C-C et al, just to go back to my earlier reference to the article by Space-Electronics; it refers to mass balancing of control surfaces,not specifically `tabs`,more as a unit and `Moment of Inertia`,but also considers Product of Inertia` being the spanwise distribution of mass balances on control surfaces.Also that this factor seems to be largely `ignored`.
In the Mustang case, the ailerons appear to be balanced along their span( indeed in `Wrench`s link to `Aircorps` there was an early modification to the Mustangs` ailerons to replace the left aileron mass balance,made of steel` with one of a non-magnetic material as it interfered with the compass detector in the wing.)
However, the elevators and rudder,have solid balances towards their tips in each case,and do not appear to be balanced along their span,,ie, not taking `product of inertia` into account.
In the event of `flutter` starting,for whatever reason I would suspect that there will be a very rapid and
strong torsional twisting between the elevators and along the elevators due to the mass balance concentration at the tips,and as visible in the `V` tail glider elevons.
I realise that the m-b weights may also be aerodynamic balances,and there is not a lot of room in front of the elevator to the rear spar unlike the ailerons which appear to be `shrouded` on top and bottom.Perhaps your contacts may know more about that.....Did NA miss a trick here when it was designed
ed; does anyone know of othe incidents of `flutter` on other types,either racing or airtesting,as it seems that Mustangs have had a few tab failures including rudders..?
NB.I have nothing against Mustangs,just want to explore all avenues if possible...
Last edited by sycamore; 15th October 2011 at 21:52.