How heavy is a Spitfire?
Specification
| Spitfire Mk.I | Spitfire F.Mk.21 | |
|---|---|---|
| Span | 36 ft 10 in | 36 ft 11 in |
| Maximum Weight | 5,800 lb | 9,182 lb |
| Capacity and armament | Pilot only, eight forward-firing 0.303 Vickers machine guns | Pilot only, four 20 mm Hispano cannon |
| Maximum Speed | 364 mph at 18,500 ft | 450 mph at 19,000 ft |
Did the Spitfire have cloth wings?
By June 1939, most of these problems had been resolved, and production was no longer held up by a lack of wings. All the main flight controls were originally metal structures with fabric covering.
Why did Spitfires have elliptical wings?
The Spitfire conducted its maiden flight on 5 March 1936. The elliptical wing was decided upon quite early on. The ellipse was simply the shape that allowed us the thinnest possible wing with room inside to carry the necessary structure and the things we wanted to cram in. And it looked nice.
Why are elliptical wings not used anymore?
Elliptic wings have several disadvantages: They have poor stall characteristics, because the tip stalls first, causing violent roll. Since the Reynolds number goes down as you move outwards along the wingspan, the tip of an elliptical wing has a lower stall angle of attack than the wing center.
What is the most efficient wing shape?
elliptical wing
Which wing generates most lift?
Airfoil
Why are there delta wings?
A delta wing is a wing shaped in the form of a triangle. It is named for its similarity in shape to the Greek uppercase letter delta (Δ). Although long studied, it did not find significant applications until the Jet Age, when it proved suitable for high-speed subsonic and supersonic flight.
What is the disadvantage of Delta Wing?
Delta wing aircraft do not require a horizontal tail. Disadvantages: Higher viscous drag due to the large wing area. High induced drag at subsonic conditions due to low aspect ratio.
What is the advantage of delta wings?
The delta wing offers advantages in structural integrity and both high-speed and low-speed flight. Because of the wing’s large surface area compared to its span, it can be built stronger and stiffer, and also has a greater internal volume for fuel storage.
Are delta wings better?
As long as the wing is swept back behind the Mach cone, there is subsonic flow over most of the wing and relatively low drag. A delta wing (fig. 100) has the advantage of a large sweep angle but also greater wing area than a simple swept wing to compensate for the loss of lift usually experienced in sweepback.
What advantages are gained by Wings?
With increased strength comes reduced weight, and increased performance. The more wing, the more lift, and with as much surface area as possible being used to generate lift in flight, the more efficient the aircraft.
Is a delta wing a swept wing?
It has the effect of delaying the shock waves and accompanying aerodynamic drag rise caused by fluid compressibility near the speed of sound, improving performance. Swept wings are therefore almost always used on jet aircraft designed to fly at these speeds. The delta wing is also aerodynamically a form of swept wing.
Why are plane wings triangular?
Fighter planes have delta wings or triangular wings because it improves maneuverability significantly. Fighter planes are designed for performance and maneuverability. Whereas passenger jets (eg. Boeing 737,777etc) are designed for stability and efficiency.
What does the black triangle mean on a plane?
Small triangles in either red or black can be found along cabin interiors. They let cabin crew know where the best vantage points to view the wings are. Passengers sitting next to the triangles also get the best views.
How many types of wings are there?
There are four general wing shapes that are common in birds: Passive soaring, active soaring, elliptical wings, and high-speed wings. feathers that spread out, creating “slots” that allow the bird to catch vertical columns of hot air called “thermals” and rise higher in the air.
Are bigger wings better?
Larger wings also increase drag, which will increase the required power, or thrust, to move the aircraft forward. This means bigger engines and more fuel will need to be carried. Also, large wings are often longer than small wings. Long wings bend a lot more, and the wings need to be made stronger.