aircraft tails up on supports

ercoupepilot · 2 August 2006, 10:41 AM

I've got a question from looking at various books:
I'm developing a library of the smaller airforces from the war and noticed something in many pictures of Austro-Hungarian aircraft on the ground. In many of the pictures the tails seem to always be up on a wooden "saw-horse" (or wooden support, others may have different names for it).

Was this practice unique to the A-H's or did others do it?

And my root question is "why"?

jtisch · 2 August 2006, 11:19 AM

Ercoupe Pilot,

I am sure some of our "topguns" will chime in soon, but for now I will tell you what I can remember.
Aircraft with inline engines of the era would not always receive proper oil flow(or coolant flow? or both?) with the tail down so when the engines were test run on the ground the aft end would be propped up. This practice was not limited to A-H aircraft as there are plenty of photos of German Albatrros DIIIs (amongst others) with their aft ends supported up. If you check the Memorial Flight Spad on their website you will see them following the "tail-up" procedure as well.

J

Barrett · 2 August 2006, 03:31 PM

Partial/sometime explanation could have to do with boresighting (harmonizing) the guns in an in-flight attitude.

Taz · 2 August 2006, 04:05 PM

Pilot- In order to properly fill the cooling system (radiator, lines etc.) the aircraft had to be in a level attitude. J and Barrett are also correct.

Taz
Terry Phillips

Simba · 2 August 2006, 05:46 PM

There are quite a few well-known photos of RNAS Bristol Scouts trestled up into flying attitude via the Tail Guide Trestle - the purpose of which was set the aircraft in the correct attitude for launching under their own power from short flying decks and gun-turret ramps.

The device was employed for the first operational deck-launch of a combat aircraft at sea on November 3 1915, when Flight Commander B F Fowler flew Scout C No.1255 off the 64ft-length of the flight deck of HMS Vindex. He had a useable run of about 50ft and the aircraft's chalked tyres left trails on the deck that showed the takeoff run was 46ft - squeakee!

Double tot for that man . . .

Epee · 2 August 2006, 08:41 PM

It probably made those tall A-H engines easier to service too!

Troy Raines · 3 August 2006, 04:28 AM

An aircraft being placed in a level attitude laterally and horizontally for rigging, weight and balance, etc. is a possibility. Seems like aircraft were often placed in a tail high position just to have its picture taken.

ercoupepilot · 4 August 2006, 07:23 PM

It almost seems like it was done for the photo itself, but I certainly agree that any of the above could be a possiblity.

Ryan

Dan_San_Abbott · 13 August 2006, 03:25 PM

ercoupepilot:
In the late fall to early spring, the engine and radiators were drained of water with the machine placed in a flying position. The purpose was to prevent damage to the engine and radiator due to the water freezing. When water freezes, its volume expands, this could rupture the cylinder water jackets and burst the seams in the radiator. When the water was to be replaced, the machine was put in a level position to prevent pockets of air in the cooling system. This was before prepared coolants, such as ethylene-glycol.
Blue skies,
Dan-San