Bf109 with Pipe.

[Airframes]

The tailplane (horizontal stabiliser) on the 109E could be manually set, on the ground, to one of three main positions. The opening for the adjustment, marked with the degrees of adjustment angle, can be seen just forward of the tailplanes, on the vertical fin, on 109E's. The diagonal support struts beneath the wings were ball-jointed where they meet the tailplane.

 

[beaupower32]

Anti-Bomber?

Could this be some sort of device tested to bring down bombers. Just lower it in flight, and ram into the prop or wing of a bomber. It should break away and the fighter be able to return home. Maybe thats why it is missing in the crash photos, it had already collided into a bomber, but for some reason it caused the 109 to go down too. Just food for thought!

 

[wheelsup_cavu]

Why would you want to get that close to the bomber formation though ?
It seems way to dangerous compared to other methods of bringing a bomber down.

Not an impossibility but it just seems to me that you would have to get too close to use it.


Wheels

 

[beaupower32]

It was just something I was thinking about. Most likely they would only use it in a head on attack, as the speed in which you they were closing at, the aircraft often came into a few feet of each other. I figured it was another crazy option the Germans thought of, but in the end, I really dont think it was used in the role.

 

[Milosh]

Yep,and rudder trim even later.

Nope. There was a Flettner tab though.

Soren: The entire horizontal stabilizer was only trimmable on the F series onwards.

The 109E had trimmable stab.

 

[stona]

Nope. There was a Flettner tab though.

A Flettner tab on the rudder of which Bf109? I thought up until one of the late Gs they just had what was essentially a tab that was preset on the ground not any kind of servo tab.It pretty much amounted to a bent piece of metal. I claim no expertise in this area,just an interest!
I've always associated servo tabs with balanced aileron control where the controls are actually connected to the tab and the control surface is free(as on the Sea Fury) but I make models not real aircraft so I may be displaying my ignorance. LOL
Steve

 

[vikingBerserker]

What if it was a drive to rotate the entire tail where the rudder is facing down. I know they did some experiments with this, possible test bed that only rotated it to the right?

 

[Kurfürst]

Nope. There was a Flettner tab though.

A Flettner tab on the rudder of which Bf109?

The ones of the later G- / entire K-series with the tall tail unit. Sometimes on the ailerons as well (typically those aircraft produced in Wiener Neustadt)

Here's a good shot from the 109lair (a 109G-10):

You can see the rod, moving the Flettner.

 

[stona]

Thanks for that excellent picture and info Kurfurst. I knew they had some more sophisticated trim tabs on the later Gs but didn't know about the Flettner (servo) tab.
I still don't have a clue what the pipe on the original post was for though!
Cheers
Steve

 

[Soren]

Did the 109E have a fully adjustabe horizontal stabilizer? AFAIK it didn't, and only the F series onwards had that.

 

[Milosh]

Did the 109E have a fully adjustabe horizontal stabilizer? AFAIK it didn't, and only the F series onwards had that.

Bf_109_E_Bedienung_Abwurfwaffe.pdf

found here,
http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/other-mechanical-systems-tech/new-bf-109-manuals-thread-17837.html

 

[VERSUCH]

THE BF109E tail plane had 12 degrees of adjustment ,via the hand wheel located
on the left hand side of the cockpit beside the seat,its about 10 inches in diameter,
and has 4 alloy spokes with wood inlay(like a wood rim steering wheel).
It is mounted concentrically with the flap actuating wheel,and by winding both wheels together,
the pilot automatically compensates for changes of trim due to the flaps.
The rudder trim can only be set on the ground by bending the alloy tab,the rudder
helps as it has a slight aerofoil shape to counter act the touque of the engine and prop.
Despite this BF109 s still need of lot of left rudder to keeps them straight at higher speeds.
Regards Mike

 

[Soren]

VERSUCH,

Did the Emil's entire horizontal stabilizer move when trimming as on later versions, it is my understanding that it didn't, the reinforcement struts preventing this.

Bf_109_E_Bedienung_Abwurfwaffe.pdf

found here,
http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/other-mechanical-systems-tech/new-bf-109-manuals-thread-17837.html

But that's about releasable weapon systems Milosh, what does that have to do with the horizontal stabilizer? Atleast I couldn't find anything on it.

 

[Kurfürst]

It did.

 

[Soren]

To the same extend as the later models?

 

[Milosh]

Sorry about that. Try this pdf Soren. Section 109-46, about40% into the pdf.

Bf 109E Parts manual.pdf

 

[Soren]

Now that made more sense. Thank you. Gotta take a peak at the Friedrich's manual to see wether the adjustment range was the same.

 

[Njaco]

found another pic at the "Eagles Over Norway" website...Apparently the webmaster has a larger pic.

Eagles over Norway

 

[beaupower32]

Intresting find, havent seen that angle before. I still have not been able to find anything about it.

 

[BikerBabe]

Hi all. I've gotten a reply from a Hauptmann at the german air force, inquiring about the 109 in quesition.
Said Hauptmann sent me a mail, urging me to mail a certain section of the Luftwaffe archives - some department or others.
I'll keep you updated as soon as I get an answer, useful or not.