Assimetric config.

[Terence Lynock]

Can someone explain the advantages of assimetric configuration such as the BV141?, why take out the cockpit and stick it out on the wing where it generates a lot of drag plus it must have been a very strange thing to fly with the piloten not on the centre line.

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

I suspect one of the advantages was that the designer had a dedicated boom for the technical services - engine fuel supply, electrics, hydraulics, control wires etc. - such that they didn't need to run these through the "living quarters".

 

This would make routing simpler and have certain safety benefits. Also possibly cost/weight benefits because safety restrictions would be somewhat relaxed compared to if these systems had to run through the cabin. There may also be servicing advantages in such a set up because technical systems could be laid out in an accessable fashion - with no account having to be taken of crew access/comfort etc.

 

Just a guess - but it would make sense.

 

BEB

[Simon Chaddock]

Terence

In the case of the BV141 it was designed as for observation duties so the configuration gave the pilot and observer a full view forward and down.

By carefully playing around with the wings and tail Blohm & Voss got the centre of drag, thrust and lift in line with the CofG so by all accounts it flew quite normally.

 

For the record the pilot of the twin Mustang was not on the plane centre line either!

[001]

The Reichluftsfahrtministirium (I love that word) in 1937 issued a specificaton for a short range general purpose aircraft to various manufacturers.

 

Blohm & Voss thought that the best way of fulfilling the brief with a single engined aircraft that had excellent visibility all round for the crew was to put the crew in a cabin and the engine in another, so the main reasons were, one engine, maximum visibility. Apparently it flew quite well.

But in the end, the Luftwaffe bought a two engined aircraft, the FW 189.

I have a flying model of the Blohm & Voss BV 141. The C of G is between the cabin and the fuselage.

There are other assymetric aircraft, configured that way for various other reasons.

Edited By Richard Bond on 12/12/2010 19:06:56

[001]

This is a photo of the model. Tried to insert it with my original post but AOL is being extremely obstructive at the moment.

54" wingspan, powered by Thunder Tiger 0.54 FS from plan by Nick Ziroli.

[Terence Lynock]

I can understand the engineering advantages and the field of view beeing improved but both could have been accomodated by a twin boom config with a pusher prop, the problem with concentrating all services in one area is that should the aircraft be hit anywhere in that area more systems are lost.

The FW 189 was a better aircraft in my opinion for the observation role but the BV141 must have had something going for it to be put into production.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Bert]

 

Eric 'Winkle' Brown, in one of his books stated that the design evolved from the requirement to give the rear gunner an unobstructed field of fire.

 

According to him, the idea was to flip the BV141 on its' side in a sort of knife-edge to achieve this.

 

Bert