reverse engineering of german planes after the war

[geopar]

Does anyone happen to know more about reverse engineering of German planes after the war?

A synopsis of the career of my great-uncle (John Thomas Rogerson) says

"Posted to Fienvillers, France, with D.G. Carruthers and 25 mechanics, to assemble and test fly one or more of each type plane flown by German Air Force at the armistice. " and I wonder if there is more information on this anywhere

[Old Man]

Not sure if this is what you had in mind, Sir, and it may go a little off-topic for the forum, so I will keep it brief.

Examination of surrendered German aeroplanes had a great influence on fighter design in the United States in the several years immediately after the Great War. The thick section airfoil of the Fokker DVII made a great impression: in popular aeronautical writings in the U.S., thick, compound section airfoils were still being referred to as "German wings" in the late 1920s. The first fighter designed by Boeing, the PW-9, drawn up in 1922, used such an airfoil, and had a tapered upper wing very reminiscent in plan of the Fokker DVIII wing. It also used a cabane structure almost identical to that of the Fokker DVII. Curtiss pretty much copied the PW-9 wing form for its competing P-1, and this remained the basic wing pattern for Curtiss fighters into the mid 1930s.

[green_acorn]

gopar,

Though there is no doubt elements of reverse engineering and copying of elements of aircraft design were involved later, from your post it would seem to be more about acquiring the "Technical Intelligence" of aircraft performance and flight characteristics so important for "countering" them in combat. For example: when did they stall; how fast can they climb; how quickly and tightly can they turn; how fast are they at different heights, in dive etc; where are the pilots and crews "blind spots"; what is the flight range.

I guess your Great-Uncle was in the RAF, in which case I would suggest that the records would have been kept, if only as the finished reports and intelligence on the aircraft.

Cheers,

Hendo

[jhill]

All sides made captured examples of the other fellows' types available to their aircraft designers. For example, in 1918 captured German aircraft were collected at the Agricultural Hall in Islington for inspection by the aeronautical fraternity. Apparently British designers were not impressed. It seems this was a period of high nationalism, and the other fellows' ideas were generally treated with contempt. The author of one popular history in my collection, Peter King's 'Knights of the Air' relates how a captured German Junkers all-metal monoplane was exhibited at Islington, demonstrating many features which would become common in 15 or 20 years, yet British designers persisted with wooden externally braced biplanes for a long time to come.

Other students may interpret these issues differently.

[green_acorn]

By the way member PMHart is your man on this subject, you may want to PM or email him,

Cheers,

Hendo