Aircraft on ski's

[vikingBerserker]

Very cool!

 

[Juanita]

Those P 11 photos make me wonder if one of the operational concern in snow/ice conditions is having your ground crew loose their footings!! Could be real ugly.
Juanita

 

[Graeme]

 

[Graeme]

 

[Wurger]

 

[vikingBerserker]

Very interesting, and they look so small.

 

[Graeme]

 

[Micdrow]

Now that is an interesting combination.

 

[vikingBerserker]

It really is

 

[Graeme]

Lottsa skis and floats here...

Anything But Wheels > Vintage Wings of Canada

 

[Micdrow]

Sweet!!

 

[Wurger]

 

[MiTasol]

What surprises me is that so many of these aircraft become fixed gear when fitted with skis. I can understand it on some single engined aircraft (the P-51A skis tested in Winnepeg retracted) but on multi engine aircraft it makes no sense. Look at the DC3/C-47 for what could be done. A good simple retractable ski system that even lifts so that the aircraft can operate off normal runways as well as snow. Okay I will admit it is a bitch to fit (it is heavy and awkward) but the performance gains on a bomber or fighter would have been worth it. This youtube video shows a DC-3 in flight with skis retracted at the end. The reason they needed so much power to start moving again is that the skis get hot during landing and taxi and melt the snow. Lifting the skis so all the weight is on the tyres until after the first engine starts minimises this.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=jx11k1r1Pm8

 

[Graeme]

 

[Wurger]

 

[Micdrow]

Cool

 

[dogsbody]

More from here: Image Search - Library and Archives Canada

 

[Wurger]

 

[fubar57]

Great pics, another unknown to me

 

[Graeme]