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Contra-rotating props...

Discussion in 'Jet Aviation Discussion' started by JetForums, Apr 8, 2016.

  1. JetForums

    JetForums Publisher/Admin

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    Seriously precious metal, contra-rotating props on a P-51 Mustang...

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    Last edited: Apr 8, 2016
  2. JetForums

    JetForums Publisher/Admin

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    I started this thread to test the image upload function following this week's migration, but forgot to remove it. All the better, it could be a great thread with the contributions you bring the forums HTM! :)

    Short story from a long time ago... on my 30th birthday I was given the ultimate gift; a ride in one of Don Whittington's P51 Mustangs. At the time, I rented a T-hangar on Ft. Lauderdale Exec that was owned by Whittington and had become friends with his corporate pilot. For my b-day, he arranged to put me in a P51 training variant that Whittington had recently restored. No contra-rotating props on this bird, but enough torque to twist the plane inverted if given full throttle at slower speeds. I'll never forget how loud it was in the cockpit!

    Fast forward to the precious metal pic at the top of this thread, I had the opportunity to meet Kermit Weeks at his museum in Homestead a few years later, just before Hurricane Wilma turned some of his airplanes into scrap metal. I haven't had the opportunity to visit the new Warbird Adventures museum in Central Florida yet, but it's on the bucket list!

    Love Mustangs!
  3. HTMO9

    HTMO9 Senior Member

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    I had one backseat ride in a P-51 in Wichita Falls, TX during my Undergraduate Pilot Training in the early seventies at Sheppard AFB. It was a backseat ride in a single seater !!! This aircraft had a recess in the fuel tank behind the cockpit, forming a jump seat. When strapped in in this seat, you could reach over the shoulder of the pilot and grasp the stick. The owner took me for a short ride in that aircraft. Me, the young Lt, flying the migthy T-37 (200 Kts), the 6000 lbs dog whistle, was pretty impressed by the performance of this WW II piston engine aircraft. The owner could fly about 25 hours per year with this a/c as he had only a few sets of spark plugs available, of which some were always in factory overhaul.

    Below a picture with me in my mighty machine, perceived about 100 years ago :).

    Me and my T-37.jpg

    And I 100% agree, we need some more of those threads on JF. We have many members here with great stories to tell and pictures to post. Norseman for example could probably fill a complete book with his flying stories.
  4. HTMO9

    HTMO9 Senior Member

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    After graduating from UPT at Sheppard AFB and before I was sent to Luke AFB in Phoenix, Arizona for the advanced pilot training on the F-104 Starfighter, our class was tranfered to Homestead AFB for Sea Survival training. The practical part of that training took place near the cooling water outlet of a nuclear power station :eek:.

    We had to dress with our green flight suits, white tennis shoes (for protection against sharp shellfish and corals) and when in the water, we had to wear black socks above those shoes (for not atrackting Barracudas, they said). I think, those instructors made a fool out of us young, f....... and inexperienced lieutenants. YFLs was even our nickname behind our back.