Old Airplanes, flyover Northern VA and DC specific

[2LaneCruzer]

Packard built the V1650 RR Merlin for the P 51's.

The reference to the Packard grill was my cryptic way of saying as much. We have a small airport North of us, and at one time there was a P-51 stabled there. I could always tell by the "growl" of the big Merlin when the P-51 was doing a fly over, even though I couldn't always see the plane. One of my biggest unfulfilled dreams is to take a ride in the jump seat of a P-51. Someone once asked me if I could do anything in the world that I wanted to do, what it would be. I said that I would like to take a ride with Chuck Yeager in his P-51. Don't know if he can still fly today or not, but he could at that time.

 

[Looking4new]

The reference to the Packard grill was my cryptic way of saying as much. We have a small airport North of us, and at one time there was a P-51 stabled there. I could always tell by the "growl" of the big Merlin when the P-51 was doing a fly over, even though I couldn't always see the plane. One of my biggest unfulfilled dreams is to take a ride in the jump seat of a P-51. Someone once asked me if I could do anything in the world that I wanted to do, what it would be. I said that I would like to take a ride with Chuck Yeager in his P-51. Don't know if he can still fly today or not, but he could at that time.

Chucks website General Chuck Yeager | The Official Website

I would love a ride in a Spitfire.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Chucks website General Chuck Yeager | The Official Website

I would love a ride in a Spitfire.

I saw a Twin Seat Spitfire in Oklahoma City about 20 years back, at an airshow, so there are a few around. They also had a Japanese Zero, a Hawker Sea Fury, a Corsair, a Hellcat and a Wildcat, to name a few.

 

[riptides]

For me, it was always the P-40 Warhawk. I have a hand built to scale r/c one hanging in my old milkhouse. She flew once, proving with enough power, anything will fly. LOL.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

For me, it was always the P-47 Warhawk. I have a hand built to scale r/c one hanging in my old milkhouse. She flew once, proving with enough power, anything will fly. LOL.

In actuality, the "Jug" was a marvelous aircraft; it was one of the fastest fighters of the war. I have heard accounts of it reaching 500 mph in a dive. It was fast, and one of the toughest fighters we had...difficult for the enemy to shoot down. The big powerful radial coupled with its toughness made it one of the best ground attack fighters we had also. From what I've heard, the pilots loved it, in spite of its great size. It's biggest drawback? It was a gas guzzler which severely limited its role as a long range escort.

 

[mjarrels]

I've heard the biggest problem in flying these old aircraft is the lack of high octain avgas. They were built to burn 130 octain and the best now is 100 octain thus reducing the power.

mark

 

[riptides]

In actuality, the "Jug" was a marvelous aircraft; it was one of the fastest fighters of the war. I have heard accounts of it reaching 500 mph in a dive. It was fast, and one of the toughest fighters we had...difficult for the enemy to shoot down. The big powerful radial coupled with its toughness made it one of the best ground attack fighters we had also. From what I've heard, the pilots loved it, in spite of its great size. It's biggest drawback? It was a gas guzzler which severely limited its role as a long range escort.

You are correct, I fixed the designation.

The "jug" was also most impressive, and it too is to be featured!

 

[riptides]

I've heard the biggest problem in flying these old aircraft is the lack of high octain avgas. They were built to burn 130 octain and the best now is 100 octain thus reducing the power.

mark

Yeah, somewhere I read also about oil. They need that too.

The numbers have also taxed the airports in which they are flying out of. Seems fuel storage is an issue.

 

[RobertN]

My favorite is F4U with thse R-2800 radial. Of course, I was was influenced by watching Baa Baa Blacksheep/Blacksheep Squadron as a kid. Same reason I like Kenworth W900; watching how Sonny Pruitt did it on Movin' On.

True; but the sound of a Merlin in a P-51 is equally as sweet and as distinctive as a Packard Grill.

 

[Looking4new]

We had a 1966 KW W900, it had a hood on it that wouldn't quit, a huge steering wheel, standard steering and it seemed like 40 turns lock to lock. I loved it.