Which fighters were "thick skinned?"

[the lancaster kicks ass]

Originally Posted by RG_Lunatic

That is possible, but tell me... how is that "standing" on the wing? Point made! LOL.

even if he's crouching he's putting all of his weight on a very small area, which has the same effect as standing, either way there's allot of weight on a small area.........

Originally Posted by the lancaster kicks ass

even if he's crouching he's putting all of his weight on a very small area, which has the same effect as standing, either way there's allot of weight on a small area.........

Standing on a boot can put all the weight on the edge of a heel generating many many times the lbs/sq-inch of kneeling. It's not the same thing at all. Neither is being barefoot or in tennis or other soft-soled shoes.

[the lancaster kicks ass]

ok you're standing on the wing, your body weight is mostly on the heels of your feet however there's still a considderable ammount of weight being distributed by the rest of your feet, so that's your body weight being distributed over the area of your feet, if you're kneeling only the tips of your toes and a small area of your knees are having to distribute your body weight, that's a small area still, not much bigger than the area of your feet if it is at all...............

[trackend]

What if you're wearing flippers or snow shoes or you have a bunion that concetrates the weight in a smaller area or you only have one leg or one leg and a peg leg or ballet shoes on point or high heel shoes ( the last two only apply to transvestite ground crew) or clogs or mochasins or SS boots and you tend to goose step or ice skates or jumping jacks or moon boot or oooooooooooooo thats it im now officially bonkers

Originally Posted by the lancaster kicks ass

ok you're standing on the wing, your body weight is mostly on the heels of your feet however there's still a considderable ammount of weight being distributed by the rest of your feet, so that's your body weight being distributed over the area of your feet, if you're kneeling only the tips of your toes and a small area of your knees are having to distribute your body weight, that's a small area still, not much bigger than the area of your feet if it is at all...............

Combat boots had hard soles. Walking rolls the weight from the back to the front of each foot as you step. With a boot, it would be very easy to put a crescent shaped dent into thin duraluminum sheeting, especially if the internal structure is sparse.

[Soren]

Originally Posted by evangilder

I wouldn't do that for mainly safety reasons. That's a dangerous exercise that I hope young impressionable aviation buffs don't get the idea of doing. Safety should be the number 1 concern, especially with old warbirds.

We don't have any German planes in our museum, but we do have a zero and a spitfire. There are zones very clearly marked on the zero where you are not to step, else your foot may go through. There are not zones like that on the spitfire, but everyone knows that you don't step on flaps or control surfaces. Most guys will walk where the supports are so as to preserve the aircraft as long as possible. Could any part of the wing be walked on? Most likely, but doing that in our hangar is likely to get you a serious ass-whooping. But these are 60+ year old airplanes that have few cheap spare parts. These airplanes are treated better than some peoples kids!

I fully agree. Stepping on any of the control surfaces is not allowed on any WW2 era aircraft, but generally the other areas can easely be walked on.

[DAVIDICUS]

Come back! I'm not done fighting!

[FLYBOYJ]

OK guys - I'll be at the GILLESPIE airshow April 28 through May 1. The following WWII fighter aircraft are scheduled to be there;

FM-2, P-51, F4U, F6F, P-51, F8F, A6M3

If I get my hands on a micrometer I'm going to measure the skin on these things and report back!

Excellent! Also measure the distance between the rivit lines.

You live in the San Diego area Flyboy? I grew up there and lived there most of my life (except when jobs took me elsewhere for up to 3 years at a time). We just moved from San Diego (Bonita actually) about a year ago.

Try to get there early, once the main guys leave the planes the idiots on patrol won't let you near enough to take measurements.

BTW: you can get an inside/outside calipers (get the metal one) for a few bucks at Harbor frieght tools (one in Chula Vista on L street just East of I5, another in El Cajon) - great place to buy cheap tools (which I only recommend if you only expect to use them infrequently) and a number of other items. Inside/outside calipers should give a good enough measurement if you cannot do a micrometer.

=S=

Lunatic

[evangilder]

If you can get to Camarillo, I can talk to the crew chiefs of the F6F, F8F and the Zero to see if they would let you take a measurment. We also have a Spitfire, but I haven't seen it lately. It may have been moved to storage as the Griffon is out for an overhaul.

[FLYBOYJ]

Originally Posted by RG_Lunatic

Excellent! Also measure the distance between the rivit lines.

You live in the San Diego area Flyboy? I grew up there and lived there most of my life (except when jobs took me elsewhere for up to 3 years at a time). We just moved from San Diego about a year ago.

Try to get there early, once the main guys leave the planes the idiots on patrol won't let you near enough to take measurements.

=S=

Lunatic

Actually I live in Colorado - I did live in California on and off for about 22 years. I travel there a lot to work on aircraft, fly an L-29 and see old Friends. I always liked San Diego, I worked for Rohr and Ryan!

I'm actually going to be an airshow participant, so I'll avoid the airshow Gestapo!

Originally Posted by evangilder

If you can get to Camarillo, I can talk to the crew chiefs of the F6F, F8F and the Zero to see if they would let you take a measurment. We also have a Spitfire, but I haven't seen it lately. It may have been moved to storage as the Griffon is out for an overhaul.

Where is Camarillo ?

[evangilder]

Off the 101, between Ventura and Thousand Oaks. Near Oxnard.

[FLYBOYJ]

Originally Posted by evangilder

Off the 101, between Ventura and Thousand Oaks. Near Oxnard.

Great place to fly into - hope to meet you there somday Evan!

[evangilder]

Let me know if you fly in there. I can meet you there and give you the tour.