Luftwaffe moveable control surfaces

[Pathfinder]

I'd just like the check if all Luft a/c of WW2 had fabric control surfaces, and if not, could someone enlighten me as to the exceptions?

Thanks in advance

[stephen f. polyak]

Not all. Fabric covering was used to reduce weight--to include the weight of surface balancing mechanisms needed to lower control forces to manual operating levels. As aircraft became heavier and faster, and when powered controls were introduced, fabric gave way to metal. I believe you’ll find metal surfaces on the Me 262 and other jet-powered types.

[Pathfinder]

Okay, thanks for that, Stephen.

I'm taking it that the prop-driven a/c like the FW- 190s and Bf 109s had fabric throughout the war, even towards the closing months?

[harrison987]

That's correct!

mike

[George Hopp]

Not quite. The Bf 109G/K as well as the Fw 190s were converting to wood framed and covered tailplane surfaces in the last months of the war. I'm unsure if the 190s with wooden tailplanes ever became operational, but the 109s did. The main problem seemed to be with the gluing. And, there was a change to 1.5 mm plywood on the lower rudder as the thinner 1 mm plywood covering was being damaged by small rocks blown back by the propeller air stream.

[stephen f. polyak]

An aerodynamic control (e.g., flap, rudder, elevator, or aileron) made of wood, if properly designed and constructed, can achieve strength and stiffness approaching a metal structure at equivalent/less weight. The problem of surface contour changes with fabric at high speeds, producing erratic control forces and control authority, is eliminated with metal/wood surfaces. At that late stage of the war, the distributed availability of wood, capable woodworkers, woodworking tools, and safe working sites likely exceeded that of comparable resources for metalworking.