B-17s at Low Level

Dale wrote in message ...
In article ,
(ArtKramr) wrote:


Unless of course the hydraulic system has been shot out in which case both
flaps and landing gear would be down. As I vaguely remember it that
hydraulic
sytem in a B-17 worked off one engine.I don't remember which one. But I
might
be wrong about that, Check with a guy who flew B--17's to be sure. But you
could justify showing it with wheels and flaps down if an engine is shut
down.
You might add a trail of smoke for reality. How about a red flare or two
fired
from the B-17 to show wounded aboard?


The hydraulic system on the B-17 operated the cowl flaps and the
brakes...nothing else. The gear and flaps were electrically operated.
The hydraulic pump was electric, there is no engine driven pump on the
B-17 so having an engine out wouldn't affect the hydraulics.

Engine Oil pressure was used to set pitch on the propeller. Engine
oil loss could lead to a runaway propellor.




I've got a little over 300 hours in a B-17.

Subject: B-17s at Low Level
From: (The Enlightenment)
Date: 3/13/04 10:13 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

Dale wrote in message
...
In article ,
(ArtKramr) wrote:


Unless of course the hydraulic system has been shot out in which case
both
flaps and landing gear would be down. As I vaguely remember it that
hydraulic
sytem in a B-17 worked off one engine.I don't remember which one. But I

might
be wrong about that, Check with a guy who flew B--17's to be sure. But
you
could justify showing it with wheels and flaps down if an engine is shut
down.
You might add a trail of smoke for reality. How about a red flare or two
fired
from the B-17 to show wounded aboard?


The hydraulic system on the B-17 operated the cowl flaps and the
brakes...nothing else. The gear and flaps were electrically operated.
The hydraulic pump was electric, there is no engine driven pump on the
B-17 so having an engine out wouldn't affect the hydraulics.

Engine Oil pressure was used to set pitch on the propeller. Engine
oil loss could lead to a runaway propellor.




I've got a little over 300 hours in a B-17.

What group were you in?


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

(The Enlightenment) wrote:

Engine Oil pressure was used to set pitch on the propeller. Engine
oil loss could lead to a runaway propellor.


Well, it wouldn't overspeed for very long at any rate!...
--

-Gord.

Not that it applies to the B-17, but I would think that unless hydraulic
flaps were preloaded (spring or other or were heavy) to extend without
hydraulic pressure, the airflow would keep them retracted until airspeed
decreased or even until the a/c got on the ground. As for the gear,
unless it was kept in the retracted position by hydraulic pressure
alone, as on many modern light aircraft, the mechanical uplocks would
keep the gear up. Also, depending on gear door operation, the airflow
could very well keep the doors closed, or at least partially closed,
until airspeed decreased. Lack of pressure could also just allow the
doors to stay closed & the gear stay up regardless, depending upon how
they're actuated.

wrote:

Not that it applies to the B-17, but I would think that unless hydraulic
flaps were preloaded (spring or other or were heavy) to extend without
hydraulic pressure, the airflow would keep them retracted until airspeed
decreased or even until the a/c got on the ground. As for the gear,
unless it was kept in the retracted position by hydraulic pressure
alone, as on many modern light aircraft, the mechanical uplocks would
keep the gear up. Also, depending on gear door operation, the airflow
could very well keep the doors closed, or at least partially closed,
until airspeed decreased. Lack of pressure could also just allow the
doors to stay closed & the gear stay up regardless, depending upon how
they're actuated.

Quite right, I forgot to mention that...
--

-Gord.

I remember seeing on T.V. that the B17 had like big long screw gears/rods
that raised and lowered the u/c in that case the u/c would have been
electrically operated wouldnt it!?? i.e. not hydraulically operated.
wrote in message
...
Not that it applies to the B-17, but I would think that unless hydraulic
flaps were preloaded (spring or other or were heavy) to extend without
hydraulic pressure, the airflow would keep them retracted until airspeed
decreased or even until the a/c got on the ground. As for the gear,
unless it was kept in the retracted position by hydraulic pressure
alone, as on many modern light aircraft, the mechanical uplocks would
keep the gear up. Also, depending on gear door operation, the airflow
could very well keep the doors closed, or at least partially closed,
until airspeed decreased. Lack of pressure could also just allow the
doors to stay closed & the gear stay up regardless, depending upon how
they're actuated.

In article ,
"M. H. Greaves" wrote:

I remember seeing on T.V. that the B17 had like big long screw gears/rods
that raised and lowered the u/c in that case the u/c would have been
electrically operated wouldnt it!?? i.e. not hydraulically operated.


Correct, it's a jack screw that operates the gear and it is powered with
an electric motor....the same motor used to power the flaps...and the
tailwheel. Each gear has it's own motor.

--
Dale L. Falk

There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing around with airplanes.

http://home.gci.net/~sncdfalk/flying.html

Unless of course the hydraulic system has been shot out in which case both
flaps and landing gear would be down. As I vaguely remember it that
hydraulic
sytem in a B-17 worked off one engine.I don't remember which one. But I
might
be wrong about that,

You are, the only hydraulics on a -17 are cowl flaps and brakes, everything
else is electric. Boeing was even thinking ahead, all the gear and bombay
motors were the same.
Matt Gunsch,
A&P,IA,Private Pilot
Riding member of the
2003 world champion drill team
Arizona Precision Motorcycle Drill Team
GWRRA,NRA,GOA

WalterM140 wrote:
Hi,

I am building a diorama with a 1/48th scale B-17 at low altitude. It will
have two engines turning and two shut down.

My question is, would a B-17 have its landing flaps deployed at all at this
lower speed and altitude if it was not landing, just hedge-hopping home? And
if so, how much?


No.... if I were flying a four engined aircraft with two fans out, the flaps
wouldn't drop out until short final. He's already in serious trouble; any added
drag might be the straw that breaks the camel's back.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN


http://www.mortimerschnerd.com

My question is, would a B-17 have its landing flaps deployed at all at this
lower speed and altitude if it was not landing, just hedge-hopping home?
And
if so, how much?

No.... if I were flying a four engined aircraft with two fans out, the flaps
wouldn't drop out until short final. He's already in serious trouble; any
added
drag might be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

Okay, that's one less thing to think about.

The way I see it now, the base of the diorama will be the coast line of
Belgium, with the Fort just "leaving" Festung Europa with all deliberate speed.

Walt