Stuka Request

[Blackdog_kt]

I think this device was standard in most dive bombers, for example the SBD Dauntless: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:A_...land,_1943.jpg

I'm not sure about the D3A Val however, the pictures i found were not clear enough. I didn't look thoroughly to be honest, just a quick search, so others might be able to find more information

[Splitter]

Of all the footage I have watched of WWII planes over the years, I have never noticed that before!

I guess it is true that it's what you learn after you know it all that really counts lol. Awesome find. You guys are WWII aircraft nerds and I mean that in the BEST way.

Splitter

[Sven]

It may have been the case in other dive bombers as well, but most of those could not dive in the same vertical (90 degrees)way the Stuka did, the guidance system was really necessary to avoid smashing the bomb in the propellor, in other dive bombers this was not completely necessary as they could not stabalize or get the plane in to a full 90 degrees position, more like a safety maganism for those divers.

Extract from wiki

"The Vengeance and Dantless were both very good but could dive no more than 60 or 70 degrees. The Stuka was in a class of its own"

[WTE_Galway]

Originally Posted by Blackdog_kt

I think this device was standard in most dive bombers, for example the SBD Dauntless: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:A_...land,_1943.jpg

I'm not sure about the D3A Val however, the pictures i found were not clear enough. I didn't look thoroughly to be honest, just a quick search, so others might be able to find more information

This one do ????

[Romanator21]

No Val's currently exist - what you're looking at is a modified Vultee Valiant used to shoot movies

However, they did use a trapeze system.

[Flying Pencil]

Originally Posted by Romanator21

No Val's currently exist - what you're looking at is a modified Vultee Valiant used to shoot movies

However, they did use a trapeze system.

Actually, One Val does exist!

[LukeFF]

Originally Posted by Flying Pencil

Actually, One Val does exist!

Yes, and it's not far from me:

http://www.planesoffame.org/index.ph...ation-projects

[Romanator21]

Well that just made my day mate!

[Darkstuka]

Hey all first time posting in here figured I would check out were the SoW was at. I use to have a website on the Stuka it was stukaguide.com a long time ago. The Bomb was guided by the arm it did not stay on the arm once the arm lowered into position the bomb was released. One thing I will tell you about the Stuka that no other plane had at the time was a radio altimeter this would shoot a radio wave to the ground and it would bounce back and tell you how far you were from the ground it was the first of its kind and it was what made the auto pullout possible. This meant no matter where the ground was from sea level the Stuka would release and pull out at a set distance from the ground not sea. There were two settings on the Radio altimeter one for a buzzer to let the pilot know when to release the bomb and the other was when it would release the bomb and pull out by itself in case the pilot was knocked out from the dive. At pull out the trim would pull the plane out. Before the dive the pilot would set supercharger to first position, set trim to neutral trim(elevator and rudder), close radiator, set flaps to neutral, throttle back, turn on siren, and the act of extending the dive brakes would put the plane into a controlled stall nose down into the dive.The pilot would have to open radiator full and throttle up slowly so the torque would not turn the plane over and retrim the plane for level flight or as one stuka pilot I talked to the Get the Hell out of there setting.

[Fafnir_6]

Originally Posted by Romanator21

Well that just made my day mate!

+1

I knew PoF had a D3A but I had no idea the restoration was proceeding so well. Here's hoping the Goodwin Sands Do17Z salvage/restoration will have the same result!

Cheers and thanks LukeFF for the link,

Fafnir_6