Bearcat Controls

[DMC]

I seem to remember reading that the F8F joystick was spring loaded so that “hands off”the flying surfaces would return to neutral.  Yet I have seen many photos where they were clearly not in the neutral position.   Anyone care to enlighten me on this?  

 

Dennis 

[Tailspin Turtle]

5 hours ago, DMC said:

I seem to remember reading that the F8F joystick was spring loaded so that “hands off”the flying surfaces would return to neutral.  Yet I have seen many photos where they were clearly not in the neutral position.   Anyone care to enlighten me on this?  

 

Dennis 

Engineers would increasing add springs and bob weights to the pitch control system with the advent of jets to tailor flying qualities such as stick force per g, etc. With one exception (see http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2016/07/grumman-f8f-bearcat-vertical-tail.html), I'm not aware of any springs in the F8F's control system. Others may know more.

[DMC]

Thank you, Tommy, can’t remember where I read it.  Should have made a note of it.  “...Topics” has been very useful source of information on the F8F, and others.  

 

Cheers

 

Dennis 

[gingerbob]

Per Flight and E&M Manuals, both ailerons have a spring tab, the left (port) one also serving as an adjustable trim tab.  Elevators and rudder have adjustable trim tabs.  A spring tab serves to reduce the air load on a deflected control surface, by moving opposite the basic surface's deflection.  It is quite likely that someone misunderstood the "spring" term.  The flight manual said nothing special about the stick, which I would think it would if it were "spring loaded".

 

bob

[72modeler]

The only thing I could find regarding your query was mention of a control surface lock in the cockpit, but nothing about any self-centering spring arrangement. TT would know, I would think! You can't really get to the correct angle in the virtual cockpit tour link  to the US Museum of Naval Aviation F8F-2 to see the control surface lock that I believe could be engaged when the stick was pulled back slightly so a pin could lock them, but I thought you might like looking at it.

Mike

 

http://www.navalaviationmuseum.org/nnam/virtualtour/?s=pano13556

 

 

[noelh]

From a pilots point of view it makes no sense to have a system that returns the controls to neutral. In fact it could be dangerous. It would mean the pilot would have to be constantly working against the spring loading. As gingerbob says trim tabs are there to reduce the air load. Trim is adjusted depending on whether aircraft is climbing, descending or in cruise. The last thing a pilot needs is something working against him all the time. 

 

One aircraft I flew ran out of trim at light weights with only me on board. I literally had to pull back all the time to avoid heading into a terminal dive and ending up in a smoking hole. So no hands off for me. Kept me awake anyway.

[DMC]

Thank you, Bob, Mike and Noel.  Most likely I read it wrong or the fog of failed memory strikes again.   You have enlightened me.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis