'Spade' type stick?

[brickhistory]

What is/was the rational for the 'spade' stick found so often in older British fighter designs?

For those that have flown both that and a 'straight' stick, is there a difference or preference?

[Conan the Librarian]

I am not a qualified pilot, but I surmise that as these sticks were fitted to manually controlled (ie no power assistance) aircraft and that the dynamic loads back to the stick varied much with the flight regime, such that it may have been felt advantageous to have the facility for a two handed pull or heave, in certain corners of the envelope.

I am sure that far better qualified people than me will be here with a better, concise and more accurate answer shortly.


Conan

[henry crun]

I have used both on manual controllled aircraft, and have no idea what the rational for the spade grip was.
In those earlier days it might have been easier to mount the gun firing button on a spade than on a straight stick, but that is just speculation on my part.

The straight stick came more naturally to the hand but I cannot recall having a preference for either.

[tinpis]

Must have been a "Brit" thing Henry.
It goes back to the earliest Sopwiths.
Most unsatisfactory when they bunged a spade in a Harvard (AT6) I reckon
Its a wonder some pompous braying ass didnt insist it was installed in the P 40 P 51 Corsair et al.

[4Greens]

Gives more room in a tight sided cockpit. Aileron control movement does not bash into sides!

[ChrisVJ]

Stick pivoted half way up used less room in the cockpit and allowed pilot to stay 'leg straight' on the pedals. Spade handle allowed both hands for extra leverage on ailerons.

Just try holding your hands clenched one over the other and they are awkward for side to side movememnt. The try hold them as on spade grip. Much more comfortable.

[brickhistory]

Thanks for the replies and insights!

[4Greens]

The modern control column on most civil aircraft (read Boeing not Airbus) is just a larger version of a spade stick.

[brickhistory]

The modern control column on most civil aircraft (read Boeing not Airbus) is just a larger version of a spade stick.

I really, really hope for not the same reasons!

[Tarnished]

Brick,

If by 'spade stick' you are talking about the circular grip type things then a very old and brave sim instructor told me these were that way so that when you had your hand shot off in a dogfight to could "stuff the bl@@dy stump through the hole and still control the kite"

Sounded plausable to me at the time.:hmm:

I always used a similar scenario to argue against side stick controlled aircraft, at least with a centre stick you stand a good chance of being able to fly with the left hand if you've been shot in the right, not so with a side stick a/c.

Tarnished

[brickhistory]

Tarnished,

Yes, I was asking about the circular type stick, classic examples being the Hurricane and Spitfire, but have read about it on so many others from WWI to some post-WWII types, that I was curious as to the reason it was used and why other countries did/did not use it.

Now as to the reason I was curious - 40-ish, balding and drive a Volvo kid hauler = no life............

[Onan the Clumsy]

What is/was the rational for the 'spade' stick more importantly, what is it called? :}

[brickhistory]

I've read 'spade' stick somewhere, but I am not going to try and find said book after way too many years; the name just stuck in my head and when I had the question about the circular-shaped aircraft control input device (that better?), I used that name.

Spade = shovel, in this case, a shovel handle-shaped stick...............

[CoodaShooda]

I have a vague recollection that Cecil Lewis, in 'Sagittarius Rising' referred to the stick in the Morane Parasol as having a grip shaped like the handle of a spade.......but I could be wrong. :O

[Onan the Clumsy]

brick - Shovel? I think you should have the courage of your convictions and call a spade stick a spade.







(humour alert)

[RabbitLeader]

Is it not simply called a "spade-grip"? :confused:

That's always been the term I've heard or used.

[brickhistory]

Is it not simply called a "spade-grip"?

Yep, that's the term. I couldn't not remember the exact term when I first asked my question and didn't want to go with the "circular aircraft control thingy...."