Warbird Information Exchange

I was looking at some old pictures of P-38s and B-17s. I noticed some had wheel covers and some didn't. Were these covers cosmetic or did they serve a purpous? What was the reason for discarding them? Did they all come with them from the factory and take them off in the feild or did the factorys stop using them? Also beside the the Lightning and the Fortress what other aircraft types used them? Thanks

Shay
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Semper Fortis

B-25 had them. So did the P-36, P-40.

AT-6, BT-13, PT13/17's. They kept out dirt and crud, to an extent, out of the wheel spokes and wheel bearing area. They are also easy to not install correctly by the technician if he doens't take the time to do the job correctly.

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If God had wanted man to fly behind a flat motor, Pratt Whitney would've built one.

i never saw a wheel cover on a b-17 !! or i never took the time to notice!!

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

Look at some pictures of the Memphis Belle. She has some decorated covers.

Shay
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Semper Fortis

PBY had them also................I got a NOS one here somewhere with the GoodYear logo in the center.

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Long Live the N3N-3 "The Last US Military Bi-Plane" 1940-1959
Badmouthing Stearmans on WIX since 2005

oh!!!! those covers!!! thought they were talking about fairing covers!!! i was gonna say!!!!! unless i'm in the twighlight twit zone i've never seen gear fairings on a b-17!!!

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

C'mon Tom..... ever hear of 'hub caps' ?

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One day I looked up and he's pushing 80...
He's got brown tobacco stains all down his chin.
To me he's one of the hero's of this country, so why is he all dressed up like them ole men....

I came across photos of razorback P-47's sport'n them. Of the top of my head the only types so far that i can't recall seeing them on are the P-51, Corsair and Hellcat.

Shay
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Semper Fortis

The Westland Lysander had them; restored aircraft are often seen with a spoked hub; which is what was under the cover, normally fitted. (Of course they were both normally covered by the spat (U.S. = Pant) fairing.

The Supermatine Spitfire had them at times as well. Shuttleworth's Mk.V Spitfire AR501 has them, most other restored aircraft don't.

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Raven

thank god i didn't ask about curb feelers!!

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!