Quote:
Originally Posted by Merlin
Harrison,
ALL the tall tails were made from wood!
I have the copy of a Rechlin report from December 1944, which deals with technical in-service problems with these fins. The first accident with such a fin due to technical problems was referenced there as "Spring 1944" with I./JG 3.
Mentioned is also a technical instruction to the Luftwaffe dated 18.Aug.44 to improve the servicing of these wooden fins, which was not properly performed before.
|
Tall tails were not ALL made of wood. The tall tail started off as aluminum, and was predominantly so. It was a bolt on cap, that attached TO the lower section of the stabilizer. This is proven by numerous documents and period photos.
Below is one perfect example:
W.Nr. 413581 G-14
The standard top cap of the G6 was removed, and this part was added, thus making it the tall tail. It remained as such until early 1944.
Early 1944 G6 aircraft DID get examples of the wood tails, however this was only when the aircraft was going through a re-fit or repair.
Late 1944-1945 aircraft received a wood tail...
The Finnish G-6. W. Nr.167271 still has her standard aluminum tall tail, which is a much late block than the fin in this discussion. Any wood ones that Finland received were most likely attached as an upgrade.
As per this particular fin, this one cannot be the original factory applied one, as they were still being made of aluminum at that time, it is too new, and clearly was made by a subcontractor. Most likely this was applied during a re-fit or repair.