Techno Rigging

[Kacey]

According to L.K. Loftin, in "Quest for Performance" NASA History Office:

"streamline wires were used for bracing on both the Camel and the Dolphin. (Streamline wires have a cross-sectional shape much like a symmetrical airfoil section) Such wires were developed by the Royal Aircraft Factory at Farnsborough, England and were first flown experimentally on the SE-4 in 1914. The Sopwith Pup and triplane, both of which entered service in 1916, also had streamline bracing wires."

He goes on to say that they displayed a 10 to 1 reduction in drag over conventional wires. It's amazing the rest of the world didn't pick up on this!!!

I know I had to consider and include these factors when calulating the drag of these four mentioned aeroplanes, or else I couldn't account for their reported speed numbers.

Anyway, I had read it and used it, so I figured I'd pass it on.

KC

[aviators6]

interesting Stephen, do you have a diameter(s) of the thread?

[RAGIII]

Stephen,
Sorry if I missed this but what #test or diameter are you working with? What would you suggest for 1/48th and 1/32nd?
RAGIII

[StephenLawson]

Greetings all the thread diameter is about .015 thou. Try a Goggle and you will see that this is about standard. To be clear I am using these as the doubled bracing wires like the earlier image shows.

On Rafwire here is a bit of fun.
"Streamline wires have a cross-sectional shape much like a symmetrical airfoil section. Such wires were developed by the Royal Aircraft [29] Factory at Farnborough, England and were first flown experimentally on the SE-4 in 1914 (ref. 39). The Sopwith Pup and triplane, both of which entered service in 1916, also had streamline bracing wires. The advantage in drag reduction of using this type of wire rather than the usual round wire is great; there is a factor of about 10 between the drag coefficients of the two types of wire. Yet, no significant use was made of this improved type of wire during the war except by British aircraft manufacturers. Because streamline wire was first developed at Farnborough, it was known as Rafwire".

[StephenLawson]

Dan San commented on this starting back in 2001

"Where stranded steel cable was used for rigging turnbuckles were used. The turnbuckle were most often located on the end of the cable that was attached to the lower wing for easy access for tueing the rigging. The RFC/RAF aircraft were rigged with RAF Wires, which were steel rod swaged to a streamline shape. These had left and right-handed steel clevis universal fittings at each end. By turning the swaged rod (wire) one way would tight the wire the opposite direction would loosen the wire. These were superior to the round cable inasmuch as they had a lower drag. The S.E.5a, Camel, Dolphin, Deh.4, etc all had RAF wires..."

". . .The british aircraft manufacturers use a "Tautness Meter" to check the tension on a cable, tie rod or RAF wire. It was a device with two rollers that could be put on the wire and by deflecting the wire between the rollers determined the tension in pounds on an indicator on the devce. The wire could be adjusted accurately to the specified tension. I would assume the French and Germans had simular devices. Over tightning would damage the attachment fitting and turnbuckle or clevis. To describe the rigging procedure, say for an S.E.5a would require about four or five full parts and a lot of time. . . "

". . .By 1917, all RFC aircraft used RAF streamline wire bracing. Landing wires were single and flying wires were generally double. However the and landing wires and flying wires on the Sopwith 7F1 Snipe were single. The size of the landing and incidence wires were about 1/4" for landing wires and 5/16" for flying wires. I have no rigging data for the Snipe and I consulted the wire bracing for the Sopwith 5F1 Dolphin. . . '

[StephenLawson]

Here is a bit of fun concerning Kevlar.

The thread exchange.

Fly tying thread

[StephenLawson]

The kit is a Roden Bristol F. 2b #425. Here is the pilot's left side of the airframe.



Bristol F.2B, D-8063 from 139 Sqn, RAF Italian front, summer 1918. Along with its regular service this machine was used when Major W.G. Barker took HRH the Prince of Wales on a familiarization flight.

[StephenLawson]

The pilot's right side of the ship.

[StephenLawson]

Greetings all;

There were a couple of you who asked if I was going to put this build on my website. Yes, I just added it.