|
Re: Half painted Fw 190 wing undersides - the purpose?
Charles: the use of the term "laminar flow" for the Mustang wing has always been somewhat misleading. It did not create true laminarity - which would indeed be spoiled by the slightest imperfection. The term was applied to a family of aerofoils where the maximum thickness was moved from about 25% chord to about 40% chord. Even North American's high production standards and this section did not give laminarity beyond the 10% of chord quoted by Kari.
Eric: I think Kari's point is not why undersides and other parts were not painted. It is why the leading edges were. The only suggestion that makes sense to me is the aerodynamic one. I agree that the pressing need for aircraft- any aircraft - would eventually overrule even the most important aerodynamic principles, and that top speed was less important to a fighter-bomber. However, this makes the production line just one more enemy of the much-harried fighter pilot. The German aircraft at their best were equivalent to their Allied equivalents - a second-rate version was a death sentence. As we see in the casualty lists.
|