Drooping Elevators

Back…. way on back…. back back back…. way, way, way back back back…

When men were men and– well that sums it up, dunt it? When men were men and knew how picante sauce was supposed to taste, many of the guys who built plastic models knew how real airplanes worked. They flew ’em or worked on ’em or something. So when they looked at a finished model, it didn’t look right if an aircraft usually had drooping elevators and the model didn’t have that.

Now, for the internet I’ll state that I’m not saying blah diddy blah blah.

Now, back to the action.

The elevators droop because the elevators on those old-timey aeroplanes were hooked up to the stick in the cockpit directly with a cable, and that damn stick had to be pushed forward to get it out of the way so’s you could get out of the cockpit without the stick hitting you in the cockpit.

Savvy?

Once you got out, the “stick pushed forward, elevators droop” look remained.

So for some aircraft– SOME aircraft– this is a characteristic “look” that defines them as much as their man-bun or elastic pants.

Nowadays, it’s uncommon to see this or hear about it, due to the fact that for some odd reason nobody knows much about aviation, but they know A LOT about the latest trendy wash or gel or other personal hygiene item for your pet aeroplane or gundam or Japanese girlie figure. The important thing, with Japanese girly figures, I am told, is to wash their seams.

I meant gundam.

So, back in the day, model builders would cut off the elevators and glue them back on in a slightly “drooped” style.

No, I don’t have any pictures of this.

Another kewl tip about Japanese girly figures is to use a ten-0 brush and orange paint for the Tang.

I meant astronaut. Replace “girly” with “astronaut.”

(I think this joke deserves to be reprised. Sue me.)

1 Reply to “Drooping Elevators”

  1. Yeah, many photos of the WWI Albatross show drooping elevators.

    I read somewhere that the Ailerons on Focke Wulfe 190 were so finely connected and balanced, that you could place a Shilling on one and it would slowly move down. I think this was on a just captured 190 that landed on a Brit field by “Mistake”? at night. Holy Rolling Batman, no wonder they gave opponents such a hard time.

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