Spitfire flaps

[Nigel Bunker]

I have just finished reading "Last of the Ten Fighter Boys" by Jimmy Corbin (£2.99 from The Works). When he was with 66 Sqn, the fine for leaving flaps down was 5s (25p), which may not seem a lot but Sergeant Pilots were paid 13s 6d (67.5p) a day, so they couldn't afford t do it very often, if at all.

I think most squadrons had a fine system of some sort if flaps were left down, so bear this in mind when building RAF Spitfires.

[Jennings Heilig]

No, no, no. You've got it all wrong. Combat aircraft should always be built with every single removable (and some not removable) panel off the airplane, flaps down, and (duh - of course) with a full weapon load. That's what I read on the internets anyway

J

[Nigel Bunker]

Oh well, if it's on the interweb, it must be right - Wikipedia says so.

[spitfire23bc]

Well don't get in a flap about it

[Prop Duster]

I was told, that the rule was an extension of the English penchant for a "Stiff Upper Lip"

I crack me up

[Dave Gibson]

I have just finished reading "Last of the Ten Fighter Boys" by Jimmy Corbin (£2.99 from The Works). When he was with 66 Sqn, the fine for leaving flaps down was 5s (25p), which may not seem a lot but Sergeant Pilots were paid 13s 6d (67.5p) a day, so they couldn't afford t do it very often, if at all.

I think most squadrons had a fine system of some sort if flaps were left down, so bear this in mind when building RAF Spitfires.

Please tell Airfix.

Dave

Edited September 3, 2010 by Dave Gibson

[Edgar]

Mike McEvoy says that it still applied, when he was flying Hunters; probably a bit more than 5 bob, by then, though.

Edgar

[Miggers]

Like I've always advocated,unless you're doing one "just coming over the hedge",

keep the flaps up on Spits.

[Opadag]

this is a "stupid" question but why were the flaps not to be left in the "down" position?

[Jon Kunac-Tabinor]

this is a "stupid" question but why were the flaps not to be left in the "down" position?

Not stupid at all. I beleive that once aircraft had landed, flaps were raised again to prevent any debris form the airstrip damaging the internal mechanism of the flaps during taxiing.

Its possible of course you might see a parked aircraft with flaps down for servicing though.

cheers

Jonners

[Mentalguru]

I have decided to finel modellers 5 quid if they leave the flaps down on a model of a Spitfire

[CPNGROATS]

So, it's get your "flap on" {or up in this case}...

Some might quip....." I don't give a flying "FLAP..!!" or...." shut the FLAP up.."

Cheers,

ggc

[Edgar]

Not stupid at all. I believe that once aircraft had landed, flaps were raised again to prevent any debris form the airstrip damaging the internal mechanism of the flaps during taxiing.

That was one reason, also, the flaps, themselves, could sustain damage on an uneven grass airfield, plus, if the pilot took his time, taxying, there was also the possibility of the engine overheating, because the flaps blanked off the radiator exit(s.)

Edgar

[greatgonzo]

Five quid is OK with me when it comes to dioramas. With a single model it's another story. When I build a little palne I try to know her as good as possible. I also try to present her this way. One thing that may stop me is technical impossibility of specific presentaition. I would mount a screw with no engine on unless the construction made it impossible without a second thought. Even if the situation never happend in the real world as no one would have been so stupid to perform completly idiotic work.

And 'keep'em up' thinking probably places you among the loosers when it comes to competition events but that's another story.

It was possible to lower the flaps on parked Spitfire - I surely will make them that way. It doesn't mean I see something wrong in another way of thinking, ofcourse .

Edited September 4, 2010 by greatgonzo

[davidelvy]

Like I've always advocated,unless you're doing one "just coming over the hedge",

keep the flaps up on Spits.

If you want to use those lovely PE flaps from the likes of Eduard then model a Seafire. They had wooden chocks inserted to deflect the flaps to provide extra lift on takeoff. From memory the deflection was 4 degrees, so you would only just see the internal detail if you chose to show the flaps this way.

[Steven Eisenman]

On the other hand, when parked, the elevators always seemed to be down.

[TheModeller]

this is a "stupid" question but why were the flaps not to be left in the "down" position?

I've also seen mention of the flaps blocking airflow through the radiator and oil-cooler.

[Iain Ogilvie]

Well - can only comment on civvie GA types - nothing as exotic as a Spit - but flaps go away as soon as you vacate the active runway - prior to taxiing back to the pan.

In some instances you put them away as soon as the wheels touch down.

Only come out again on pre-flight checks - or engineering.

Iain

Edited September 4, 2010 by Iain (32SIG)

[TheModeller]

On the other hand, when parked, the elevators always seemed to be down.

Having sat in a 'replica' Spit cockpit once I get the impression that pushing the stick all the way forward would make it a lot easier to get in and out, although if you look at pictures of the F.22/24 the elevators mostly seem to be up. Maybe it was the opposite way round for bubble-canopy Spits?

[Davec_24]

Well - can only comment on civvie GA types - nothing as exotic as a Spit - but flaps go away as soon as you vacate the active runway - prior to taxiing back to the pan.

In some instances you put them away as soon as the wheels touch down.

Only come out again on pre-flight checks - or engineering.

Iain

Agreed, though I have seen a 152 parked with the flaps down before. Either someone forgot, or they had just done the DI or something and left them down having done so (thus the aircraft would not have been taxiing with flaps down). Either way, presumably the same situations could happen in a Spitfire, thus making it feasible that a Spit could be seen on the ground with flaps down and nobody in the cockpit?

[Wayne]

Just a thought here, based on what was said about possible damage to the internal mechanisms of the flaps, surely it would be likely that a pilot would lower the flaps as part of his pre-flight inspection to make sure that no such damage had occurred? That would be a valid reason to model the Spits with their flaps down I would imagine.

Obviously this would not apply in a situation where the aircraft were scrambled such as during the BoB.

Wayne

Edited September 4, 2010 by Wayne

[Work In Progress]

Just a thought here, based on what was said about possible damage to the internal mechanisms of the flaps, surely it would be likely that a pilot would lower the flaps as part of his pre-flight inspection to make sure that no such damage had occurred? That would be a valid reason to model the Spits with their flaps down I would imagine.

Obviously this would not apply in a situation where the aircraft were scrambled such as during the BoB.

Wayne

As it happens, that's not in the preflight inspection checklist, and for good reasons.

1. Air pressure is at a premium on aircraft whose systems are pneumatic rather than manual, electric or hydraulic, and if you start working the pneumatics without the engine running you risk not having any brakes when you start taxiing.

2. The damage that occurs taxiing a Spitfire with the flaps down is not to the internal mechanism, it is to to the forward (lower) faces of the flaps, where mud and stones are blown up against their faces, so can readily be seen wit the flaps up.

However, the most important reason to select flaps up on a Spitfire once it is on the ground is not damage to the flaps (possible though that is) but the fact that when the flaps are down the airflow through the radiators and oil cooler is restricted, and it increases the already considerable tendency for the engine to overheat.

Edited September 4, 2010 by Work In Progress

[Wayne]

Thanks for that info Work In Progress. Makes more sense now.

Wayne

[hacker]

l got several books photos and other spitfire information and out all of that l found only two with flaps down and only one was because of an engine change so the majority rules flaps up