Where can I find out more about an old U.S. military airplane that had wings that folded possibly for storage?

Question

I have a old picture of a U.S. military airplane. The Wings look to be folded back and vertical as it sits inside a hanger. Where can i learn more about this plane in the picture? It looks to be from the 1920's or 30's

Answer 1

Most USN aircraft had folding wing and if you mean to fold back against the fuselage I am pretty certain it was the TBF Avenger

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Almost undoubtably, it's a naval aircraft. Although folding wings were used for sport aircraft in the 1920's and 1930's, I don't know of any instances of military using those, however.

Aircraft with wings that fold were designed to fit as many aircraft into as small a space as possible; and having stacked hangars at the airport in the hours before a storm, I wished all aircraft had wings that folded.

A corsair has an inverted gull wing shape to the wing; it extends out of the fuselage and dips downward until about the main landing gear mounts before the hinge points. If memory serves, the TBM Avenger had a relatively straight wing and narrow landing gear.

Anyone at an aviation museum could probably tell you, almost anyone I can think of with the Commemerative Air Force could tell you if shown a picture.

I don't know where you are, but if you have a good aircraft museum nearby, and are prepared to have your ears talked off, go find one of the wizened docents hanging around WWII aircraft and go ask some questions. Offer lunch. He'll tell you more than you ever wanted to now about your picture and his own experiences in the war.

Good Luck

Answer 4

Virtually all the carrier based airplanes from ww 1 until now have folding wings. Do a Google search on "Aircraft carrier pictures" and you will see all sorts of aircraft sitting on the flight deck with folded wings. Jets, propeller drive mail planes and even helicopters with folded rotor blades.

Answer 5

even the F-18 hornet wings folds up to a certain extent. so yes most navy planed was made to fold their wings as storage space under the flightdeck was limited and you want to be able to get the most planes in a limited space.

even the B-52 vertical sableizer can be folded down to fit into a low ceiling hanger. but I only saw this one time in my 7 years of service in the air force as a crew chief of the bomber.

Answer 6

There were several such aircraft during World War Two and they were specifically designed and built for the U.S. Navy. Google the name "Corsair". It was a single-engined fighter aircraft, and the wings folded up over the pilot's canopy for below-decks transport and for temporary flight deck storage. There are photos that show them lined up on the deck of an aircraft carrier with the wings in the "stowed" position.

Answer 7

As far as year goes, a Fairey Swordfish might work. It's not USAAF. It's British. But it fits the year and the wings fold back against the body.

This plane is a bi-plane, it has two wings. If the one in your picture only has one, then what the other guys suggested would be closer.

Answer 8

Pretty much any airplane from WWII on that was built for the navy has that feature.
Some, like the Douglas SBD Dauntles, had folding wings for the navy version, and nonfolding wings for the Army Air Corp version.

Answer 9

If it had folded wings it was probably a navy aircraft and used on an Aircraft Carrier

Answer 10

Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation