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Aviation History
1946
1946 - 1525.PDF
AUGUST 8TH, 1946 FLIGHT 135 LANDING GEAR FOR JET FICHTERS a tail-wheel machine acting like a blowlamp. That this is no imaginary snag is proved by evidence of early German jets of this type, which blasted the concrete surface into flying chunks to the detriment of nearby aircraft. The German Me 163 rocket intercepter offered a com- promise solution, with its small tail-wheel housed in a hinged fin below the jet-pipe and its flat ground angle. Incidentally, it may be recalled that this machine shed its P.nain wheels after take-off and landed on a belly skid—an operation, one supposes, to have called for more than average skill. This type of undercarriage shows no sign of becoming popular. When the Me 163, developed by Junkers, reappeared as the 263 a retracting tricycle had been substituted. Having more or less writtenrof$ the tail-wheel, it remains . to be stated that the nose-wheel is only the lesser of two evils. The jet-fighter designer's ideal of a straight-through duct from nose to engine, with pilot on top and retractable nose-wheel underneath, is not easily realized. A wheel that lies flat when retracted can be provided, but ft may cost something in fuselage shape; and a divided duct pass- ing each side of the nose-wheel interferes with armament, among other objections. The answer then may be side ducts further aft, as in the Lockheed Shooting Star. Balancing The question of balancing the aircraft enters into these considerations. The difficulty generally has been to get enough weight forward. In the single-engined machine the weight of the jet unit is far aft, which cannot be helped; in the twin, such as the Meteor, the jets cannot easily be placed ahead of the wings—though this may come. As a result, a long nose with a wheel at the end (and ballast weights probably) affords a convenient way of balancing. In the single-engined machine, again, since the track is likely to be wide, to preserve a well-proportioned triangle the wheel base will tend to be long. This results in an uncomfortably light nose-awheel reaction, causing porpois- At top right the port main under- carriage of the Gloster F.9/40 is shown fully lowered. On the left is another view of the F.9/40 under- carriage in which the oleo capsule is seen. Bottom, right : Looking up at the retracted port undercarriage of the E.28/39. The main spar crosses the top of the picture. mg tendencies. Now owing to the necessarily forward location of fuel and ammunition the C.G. will move aft during flight, making the conditions worse for landing and turning on one wheel. To move the main wheels aft is no remedy, since it would delay the take-off. From the,foregoing it is evident that the proportioning of the whole tricycle layout for this type becomes a matter of great care and delicacy. The fighter with outboard twin units shows to advantage here, for the consumable weights of fuel and ammunition can be arranged in the fuselage to give a better C.G. movement; as a result the position- ing of nose and main wheel? is less tricky.
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