Take off flaps and the fighter bomber boys by Tom Glenn

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francesco.doenz
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Take off flaps and the fighter bomber boys by Tom Glenn

Post by francesco.doenz »

I was surprised to read on page 85 in Tom Glenn's book that they took off with full flaps or do I misunderstand something?
Thanks in advance for your inputs and opinions!
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dvm
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Re: Take off flaps and the fighter bomber boys by Tom Glenn

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I remember reading somewhere that they did use flaps on short field heavily loaded takeoffs which was common where they were operating. Not sure about full flaps. They did lot's of things not necessarily by the book during the war "improvise and adapt". I have to take Glenn's recollection as fact as he was there and I sure wasn't. :D Might be fun to to try this situation in the sim. Maybe Dudley has some thoughts as he has flown the real deal and perhaps had contact with guys who flew them in the war.

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DHenriques_
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Re: Take off flaps and the fighter bomber boys by Tom Glenn

Post by DHenriques_ »

francesco.doenz wrote:I was surprised to read on page 85 in Tom Glenn's book that they took off with full flaps or do I misunderstand something?
Thanks in advance for your inputs and opinions!
I don't recall any of the Jug pilots I know talking about taking off with full flaps loaded or clean. Personally I'd be amazed if someone had actually tried it. The flaps on the 47 are extremely powerful at full down and the drag index would be off the roof. Now partial flaps say up to around 20 degrees is much more realistic as that would change the lift coefficient favorably without too much increase in drag.
I could ask around but as I said, I'd be surprised.
The above having been said I "never say never" :-) as no telling what might have been tried at the squadron level were commanders had a lot of latitude to "experiment" with tactical policy.
I would note that the Navy did indeed make carrier takeoffs using full flaps but their mission profiles were not as heavily loaded as those of a loaded 47 and the Navy aircraft wing designs were high lift biased.

Dudley Henriques

francesco.doenz
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Re: Take off flaps and the fighter bomber boys by Tom Glenn

Post by francesco.doenz »

Yes, in this video, at the time of 35 minutes playing, you see very nice carrier take-offs with full flaps:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxyEY9d3Aqg
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dvm
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Re: Take off flaps and the fighter bomber boys by Tom Glenn

Post by dvm »

Captain Glenn wrote the book 50 years after the fact so anything is possible. He is still alive as far as I know and is scheduled to speak at the Planes of Fame airshow coming up in March. I'll bet some of the forum members will be there maybe we could have them ask Captain Glenn to clarify. Full flaps does sound kinda of over the top as Dudley states. One thing I have learned is never say never. :D The A2A Jug comes down like a rock with everything hanging down on final. I will have to try a takeoff in that configuration.

http://planesoffame.org/index.php?mact= ... turnid=125

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