Kdo. Nowotny markings : STOP THE MYTH !

[pstrany]

Hi;

Interesting theory about the alternative "underslung" tail nav light, but I think it would not be practical to locate the nav light UNDER the rudder. Also, as I look at the photos shown (and also scanning what I have) I note that the "opening" does not appear to be consistent, and has a rather "jagged" appearance.

May I suggest an alternative explanation? Overzealous pilots.

What I have noted in looking at these pictures, and many others, is that the shape of the bottom of the rudder in some aircraft is nicely rounded, while on others it is very flat. My hobby is "building" virtual aircraft for a flight sim, which tends to make one very aware of movement and function. For instance, note the Flettner tab on the rudder which virtually all 262s had (though it is rarely noted.)
I also include this screenshot:



Though I know it is a model (nobody would let me rotate a real 262 on its tail to illustrate my point, hence this shot) it illustrates clearly that when the 262 over-rotated, the first area of contact with the ground was the rudder. I would submit that the big problem with the early tail light arrangement was that the plexi "globe" was shattered too often by pilots over-rotating, either on take-off or landing, and could explain why the nav light was relocated. I also submit that while metal may dent, the wooden rudders would be more prone to shattering, hence the rather jagged nature of the bottom of the wooden rudders illustrated.

Certainly, on the photo of “white7” 110376, it would appear that the entire bottom of the rudder is gone! This may be why the wooden tails were not used more, because the wood would shatter where the metal tails would usually just dent, making them more resilient. Again, the fact that a lot of aircraft with metal tails seem to have a flattened "bottom" to the rudder (albeit at an angle, similar to that illustrated by my example above) indicates to me that this is a very real possibility, and indeed may have been a quite common occurance.

Paul

[O.Menu]

Very interesting alternative explanation Paul, actually more dual than alternative.

But i still think that we are in front of a third kind of rudder simply because i was not able to find any flattened rudder with the transparent cap or with the late external navigation light. Indeed i agree that especially the two "snake" ones look damaged but they are the two only "snake" one i was able to find with enough good quality.

If your explanation is the correct one, and it could be, then you can notice than they indeed dont have the transparent cap nor any late external navigation light at the end cap which would mean that they dont have any navigation light on the rudder (even if i agree that the last two could be discuted since "white 17+S" shots are of poor quality and the end cap from "B3+CL" is missing) and that i was not lucky enough to find one of those with no light but non flattened which is possible...

Then remain the question was there any navigation light on the wooden experimental rudder?
Could someone find a non flattened rudder with the "snake" pattern?

( "White4" looks to be non flattened but with the late external nav light which would mean that the stenciled "snake" pattern could have been painted over non wooden rudder > but the photo i not of good quality enough to be sure)

[O.Menu]

The more i think about and the more i think you are right Paul... I was more collecting informations than on a criticise time those last days

The two "snake" are obviously dammaged and more broken than flattened probably cause of their wooden construction.
The others, steal ones, are flattened and dammaged like "B3+CL", or probably repaired like "9K+FH", or bad quality shots like white "17+S" which could have the late version navigation light at the end cap.

So only remain one question did the wooden "snake" rudder got any navigation light?
From the above photos they clearly dont have any transparent end cap nor any late external navigation light... Perhaps because they were experimental and thus not suited for combat units at least at the begining? One more reason to think that none of them were delivered to Kdo.Nowotny... (Hehe time to return to original topic)