Recent content by warbird51

Here’s the excerpt from Yeager’ book about the incident of flying the P-39 mentioned above

Nope, it was here in the US. Off the top of my head, it was Betty Skelton who owned and flew the P-39. I think is was called JUBA and I saw it at Silver Hill in the 2000’s

There was a lady who flew a P-39 at air shows in the late 40’s. I remember Chuck talked her into letting him taking the P-39 up for the air show instead of her. He supposedly wrung the airplane out in front of the crowd without them knowing who was flying.

Look at the climb improvement the P-47 had when going to the paddle blade propeller. A better propeller would have helped the P-39’s also.

I believe Chuck Yeager said he really liked flying the P-39.

I’ve always thought that the propeller wasn’t big enough to absorb the available horsepower. Which restricted the performance.

No armor plate installed.

Just got my copy from Amazon. So far, a fascinating read!!!

Because it was British???? Ducking now!!

Didn’t the Whirlwind have same altitude limitations that the Spitfire Mk 1 had ?

I love what you have done with the drawings!!! I am planning on building a 74” wingspan rc model and it gives me some ideas on a paint scheme!!! If Westland would have enlarged the Whirlwind about 20% or so (like the P-39/P-63), then Merlin’s would have worked. Keep the span the same, but...

Agree on the ammo capacity. The other issues can be improved without major airframe modifications such as fuel cross feed, prop feather capability and more effective prop blade design, and improvements in the coolant radiators. More power could be had if RR was interested in further...

FM2. 34-1 kill ratio

Sanders Aeronautics is restoring N7195C. Was not a crash rebuild though

I talked to him in about 1994 before my father died. I don’t remember his name. His story on how he got assigned to go overseas was remarkable. I had a delightful 3 hours sitting in his den.