# What are these on the wings of Spitfires and Hurricanes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 30, 2012, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-on-the-wings-of-spitfires-and-hurricanes/645563 "2012-12-30T11:33:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-on-the-wings-of-spitfires-and-hurricanes/645563/21 "2012-12-31T03:38:52Z")
Yeah I was thinking that on aircraft with side by side seating it would mean the shortest distance between the pitot and the main instruments. Some old machines had a very basic airspeed indicator like [this.](https://www.google.com.au/search?q=tiger+moth+air+speed+indicator+on+wing&hl=en&safe=off&rlz=1C5CHFA_enAU503AU503&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=ewfhULSmGq60iQek7YGoBA&ved=0CDwQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=662) > [@TriPolar](#): > > It’s not uncommon to hear pit-ot or pee-tote. I’ve only heard one pilot over here call it a “pit-ot” tube (for which he was mocked), but it is perhaps more common in the States? > [@jnglmassiv](#): > > Amazingly, I swear I remember (from like 25 years ago) the little D-shaped bracket behind the wing in the Hurricane pic and wondering what it was. Looking at it now, it looks like it may be a step or stirrup for the pilot to enter the aircraft. The Hurricane sits quite high off the ground. I’m almost certain that it is a step/stirrup. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-on-the-wings-of-spitfires-and-hurricanes/645563/22 "2012-12-31T04:09:45Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > Some old machines had a very basic airspeed indicator like [this.](https://www.google.com.au/search?q=tiger+moth+air+speed+indicator+on+wing&hl=en&safe=off&rlz=1C5CHFA_enAU503AU503&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=ewfhULSmGq60iQek7YGoBA&ved=0CDwQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=662) and I’ve only seen those on the starboard side. Weird. > [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > I’ve only heard one pilot over here call it a “pit-ot” tube (for which he was mocked), but it is perhaps more common in the States? No, that will pretty much generate very high mock numbers among pilots. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-on-the-wings-of-spitfires-and-hurricanes/645563/23 "2012-12-31T04:20:54Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > I’ve only heard one pilot over here call it a “pit-ot” tube (for which he was mocked), but it is perhaps more common in the States? I think I only heard it once also, and much mockery followed. Pee-tote I’ve heard a few times, but maybe it was a local thing. ---
**Author:** ![Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/43a26b/32.png) [@Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pine_Fresh_Scent)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-on-the-wings-of-spitfires-and-hurricanes/645563/24 "2012-12-31T04:35:08Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > FWIW, a jet normally has pitot tubes on both sides of the nose (the captain and the FO have separate systems for redundancy). A fighter has only 1, also on the nose. There’s no need to get out of propwash, and no need for the lines to be any longer than they have to to get into “clean air”. True, many fighters have only one pitot tube that sticks out of the front of the nose (F-16, F-100, F101, F-105…). The F-15, though, has two airspeed pitot tubes - one on either side of the nose. All the aircraft I’ve flown also have conical or sometimes vane-shaped angle of attack (AOA) probes that also come in pairs. The big thing I try to remember is to avoid touching the surfaces of these probes if possible, as they are delicate (the AOA probes, anyway) and capable of causing severe burns when heated as an anti-ice measure. I know of one crew chief who, during a “hot pit” refueling (plane lands and takes more gas with one engine running to reduce time between flights), stumbled and grabbed an F-15 pitot tube that was still hot and got a nasty burn. I was taught to just visually inspect the tubes before flight to make sure nothing was blocking them and to only move the AOA probes slowly and with two fingers to ensure they had full range of motion. Oh, and I always check for taped-over static ports after hearing that story! Looks like the F-22 and F-35 stealth aircraft also have dual pitot tubes. I’m sort of surprised they didn’t engineer a duct instead of a traditional pitot tube, but maybe the trade-off in stealth vs. simplicity wasn’t worth re-designing the whole affair. ---
**Author:** ![opmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9d8465/32.png) [@opmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/opmike)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-on-the-wings-of-spitfires-and-hurricanes/645563/25 "2012-12-31T05:31:40Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > It’s not uncommon to hear pit-ot or pee-tote. I’ve never heard an incorrect pronunciation from someone who actually knew what one was. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-on-the-wings-of-spitfires-and-hurricanes/645563/26 "2012-12-31T05:52:47Z")
> [@opmike](#): > > I’ve never heard an incorrect pronunciation from someone who actually knew what one was. Hand in the air. knowing what it is and does is separate from knowing it’s pronunciation. I made this mistake as a student pilot asking a question and have since heard other student pilots pronounce it wrong. You need to hear it first in conversation. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-on-the-wings-of-spitfires-and-hurricanes/645563.md?page=1)