Groundhog Thread Part Deux - P-39 Fantasy and Fetish - The Never Ending Story (Mods take no responsibility for head against wall injuries sustained)

[FLYBOYJ]

Have been intrigued by the P-39 tumble reputation and exactly what it was, Bob Hoover provides an answer at 18:20, a Lomcovak.

Great Clip, met him a few times, loved talking to him -

A few things -

Not disputing what he said about the C/G, for the most part he is 100% correct, HOWEVER, when he experienced this we don't know WHERE within the C/G envelope his aircraft was when he did these flights. As Thumpalumpacus mentioned, no indication of ammo or ballast. Where I believe the P-39 got folks in trouble is when it was flown at the most aft of the C/G envelope, and as shown within this long and drawn out thread, we showed where the C/G went when fuel and ammo was expended.

He also doesn't mention if these maneuvers were accomplished in any type of bank angle, that would surely make conditions worse.

Great guy, excellent pilot, may he RIP!

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

He also doesn't mention if these maneuvers were accomplished in any type of bank angle, that would surely make conditions worse.

That was one thing I noticed in his hand-representations of his maneuver, that he twisted his hands a little, but never really talked about that aspect of it -- which has to change much even in my non-flier mind.

Great guy, excellent pilot, may he RIP!

 

[Peter Gunn]

*SNIP*

How many Bob Hoovers did the USAAC have at the time?

"There can be ONLY ONE" --> Highlander.

 

[Escuadrilla Azul]

I know I shouldn't recall the deads back to live but...

A Bell Aircraft Corporation documentary about the Groundhog and the building process.

Frontal armour is shown in all its glory. Sadly, nothing about the cockpit heater .

Interesting the muddy landing.


View: https://youtu.be/4dV-TRx-C-E?si=gWM5GMo4BI85unlT

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

.

 

[SaparotRob]

This thread was actually very educational for me. While it did rush headlong into madness most of the time, the thread did accidentally explain a bunch of aviation concepts in small words.

 

[Snautzer01]

I miss the champion of this aircraft.
I do. He loved it with a passion. Give or take a heater or armour.
I learned about this one and laughed a lot i must say. He was not always wrong but stuck a few times at wrong data.
A tad stubborn in facts. But as i recall most a gentleman.
And.... the p-39 will have a legandary status because of it here.

 

[SaparotRob]

I'm Saparotrob and I endorse this message.

 

[BiffF15]

I know I shouldn't recall the deads back to live but...

A Bell Aircraft Corporation documentary about the Groundhog and the building process.

Frontal armour is shown in all its glory. Sadly, nothing about the cockpit heater .

Interesting the muddy landing.


View: https://youtu.be/4dV-TRx-C-E?si=gWM5GMo4BI85unlT

The muddy landing means the crew chief has some serious work to do before the next sortie.

 

[Escuadrilla Azul]

The muddy landing means the crew chief has some serious work to do before the next sortie.

Sure and also explain part of the soviet love affair with the Groundhog.

 

[WARSPITER]

Sure and also explain part of the soviet love affair with the Groundhog.

If it's in Russia and has a heater it's the best thing since sliced bread.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

If it's in Russia and has a heater it's the best thing since sliced bread.

... unless there's smokers around ...

 

[WARSPITER]

... unless there's smokers around ...

True but you just open the window and throw it out - although there does seem to be some confusion in Russia
as to whether to throw the smoke or the smoker.........

 

[GrauGeist]

Considering that the cockpit has windows, I wouldn't chance it...

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

True but you just open the window and throw it out - although there does seem to be some confusion in Russia
as to whether to throw the smoke or the smoker.........

Stub them both out.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Considering that the cockpit has windows, I wouldn't chance it...

It had car doors and roll-down windows. Should have an ashtray. And an AM radio, too.

 

[GregP]

Probably had one of those buttons on the floor that you push with your foot to dim and bright the lights. Might have used one to fire the guns.

 

[GrauGeist]

Probably had one of those buttons on the floor that you push with your foot to dim and bright the lights. Might have used one to fire the guns.

My '53 Pontiac Catalina Starliner had two of those floor switches.
The one on the far left was for dimming the headlights, the one by the gas pedal was to start the engine.

 

[GregP]

Yeah, I've driven a couple that used them for starters and more than a few that had them for dimming lights. A few had older transmissions that had to be double-clutched just to get a smooth shift. Old, mostly-forgotten times, but it's fun to recall some of the old cars and other vehicles. I learned to drive on my grandfather's old Farmall Cub tractor. The cars were a lot easier, but the tractor was more fun.

I'll never forget the summer I almost died on it because, over the course of the last winter, he had put water in the tires. I was pulling stumps and almost went over backwards when the tires didn't spin, but rather stayed connected to the ground and pulled the front end up. I stabbed for the clutch as fast as I could and managed to hit it on the first try. The front end slammed down and bounced once or twice, but I didn't wind up dead. That was a shock, but I didn't have any more trouble after surviving that first manual transmission emergency.

 

[GrauGeist]

In a way, Greg, your tractor incident can be compared to new P-39 pilots, where the unexpected caught them off guard.