Loire-Nieport LN.401 structure?

[elbmc1969]

I'm looking for information on the construction of the LN.401 through LN.411. Were they tubular metal frames with fabric skin over the rear fuselage? The cockpit sides? I have some photos showing a bit of the wings, but the overall wing structure isn't clear.

The LN.40 family seems excessively heavy given its size and I'm trying to tease out why.

Thanks!

 

[SaparotRob]

Buttery pastries?

 

[Wurger]

As memo serves the LN.401 had the all metal fuselage structure. It was made of the metal stringers and pressed bulkheads covered with metal plates of strip shape riveted to them. The ailerons, rudder , additional fins and elevators were of the metal structure but with the fabric skin. The wing had the similar structure with metal spares, formers and tin airfoils.

the structure of the LN 40 cockpit with the fuselage structure seen in there.

a couple of details more ...

the source: Loire Nieuport 401/411: the "French Stuka", Special Hobby 1/48 - Finished

 

[Wurger]

And again the cocpkit interior but for both sides ..

the source: Loire-Nieuport L.N.40 family

 

[elbmc1969]

So, the "faceted" fuselage sides are because they didn't use stressed skin, they used lots and lots of longitudinal strips? That's crazy ... I imagine that there's a lot more riveting involved, but I'd need better information.

Thanks!

 

[Wurger]

It looks like they did that in that way. But it was the stressed skin of the monocoque construction . The longitudinal strips seem to work great with the forces and moments during diving. The similar structure was used for the fuselage of the Typhoon for instance. Also ... judging by a couple o the crashed planes it looks like the wing main spares and airfoils were made without the lightening holes just having the vertical stiffeners.

 

[Wurger]

Here is a shot that shows the fuselage cover quite nicely.

the source: German Soldiers Photo album Curt Buetel

 

[elbmc1969]

Also ... judging by a couple o the crashed planes it looks like the wing main spares and airfoils were made without the lightening holes just having the vertical stiffeners.

I believe that the "ribs" without lightening holes are actually the outer bulkhead of the inner wing section at the point of the wing fold (or where the fold would be in a naval aircraft). In addition to keeping salt air out of the wing structure, the machine gun compartment is directly outboard, so they may have wanted to keep any combustion gases/soot out of the landing gear mechanism.

Thanks for the great information you've provided. I haven't seen that photo before and it's very useful. Figure the bullet holes are Bf109 MG fire and the big, jagged hole is from an MG-FF hit?

 

[Wurger]

The damages are possible the way you described above. But I would say not all of them were the result of MG fire.

Regarding the construction of the outer wings .. you may be right. But as memo serves I have seen somewhere a shot with the wing torn with the interior noticed. Therefore I keep in mind the kind of airfoil image. But I may be wrong certainly .

 

[Wurger]

Here is the central wing structure seen partially..

the source: the net.

 

[elbmc1969]

The upper photo shows the structure where the radiators are mounted in the wing roots.

The lower photo is a clear shot of the bulkhead, primary hinge, and other elements of the wing folding mechanism.

I may have to eat my words about the position of the MGs (in the inner section, not past the hinge, duh. Still looking for better pics.

 

[warbooklover]

I'm looking for information on the construction of the LN.401 through LN.411. Were they tubular metal frames with fabric skin over the rear fuselage? The cockpit sides? I have some photos showing a bit of the wings, but the overall wing structure isn't clear.

The LN.40 family seems excessively heavy given its size and I'm trying to tease out why.

Thanks!

There is a pretty good article on the Le Loire-Nieuport 401/411 in the No.43 issue of Air Magazine from August/September 2008. How is your French?

 

[elbmc1969]

There is a pretty good article on the Le Loire-Nieuport 401/411 in the No.43 issue of Air Magazine from August/September 2008. How is your French?

Is the title actually "Air Magazine"? Or "Air"? Or something else?

Do you have a link to the publisher or anything?

 

[warbooklover]

Is the title actually "Air Magazine"? Or "Air"? Or something else?

Do you have a link to the publisher or anything?

PM me please.

 

[MiTasol]

narrow strips of metal riveted together are not that unusual but normally one long edge is folded to a j section to provide the strength that a stringer provides. The P-39 and P-63 rear fuselage are built this way.
Those cockpit photos say that this was not done on this aircraft.