Mystery tire of American origin, WW II vintage

[Second Air Force]

I'm certainly sorry I mentioned the A-20, and very glad that I phrased it as a question. Next time I'll be sure not to offer a guess.

[Bill Greenwood]

I don't know what that tire goes on, but my guess is that it is a tailwheel tire since it is completely without any tread and it is pretty narrow.

Many it is on something unusual like a Beaufighter , thus not familar to many. I doubt if it is off an A-20, don't really know, but it looks small.

And it is on the light side contruction wise at 6 ply. For instance Dunlop main tires for the Spitfire are 10 ply, can't recall what the tailwheel tire is, but I'd guess not less than 6 ply.

[Russ Blow]

I keep thinking it might be a tail wheel tire from a Dakota/C 47. I had an R4D parts manual here somewhere and I cant remember the size tire for the TW. Any chance it could be from one?

[Airlift48]

I tried to find the # in the Goodyear catalogs but I find nothing.

However, with everyone thinking Hudson, I did find this photo.

Could be...

[the330thbg]

that one is still about twice as wide.

[Jollygreenslugg]

that one is still about twice as wide.

I've seen a few WW2 tailwheel tyres, and they were all stored flat like the one seen in the original post. When fitted with an inner tube, and put on the aeroplane, they look like the one on the Hudson.

Cheers,
Matt

[Sigurjon]

First of all, I´d like to thank everyone that has participated so far.

I´m not sure what thing is, but the more I think about the Hudson theory, the more I think it COULD be the aircraft it is off. I´d like to know for certain, however!

[b29flteng]

DC-3 is 9.00 X 9 so that can't be it.

[Airlift48]

that one is still about twice as wide.

Inflated vs. deflated.

Look at the actual tread width and you'll see that if the one in question was inflated, it just may expand to those dimensions. The actual tread width doesn't seem to be different, but the sidewalls are expanded.

Just an observation.

[Mark_Pilkington]

Google and an old WIX post seems to rule out Hudson:

denys jones Post subject: Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 7:30 am


Aircraftsman 1st Class

Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 7:36 pm
Posts: 7 The parts book for the Hudson calls the tailwheel tyre a Goodyear 17.00 6 ply and assigns it a part number 660070 (the tube is 660004). The mainwheels are called 17-254 Goodyear and p/n 660075 (tube 660001).

I guess this makes the 66xxxx numbers to be Goodyear parts.

I had assumed tyre size might translate to aircraft size implying that the unknown tyre was off something larger than a Hudson?

I thought it may have been the nose wheel tyre for a PBY?, (This is obviously a modern treaded equivalent)




But the manual lists the nose wheel as a Hayes 12 3/8" with a Goodrich 30" smooth contour, which is obviously nearly twice the size of the unknown tyre (and perhaps reflecting that the PBY is nearly twice the size of a hudson smiles).

But this did then cause me to question my understanding of tyre size definitions, and so google yields:

AIRCRAFT TYRES

The very earliest of tyre designs were called Type I and were referred to only by their outside diameter eg 27" which is a common fitment to aircraft such as Harvards or P51 Mustangs.

General Aviation tyres are generally Type III designs and include the most widely used sizes such as 5.00-5 and 6.00-6. These measurements refer to the section width of a tyre and also the rim ledge diameter (or the hole in the middle) hence a 6.00-6 is 6 inches wide and sits on 6 inch wheel.

Three Part Name Sizes cover most of today’s designs and typically describe the Outside Diameter, Section Width and Rim Ledge Diameter. Eg, 15x6.00-6, the tyre is 15 inches tall, 6 inches wide and sits on a 6 inch wheel. Some tyres in this classification are preceded with an ‘H’ which identifies the tyre as having a higher percentage deflection.

Metric sizes are the same as three part name sizes but the Overall Diameter and Section Width are replaced with millimeters but the rim sizes remains in inches, eg 380x150-5, it’s imperial equivalent is a 15x6.00-5.


Radial tyres are also the same as three part name sizes but the dash preceding the rim diameter is replaced with the letter ‘R’ eg 32x8.8R16

http://www.speedace.info/tyres_aircraft.htm


So its not Hudson, not A-20, not PBY smiles, - the search continues for what takes a 18" tyre, probably as a tail wheel?

regards

Mark Pilkington