The History of flaps

[Dewdrop]

This is probably not the correct forum but I would be interested in hearing your thoughts. When did flaps first appear on "light aircraft" ? I've been reading a lot lately about side slipping techniques and early tail dragging trainers and was wondering when and and on which aircraft flaps were first introduced.
Probably a bit of a ramble, but I,m sure you understand what I'm trying to get at.

[Lowtimer]

Hi Dewdrop,

you will probably get more input on "history & nostalgia" where there is a wealth of historical expertise on the light aeroplane industry in years gone by. However, the main driver for the introduction of flaps was the move from biplanes to monoplanes in fighter aircraft. The lower drag of the monoplane meant it was helpful to have a supplementary drag control, an in most light monoplanes it's the drag affect of flaps, for steepening the approach path, improving the view over the nose, and reducing float, that is the most important benefit. As power levels and performance levels generally increased, typical wing loadings also increased, and that can make the additional lift coefficient of a flapped wing an important benefit too.

There are of course exceptions. Many classic pre-war monoplane light aircraft were still fairly draggy and lightweight (Cub, Aeronca, Taylorcraft) and were built without flaps, most of these are also great side-slipping machines.

The first widely-used British lightplane that I can think of with flaps was the Miles Magister / Hawk Major, designed pre-war, but of course that was designed for the mission of primary training to lead on to the Harvard or Master and the then-new monoplane fighters. It didn't become a widely used civilian light aeroplane until after the war. By that time the flapped monoplane had become pretty much the default state of mind for aeroplane design, the industry having churned out hundreds of thousands of them during WW2. Some of the earlier post-war Pipers - the earliest Super Cubs and their fat-fuselaged bretheren - are flapless, so are the lower powered members of the Aeronca / Bellanca high wing family.

I like the C-90 powered flapless Super Cub very much, it has some of the lightness and delicacy of the earlier J3 / L4, with the advantage of being soloed from the front seat, so you get a much better view out.

I am also a fan of the Super Decathlon, which, unlike the other current members of the Champ lineage, has no flaps. That's a great sideslipping aeroplane, lots of fun in the circuit.

Some of the exceptions the other way around are also interesting. The Dragon Rapide and the Gladiator, two of my favourite aeroplanes, are both biplanes with flaps, although both could be operated without them without any real difficulty providing you had enough room.