Improved wood for aircraft ?

Was improved wood better than metal for late inter-war and WWII fighters?

  • No

    Votes: 6 24.0%
  • Yes, wood usability peaking around 1932

    Votes: 3 12.0%
  • Yes, wood usability peaking around 1956

    Votes: 2 8.0%
  • Yes, wood usability peaking around 1940

    Votes: 8 32.0%
  • Yes, wood usability peaking around 1944

    Votes: 6 24.0%

  • Total voters
    25
There was by Howard Hughes for longe range recon, as the Mosquito started as.
Twice the size and horsepower for four times the Range.

Recce Mosquitoes were much longer ranged than bomber Mosquitoes, later versions carrying fuel both in the bulged bomb bay and drop tanks. I lack of better source, here is Wikipedia:

The Mosquito PR Mk 34 and PR Mk 34A was a very long-range unarmed high altitude photo-reconnaissance version. The fuel tank and cockpit protection armour were removed. Additional fuel was carried in a bulged bomb bay: 1,192 gallons—the equivalent of 5,419 miles (8,721 km). A further two 200-gallon (910-litre) drop tanks under the outer wings gave a range of 3,600 miles (5,800 km) cruising at 300 mph (480 km/h).

What an aircraft.
 
The Germans perfected Improved wood during WW2
Do to lack of metal they used plywood with sheets of glue, formed under high pressure in molds

the results:

The Heinkel He 162 jet fighter (wings and most part of fuselage except the Engine part) top speed 790 km/h
He162_color010.jpg


The Junkers Ju 322 Mammut (biggest glider ever build)
Junkers-Ju-322-Mammut.jpg


The Germans had crap glues and their wooden aircraft had a nasty habit of coming unstuck mid flight.
 
The Germans had crap glues and their wooden aircraft had a nasty habit of coming unstuck mid flight.
Tego-film (phenolic resins) was on the cutting edge of the technology.
That said, the cassien based substitutes hurriedly pressed into service situations following the destruction of the facility at Wuppertal are not representative in this regard.
There was a war going on and they needed to get these "emergency" aircraft (and components) into production, so they went with what was easily available...Traditional animal based ("cassien") adhesives.
As someone involved (on a daily basis) with engineered wood framed construction materials using essentially the same phenolic-based resins developed at Wuppertal (i.e. LVL, LSL, TJI)?
Your bolded statement is utter bullshit.
That is all.
 
Last edited:

Deleted member 1487

Tego-film (phenolic resins) was on the cutting edge of the technology.
That said, the cassien based substitutes hurriedly pressed into service situations following the destruction of the facility at Wuppertal are not representitive in this regard.
As someone involved (on a daily basis) with engineered wood framed construction materials using essentially the same phenolic-based resins developed at Wuppertal (i.e. LVL, LSL, TJI)?
Your bolded statement is utter bullshit.
That is all.
I'm pretty sure Tego Film is still used with that brand name even today:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tego_film#Modern_use
 
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