And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
I get the lower ground pressure thing, but... imagine how quickly those tracks would have to turn on landing...? And, the long axis of the track body would have to be perfectly aligned with the long axis of the aircraft on contact; if not, the result would be, well, unpleasant. Seems a solution in search of a problem. Mike in Canada
Think about the test pilot and crew that made the first takeoff and landing with that. And that's the first photo I've seen of a B-36 with that rig; I wonder how it worked out.
The ad states that Goodyear had experience building track gear for other airplanes. Does anyone know what planes used track gear? Until I saw the above, I'd never heard of such a contraption.
To answer to my own question, I did some looking on Al Gore's amazing interweb and discovered the A-20 Havoc and C-82 Packet were both tested with tracked gear. The video I found showed the Havoc having tracked mains, with a standard nosewheel. The Packet had tracks all the way around.
i guess in a relative sense?
ReplyDeleteYeah, lighter per square foot of contact.
ReplyDeleteI get the lower ground pressure thing, but... imagine how quickly those tracks would have to turn on landing...? And, the long axis of the track body would have to be perfectly aligned with the long axis of the aircraft on contact; if not, the result would be, well, unpleasant. Seems a solution in search of a problem.
ReplyDeleteMike in Canada
Think about the test pilot and crew that made the first takeoff and landing with that.
DeleteAnd that's the first photo I've seen of a B-36 with that rig; I wonder how it worked out.
Like the giant single main gear tire it never went into production.
DeleteThe ad states that Goodyear had experience building track gear for other airplanes. Does anyone know what planes used track gear? Until I saw the above, I'd never heard of such a contraption.
ReplyDeleteTo answer to my own question, I did some looking on Al Gore's amazing interweb and discovered the A-20 Havoc and C-82 Packet were both tested with tracked gear. The video I found showed the Havoc having tracked mains, with a standard nosewheel. The Packet had tracks all the way around.
DeleteHavoc was a cool lookin' number.
DeleteI'm sure Goodyear made plenty "developing" this boondoggle for the government.
ReplyDeleteThe C47 (DC3) also was tested with tracks for rough airstrips.
ReplyDelete