Airplanes on skis ?
- Thread starter VA5124
- Start date
This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules
fubar57
General
Canada used skis as well. The U.S. of A. also trialled them
ww2aircraft.net
Aircraft on ski's
Well its snowing out and I'm at home and thinking about aircraft. I thought that I would start a thread where you can post pictures of aircraft that are mounted on ski's. I have more but here are a few to get started.
ww2aircraft.net
- Thread starter
- #3
But how do you stop on skis and why not just use snow tiresCanada used skis as well. The U.S. of A. also trialled them
Aircraft on ski's
Well its snowing out and I'm at home and thinking about aircraft. I thought that I would start a thread where you can post pictures of aircraft that are mounted on ski's. I have more but here are a few to get started.
- Thread starter
- #5
Ok But can you answer my questions this shouldnt be possible
It goes without saying that the 'skis' used by planes are not the same that hold a 100kg human 
The main use of these is to distribute the weight over a much larger area than that of a wheel. The second use is not to make the plane sink in the snow/ice (even if it has been pressed and it's hard) causing an abrupt drop in speed, and that could have catastrophic consequences. About braking; as somebody with over 40yrs of skiing experience, I can tell you that if the ground is flat and you're heavy enough, you won't have any problem coming to a stop in no time!
The main use of these is to distribute the weight over a much larger area than that of a wheel. The second use is not to make the plane sink in the snow/ice (even if it has been pressed and it's hard) causing an abrupt drop in speed, and that could have catastrophic consequences. About braking; as somebody with over 40yrs of skiing experience, I can tell you that if the ground is flat and you're heavy enough, you won't have any problem coming to a stop in no time!
Last edited:
fubar57
General
.
fubar57
General
SKIS AND FLOATS — Anything but Wheels — Vintage Wings of Canada
Here in Canada, when you meet a pilot who owns his or her own airplane, it won’t be long before you ask him or her, “You on floats, amphibs, skis or wheels?” …
www.vintagewings.ca
Are those JATO bottles?
special ed
Chief Master Sergeant
- 3,967
- May 13, 2018
Although I am in the southern U.S. my first ten years were in snow country. My recollection of sledding was not getting it to stop, but rather getting going. If stopping were an issue, why is there a market for ski wax? By the way, I just reminded myself of a tip for Grandpas. At the public playground slide kids would start down and come to a stop due to friction. I waxed the slide and all the kids lined up for the one we were using.
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
A ski equipped (or even floats) aircraft will distribute the aircraft's weight better on snow than tires, especially if the snow's depth is such, that the tires cannot reach the ground beneath and would end up damaging the gear structure.
A ski equipped aircraft won't need any special means to brake upon landing, the snow will offer the resistance needed as the aircraft sets down.
Landing on ice (like a frozen lake), on the otherhand, would be interesting...
buffnut453
1st Lieutenant
As others have pointed out, skis distribute the weight of the aircraft better than tyres when operating on snow and ice. Note that snow tyres are for grip because, in cars, the wheels propel the vehicle. Snow tyres would have no impact on an aircraft because there's no drive mechanism to the wheels.
The aircraft stop due to friction. Yes, landing runs would likely be longer on snow because you can't apply brakes. However, slightly roughing-up the snow of the landing surfaces would likely help increase friction and shorten landing runs.
Here are some examples of aircraft with skis.
Finland put pretty much all their WW2 aircraft on skis during winter.
Gloster Gladiator:
Brewster B239 (different types of skis):
Fokker D.XXI:
Bristol Blenheim (different types of skis):
Saab B17:
The Russians did similar sorts of things:
The aircraft stop due to friction. Yes, landing runs would likely be longer on snow because you can't apply brakes. However, slightly roughing-up the snow of the landing surfaces would likely help increase friction and shorten landing runs.
Here are some examples of aircraft with skis.
Finland put pretty much all their WW2 aircraft on skis during winter.
Gloster Gladiator:
Brewster B239 (different types of skis):
Fokker D.XXI:
Bristol Blenheim (different types of skis):
Saab B17:
The Russians did similar sorts of things:
Exactly. Without wax, a pair of skis would stick to the snow even on a mild slope.
Maybe the concept is a bit hard to understand because we're accustomed to see ice skaters gliding effortlessly. But skaters travel on a surface of perfectly polished ice; in the case of hard solid ice, independently of pressure or friction, there is always a microscopic liquid layer at the surface. This layer is what makes ice slippery even without skies or skates.
Interesting food for thought: skis were traditionally made from wood for centuries before plastic came into use. However, you will never find skis with a metal bottom. Metal usage in skis is limited to the edges and the inner core. Why is that? Because, on the snow, they would have higher friction than wooden ones, so the bottom is always coated with plastic or other similar material.
Clayton Magnet
Staff Sergeant
- 802
- Feb 16, 2013
Reversing props for modern turboprops, long frozen lakes for WWII fighters
- Thread starter
- #17
buffnut453
1st Lieutenant
Again...the weight of the aircraft is spread over a larger area of the ski than the wheel/tyre of a traditional aircraft. It's not like they took skis for humans and just bolted them onto an aircraft. As you can see from the pictures in my post, the skis were specially designed, by aeronautical engineers, to be mounded onto the existing undercarriage leg. The skis were made of metal and were designed to carry the load stresses, not just of the aircraft at rest but the greater force applied when landing.
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
How were the skis mounted? To the landing struts or to the wheel hub somehow?
buffnut453
1st Lieutenant
They were mostly fitted to the wheel axle. Take a look at the IL2 and Blenheim installations which illustrate the mounting point pretty well.
