What is this thing on the wing good for?

[Alexei_Krasnov]

Hi,

I was trying to figure out what is this thing on the picture good for:

I've seen this, or something very similar on many of the WWII era airplanes (like the tip of the me262 left wing, etc) but I'm totally clueless what it does. Is it some kind of an instrument? TBH it looks like a lightning rod to me (pointy metal tube).

I tried to search the web but my queries in the like of `what is the pointy metal tube on the wing` did not help much

 

[Wurger]

This is a Pitot tube. This is used for measuring of an aircraft speed.

 

[GrauGeist]

Here's a pitot tube on a P-38...

They are not always long, pointy structures. Sometimes they are small angled protrusions on the wing or in the case of aircraft like bombers, seen on the fuselage near the pilot's compartment.

 

[stona]

And modelmakers, the end is rarely in the under surface colour. It is more normally brassy or metallic as the pitot was heated. Iceing of the pitot means you can't measure your airspeed which can have disastrous consequences, even for an Air France airliner.
Cheers
Steve

 

[fubar57]

Ok, now that this is out there I can finally ask, is there any benefit between the long pointy one over the small bendy one or vice versa?

Geo

And just cross posted with Steve which answered another question. Thanks Steve.

 

[T Bolt]

The long pointy ones are good for putting your eye out when you're walking around the plane

 

[GrauGeist]

And modelmakers, the end is rarely in the under surface colour. It is more normally brassy or metallic as the pitot was heated.

Good point and the photo (above) of the P-38's pitot shows a good example of that

 

[GrauGeist]

The long pointy ones are good for putting your eye out when you're walking around the plane

LOL yep! Had a few close calls in my time!

 

[Lucky13]

So the point being.....darn, I forgot the point that I was going to make, which makes this post rather pointless....just to point that out..

 

[N4521U]

It has to be in clean undisturbed air is all. Mainly why it is "out front" or Under the wing and out near the wing tip. Every plane has one...... unless seat of the pants flying is your thing.

***BTW, these are the instruments it works with.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Wasn't a small propeller device used at one time?

 

[pbehn]

Hi,

I was trying to figure out what is this thing on the picture good for:

View attachment 257272

I've seen this, or something very similar on many of the WWII era airplanes (like the tip of the me262 left wing, etc) but I'm totally clueless what it does. Is it some kind of an instrument? TBH it looks like a lightning rod to me (pointy metal tube).

I tried to search the web but my queries in the like of `what is the pointy metal tube on the wing` did not help much

It is an Airfix model from the 60s....sand it down

 

[Capt. Vick]

I have seen a piece of metal, flat against the wind stream, read again a marked background used as an airspeed gauge on a New Standard Biplane up in Rhinebeck, New York.

 

[Airframes]

I've got a piece of string hanging from the handlebars on my electric mobility scooter. If it's vertical, I'm not moving. If it's at 20 degrees I'm flat out. If it's at 45 degrees or more, I'm in trouble !!

 

[Capt. Vick]

Hahaha... Good one Terry!

 

[GrauGeist]

I've got a piece of string hanging from the handlebars on my electric mobility scooter. If it's vertical, I'm not moving. If it's at 20 degrees I'm flat out. If it's at 45 degrees or more, I'm in trouble !!

So...if the string is hanging anywhere between the 10 O'clock and 2 O'clock position, it is indicating that you exceeded 45 degrees?

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

It has to be in clean undisturbed air is all. Mainly why it is "out front" or Under the wing and out near the wing tip. Every plane has one...... unless seat of the pants flying is your thing.

***BTW, these are the instruments it works with.

That is the exact diagram that is in my flight instruction manuals.

 

[Airframes]

So...if the string is hanging anywhere between the 10 O'clock and 2 O'clock position, it is indicating that you exceeded 45 degrees?

Which means I've grossly exceeded the performance and handling envelope of the craft - a sure indication that, at the time of the transgression, I was on the way back from the pub !!

 

[GrauGeist]

Which means I've grossly exceeded the performance and handling envelope of the craft - a sure indication that, at the time of the transgression, I was on the way back from the pub !!

 

[daHeld]

It is an Airfix model from the 60s....sand it down

Funny, but not very helpful...