In article ,
John Szalay john.szalayatatt.net wrote:

Bob wrote in :

Hello,

Saw a video on the WW II Hellcat, and on the walk-around it was
mentioned that the Stab. was fabric covered.

Not sure if anything else was.

Really surprised.
Why did they use fabric on the Stab. ?

Was fabric covered surfaces "common" on US WW II fighters ?
Why ?

Thanks,'Bob


fighters, transports , also on Bombers,

Short answer...

before the days of hydraulic assisted surfaces, it took
a great deal of strength to move those surfaces.
fabric covered made the work a little easier.


(my aunt was a seamtress prior to the war, and during the war she
sewed fabric for Grumman)

The stab and fin were usually metal (or wood), while the control
surfaces were fabric-covered, which made for lightweight structures
(easier to mass-balance, to counteract flutter). Even the P-51 had a
fabric-covered rudder; the B-29 had all control surfaces fabric-covered.

Early models of the Corsair had fabric-covered outer wing panels ans
wooden-framed, fabric-covered ailerons.