LANDING THE STRAT

[vhbob]

G'Day all

Seeing the picture of the landing TAL Stratocruiser on page 5 of Project Strat, reminded me of an article in Aeroplane Monthly magazine some years ago where they were at pains to stress that in the landing configuration, the Stratocruiser lacked sufficient elevator authority to raise the nose at the round out and were routinely "Wheel barrowed " in on the nose gear. I am a bit out of my depth here as to weather this was so.
Jesse would know!. They also told of a West bound Trans Atlantic BOAC Strat. that suffered an in flight engine fire. The subsequent radio traffic was over heard by the captain of a PAA aircraft who advised not to panic as he had the same problem some months earlier. The fire would burn it's self out and the engine would drop off. The Englishman postponed his ditching, the fire stopped and the engine fell out. The now trimotored Stratocruiser flew on to the New World. As I write this it occurs to me that after 65 or so years as an avation fanatic, I have never seen one of these mighty machines. If any one is interested, I will dig out the mag. and
brush up on the details.

Trev. (vhbob)

[jesse]

Trev, I can't speak for the civilian airlines, but in MATS, it was a strict no no to "wheelbarrow" in on the nose gear. On the C-97G, it only took a couple of degrees nose up to put her on the mains and then as the speed bled off, touch the nose gear down in a normal manner. If you can see some videos of landings, you will never see the nose gear come down first. With a good headwind and proper approach speed, it was no problem for that huge elevator to give you a proper flare.

Jesse

[vhbob]

G'Day Jesse

Thanks for clearing that up. It will come in handy when "Project Strat" is completed.

Thanks again, Trev. (vhbob)