Groundhog Thread Part Deux - P-39 Fantasy and Fetish - The Never Ending Story (Mods take no responsibility for head against wall injuries sustained)

[buffnut453]

Hope people don't mind if I throw in a quick P-39 related question here: did the P-400 variant have provision for bombs and/or drop tanks? And if so was the capability factory installed or was it more of a field modification?

This image would suggest they could at least carry a drop tank (Bell P-39 Airacobra - Wikipedia):

 

[XBe02Drvr]

This image would suggest they could at least carry a drop tank (Bell P-39 Airacobra - Wikipedia):

View attachment 637721

That looks like the big "pancake" ferry tank. Were those things droppable, or bolt-ons?

 

[buffnut453]

That looks like the big "pancake" ferry tank. Were those things droppable, or bolt-ons?

Dunno, but here's another pic in case it's of use:

 

[XBe02Drvr]

Dunno, but here's another pic in case it's of use:

View attachment 637733

Nope, that's an actual drop tank. Thanks for the pic.

 

[drgondog]

I love the Safety Plane. Why use riveted panels when you could use screws?
That might be the first plane I ever tried to research on Wiki. I had to know if it was real or not.

Screws are a.) heavier (steel vs aluminum), and b.) usually 'overkill' re; Shank dia/shear stress allowable relative to the skin, c.) labor intensive to install, d.) more chance of 'backing out' due to vibration and flex of ribs and skin. A typical 'screw' installation is a nutplate which is ridiculously overweight re; AN bucked rivet.

95% of sheet metal installations over rib/bulkhead are structural shear panels designed to help absorb and transfer loads and should be 'permanent'.

 

[Peter Gunn]

There better looking than the P39

Eye of the beholder, I think the P-39 is one of the top 5, maybe even top 3 of the best looking fighters of WWII.

 

[vikingBerserker]

I agree, and always liked the car door

 

[buffnut453]

I agree, and always liked the car door

You probably wouldn't like it so much if you had to bail out of one.

 

[SaparotRob]

You probably wouldn't like it so much if you had to bail out of one.

I like the door too. I truly doubt I'll ever have to bail out of one. I don't let reality bother me too much.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

I agree, and always liked the car door

Now if only they had put in a cupholder and cell-phone charger.

 

[SaparotRob]

Now if only they had put in a cupholder and cell-phone charger.

Now you're talking!

 

[GregP]

I thought it had 2 USB ports, a cupholder, and a filing cabinet drawer behind the pilot seat for the weight and balance documents. A CD player was a field-installed luxury. Most had RainX wipes in a glove box, too.

 

[SaparotRob]

I thought it had 2 USB ports, a cupholder, and a filing cabinet drawer behind the pi9lot seat for the weight and balance documents. A CD player was a field-installed luxury. Most had RainX wipes in a glove box, too.

The things one learns here.

 

[GrauGeist]

At least Galland had a cigar lighter in his.

Oh wait, we call those "power points" now days...

 

[XBe02Drvr]

Screws are a.) heavier (steel vs aluminum), and b.) usually 'overkill' re; Shank dia/shear stress allowable relative to the skin, c.) labor intensive to install, d.) more chance of 'backing out' due to vibration and flex of ribs and skin.

And:
e.) subject to dissimilar metals corrosion over time or in a marine environment.

re; Shank dia/shear stress allowable relative to the skin

To those of us who aren't engineers:
An aluminum rivet in an aluminum skin will have similar resistance to distortion, and when stressed to the point of flexing, will "share" the stress, each yielding a tiny amount and minimizing the concentration of stress at any one point. A steel screw in an aluminum skin has almost no "give", forcing the aluminum to do all the yielding and increasing the risk of failure. One failed fastener point tends to put heavier loads on adjoining points, leading to a "zipper" type failure.

 

[SaparotRob]

Which is why "Safety Plane" is such a great name for it.

 

[Peter Gunn]

Which is why "Safety Plane" is such a great name for it.

Is that like the "Safety Dance"?

 

[pbehn]

Is that like the "Safety Dance"?

More like a safety match.

 

[GrauGeist]

Is that like the "Safety Dance"?

Only for Men Without Hats

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Is that like the "Safety Dance"?