P-40 Rides!

Rod Schneider · **Posted:** Mon Oct 04, 2010 3:37 pm

http://www.libertyfoundation.org/index.html
I've been working on this P-40, along with several other folks, since May of this year doing the two seat conversion. I couldn't say much until now, but it is finally ready.
It is S/N 41-5709, and it was rebuilt/restored in Douglas, GA for Mr. Don Brooks. The second seat was installed in place of the fuselage fuel tank, and it is a very good seat indeed! As of today, I am the only one to experience riding back there, and I can give it high recommendations for a good ride! It is the first WWII fighter that I've been flying in, and it is quite an experience.
I've said before, and I'll say it again--if you'd like to be involved in warbirds, volunteer with one of the many fine organizations who operate them. I've had a blast in the last two years working with the fine folks at the Liberty Foundation.
Come on down to Atlanta and take a ride!

Nathan · **Posted:** Mon Oct 04, 2010 3:39 pm

Wow the P-40 is done? It looks amazing! Thanks for putting another Warhawk into the skies.

Dave Hadfield · **Joined:** Sun Sep 17, 2006 10:31 pm **Posts:** 1672

Congratulations! As one who has been intimately involved in one of these efforts, I salute you.

Is it dual-control, as well as dual seat?

Dave

Rod Schneider · **Posted:** Mon Oct 04, 2010 6:08 pm

It's not dual control at this point. We've discussed the possibility of doing that sometime down the road.......

Dave Hadfield · **Joined:** Sun Sep 17, 2006 10:31 pm **Posts:** 1672

Well, you're welcome to come up here and see ours someday. We duplicated stick and rudder, throttle and pitch, and basic instruments. Didn't bother with gear, flaps or brakes.

Dave

Bill Greenwood · **Posted:** Tue Oct 05, 2010 11:23 am

It's nice to have a back seat in any plane, but when the work is being done, if you can, it is really great to have dual controls; doesn't have to include everything, but stick and rudder will give others a chance to sample something rare and historic, and even do some training for those about to fly something similar. T-6 trainnig is great, but that is not as close as flyig the actual airplane.

My plane has the large rear canopy and it doesn't look quite as nice a the single seat Spitfire, (what does?) but I never took anyone for a flight that said afterwards that they regretted it being dual control. I have taken perhaps a hundred people, and I let all of them fly, actually I don't take no for an answer and all of them fly some. No one ever seems to regret it.

Mike Halbrook · **Joined:** Thu Feb 25, 2010 1:42 am **Posts:** 106

Bill,
Flying in the Spitfire was the peak of my flying experience. I've flown in dual control P-40N since then, and I have ambitions of flying in a TF-51D someday, and dreams of flying in an F-104 (the wife says I need to update my will before I fly in that one). But none will match the moment you said "You are now flying a Spitfire".

Rod Schneider · **Posted:** Wed Oct 06, 2010 6:22 am

Dave Hadfield wrote:

Well, you're welcome to come up here and see ours someday. We duplicated stick and rudder, throttle and pitch, and basic instruments. Didn't bother with gear, flaps or brakes.

Dave

Dave, would it be possible for you to either post or send me some pictures of your control setup for the back seat? It would be cool to at least get a stick and rudder back there!

RickH · **Posted:** Wed Oct 06, 2010 7:28 am

Mike, you could come to Houston and take a shot at either the TA-4 or F-4.

the330thbg · **Joined:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:06 pm **Posts:** 2713

Bill Greenwood · **Posted:** Wed Oct 06, 2010 12:52 pm

Mike, I am glad that we got to do a Spitfire flight. Sharing the experience is part of the enjoyment of owning the plane. I really enjoy trying out as many other types of planes as possible. Of course it is even better if you can trade rides.
Some of the rides that I done have stayed in my memory, I might start a topic on that.

As for flying a dual P-51, I hope you get to. I think is enough different than a Spitfire to warrant it. The guys in Florida do a first class job, if you can afford it and close your mind to how fast the cash meter is running. They, at least Lee who I have flown with, can not only fly it, but teach it. I have not had a chance to have a lesson with Elliot, but as for the flying part he is one of the best.
If you can't do the whole bill at those rates, there are a few other cheaper alternatives. Both the CAF and Collings 51s have controls in the back, might be one at Chino. Not a full checkout like at Stallion, but still you get a sample of flying it. I think you will notice the noise, speed, and if it is summer, the cockpit heat.

If I know that someone who has flown with me is about to do another flight in a Mustang or other plane where I know the pilot, I try to get them to help me with a little humor. I tell them after their Mustang or whatever flight, the pilot will often ask them how they liked the flight. Now most folks will love the flight, and I tell them to go ahead and say so. But then to comment something like "It seems like it is a difficult plane to land". When the pilot says "what do you mean, it is easy to land"; then the passenger comes back and says, "well when I flew in the Spitfire, he sure made a better landing than that and it appeared to be easy." Most of the folks are too timid to try this, but I have had a few that did and we have had a bit of fun with a couple of pilots.

Robbie Stuart · **Posted:** Thu Oct 07, 2010 10:24 am

Rod, Ray has the P-40 here at PDK on our ramp, & I just walked out & took a look. That is one great looking airplane, & you guy's did a nice job with that second seat.
Robbie

Rod Schneider · **Posted:** Sun Oct 10, 2010 9:54 am

Thanks, Robbie, for the kind words. As with most projects like this, it is never really "finished". We're still working on a quick way to install/remove the cove panels behind the rear windows and the pilots armor plate/headrest so we can make the plane look like an original single seater. A little more fuel capacity would also be nice-losing 62 gallons from the missing fuselage tank kind of limits our endurance.......
We've got a drop tank and most of the brackets and such to mount it, but the tank is going to need a bit of work before it will be presentable-it's had a rough life

The plane is down at Falcon Field in Peachtree City this weekend for the Great Georgia Air Show. We're planning on taking it to Dobbins for the show next weekend. It sure is nice to see it flying!

Roger Cain · **Posted:** Sun Apr 10, 2011 8:18 pm

She's out in California now with the B-17 selling rides, saw her today at Hayward Airport. A very beautiful machine.

hang the expense · **Posted:** Sun Apr 10, 2011 11:05 pm

Nice pic Roger.

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