To make one aware on the ground of stantionary movement of the prop?
Eric
[h=3]e plu·ri·bus u·num[/h]
....or just distinctive personal or 'Staffel' decoration. A German tradition.
True scout! good point.
Eric
[h=3]e plu·ri·bus u·num[/h]
I thought it was odd, as no other Luftwaffe aircraft I know of has it.
It would serve no purpose in the air IMO at that RPM...
Eric
[h=3]e plu·ri·bus u·num[/h]
Fw 190's carried the same spinner paint.
I am pretty sure they were a personal or Staffel Thing.No real purpose other than looks.
Cheers
Dave
Thank you.
I thought your suggestion valid as well, considering the racket going on at the airfields and that ground personnel might be wearing hearing protection.
I still lean towards the painted spinners being an expression of either personal or Staffel/Geschwader markings.
BTW I stumbled over this paintjob page, which I found interesting. Amazing, if the Cramon-Traubadel story is true.
http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazin...file_bf109.htm
I agree.
There are some outlandish (but highly entertaining) suggestions out there; that it was for psychological reasons to freak out the enemy pilots in aerial battles, to confuse enemy anti-aircraft crews or even to ward off birds by scaring them thus warding off bird strikes.
Obviously suggestions by people, who didnt think it through and/or who have never seen a painted spinner nor considered the implications of fighters manouvering at flying speed or the ramifications of planes in fast and furious air battles.
At warm-up or taxiing speeds the spiral is clearly visible - less so obviously at full throttle so I would concur that this was to minimise a messy incident.
The same reason is valid for the yellow painted prop tips on allied fighters and bombers.
A well known Aussie golfer, Jack Newton found out the hard way about spinning props back in 1983 ( lost one arm, one eye and severe injuries but he survived )
Dan
" I'm putting off procrastination until next week "
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