Landing Gear??? (plywood)?? Waterskiing Warbirds

[Bluedharma]

Does anyone know more about this?
Is this a joke or for real? Anyone know the story?


Best Regards,
Bluedharma



found on google image search... at website "blog"
http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/week_2006_12_24.html

Last edited by Bluedharma on Wed Sep 19, 2007 9:32 am, edited 1 time in total.

[TAdan]

I would guess wooden wheels were simply some kind of engineering mock-up to determine what type of wheel/ tire combo could be used...or something like that.

[bugazon]

maybe its a dutch aircraft.........

[old iron]

Wood wheels were used on German airplanes of WWI era, at least in the manufacturing building, to move the craft around without using the valuable rubber tires.

Kevin,
.

[Larry Kraus]

I think that I saw something about this many years ago in an issue of Life magazine,Popular Mechanics or Popular Science published in 1943 or 1944.I bought a lot of these from a used book store in the early 60's.If I remember correctly,these wooden wheels were used as an experiment.At the time,they were tried in place of rubber tires while moving airplanes on the production line and around the factory storage area to save wear on rubber tires due to real or percieved shortages.However,in a brief seach today,I haven't been able to locate any information to verify this.

[Kyleb]

I've seen this pic before. Apparently, there was a shortage of wheels or tires and North American substituted wooden wheels to keep the assembly lines moving.

[tom d. friedman]

kyleb's & tadan's explanation makes the most sense thus far.... but i'm still very curious!!!

[ww2John]

Termite problems?
Woodpecker problems?
In Canada, Beaver problems?

[bdk]

Maybe I ought to do something like that for my T-6 so the tires wouldn't have to be reinflated every 6 months...

bdk
"Owner- Worlds longest T-6 restoration"

[astixjr]

This must be the only known photo of the little known but legendary RAAF pilot, Wing Commander Fred Flintstone's mount. Sadly, he was lost in a dogfight with a Nazi Paradactyl over the English Channel in 1941.

[oscardeuce]

I thougth Flintstone went down in 41 BC

[marine air]

The airplanes look brand new, not even having had the engines ran. Simple problem; One area of manufacturing has not keep up production pace or delivery with the other divisions. THere was a shortage of wheels or tires or whatever so engineering figured out you could cut X number of plywood discs and bolt them together and be able to roll these otherwise finished products (Mustang I's) out of the factory and out of the way.

[Cking]

It was to do with trying to reduce the dependance on stratigic material. They thied to do it on an engine once. Wooden pistons, wooden crankshaft and wooden cylinder blocks . The problem was .....................IT WOODEN WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so sorry, so very, very sorry

Cking

[tom d. friedman]

[Eric Friedebach]

The low-ri-der.

Hey why not just use automotive tires? I don’t have the guts to store anything under the fuselage, but I haven’t had to put air in the tires for several years…

Uh, what was that about restorations taking a long time?