Sitka Spruce

roddie Mon Apr 14, 2014 10:20 am

Recently a friend of mine gave me some leftover "Sitka Spruce" that he had obtained for building a Scandinavian musical instrument called a "Nyckelharpa". He knew of my model airplane hobby, and figured I could use it... which I will!

The wood is a beautiful VERY straight/clear grain.. lightweight and strong. Most of you people who live in the Pacific Northwest are familiar with it, because it is native to your area. Alaska's "state tree".. the Sitka Spruce can live over 800 years and typically reach heights of well over 150 feet. The tallest tree on record is just shy of 200 feet.

The British-built de Havilland "Mosquito" used Sitka Spruce in it's nearly "all-wood" (including Balsa) construction.. and used a fine-woven cotton fabric that was stretched over the airframe and doped!

Here are the 2 pieces that I have. They are both 4.5"W. x 24.5"L. one board is 1/4" thick and the other is 1/2".

Sitka Spruce Sitka_10

SuperDave Mon Apr 14, 2014 10:35 am

Roddie:

Interestingly Stika Spurce was used to construct many aircraft during WWI and the wood used by the Boeing Airplane Company prior to the advent of aluminum.

BTW, "The Spruce Goose" built by Howard Hughes whas made primarilly of composite plywoods rather tnan spurce. The nsme "Spruce Goose" was a derisive name accorded Hughes' critics.

The actual "Spruce Goose" is now on display at The Evergreen Flight Museum in McMinnville. Oregon.

(Yes, I've visited it) Very impressive although a failure for it's intended purpose.

SD

ian1954 Mon Apr 14, 2014 11:01 am

It was also used for the nose cone of the Trident missile!

http://americanhistory.si.edu/subs/weapons/ballistic/#

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