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Aviation History
1941
1941 - 1228.PDF
J Twenty-first o/ me Series MAY 29TH, 1941. FRIEND or FOE? // It's Either of These, You're Safe ! The Fulmar and the Tomahawk Fairey Fulmar. Low-wing, moderate taper, rounded tips,dihedral from roots. Large radiator under nose ; rounded spinner. Long covered cockpits. Tapered cantilever tail-plane ; large fin and rudder. Curtiss Tomahawk. Low-wing, moderate taper, rounded tips,dihedral from centre-section, large fillets at roots. Beard radiator ; pointed spinner. Tailplane leading-edge tapers ;rounded elevators and tips ; undercarriage fairings. HERE are two more similar-looking machines, eitherof which will answer the all-important " friend-or-foe " question reassuringly. The Fairey Fulmar, as most readers already know, is a two-seater fighter in service with the Fleet Air Arm, while the Curtiss Toma- hawk is one of several very fine American single-seater fighters supplied by our industrious Ally to the R.A.F. The Fulmar is not likely to be encountered very far inland, but the Tomahawk, of course, may be seen anywhere that Fighter Command operates. Actually the Fulmar is some 1 oft. wider in wing-span and at least 6ft. greater in overall length than its American cousin, and although this differ- ence in size would be obvious enough were the two machines seen flying side by side at no very great altitude, it would hardly be sufficient to establish the identity of either when observed alone. In plan view the wings of both machines are almost identical in outline, both having a moderate and uniform taper on leading and trailing edges and well rounded tips. The Tomahawk, however, has appreciably larger fillets at the wing-roots and its fuselage is of much greater girth in relation to its length than is that of the Fulmar. There is also a useful difference in their tails, since it is one that will be apparent at any altitude provided that a clear outline can be seen. The Fulmar's tailplane is, in plan, approximately a scaled-down version of its wings, but that of the Tomahawk is a " prettier " design, having a pro- nounced taper on its lead- ing edge and gracefully rounded tips and eleva- tors, between which pro- jects the pointed tail of the fuselage carrying fin and rudder. Both aircraft are char- acterised by the bulge of a FULMAR radiator beneath the streamlined nose, but that of the Fulmar is set back towards the leading-edge of the wings, whereas the Tomahawk has a true '' beard '' type radiator immediately beneath its Allison engine. The British machine, incidentally, has a rounded spinner, but the American favours a sharply pointed one, while the top- line of its nose is broken by an air in-take flanked by streamlined "exits" for synchronised guns. These excres- cences, however, will only be visible when a really good side view is presented. Such a view, of course, brings into evidence the greatest difference between these two air- craft, namely, the shape and proportions of their respective fuselages and vertical tail surfaces. The Fulmar's pilot sits right above the leading-edge, the "office windows" stretching well back along the straight-topped fuselage to the wireless operator's cockpit amidships. The Tomahawk, however, has a short covered cockpit, the top of wukh makes a gentle curve down to the base of the fin, andlj|$ sole occupant sits above the centre-line of the wings. The Fulmar is also dis- tinguishable by its large, low aspect-ratio fin and rudder which slopes back on its leading-edge to a broad, rounded apex and a straight, vertical trail- ing-edge. That of the Tomahawk has a nicely curved . trailing-edge to match the style of its elevators. Both under- carriages retract into the wings, but whereas that of the Fulmar follows the usual British practice of folding its wheels either inwards or outwards (in- wards in this case) the legs of the American machine fold backwards beneath the wing, the wheels rotat- ing through 90 degrees. Next week : Miles Master and North American Harvard (trainers). TOMAHAWK
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