check out my video of experiance in real P-51D

[rllong]

I actually got around 30 minutes of stick time in a P-51 last year at Oshkosh and put together a little video of the experiance, although it did not help my flying in Aces High, still die a lot..lol. Going back this year and planning to get a full hour of duel instruction logged in my logbook.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UdaK-rBPuI

[infowars]

Wow,  that's so cool.  Wtg bro

[FireDrgn]

Its official  i hate you.     LOL   WTG  U lucky bastage.

[TonyJoey]

Nice! I've sat in the cockpit of that exact plane before, but didn't get to fly it.

[MutleyBR]

Lucky you! 

I love the 51!

Mutley 

[oakranger]

That is awesome! 

[SunBat]

Nice!!!!

[SKJohn]

Somebody's gotta ask it:

As one of the very few people with actual P-51 stick time, how does it feel compared to the AH P-51? (minus, of course, the G forces)

Also, what does a ride in one of these cost?

[Bucky73]

As one of the very few people with actual P-51 stick time, how does it feel compared to the AH P-51? (minus, of course, the G forces)

I'm SURE it's the same

[rllong]

minus the g-force of course AH has it pretty close. the roll rate, climb rate and view from the cockpit is right on. I was quite supprised at how well the plane handled in normal flight. It was as stable as the cherokee 180 I fly. The accelaration on take off will roll your eyes inside out..lol. though quite heavy on the controls the plane responds right-now to any input. I did a couple of 90 deg bank figure eights and was easily pulling 6 g and was able to maintain altitude and air speed (250 mph) throughout the manuver. It's not cheap but was worth every cent to me for the experience, $1200.00 for around 30 minutes. I plan on getting a full hour ($2200.00) this year with actual logged duel flight instruction entered in my log book.

[Flench]

That's really cool ... I would give my left #$%  to do that , right one two , lol ....

[Brooke]

Way to go!  That is awesome, and thank you for posting a video of it. 

[Saurdaukar]

Excellent opening music choice.

Well done.

I cant even begin to imagine the difference between a 150-300HP GAA and a Merlin...

Question - climate appears to be relatively mild (no cold weather clothing) and the canopy appears to be cracked open on final taxi - was the cockpit extraordinarily hot during the flight or does the existing climate control/venting/whatever do the job?

That engine must generate a ridiculous amount of heat.

[rllong]

hey thanks saurdaukar. It was the last week in july with high temps in Oshkosh running around 75 or so. It was early morning around 7am and the temp at that time at ground level was maybe 55 or 60 degrees. It never got hot in the cockpit while flying but I could see where it probably would in hot temps with sun directly overhead. The ventilation was pretty good and I'm sure it was much better in the front seat. That old merlin sits so far out front I really don't think it would put off much heat in cockpit, I could not tell much change after the 30 min in the air.

Thank all you guys and gals for the interests. I really loved it and love sharing my experience. Sorry the video is not better, it is my first time using any kind of editing software and the camera was not the best in the world. This year I am planning on using a high def camcorder on the ground and have another in the plane with me. Also may be a little better at putting together a movie
 

[rllong]

OK just try to imagine this, I am no expert on P-51's but I believe this one is a converted single seater. I was sitting on the floor where the extra fuel tank used to be using the bottom part of my parachute as a seat (actually pretty comfortable). It had a stick, rudder pedals, throttle and prop controls, an altimeter and airspeed indicator in the back. So back to the "imagine this", this plane is light, and with 1500+ horsepower and swinging an 11 foot diameter prop it has the counter torque of something bigger than King Kong. I had my feet lightly on the rudder peddles when Stan my pilot nailed the throttle on take off and from what I could tell it took almost all the right ruder to hold it on the center line. In the air the acceleration was nothin like I have felt before. Stan gave me the controls at about 1500' altitude after takeoff. I turned east toward the practice area and pulled back on the stick a little to get some altitude and let me tell ya that sucker went to 5000' and 250 mph before a cat can lick its bellybutton .


If ya see me in the game sometime - AH call sign "psycho" - give me a shout. But don't expect too much when I am flying. I spend most of my time taking off after being shot down..