles or books I’ve read on it. There are not a lot of clear photos of He-111’s with flaps down, when I saw the one above, I had to do some digging. I new about drooped ailerons from my experience in the Airforce, but I didn’t realize that they were used that far back. German technology? It makes good sense for heavy or STOL aircraft. 
Regards,
Jeff
p.s. I like your nickname, my granny used to say that when I was a kid.

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## YakMan (Jan 10, 2020)

I had never heard of this until someone I know bought a 1970s Cessna P210 with a Robertson STOL kit fitted. The primary component being a mechanism installed in the wings that droops the ailerons when flaps are deployed. Interesting, but speaking as a mechanic, its just adding more s**t to go wrong!


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