Warbird Information Exchange

Thanks for that.

I think I know the aircraft, and can guess the place and occasion - and I think I recognise a couple of faces...

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

Augsberg, I should have written what I meant a little more exactly.
I meant that an original Me 109 would not have an asymmetrical rudder or fin, IN ORDER TO CORRECT FOR A RIGHT YAW ON TAKEOFF DUE TO THE DB ENGINE TURNING COUNTERCLOCKWISE, OPPOSITE TO THE MERLIN. tHE REASON I SAY THIS OF COURSE IS THAT THE DB TURNS CLOCKWISE, SAME AS A MERLIN.
I guess it is possible that a German 109 had such a fin or rudder, but set to oppose yaw to the left, same as a Merliin. I don't know about that.
I think some airplanes have slightly offset fins, one or two degrees. But it seems to me, that if a designer sets up such an anti-yaw for takeoff, maybe cruise; then in a high speed dive the pilot must deal with a yaw the opposite way.
High speed dive is certainly a part of the normal flight of a fighter. I do know that unlike a Spitfire or Mustang, a 109 does not have a pilot adjustable rudder trim.

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

I always thought the 109's vertical fin was cambered on one side and flat on the other like a vertical wing to constantly counteract propeller torque. Want to see fin offset twist? look @ a Skyraiders vertical.

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Don't make me go get my flying monkeys-

Yes, it is. See the posts by Augsbergeagle and Second Air Force.

The confusion is which way, and the answer (clear enough in a review of the late part of the thread) is that the Me 109 tail provides lift to port, the Hispano tail provides lift to starboard. The question is why the change as both the DB and Merlin turn the same way, and the answer to that is that the Hispano Ha 1112 K1L originally had a Hispano engine that turns the other way, and the Hispano engineers reversed the tail design to account for that. Then those airframes were re-engined with Merlins, making the Ha 1112 M1L Buchon but retained the Spanish type tail.

The only question I have left, is whether early 109s did or didn't have the cambered airfoil tail - my money says they did, but I'd like proof. Anyone prepared to have a look at a 109E for us?

Regards,

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com