Messerschmitt rivets

[markojeras]

to my knowledge was 7 mm on most of the G-2. The engine cowling have rounded head rivets of unknown size.

Is it really that nobody here does not have any relevant Messerschmitt document that would clear this up?

With best regards,

Marko

[markojeras]

Now, that I have seen a photo of 'black 6' and a factory drawing that show different size of rivets, I know that 2.6, 3, 4, 5 and 6 mm rivets with head sizes 5-20 mm were used on Bf 109 Gustav.

With best regards,

Marko

[John Manrho]

Hello Marko....I followed this thread a bit. As an aeronuatical engineer from proffession I was a little bit shocked when the talk was bout 7 mm rivets....now we known the rivet head was meant. Totally different of course. Rivet diameters from 2.6 till 6 mm are very ordinary. Solid rivets with diameters bigger than 7 mm are not very handy for riveting.....and as somebody else already said...for bearing strength the diameter is the most important thing and therefor when engineers talk about 4 mm rivets the diameter is meant!!!

[George Hopp]

According to the Bf 109 Reparatur-Anweisung of June 1942 the possible rivet sizes (shank sizes) for repairs are between 2mm and 8mm. But, in glancing through the manual, the only specific sizes of rivets mentioned for specific damage repairs are between 3mm and 5mm.

[airmac]

Re Rivet sizes. The English rivet sizes, Spitfire etc were; 1/16", 3/32", 1/8", 5/32",3/16" and 1/4" shank diameter, there were many different shaped heads used, the head shape and size being a ratio of the shank Dia. shank dia being dependent on the thickness of the materials ie, 20 SWG sheet would normally be 1/8" rivets thicker materials needing larger dias.

[Graham Boak]

I was only a mere aerodynamicist, but I was a little surprised at the comments about the rivet head being only to hold the parts together. That is precisely the point of the rivets, they work in tension. As I understand it, a sheet of metal is at its strongest when there are no rivet holes, particularly counter-sunk ones; so a wider-shanked rivet is a bad idea, not a good one. However, that a wider shank is needed for thicker parts makes sense. So the ideal design will have a range of rivet sizes, tailored to the parts concerned. As we appear to have in the cases studied.