Airplanes on skis ?
- Thread starter VA5124
- Start date
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I live in Alaska. Quite a bit of planes convert to skis for the winter. As mentioned above, with wheels you’d likely sink into the snow and not be able to take off again. Even if the sudden deceleration didn’t cause other problems (see above picture). Skis also open up options to land in places that would be too rough or too soggy to land in summer.
Regarding sinking through the ice. Even with thick ice the advice is to monitor stopped vehicles. They can start to deform the ice leading to problems.
Regarding sinking through the ice. Even with thick ice the advice is to monitor stopped vehicles. They can start to deform the ice leading to problems.
Admiral Beez
1st Lieutenant
I’m not sure what to make of this. Did they ditch the skis after takeoff?
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
Hokey smokes! Neat stuff, GTX.
Snautzer01
Honourably banned
- 29,347
- Mar 26, 2007
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Pics of Ski fitted aircraft during the air Corps' Winter Testing
Curtiss A-12 Shrike
Martin B-10 of the 11th Bombardment Group
The B-10 and A-12 crews actually played hockey during the tests with the A-12 team winning 4-2
Curtiss A-12 Shrike
Martin B-10 of the 11th Bombardment Group
The B-10 and A-12 crews actually played hockey during the tests with the A-12 team winning 4-2
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Because you not only knew they played hockey, but who won and the final score, you sir, win the internet for the day!
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
I believe you know the math behind the award I gave you.
Frist of all how do you stop on skis ? Friction. With heavy aircraft this produces a fair amount of heat and can "weld" the aircraft to the ice when parked. I have had the doubtful pleasure of heating a dozen kegs of oil and pouring it on the skis to free them. The pilot had the even more doubtful pleasure of removing the blown oil from the rear fuselage and tail.
Second of all how do you make skis that can handle a 7,000 lb to 10,000 aircarft and no problems - have a look for videos of DC-3/C-47 on skis. These are quite elaborate with wings on the back and hydrualics that lift them clear of the ground for landing on normal runways. Failure to lock them up as soon as you stop can cause melting of the snow or ice
Third why use skis just use snow tires - because snow tires will sink into the snow and stand the aircraft on its nose or flip the aircraft on its back. Skis have many times the surface area so do not sink in.
Example - A B-26 that landed on snow with the wheels down.
Lot of those picture and more you can find in this thread that I made here back in 2008 
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
