P-51

[Future Pilot]

Here are a couple photos of the Collins Foundation's two seater P-51 taking off.

[Naharaht]

Nice photographs, Daniel! Do you know what the thing looking like a barrel under the port wing was, please?

[Future Pilot]

Nice photographs, Daniel! Do you know what the thing looking like a barrel under the port wing was, please?

I believe that it is the air-intake, and that it is the angle that makes it look like that.

[Von Scharf]

I had the fortune to ride in the back of a two-seater P-51. The Brat III from the Cavanaugh Flight Museum. It was a bucket list item for me and it was worth every dollar. Though I was the only flight for the day and the pilot REALLY wanted to show me the Full Monty. High G turns, a max climb maneuver and a simulated strafing run on a train (which was actually just a road in the aptly named Black Forest suburb). He asked if I was up to a full demo, and I said yes. He kept asking if I was OK, and I kept saying yes.

But I was wrong... I held it in, but I turned as green as a human can. Upon landing, I had to just sit in the plane for awhile. A crowd gathered around the aircraft after it parked, and everyone had a good laugh at the green guy sitting in the back. Smiled and waved.

The three most startling things to me:
1) Power to weight ratio - she had the Packard Merlin engine running at 1,590 HP - just leapt off the runway
2) How light the controls were - yes there are full controls in the back seat and the pilot reported I was gripping them like a gorilla during my short flying stint
3) How amazing and unlimited the view was out the bubble cockpit - the edge of the cockpit was down at my elbows as I sat there and the wings are so short and stubby, they blocked very little of the view
A true once-in-a lifetime for a non-pilot aviation aficionado like me. I posted a few pics on my profile page. Highly recommended!

[Future Pilot]

Nice!

[gully_raker]

Thanks Bob for the photos!

[Flying Helmut]

Nice photographs, Daniel! Do you know what the thing looking like a barrel under the port wing was, please?

To me it looks like the wheel-cover flap thingy, just closing a bit later than the starboard one?

Thanks for posting the photos, Daniel.

[gully_raker]

To me it looks like the wheel-cover flap thingy, just closing a bit later than the starboard one?

Thanks for posting the photos, Daniel.

Yeah I agree Tim.
I thought the same.

[Future Pilot]

Hmmm... I'll look closer

[Peter Pipper]

My favorite Mustang is the D model.

[clipper1801]

To me it looks like the wheel-cover flap thingy, just closing a bit later than the starboard one?

Thanks for posting the photos, Daniel.

Hydraulics are not synchronized because of internal flow physics creates some cool effects, watch a P-40 or Corsair landing gear cycle. Cool indeed!

[milcoll73]

that looks beautiful! i hope they dont wreck it.