Quote:
Originally Posted by K_Freddie
From what I hear , the Zero wing thickness was much larger than normal allowing better lift and maneuverability at low speed.. but the thick wing caused airflow disruption over the wing and control surfaces at high speeds.. causing the controls to lock.
The pilot stick forces required would be, from the pilots POV, dependent on stick length and force applied, and strength of pilot.. not size.
It would be harder to move the stick all the way at higher speeds, but to execute, say a roll at X-Degrees per second, you require less control surface deflection to execute the same maneuver, than at lower speeds.
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200 kts is about 227mph, or less than 370kph--not exactly a blistering pace by WWII standards, and kind of low for the onset of compressibility at medium altitudes and below for an aircraft capable of around an estimated 350 mph (as I understand it, the Zero's actual top speed is a subject of debate).
US pilots testing various models of the Zero both during and after the war have commented on the heaviness of the controls, particularly the ailerons above that relatively low speed, and how light they are at the preferred dogfighting speeds of the Japanese fighter pilot. A standard joystick's 'throw' or arc is limited by the pilot's thighs in most cases, so you have to think that the roll axis of the Zero's stick is limited to a relatively small arc; precise control at high force is very difficult to achieve, and the designer of a fighter has to figure out a way to balance stick forces at a range of speeds desired by his specifications. Jiro Horikoshi, the designer of the A6M, tried to keep his customer satisfied.
The average Japanese male in 1941 was sixty two inches tall and weighed about 125 lbs. The average American male in the same era was sixty nine inches tall and weighed 165 lbs. Even though greater than normal physical strength and coordination are qualities that are common among WWII era fighter pilots, one must at least suspect that being 11% taller and almost 30% heavier, all other things being equal, will usually make you MUCH stronger. As NFL football coach Bill Parcells once observed, in a contest that puts a premium on strength and speed, a good big man will usually dominate a great small man.
cheers
horseback