normiss 851 #1 September 10, 2008 Their history and the emotions of their pilots is heartwarming. February Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
birdlike 0 #2 September 10, 2008 That was thrilling, amazing, touching... What a wonderful video. I have always loved the P-51D Mustang. A favorite airplane of mine. My favorite aviation writer is Barry Schiff, who writes for AOPA Pilot magazine. He did an article about getting checked out in the Mustang, and I was shocked to read about how technically intricate an airplane it is to fly. He gave the impression that you are forever trimming it, every time you make any kind of power input or anything. It saddens me, the rate at which our heroes of the Second World War are dying. We are in danger of forgetting all of the things that they, and that war, taught us. edit: I just got back from reading more on the Gray Eagles Foundation website, and I'm planning to make a donation quite soon to help them go ahead with this excellent film project. If you go to watch the video, please look at the other pages on the site, including the "contributions" section. These folks are preserving American and world history, and doing it in a truly beautiful, classy documentary style. This production seems to have true National Geographic-level polish on it. An Important Endeavor, for certain. And that Jim Brooks... what a guy! I'm awe-struck.Spirits fly on dangerous missions Imaginations on fire Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy_Copland 0 #3 September 10, 2008 Brilliant stuff1338 People aint made of nothin' but water and shit. Until morale improves, the beatings will continue. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mrwrong 0 #4 September 10, 2008 They are really cool. I got to se a flying Spitfire last Saturday just before we went up and did a demo jump at a local air show. You just have to love the sound of the Rolls Royce Merlin engine “The sum of intelligence on the planet is a constant; the population is growing.” - George Bernard Shaw He who dies with the most toys, wins..... dudeist skydiver # 19515 Buy quality and cry once! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zep 0 #5 September 10, 2008 Didnt they end up fitting the Merlin engine in the Mustang so it had a more equal chance with the Japanese Zero Or am I thinking of the P38. Gone fishing Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 37 #6 September 10, 2008 I thought...horses or cars? I never knew there was a Mustang airplane!She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 851 #7 September 10, 2008 you're such a girl. If it would help to straighten you out on your confusion...there is an annual event near you that is amazing. Mustangs and Mustangs Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #8 September 10, 2008 You should have came to Ohio last year then. The Gathering of Mustangs and Legends assembled 90+ Mustangs (P-51A-D models) and 45 of their WWII pilots for a weekend airshow. Sony put together a little clip of it (promoting their products mainly) http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/micro-xdcam/resource.events.bbsccms-assets-micro-xdcam-events-xdcamlifetime.shtml - Check out the video gallery.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 851 #9 September 10, 2008 VERY nice! thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eman 0 #10 September 10, 2008 Fucking WOW !!!! GREAT video ! I woud like to see one on the P-47 Thunderbolt ! My Pop flew one of those ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeJD 0 #11 September 10, 2008 'Cadillac of the skies!' We have a UK-based P-51 that flies in pretty regularly to the airfield we use for our dropzone. We also get a Spitfire coming in less frequently. The Spit's a beautiful aeroplane, of course, but the Mustang is a beast - much bigger, still beautiful and a lot more imposing. And yep, they're both Merlin-powered. I think only the early Mustangs had Allison engines. It was the combination of the advanced airframe with the Merlin engine that really made it a winner. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mrwrong 0 #12 September 10, 2008 Nope you are correct, they did put the RR Merlin in the P-51's. Don't know if that was the only enginge for 51's or not though.... 12 cylinder at 1570hp's or something, niiiice sound.... “The sum of intelligence on the planet is a constant; the population is growing.” - George Bernard Shaw He who dies with the most toys, wins..... dudeist skydiver # 19515 Buy quality and cry once! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #13 September 10, 2008 The P-51's started out with the Allison engine and they found that it wasn't powerful enough and the Zero's and ME's were able to run it down. It was only once they put the Merlin in it did the P-51 take its place as one of the best fighters of WWII. Hearing a single Merline running is a beautiful sound, hearing all of those running at the same time last year gave me chills.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
livendive 8 #14 September 10, 2008 I heard a rumor last weekend that Bill Dause sold his P-51. Can anyone confirm? If so, I wish I'd taken him up on the hour-long flight offer several years ago. Blues, Dave"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rookie120 0 #15 September 10, 2008 QuoteHearing a single Merline running is a beautiful sound, hearing all of those running at the same time last year gave me chills. As an aviation geek I remember as a little kid hangin around the airport with the guys. You can hear that engine from a distance and as soon as you hear it you know it's a Mustang. Great airplane and just a joy to see fly. One of the best rides I ever got was in a Mustang. I was 15 years old and I still cherish that moment.If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rookie120 0 #16 September 10, 2008 Is it just me or does Patty Wagstaff get better looking the older she gets? Man she looks great. If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #17 September 10, 2008 Quote Didnt they end up fitting the Merlin engine in the Mustang so it had a more equal chance with the Japanese Zero Or am I thinking of the P38. \ The original P-51 had an Allison V-12 with a single stage supercharger, great engine, but only up to about 25K feet. The Mustang was designed as a replacement for the P-40 and used for ground attack initially. Installing the Merlin V-12 with a 2 stage supercharger allowed high performance up above 30K feet. Now we had a fighter that could make it to downtown Berlin and go toe-to-toe with the best in the Luftwaffe. Through good piloting and tactics, our Mustangs even shot down many German jet fighters. A few years ago my in-laws got me a free ride in one of their friend's Mustangs. A holder of a "zero altitude endorsement" and an air show entertainer, he took me on a 20 minute low level aerobatic flight. After he landed, he told me to go get my rig on and go make a jump with Vskydiver. At that point I wanted to say "Why?" The skydive was pretty much an anti-climax at that point.Yes, I am an airplane geek. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beerlight 0 #18 September 10, 2008 Quote I heard a rumor last weekend that Bill Dause sold his P-51. Can anyone confirm? If so, I wish I'd taken him up on the hour-long flight offer several years ago. Blues, Dave I didn't hear that. Bill's owned his forever. Be sad if he sold it... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skyjumpenfool 2 #19 September 10, 2008 Coolest skydive I ever did... Simulated WW2 static line out of a DC-3 over the Oshkosh Air show with a squadron of Mustangs 50 feet off our wing! Puts everything into perspective.Birdshit & Fools Productions "Son, only two things fall from the sky." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
