Author Topic: views???  (Read 169 times)

Offline crabofix

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« on: September 06, 2000, 07:27:00 AM »
How the heck could a F4U driver see his six like that???  
By opening the canopy?
And if, wouldnt that cause drag?

Just wondering.

Crabofix   =<ISAF>=

Offline Ripsnort

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« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2000, 07:52:00 AM »
They had rear view mirrors, something that would be very nice in AH.  

Offline Westy

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« Reply #2 on: September 06, 2000, 08:01:00 AM »
 I've sat in the F4U-4 at the New England Air Museum (we Northeast guys still have to get togtehr right?!) and I was amazed at the view one can have looking over the shoulder to the rear in the Corsair - in spite of being cramped due to my 6'5" height.
 The "6" view in an F4U in "real life" is very good.

  -Westy

Offline Ripsnort

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« Reply #3 on: September 06, 2000, 08:02:00 AM »
Westy, were  you strapped  in with the harnesses?  Just curious as to how much you had to lean forward to see out back..

Offline crabofix

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« Reply #4 on: September 06, 2000, 09:35:00 AM »


Well it was just a question,,, not a complaint really...
thanx for the answer, guys

Crabofix

Offline Westy

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« Reply #5 on: September 06, 2000, 10:01:00 AM »
No Rip. The harnass would not fit. But I did try to replicate that as best as possible by firmaly planting my back in the seat and only moving my neck.  I was still very surprised at how much visibility, with the Malcom like canopy, that aircraft had. It was not as obstructed or as bad a blind spot as some would think. The volunteer vets who were standing by answering questions had flown the same model and one of my observations I talked to them about was of the back view and they concureed it was not that bad. Better than a P-51-D said two of the old pilots I talked to. Not the older "birdcage" Corsair mind you. Just the later models with the malcolm like canopy.
 (here is the F4U. Not me in it. One of the old vet pilots is)
   


 One thing I found was tough was just getting n and out of the F4U was a squeak because of the high angle that the aircraft sits at on the ground to keep that massive prop up in the air. The P-47-D on the other hand was like a peice of cake and really is a more suitable fit for a guy my size. I wish I would hit the Power-Ball lottery someday soon so I could buy one.    

 -Westy


[This message has been edited by Westy (edited 09-06-2000).]

Offline Vermillion

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« Reply #6 on: September 06, 2000, 11:29:00 AM »
Westy is right.

I got to fly a AT6 Texan a couple of years ago, and with your seat back plus the other guy and his stuff behind you, you could still see quite a bit by only moving your neck and head. In fact, I made a deliberate attempt to find this out, since at the time WB's was having one if its infamous "six view" wars on AGW.

And trust me I made sure I was strapped in very tight. See....

 



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Vermillion
**MOL**, Men of Leisure

Offline rust

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« Reply #7 on: September 06, 2000, 09:50:00 PM »
Hi Westy.  I'm in Boston.  Where are you?  And where is the New England Air Museum?  Looks super cool.

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RUST
 


[This message has been edited by rust (edited 09-06-2000).]

Offline Westy

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« Reply #8 on: September 07, 2000, 08:56:00 AM »
Hi Rust. I'm out by Worcester.   The NEAM is located just outside of Hartford, CT.  HAs aLot of static aircraft displays outside that have seen some weathering but still nice to walk around. The B-29 was a good feature til lthey took it apart to restore. The B-57 is really bigger than I ever imagined.
 Insiode they have alot of nicely restored aircraft. The F6F-5 is loaned out to a small museum in Rhode Island and they have a racing P-51 they are restroing otherwise the WWII birds are all US types; P-47-D-R25, the F4U-4 prototype, B-25H with the 75mm gun. They have open cockpit days a few times a year where they'll let yuou sit in the cockpits of mnany of these airraft and check them out.

 Here's thier web site  http://www.neam.org

-Westy