BF-109 Wing Slots

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Isn't the caption of the top two pictures wrong? I thought the top picture shows the slot closed, while the bottom shows it open.
 
Isn't the caption of the top two pictures wrong? I thought the top picture shows the slot closed, while the bottom shows it open.


Agreed.

I also like the reference to the "Me-109". It might be noted that the "Bf109" designation was, for the most part, only used within the halls and offices of the RLM building itself.
 
These are slats, not slots.

Unless I misremember, slots are fixed openings and slats are moveable. When they open, they create a slot, but close normally in level flight. Thr Bf 109 slats are completely unpowered, open and close very easily, and the leading edge is backed inside with wood.

I worked on a Hispao Ha.1112 Buchon at the Planes of Fame. It is basically a Bf 109G-2 with a Merlin in it.
 
re slot or slat

From the 1920 UK/US patent by Handley Page for what was later called the Handley Page Slot and/or Slotted Wing "US1353666A - Wing and similar member of aircraft - Google Patents".

"Where it is desired to construct a wing so that the slot or slots formed between the auxiliary wing or wings and the main wing shall be capable of being closed at will, or the wings can conveniently be made so as to into contact with each other and with the rearward main wing, as by pivoting the auxiliary wing to the main wing, or equivalent means maybe adopted for effecting closure of the slots when required, the invention not being limited to the mechanical details of the means by which such closure may be effected, but the means should be whereas previously to this invention be capable of being moved such that the slots on both sides of the longitudinal center line of the machine are actuated together.

By the descriptive text in the patent and the drawings below I would say that the Handley Page Slot covers both fixed open, fixed closable, and slots created by moving/separating the forward edge of the wing to create the slot, and that they were all called slots or slotted wings originally.


 
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It is interesting terminology. Often, the movement of the Slat causes the Slot to be opened or closed. For some low speed wings, the obvious Slat is fixed to give a permanent Slot. But, there are also high-speed wings with fixed Slots like the Me 163.
How about Flaps with Slats, anyone for Double-Slotted Flaps?

Eng
 
A while back question arose on BF-109 Wing Slots. I happened to stumble across this in a 1943 issue of Aviation Week and thought it might be of interest.

View attachment 624989

This is of course, the Bf 109 E type of Slat with the linked inboard and outboard operating arms. For the Bf 109 F, the operating parts were redesigned and were not linked, so that the swinging levers at inboard and outboard positions were able to move somewhat independently as aerodynamic forces moved the Slat. Surprisingly perhaps, for the Bf 109 G, the mechanism was redesigned again and the slat now moves on rollers that run in tracks, instead of the swinging levers on the earlier types.

Eng
 
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