[Boatanchors] B-17 antenna connection

[Jack Antonio]

On 11/27/2016 6:52 PM, Michael Hanz wrote:
> It's a solid electrical connection bonded to the skin, Mac.  I agree 
> the skin is probably not the sole radiating element here, and I 
> suspect the radio operator had a bit of retuning work to do with 
> changing over from trailing wire to "loop" and vice versa.  I wish I 
> had run across a discussion of the design parameters over the years, 
> but alas, not yet...
>

Maybe this analogy isn't covered by the physics, but...

The arrangement discussed reminds me of the driven element of a yagi. A 
radiator(wings) attached to a boom(fuselage)
fed by an attachment out on the wing (gamma match). Probably easier to 
visualize on a plane with long skinny wings
like a B-29.

Probably a lot more complicated than that.

Jack Antonio WA7DIA/4