Hopefully a quick & easy question. What were the skis for the Polikarpov PO-2 made from? I’m thinking aluminum.
Aluminum is a strategically and very scarce metal. He completely went to the fighters. Well, think for yourself: the plane itself is wooden (all!), And the skis are metal. Skis were also wooden.
here: page 67
http://in-mirror-scale.ru/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Lipatov_M.V_Samolet_Po–2_i_ego_modifikaciiBookSee.org_.pdf
here: page 91
http://in-mirror-scale.ru/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/0017188.pdf
I have not found it now, but during the war they were also made at furniture factories.
True the plane was wood/fabric but aluminum for the skis would wear better. Production began in 1921. I would think when produced. Before the war, aluminum. During… wood. I know aluminum was important . The british painted the crew areas on tanks with an aluminum powder based lacquer until 39-40 . They changed to white so the aluminum could be used for Spitfires.
Well, they didn’t do without aluminum at all.
On p. 92, the end of the first paragraph, it is written: “At the bottom edges, the skid of the skid is slightly rounded, in addition, it has an onboard fitting or sheet aluminum; this fitting is necessary because the ski wears out significantly during taxiing, especially when turning the aircraft.” (This is a quote, but Google translated it in such a way that I myself did not understand the reverse translation - in short, there is an aluminum edging)
The sliding plane of the ski was made of larch, and this is a very strong wood species.
And I can’t even imagine that the skis were stored in the spring-summer-autumn to be used again in the winter. Most likely the plane itself could not live that long. No wonder they were made more than 33,000 pieces.
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