addition
bearfoil
quote:
This I believed to be the Deal with the Devil that killed so many Germans. IE, a natural tendency to the Roll, requiring little if any draggy aileron input.
Hi Bear, please allow for a small addition. The "Deal with the Devil" was not that much the wing but the additions made to the original VMC interceptor desighn. It added about 2000 lbs to the weight without adequate improvements to engine performance. Some critics called the plane later " the egglayingsheepwoolbreedingmilkpig". Fact is it was very fast, stable weapons platform in normal flight envelope. The mentioned instability came in play on slow speed envelopes. During approach - app.speed 185kts - the plane became very soft through all axis. A frequent problem was "open nozzle", I only remember one attempt of landing in these condition that didnīt end in bail out.
Though I was civil, I worked a while dep. and app. control for a F-104 base. Later, when I held a "Red Card" for 8 years, because of other activities in my carreer, I applied for and was approved a low level mission on a TF 104. I must admit, even after more than 30 years still a milestone in my aviation life.
Jo