Different Manufacturers of The Same Aircraft

[michaelharadon]

Were there differences between the same aircraft built by different manufacturers? If there were differences, what would account for them? I'm wondering how standardized mass production was, and if there were variations in structure as well as performance. Thanks!

[K5DH]

If you look at some of the internal structure on B-17s built by Boeing, Douglas, and Vega, the differences are readily apparent. I'll leave it to the experts to discuss which parts/sections are and are not interchangeable.

[The Inspector]

That makes me wonder what differences there were among all those companies from Church pew manufacturers to WACO and FORD who built what seems like 37 million CG-4's during the war.

[TonyM]

That makes me wonder what differences there were among all those companies from Church pew manufacturers to WACO and FORD who built what seems like 37 million CG-4's during the war.

This topic has been discussed on army air forces dot com:



http://forum.armyairforces.com/CG4A-Man ... 11201.aspx

TM

[corsair166b]

Well, let's see....Vought came up with the Corsair, Brewster and Goodyear built them also but Brewster came up with a bomb rack that made it into one of the most effective fighter/bombers of WWII, and OH YEAH, Goodyear stuck a WHOLE NEW ENGINE on the front of it and created one of the most powerful propellor driven fighters of all time, the F2G....I would call that a 'slight modification'.

Mark

[Jerry O'Neill]

Well, let's see....Vought came up with the Corsair, Brewster and Goodyear built them also but Brewster came up with a bomb rack that made it into one of the most effective fighter/bombers of WWII, and OH YEAH, Goodyear stuck a WHOLE NEW ENGINE on the front of it and created one of the most powerful propellor driven fighters of all time, the F2G....I would call that a 'slight modification'.

Mark

Of course that was after Vought stuck that big engine on one of their airframes first and then said to Goodyear, "Have at it"!
Jerry

[Forgotten Field]

In a recent issue of the Glider Pilot's association newsletter, there was an article about recovery of the CG-4's used in Market Garden. During recovery, they had to cannibalize parts from different airframes to put together airworthy examples. Without prior experience doing this, the crews discovered that certain manufacturer's components would not fit other manufacturer's examples. This, and sniping and artillery, slowed down the recovery. It was a good article.

[whistlingdeath77]

Well, let's see....Vought came up with the Corsair, Brewster and Goodyear built them also but Brewster came up with a bomb rack that made it into one of the most effective fighter/bombers of WWII, and OH YEAH, Goodyear stuck a WHOLE NEW ENGINE on the front of it and created one of the most powerful propellor driven fighters of all time, the F2G....I would call that a 'slight modification'.

Mark

Everything came from Vought first, then sub contracted to whoever they chose. Just like Jerry said, Vought came up with it then handed it over to Goodyear. Since Brewster was labled by some people as " not up to standards" and was making the british corsair and Chance-Vought was and is the hub of the Corsair world, they had all they could handle. So i'm guessing the only other choice was Goodyear. But to answer the real topic, all 3 corsair makers made the plane so close by design to one another that they were basically interchangeable in parts. Ground crews would be able to work on all 3 and not be confused in anyway. I think there was slight differences in the design of the cockpits. Only other thing i can think of is the british corsair had clipped wings. That's the only thing i can think of off hand. hope this helps

[ALOHADAVE]

Yes there were differences between manufacturers. Changes were made during the production of aircraft and these changes were incorporated at different times at each manufacturer.
For example The production of the B-17F was undertaken by Douglas and Vega, a subsidiary of the Lockheed Aircraft Corp. There were more than four hundred modifications on the B-17F. Three thousand, four hundred B-17Fs were produced by the different companies.
DaveT

[The Inspector]

And late run VEGA F's were the first to sport the chin turret associated with the 'G' which is why sometimes you'll see what appears to be a photo of a 'G' but 'something' is not quite right about the cheek and side window configuration.

[whistlingdeath77]

there was many field modifications as well even after they left the factory. So you could of had a f4u-1 and they changed the canopy over later on and it looked like a f4u-1a.

[John Dupre]

I worked on a TBM restoration once and we needed some rubber boots to cover the control rods where they exited the firewall. I found the part number from the TBM parts book was available from a supplier in Hemmings Motor News for a 1937 Chevy. Some how I don't think Grumman was using the same part.

[The Inspector]

Yeah, but....who built the TBM? Oh yeah! General Motors who probably saw a way to make a few extra, free bucks off of Unka Sugar and clean out their parts backlogs.

[51fixer]

On the P-51 I believe there were 2 makers of the Spinners used with the Ham Std Props.
Even though they were made using the same print and methods of construction the hole pattern for the 8 studs/nuts was different between the 2 makers.
The spinner consists of a rear portion that bolts onto the rear side of the Prop before it is installed and a fwd part that mates up and attaches with 8 studs.
I had an issue with the spinner on Bald Eagle at 1 time and tried to install the fwd part of the Spinner from Frenesi. It wouldn't fit because of the difference in the hole pattern.

[AviaS199]

If you look at some of the internal structure on B-17s built by Boeing, Douglas, and Vega, the differences are readily apparent. I'll leave it to the experts to discuss which parts/sections are and are not interchangeable.

I'd like to read that discussion. Anyone?