Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Yep, and to fit nicely! The shape and proportions of the wing would have meant the stripes looking 'diffrent', but the main reason was, as you say, to avoid a lengthy job of rebalancing each aileron, on each aircraft, in a very short space of time.
Note also that, whenever possible, B26's were parked with their props equally spaced. That is, in the form of a 'X', and this was done, if neccessary, by the ground crew 'pulling through' each prop. This was because of the possibility of tyre pressure loss, sudden tyre deflation, or puncture (common on rough fields, even UK airfields, where the 'hard' surfaces were sometimes of poor quality mixes of concrete and wood chippings, with sharp flint or spar content). If the main wheel tyres deflated, and the props blades were vertical, the aircraft settled its full weight on that prop, at best seriously damaging the gear box and prop shaft, as well as the prop, and at worst, shock-loading and virtually wrecking the engine(s).
Note also that, whenever possible, B26's were parked with their props equally spaced. That is, in the form of a 'X', and this was done, if neccessary, by the ground crew 'pulling through' each prop. This was because of the possibility of tyre pressure loss, sudden tyre deflation, or puncture (common on rough fields, even UK airfields, where the 'hard' surfaces were sometimes of poor quality mixes of concrete and wood chippings, with sharp flint or spar content). If the main wheel tyres deflated, and the props blades were vertical, the aircraft settled its full weight on that prop, at best seriously damaging the gear box and prop shaft, as well as the prop, and at worst, shock-loading and virtually wrecking the engine(s).
Love the nose art!
