Aircraft aerial wires

[Fenlander]

Tonights daft question...

You know the aerial wire on a Spitfire? It runs from a short mast to the tail fin. Presumably the wire continues down from the top of the mast into the fuselage and onto the radio. However, all the pics I see of the FW190, the aerial wire runs from the tail fin to the top of the canopy.

The daft question is.... What happens to the wire when the canopy is slid back? Should the wire be modelled drooping if the canopy s open or is there some sort of tensioning device to keep it taught when open?

Or have I lost the plot totally?

 

[ajcmac]

On another forum I saw this:

If you look closedly there should be a pully thingy inside of the canopy that the antenna wire runs over it. So even if you sliding back the canopy, it's still tight.

 

[Gern]

I'd never thought of that Graham - well spotted!

Who was it who said: "The most stupid question in the world is the one you don't ask"?

Gern

 

[Centurion3RTR]

Good question Graham and it looks like António is right. I've seen models with the drooping antenna but on closer inspection the antenna tight on the real aircraft.

Have a look at this site, hope it helps mate. Rod's WarBirds

:grinball2: John

 

[Fenlander]

Thanks guys, I knew you would come up with the answer, great pics to. Mmmm, a pulley thingy.... interesting, no, I aint going to add it at 1:48......

 

[stona]

Edit: I messed this up!

The conscensus seems to be that most A models had a tensioning system. Generally the wire ran over the pulley doubling back over it,passing through a slot in the metal "bar" inside the rear of the hood (headrest brace) and then on into the fuselage. I don't know how it was tensioned,not by the pulley mechanism,and none of my plans show a system inside the fuselage. I am unaware of how the system worked and am worried it may be another internet myth!

Some late models with the blown hood just had a hook on top and dispensed with the pulley. The wire did not pass inside the canopy. This went slack with the hood slid back.

Unfortunately in most pictures the antenna wire (which was a thin,silvery,stainless steel wire) just doesn't show up very well.

I'll try to scan some piccies later.

Cheers

Steve

OK I got it. The wire passed over another pulley inside the aircraft and then back to a member on the canopy assembly,thus maintaining tension as the hood slid back...piccy later.

Steve

 

[stona]

Promised pictures.

First a selection of Fw190 hoods. You can see the aerial wire pulley system in the lower diagram.

Next a good picture of the roller assembly on the hood,clearly showing the route of the antenna wire.

And finally the hook on a late blown canopy. It has occurred to me that the chipping often present,behind the plexiglass part of the hood,on these aircraft may be due to the wire falling here when it loses tension. It is often on the right side i.e.opposite the pilot's entry.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Fenlander]

Great research again Steve, what would we do without you? Given the shapes of the canopies in the above side views, I would thing that mine does not have a 'blown' canopy but it looks most like the 'early flat' so no need to worry about a slack cable. Cheers for that.

 

[colprit]

how do we who are doing eduard kits glue the wire stretched sprue or what ever to the canopy without frosting all up. Any ideas would be helpfull cheers.

 

[stona]

You can still use CA,carefully. I attached this fishing line to the Me262 hood this way. I first drilled a small hole and then stuck the "antenna" in it. I did all the messing about at the tail end as I figured there was more room for error that end! The clear parts had a protective coat of Klear.

Cheers

Steve

View attachment 23055

 

[T. van Vuuren]

Here is a question re the system on the P-51D.It has the same thing with the antenna going in a hole in the back of the canopy to the fin top, yet it has a post on the top reaf fuse aswell, what would the reason be if it was not used, or could it be another antenna?

Theuns

 

[stona]

Hi Theuns,you've hit on a complicated area there. A WW2 era P-51D almost certainly would NOT have that wire. They used VHF radios for which the antenna was in the mast. You are doing a Korean war subject and I have seen several images of these WITH the wire. I don't know what radios they used at this time. I have some pictures of restored aircraft clearly showing how the wire was fixed if you need references.

Cheers

Steve

 

[T. van Vuuren]

Thanx Steve. I have some pix of the SAAF P-51'sm but as you say it in not clear in the old pix to see if they had or not.The ICM box top art shows the WW@ P-51 "Ridge runner" with the wire and mast , a mistake perhaps?

Theuns

PS. sorry for the "non FW 190" post lads LOL

 

[stona]

The ICM box top art shows the WW@ P-51 "Ridge runner" with the wire and mast , a mistake perhaps?

Not if it's in the Pacific theatre where the larger ranges meant at least some units used HF radio equipment. In the European theatre they extended the range of the VHF radios with relay stations and flights. I've got very limited P-51 references but I've got some photos on my hard drive of the 2 Sqdn SAAF Mustangs in Korea and I don't think I can see a wire. I've got pictures of an ex USAF one (you can see the overpainted star and bars) in ROK markings and it definitely has a wire. Other U.S. ones don't seem to have one!

Sorry that's not much help!

Steve

 

[T. van Vuuren]

Steve, I would be very glad if you could post some pix of the SAAF mustprangs in Korea on my Thread "under construction" pretty please!

Thanx

Theuns

PS so are any of you guys comming to wach a little socker here in SA in a few months time? It is not as bad here as you are being told in the media

 

[stona]

I've done that,sorry for hijacking the thread chaps. If I stumble across any more Fw190 antenna details I'll post them here.

Steve

 

[Richy C]

Hi Theuns , can`t help you with the antennas pal , as for South Africa being dangerous 99% of it is paper talk , it has never stopped thousands of Barmy Army cricket fans and thousands of British Rugby fans visiting SA before without any problems , we will be the 2nd best supported team in the world cup after South Africa , Don`t worry mate the English are coming ,

PS the correct term is Football LOL , only the yanks call it soccer , 99% of the world call it football , bless them Yanks they do make us laugh.

Richy

 

[T. van Vuuren]

All I can say to all you visiters, WELCOME!

And be prepared for a total onslaught of the ears when you get here, we have a plastick "trumpet" horn tipe instument that the guys will blow you away with! :-D

The only thing I have against the SWC is the extreme flight restrictions we are being subjected to,It will most likely have me grounded for 4 weeks

OK lads, sorry for the hijack.I will be quiet now!

Theuns

 

[stona]

A quick confirmation photo here. Hood back - antenna wire taught.

Cheers

Steve