Luftwaffe's whitewall tires

[GrauGeist]

Found yet another whitewall tire equipped aircraft...

This time it's from the 50's and again, American. The aircraft in the photo are from VC-33 aboard the USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14) and are AD-5N Skyraiders.

 

[stona]

So basically the tire conducts static electricity, not lighting. Am I rite? In essence keeping refuelers and bomb loader safer.

Exactly so. More aircraft were substituting a tail wheel (insulating)for a tail skid (which would earth the aircraft.)
Check this link

http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1935/1935 - 1450.html

Dunlop were marketing ECTA (Electrically Conducting Tyres for Aircraft) in 1935.I imagine allied wartime aircraft would have used them, maybe not so obviously indicated as the German whitewalls!
Steve

 

[Lucky13]

I'll be d*mn! Who said that modelling wasn't educational? Great thread fellas! 8)

 

[stona]

A colleague is currently researching Hawker Typhoons and was kind enough to let me know that he has found a reference to them being fitted with "Dunlop ECTA tyres" on their tail wheels. I suspected that they would have been fitted to allied aircraft, they certainly were to this one.
Steve

 

[beaupower32]

A few more with white wall tires. These are of Lt. Hans-Joachim Marseille's aircraft.

 

[vanir]

Top one's an interesting photo, with the red fin there. It's a Friedrich, since it lacks the little air vents at the front cowling area of the G series, but the larger oil cooler says it's a F-4/Z which are rare but used in Africa. From what I've been able to determine this specialised variant has the old DB-601N of the E-4/N fitted with GM-1 and at the time was the fastest of any Messerschmitt. Wish I could see the fuel card to confirm but it should have C2, 100 or C3 written on it. Quite a unique and rare bird if I'm right.
Most reproduction colour plates for this a/c have the smaller oil cooler and 87 fuel card, but they would appear wrong.