Lockheed Hudson counter weight query

[Dave Homewood]

A very good question has been posted onto the Wings Over New Zealand Forum regarding the counter weight used when the Lockheed Hudson was flown without the turret fitted, as around half of the RNZAF examples were during the war.

It's stumping us all. Here is the original thread.
http://rnzaf.proboards.com/index.cgi?bo ... 403&page=1

Can anyone here help with information on the counter weight, it's size, weight, shape, place where it was installed and any other details please?

[The Inspector]

Find datum, how many inches aft of datum to the center of the turret, What's the weight of the turret package at that datum? Add inches to the weight for the moment. from datum go aft to the tail and calculate the arm from datum to the turret then from datum to the tail post or bulkhead and calculate the moment from the center of the turret to the bulkhead a simple division equation of that weight into the arm will 'ballpark' the amount of ballast weight needed @ whatever datum+ inches, and it will probably be much less than you expect given the length of the aft fuselage and that datum is probably @ the wing root leading edge and everything forward of datum would be negative numbers and everything aft would be positive numbers if Lockweed used the standard weight and balance formula in vogue up until swept wings entered the picture and % of MAC became god for weight and balance calculations.
"If a man is hunched over a calculator with pencil and paper and a single light is shining on him and he is cussing up a storm, he's either doing his taxes or working weight and balance'.

[GARY HILTON]

The PV-2 Harpoon is very similar to the Hudson.....When the PV-2 operators converted them to sprayers and tankers, the first to go was the turrets, all the associated equipment and armor plate...To counter this loss, just add sand bags.....engine blocks...sacks of concrete....etc.

My PV was converted by the Navy to a PV-2T2....some type of radar trainer, where the turret was just in the way...so it was removed, and a large alum. cover plate/patch was added to the upper fuselage....They left the thicker skins fore and aft of the turret, on top the fuselage..blast shields for the .50's....and in the tail, added lead weights...I believe that these are probably the original weights that the Navy installed on this bird....they are at the bottom of the inverted "V" brace, and there are two of them...one on each side of the brace....



Hope this helps,
Gary

[The Inspector]

KIRKSITE Bars, really heavy metal and denser than your ex brother-in-law

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks for the info chaps. I'll ensure the guys on the original thread know to look in here too.

[GARY HILTON]

Hey Inspector....fill me in on the KIRKSITE bars.......I thought they were just chunks of lead....

Gary

[The Inspector]

www.husite.biz