Balljoint
Senior Airman
Want to give a quick HI! and a bit of explanation of where I'm coming from. First, I love the machines. My idea of high art is the cutaway radials at the SAC museum or the cutaway Allison at the excellent Kalamazoo Museum.
But on the darker side, I can remember Pearl Harbor. Didn't understand it, but remember the hubbub. I took the Kool-Aid and thought the war was a wonderful and glorious time as portrayed at the time. Then, a little over sixty years ago the truth dawned as I listened to the guys who were there –when they spoke which wasn't often. I've been trying to understand both the big picture and the details ever since.
For example, during a business lunch my host was discussing "see and be seen" night flying in England without lights. He happened to mention getting out of the "damn P-38s" and into Mustangs. From this forum and other sources I learned of the fuel, cockpit temp, MAP management issues. But a bit more obscure is the history that the Lighting was designed with a thick wing to meet an Arsenal System spec for RoCl. This resulted in the plane going transonic at relatively low speeds. After killing three (I think) test pilots, the plane was released to combat without a fix –or with a useless counterweight fix. Fortunately the problem was ultimately addressed with a "dive brake" that shifted the wing CoP to a more stable position.
Of course this is old hat to most of you. But I'll try not to be too much of a pain in trying to drill down for obscure details.
The expertise here is truly appreciated.
But on the darker side, I can remember Pearl Harbor. Didn't understand it, but remember the hubbub. I took the Kool-Aid and thought the war was a wonderful and glorious time as portrayed at the time. Then, a little over sixty years ago the truth dawned as I listened to the guys who were there –when they spoke which wasn't often. I've been trying to understand both the big picture and the details ever since.
For example, during a business lunch my host was discussing "see and be seen" night flying in England without lights. He happened to mention getting out of the "damn P-38s" and into Mustangs. From this forum and other sources I learned of the fuel, cockpit temp, MAP management issues. But a bit more obscure is the history that the Lighting was designed with a thick wing to meet an Arsenal System spec for RoCl. This resulted in the plane going transonic at relatively low speeds. After killing three (I think) test pilots, the plane was released to combat without a fix –or with a useless counterweight fix. Fortunately the problem was ultimately addressed with a "dive brake" that shifted the wing CoP to a more stable position.
Of course this is old hat to most of you. But I'll try not to be too much of a pain in trying to drill down for obscure details.
The expertise here is truly appreciated.
