Warbird Adventures...

[JimH]

@jaybird...absolutely!!

a few from today at Waterbury Oxford...

[6trn4brn]

Gorgeous pictures here Jim! Add me to the long list of admirers/slightly jealous types here Just wonderful of you to share with us!

I am in the market for a new camera...any suggestions? Yours certainly takes nice pix!

[JimH]

no worries...its just an old Nikon D-80...the sensor needs cleaned, otherwise it works great.

JH

[JimH]

some from Waterbury CT and a couple other favorites.

[JDK]

Now, that is an excellent image.

Regards,

[JDK]

And I'm interested in the exhaust staining -



Were the pics above and below taken around the same time, after the same flight?



And how long were the flight/s or after the last wipe down of the exhaust trail?

Regards,

[JimH]

Same day...same light...it was flown from New Smyrna Beach Florida to Boston...via Waterbury Oxford CT...it had time to build up quite the stripe. This thing has a sound all to its own.

Jim

[CAPFlyer]

Has anyone tested the dive brakes yet to see how effective they are in just straight-and-level flight? I know they were reportedly effective in the dive, but as the Apache isn't a "well covered" subject, it'd be interesting to hear a contemporary account of how the modifications to the P-51 airframe change its handling and how effective those modifications were.

[JDK]

Same day...same light...it was flown from New Smyrna Beach Florida to Boston...via Waterbury Oxford CT...it had time to build up quite the stripe. This thing has a sound all to its own.

Thanks Jim! I was intrigued by the darker black on the port, and I'm wondering what that has to do with leaning or different combustion on each cylinder bank. Not that it's important.*

Has anyone tested the dive brakes yet to see how effective they are in just straight-and-level flight? I know they were reportedly effective in the dive, but as the Apache isn't a "well covered" subject, it'd be interesting to hear a contemporary account of how the modifications to the P-51 airframe change its handling and how effective those modifications were.

Interesting question. Bear in mind that the brakes are there only to avoid a slippery airframe getting too fast in a dive, all you'd get from flicking them open in level flight is "yup, there's drag", surely?

I agree data would be interesting, but no-one is going to be replicating A-36 operational profiles of weights, drops, dives or pullouts, which is what matters for the brakes as a tool.**

When going through our A-36 text, I was fascinated in how much data was simply not widely available - it's an interesting type, and sadly another interesting tale eclipsed by that P-51D glamourplane in most sources.

Regards,

*That may not sound even slightly interesting, but trust me, it beats the editing I'm supposed to be doing for thrills...

** Though if anyone does, I'll be in the queue for the Gen.

[CAPFlyer]

James, I was speaking straight and level specifically because I don't expect Collings to do anything but baby this airplane. But as a pilot, it'd still be interesting to find out if there's any noticeable braking effect or balance upset from deploying the brakes in cruise flight. They'd obviously be about useless for slowing down on approach due to their small size and the relatively slow speed of the P-51 (bearing in mind that on several jets the speed brakes are that size and more than effective even with a larger wing due to the higher airflow disruption with the higher speeds), but it would be interesting to see if they do anything really adverse in other normal flight regimes, especially for information on how to deal with them should you have some sort of malfunction that causes them to deploy and stick.

[JimH]

This photo was posted to our Collings Facebook site. The brakes are deployed, and according Rob, are very effective in slowing the airplane down when entering the pattern or airspace. Only a slight "bump" is felt as the brakes are deployed.

JH

[CAPFlyer]

Cool deal Jim. Glad to hear that they're effective for helping ATC correct their mistakes.

[maxum96]

This photo was posted to our Collings Facebook site. The brakes are deployed, and according Rob, are very effective in slowing the airplane down when entering the pattern or airspace. Only a slight "bump" is felt as the brakes are deployed.

JH

What a cool picture! Looks awesome with the dive brakes out.

[JimH]

More...and a really cool shot from Gary Norville...

[CAPFlyer]

Express Elevator! Next stop, first floor!