ChrisVJ
12th Feb 2022, 03:26
I have been watching the Youtube Typhoon Legacy channel with interest. (My father flew Typhoons in WW11) especially as the rebuild is not so far away and No1 son was based at Comox (albeit before the rebuild started. We visited for Family flights. Great day out!)
I was wondering why Hawker chose to build the fuselage rear as a monocoque rather than as a skinned tubed construction while using tubes for the cockpit area. Hawker's had experience with tube construction in the Hurricane and clearly the loads required a complicated and massively strong tube build for the cockpit area (if tubes were to be used,) If it was to conserve weight then why not continue through the cockpit? The aircraft was already a big heavy aircraft, would the weight difference between the rear of the cockpit and the tail be all that critical considering the extra effort of constructing the frames ( and heat treating every single part of them?)
One of the great benefits of the Hurricane was ease of build and ease of repair. Why not retain that in the design of the Typhoon?
I am curious as I was struck by the great complication of the cockpit area and the massive construction of the tubular frame!
I was wondering why Hawker chose to build the fuselage rear as a monocoque rather than as a skinned tubed construction while using tubes for the cockpit area. Hawker's had experience with tube construction in the Hurricane and clearly the loads required a complicated and massively strong tube build for the cockpit area (if tubes were to be used,) If it was to conserve weight then why not continue through the cockpit? The aircraft was already a big heavy aircraft, would the weight difference between the rear of the cockpit and the tail be all that critical considering the extra effort of constructing the frames ( and heat treating every single part of them?)
One of the great benefits of the Hurricane was ease of build and ease of repair. Why not retain that in the design of the Typhoon?
I am curious as I was struck by the great complication of the cockpit area and the massive construction of the tubular frame!