Warbird Information Exchange

Greetings all,

Well, to be honest this question has been rattling around in my head for quite some time. So I thought I would bring it to the resident authorities on the subjects of Warbirds here <grin>.

I have noticed that on such aircraft types such as the TBM/TBF Avengers and the SB2C Helldiver aircraft that the Pitot probes are located on the outboard wing tips of these aircraft. Now, the location is not the primary question here, but the next one is. Why is it that the Avenger and the Helldiver have rather long and extended Pitot Probes in their respective configurations as they have ? And, in addition to that, perhaps Gary (Retroaviation) could weigh in on this topic as well due to the Pitot probe configuration on Diamond Lil's sisters had with respect to the Pitot probes that the B-24's had. All of these aircraft have very lengthy and these probes seemed to be, at least in my warped mind, added to the airframes as almost an afterthought.

Any comments are most welcome.....and I thank you all for for your input.

Respectfully,

Paul

Why don't you ask something simple, like, "Why did they put the datum there?"

Part of the engineering philosophy at the time is to get the probe into "clean" air, that is not influenced by the airframe disturbances. It's what was in the engineers mind when he was at the drawing board.

_________________
If God had wanted man to fly behind a flat motor, Pratt Whitney would've built one.

All I can tell you is that I've heard that the TBM pitot tube is bent the way it is so that it wouldn't scrape the ground when the wings swung back. That doesn't really make sense on the Helldiver though. Heck, I'm just a greasy mechanic. I don't know nuthin' about no pitot tubes. Although, I do know that I'm putting some tubes on the B-24 that protrude outward from the fuselage, like the "A" model originally had.

Gary

maybe they found that if there up out of the airflow of the wing, that there more accurate being that comming aboard carrier, the big heavy airplanes are at a little higher angle of attack??????

_________________
Long Live the N3N-3 "The Last US Military Bi-Plane" 1940-1959
Badmouthing Stearmans on WIX since 2005