B-17s at Low Level

Hi,

I am building a diorama with a 1/48th scale B-17 at low altitude. It will have
two engines turning and two shut down.

My question is, would a B-17 have its landing flaps deployed at all at this
lower speed and altitude if it was not landing, just hedge-hopping home? And
if so, how much?

Thanks,

Walt

On 12 Mar 2004 12:02:27 GMT, (WalterM140) wrote:

Hi,

I am building a diorama with a 1/48th scale B-17 at low altitude. It will have
two engines turning and two shut down.

My question is, would a B-17 have its landing flaps deployed at all at this
lower speed and altitude if it was not landing, just hedge-hopping home? And
if so, how much?

Thanks,

Walt

I would doubt it. Flaps are designed to let you fly slower but
increase the drag tremendously. If an airplane is crawling home
wounded on less than full engine power, drag is the last thing you
want.

AFJ

WalterM140 wrote:
Hi,

I am building a diorama with a 1/48th scale B-17 at low altitude. It will
have two engines turning and two shut down.

My question is, would a B-17 have its landing flaps deployed at all at this
lower speed and altitude if it was not landing, just hedge-hopping home? And
if so, how much?


No.... if I were flying a four engined aircraft with two fans out, the flaps
wouldn't drop out until short final. He's already in serious trouble; any added
drag might be the straw that breaks the camel's back.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN


http://www.mortimerschnerd.com

Subject: B-17s at Low Level
From: Air Force Jayhawk
Date: 3/12/04 6:14 AM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

On 12 Mar 2004 12:02:27 GMT, (WalterM140) wrote:

Hi,

I am building a diorama with a 1/48th scale B-17 at low altitude. It will
have
two engines turning and two shut down.

My question is, would a B-17 have its landing flaps deployed at all at this
lower speed and altitude if it was not landing, just hedge-hopping home?
And
if so, how much?

Thanks,

Walt

I would doubt it. Flaps are designed to let you fly slower but
increase the drag tremendously. If an airplane is crawling home
wounded on less than full engine power, drag is the last thing you
want.

AFJ

Unless of course the hydraulic system has been shot out in which case both
flaps and landing gear would be down. As I vaguely remember it that hydraulic
sytem in a B-17 worked off one engine.I don't remember which one. But I might
be wrong about that, Check with a guy who flew B--17's to be sure. But you
could justify showing it with wheels and flaps down if an engine is shut down.
You might add a trail of smoke for reality. How about a red flare or two fired
from the B-17 to show wounded aboard?


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

In article ,
(ArtKramr) wrote:


Unless of course the hydraulic system has been shot out in which case both
flaps and landing gear would be down. As I vaguely remember it that
hydraulic
sytem in a B-17 worked off one engine.I don't remember which one. But I
might
be wrong about that, Check with a guy who flew B--17's to be sure. But you
could justify showing it with wheels and flaps down if an engine is shut
down.
You might add a trail of smoke for reality. How about a red flare or two
fired
from the B-17 to show wounded aboard?


The hydraulic system on the B-17 operated the cowl flaps and the
brakes...nothing else. The gear and flaps were electrically operated.
The hydraulic pump was electric, there is no engine driven pump on the
B-17 so having an engine out wouldn't affect the hydraulics.

I've got a little over 300 hours in a B-17.

--
Dale L. Falk

There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing around with airplanes.

http://home.gci.net/~sncdfalk/flying.html

In article ,
(WalterM140) wrote:

I am building a diorama with a 1/48th scale B-17 at low altitude. It will
have
two engines turning and two shut down.

My question is, would a B-17 have its landing flaps deployed at all at this
lower speed and altitude if it was not landing, just hedge-hopping home? And
if so, how much?

No, you would leave the flaps up until needed/desired for landing. The
B-17 used a plain flap that was mostly drag (use of 10-20 degrees does
shorten the ground roll somewhat but hurts the climb). And if it was me
flying I wouldn't be any lower than I had to be.

--
Dale L. Falk

There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing around with airplanes.

http://home.gci.net/~sncdfalk/flying.html

Subject: B-17s at Low Level
From: Dale
Date: 3/12/04 7:53 AM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

In article ,
(ArtKramr) wrote:


Unless of course the hydraulic system has been shot out in which case both
flaps and landing gear would be down. As I vaguely remember it that
hydraulic
sytem in a B-17 worked off one engine.I don't remember which one. But I
might
be wrong about that, Check with a guy who flew B--17's to be sure. But you
could justify showing it with wheels and flaps down if an engine is shut
down.
You might add a trail of smoke for reality. How about a red flare or two
fired
from the B-17 to show wounded aboard?


The hydraulic system on the B-17 operated the cowl flaps and the
brakes...nothing else. The gear and flaps were electrically operated.
The hydraulic pump was electric, there is no engine driven pump on the
B-17 so having an engine out wouldn't affect the hydraulics.

I've got a little over 300 hours in a B-17.

--
Dale L. Falk

There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing around with airplanes.

http://home.gci.net/~sncdfalk/flying.html

Thank you for the correction. I have zero hours in a B-17. My memory fails on
that subject. What group did you fly with? ETO or PT?


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

In article ,
(ArtKramr) wrote:


Thank you for the correction. I have zero hours in a B-17. My memory fails on
that subject. What group did you fly with? ETO or PT?

Didn't fly 'em in the military...just did the airshow thing to impress
the chicks.

--
Dale L. Falk

There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing around with airplanes.

http://home.gci.net/~sncdfalk/flying.html

When you've finished it, why not take a pic of it and send it over the web!!
I dont know wether the guys on here allow pics on this N.G. but take my
e-mail addy and let me see it, i'd love a look at it!!
"WalterM140" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I am building a diorama with a 1/48th scale B-17 at low altitude. It will
have
two engines turning and two shut down.

My question is, would a B-17 have its landing flaps deployed at all at
this
lower speed and altitude if it was not landing, just hedge-hopping home?
And
if so, how much?

Thanks,

Walt

Dale wrote:

In article ,
(ArtKramr) wrote:

Thank you for the correction. I have zero hours in a B-17. My memory fails on
that subject. What group did you fly with? ETO or PT?

Didn't fly 'em in the military...just did the airshow thing to impress
the chicks.

Does a B-17 impress the chicks now days?

Did it in 1943???

Art, were you surrounded by British babes in 1944
because you were a "bomber guy"?

Always thought that sort of stuff was reserved for
the fighter jocks.


SMH