As promissed here are the pictures of the mustang that disrupted our nice meet on Saturday:
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Last edited by Eric J.; March 17, 2008, 07:04 PM. -
Re: Alert: Mustang disrupts AZ Chapter Meet How dare they!
Just Awesome..............
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Re: Alert: Mustang disrupts AZ Chapter Meet How dare they!
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Re: Alert: Mustang disrupts AZ Chapter Meet How dare they!
I guess I forgot to tell everyone it was a P51 Mustang.....Comment
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Re: Alert: Mustang disrupts AZ Chapter Meet How dare they!
Eric,
Thats one Mustang that I'd let disrupt anything I was doing... (maybe even ....well maybe not)
Thats a heck of a camera you've got there. I've never seen a prop stopped with that amount of clarity.
tcComment
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Re: Alert: Mustang disrupts AZ Chapter Meet How dare they!
TC, Thanks. Just a run of the mill Olympus digital camera. It was quite bright outside so I am sure the shutter speed was quite fast. EricComment
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Re: Alert: Mustang disrupts AZ Chapter Meet How dare they!
There are few sounds on earth as inspiring as a Rolls Merlin at 50" MP.
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Re: Alert: Mustang disrupts AZ Chapter Meet How dare they!
John it was heart stopping... In a good way. EricComment
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Re: Alert: Mustang disrupts AZ Chapter Meet How dare they!
Ah, yes, and few manmade devices are so uniquely identifiable by sound alone.
The old Pratt & Whitney rotaries are a close second for inspiration and identifiable character. I love to hear the multi-row bomber versions crank up...that whining, straining starter rotating those big blades around just before the first hit, then a cacophany of explosions, belchs and backfires from clouds of exhaust smoke, and then settling out to a loping, thumping, wheezing, hollow idle...I was born TOO LATE.
Not many left now, but occassionally I'll hear an old Stearman overhead.
I'm not surprised, but it appears the Mustang had a mechanical chute on the rear of the radiator bulge to increase flow...presumably a manual setting for take-off. I can't ever remember seeing the chute deployed.Last edited by Chuck S.; March 18, 2008, 12:35 PM.Comment
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Re: Alert: Mustang disrupts AZ Chapter Meet How dare they!
Was this one the predecessor to the P-51? PT
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Re: Alert: Mustang disrupts AZ Chapter Meet How dare they!
That's the Curtiss-Wright P40 Warhawk, a cool old plane in it's time. The P51A, as well as early models of the P46 Thunderbolt, bear a cockpit resemblance. True enough it was a forbear to the Mustang, but it wasn't directly related and was nearly obsolescent by the time the war started. Only through tactics and training could it hold it's own with the Japanese Zero.
The Mustang was an airframe designed from scratch by North American Aviation for the British in something like 14 months. Like the P40, it was also initially underpowered before the Brits encouraged us to "soup it up" with the Rolls-Royce Merlin design manufactured in the US by Packard.
Eventhough the Mustang was initially designed and supplied exclusively to the British, the USAAF cut off the Brits and took all Mustang production once it became clear that the B-17 "Flying Fortress" was not quite as formidable against Luftwaffe interceptors as intially thought. Bomber formations were getting chewed up badly on their "precision daylight" bombing runs.
Existing P46s and P38s did not have the range to provide fighter cover all the way to the targets; they had to turn back half way there. With the Merlin, and the revolutionary NACA 65 series low drag wing section, the P51 Mustang had the range to fly to German targets and return with the bombers...not to mention the speed, climbing ability and handling to kick Luftwaffe butt approaching and leaving the target. Alas, the Mustang couldn't help against the accurate German flak over the target.
Last edited by Chuck S.; March 18, 2008, 04:18 PM.Comment
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Re: Alert: Mustang disrupts AZ Chapter Meet How dare they!
If you like the P-51 Mustang, you can fly one in Florida. It's a former two-seat trainer. I have my private pilot license and even as a kid have been thrilled with the P-51. I flew the beauty at Stallion 51 in Kissimmee, FL a few years ago.
What a thrill it was. Must say it came close to driving my '58 .. actually surpassed it when I did a couple of barrel rolls and a few other fun maneuvers.
DavidComment
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Re: Alert: Mustang disrupts AZ Chapter Meet How dare they!
Kudos to the Arizona Chapter! They know how to pick a chapter meet venue!
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Re: Alert: Mustang disrupts AZ Chapter Meet How dare they!
All you guys should have been in Columbus this past summer when we had the largest gathering of those old warbirds since the war - close to 50 or so, plus several old bombers. It's is impressive to hear one take off, but you should hear two staggered, followed by two staggered, followed by two staggered all taking off in pairs one right after the other. My innards where vibrating by the time the last pair lifted off the runway. And then to see the roll off into formation was just amazing. My wife and I went and were only going to stay for an hour and ended up staying for an afternoon. Really cool.
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nice P-51 shots! Keep 'em Flying!
The Curtis was also used by the American Vol. Group in China ('advisors'). I would encourage anyone interested in keeping these planes flying and honoring our vets. to join the Commemorative Air Force. It's nice to see them in a static display, but it's nothing like seeing them flying overhead and feeling the engine vibration hum thru you!
David Hobby (46447)Comment
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