CAF's P-51C Gear Up Landing

[Bodhi]

I'm looking at this thread, and all I can say is... "Just effing WOW!"

[DaveBB]

He is the leader of The Red Tail Squadron of the CAF.   It has dozens of members. 

It isn't derated, other than for fuel.   These are still pretty powerful airplanes. 

Maybe the impact knocked the tail wheel out or he had the gear down but not locked...   Who knows?

The supercharger has been removed and thusly the aircraft is limited in altitude and also speed.  Less than 250knts below 10,000 feet, right?

[Puma44]

The supercharger has been removed and thusly the aircraft is limited in altitude and also speed.  Less than 250knts below 10,000 feet, right?

1.  How do you know the supercharger has been removed?

2.  That is a regulatory limit (250 knots below 10,000 feet), not an aircraft performance       limitation.

[Vraciu]

1.  How do you know the supercharger has been removed?

2.  That is a regulatory limit (250 knots below 10,000 feet), not an aircraft performance       limitation.

Correct.   And even without the Supercharger it would still be fast as heck down low.

Gunfighter, one of two other CAF Mustangs, has its supercharger. 

Some of these modified as racers are doing 500 mph on the deck.

These airplanes are maintained by volunteers, not the government.   So one airplane is more than enough for a squadron these days, given the personnel involved. 

[DaveBB]

1.  How do you know the supercharger has been removed?

2.  That is a regulatory limit (250 knots below 10,000 feet), not an aircraft performance       limitation.

At an airshow I went to in the 90s, I was told by the pilot of P-47s that the turbochargers had been removed, and that the superchargers had been removed from P-51s. 

This information came from whoever was flying "Big Azzz Bird" at that time.

[Puma44]

At an airshow I went to in the 90s, I was told by the pilot of P-47s that the turbochargers had been removed, and that the superchargers had been removed from P-51s. 

This information came from whoever was flying "Big Azzz Bird" at that time.

That may have been the case for the aircraft sitting on the ramp at the airshow.  It doesn't necessarily apply to every Mustang.