Rivets: obscure technical question.

[D.B. Andrus]

My understanding is the majority of rivets used on Luftwaffe aircraft were of 7 mm diameter. (Please correct me if wrong here.)

The question is what was the rivet pitch on the aluminum skin? Was there an 'industry standard' - or differences by each manufacturer depending on the area on the aircraft?

Best Regards,
D.B. Andrus

[edwest]

Possible help:


http://www.sae.org/technical/papers/510004



Usual disclaimer,
Ed

[D.B. Andrus]

Thanks for the assistance, Ed.

Best Regards,

D.B.

[ArtieBob]

As the skins of most WWII combat aircraft were load carrying structural members, my expectation as an engineer would be that the size and spacing of riveted connections were determined by the loads, material thickness, and other engineering considerations that would lead to variations in rivet size and spacing. I looked at some 1945 interrogations of Messerschmitt personnel and noted these comments on rivets (re 8-262). All standard rivets were driven in quenched condition, being stored in ice boxes. The very smallest rivet used at Messerschmitt was 2.6mm, but generally the smallest rivet was 3mm. Skin thickness on the 8-262 varied from 3mm to 1mm. Skinning over 2mm was countersunk. Initial assembly was done with a few manually driven holding rivets, but generally about 85% of riveting was done by automatic machines. This probably does not really answer your questions, but USNASM archives have microfilms of many Luftwaffe a/c structural calculations as well as scattered engineering prints. A definitive answer to your question could probably be found there.

Best Regards,

Artie Bob

[D.B. Andrus]

Thanks to you as well, Artie.

This is an extremely helpful forum, to say the least.

Best Regards,

D.B.