Flying the P-51 B

[Knarley-Bob]

Is there a better time or not to select the Merlin on a mission?

[jeanba]

I think the Merlin is quite usefull when you are flying !

?

[Knarley-Bob]

I think I meant between the Allison and Merlin?

[Irishratticus72]

39 minutes ago, Knarley-Bob said:

I think I meant between the Allison and Merlin?

Allisons get a lot of ?, but I kinda like them, the Americans were way ahead in terms of turbo and supercharging their engines than either the Brits or the Germans for a time.

Edited March 16, 2023 by Irishratticus72

[MAJ_stug41]

Depends on the alt you intend to fly. Under 12k feet the allison is superior.

[BlitzPig_EL]

Umm. The B NEVER had an Allison engine. In game we have a choice between two different versions of the Merlin.

The P51A, Mustang I, or A36 "Apache", were the versions with the Allison V-1710

 

Edited March 16, 2023 by BlitzPig_EL

[LukeFF]

4 minutes ago, BlitzPig_EL said:

Umm. The B NEVER had an Allison engine. In game we have a choice between two different versions of the Merlin.

The P51A, Mustang I, or A36 "Apache", were the versions with the Allison V-1710

 

And furthermore, the only difference between the B and the C is where it was built. 

[Irishratticus72]

7 minutes ago, BlitzPig_EL said:

Umm. The B NEVER had an Allison engine. In game we have a choice between two different versions of the Merlin.

The P51A, Mustang I, or A36 "Apache", were the versions with the Allison V-1710

 

Well, I don't know what game you're playing, but just last night I flew a 190 A3 with two Allisons, one on each wing.

[Knarley-Bob]

2 hours ago, BlitzPig_EL said:

Umm. The B NEVER had an Allison engine. In game we have a choice between two different versions of the Merlin.

The P51A, Mustang I, or A36 "Apache", were the versions with the Allison V-1710

 

Well then, I guess we are back to the Merlin being very useful when flying....?

[RossMarBow]

5 hours ago, Irishratticus72 said:

Allisons get a lot of ?, but I kinda like them, the Americans were way ahead in terms of turbo and supercharging their engines than either the Brits or the Germans for a time.

At first I was like mmmmmmmmmmmm

 

4 hours ago, Irishratticus72 said:

Well, I don't know what game you're playing, but just last night I flew a 190 A3 with two Allisons, one on each wing.

 

Then I was hype hype yea

 

 

[ShamrockOneFive]

11 hours ago, Knarley-Bob said:

Well then, I guess we are back to the Merlin being very useful when flying....?

As you've gleaned... both engines available for the P-51B/C are Merlin's just with different gearing. The Default configuration gives you an engine gearing that gives the P-51B its best possible speed at a slightly higher speed but also at a higher altitude. The V-1650-7 came slightly later and was geared for slightly lower altitude shaving off a mph or two but offering higher speeds across a wider range of altitudes.

[Knarley-Bob]

That's the answer I was looking for, but couldn't figure out how to ask. Thank you, AND your crystal ball.........?

[Rjel]

1 hour ago, Knarley-Bob said:

That's the answer I was looking for, but couldn't figure out how to ask. Thank you, AND your crystal ball.........?

Shuuuure it was. I always wonder what’s the best choice is between a Dodge and a Ford when asking about a Chevy. ?

[Knarley-Bob]

2 hours ago, Rjel said:

Shuuuure it was. I always wonder what’s the best choice is between a Dodge and a Ford when asking about a Chevy. ?

JEEP..........?

Edited March 17, 2023 by Knarley-Bob

[S10JlAbraxis]

20 hours ago, Irishratticus72 said:

Well, I don't know what game you're playing, but just last night I flew a 190 A3 with two Allisons, one on each wing.

Don't forget the tail mounted Allison as well!

[Irishratticus72]

3 minutes ago, S10JlAbraxis said:

Don't forget the tail mounted Allison as well!

Now you're just being ridiculous.

[BlitzPig_EL]

 

I've got yer tail mount Allison right here.

[Trooper117]

I saw something like that in Star Wars...

[DD_Arthur]

36 minutes ago, BlitzPig_EL said:

 

I've got yer tail mount Allison right here.

Looks amazing although bailing out would have been a bit dicey! What is it?

[Wardog5711]

Curtiss XP-55 Ascender

 

[DD_Arthur]

Aha! Thanks Wardog? 

[ShamrockOneFive]

2 hours ago, Trooper117 said:

I saw something like that in Star Wars...

Star Wars saw something like that in WWII

[Knarley-Bob]

Didn't the Luftwaffe have one with propellers on each end? The Dornier Arrow?

 

And NO, they weren't Allisons either.

 

Wish list? (Hint,hint)?

 

KB

Edited March 18, 2023 by Knarley-Bob

[Cybermat47]

2 hours ago, Wardog5711 said:

Curtiss XP-55 Ascender

 

Looks awesome! Apparently the performance was inferior to conventional fighters, though, and it was designed on the eve of the jet age as well.

 

Even worse, 2 of the 3 prototypes crashed, killing six people (two pilots and four civilians).

 

6 minutes ago, Knarley-Bob said:

Didn't the Luftwaffe have one with propellers on each end? The Dornier Arrow?

 

And NO, they weren't Allisons either.

 

KB

 

Yep, the Do-335 with two DB603s. Pierre Clostermann claimed to have seen one during a sortie, but it escaped with its higher speed.

Edited March 18, 2023 by Cybermat47

[Wardog5711]

Quote

Didn't the Luftwaffe have one with propellers on each end? The Dornier Arrow?

 

Yep, The DO-335.

 

[Trooper117]

I used to fly that in the old IL2...

[Wardog5711]

The US had some other experimental pusher designs in addition to the XP-55.

 

The Vultee XP-54 "Swoose Goose"

 

 

The Northrup XP-56 "Black Bullet"

 

[Art-J]

Anyone intrigued by the project that spawned XP-54, 55 and 56 should check "Rex's Hangar" channel on YT. The guy made very concise and interesting vids about each of them (I'd recommend his channel in general).

[Rjel]

I've always found the looks of this plane intriguing.

 

 

[BOO]

5 minutes ago, Rjel said:

I've always found the looks of this plane intriguing.

 

 

Ah the aircraft that sounds like a 70s DJ

[DD_Arthur]

1 hour ago, Rjel said:

I've always found the looks of this plane intriguing.

 

 

Thats a…that’s a….what the hell is that??

 

I take the front end went on to have an illustrious career as the B47?

[Wardog5711]

Douglas XB-42 Mixmaster 

 

The first version (May '44) was powered by twin Allison V-1710-125.

The XB-42A (May '47)added a Westinghouse 19XB-2A turbojet under each wing.

 

[Rjel]

Or possibly a not so illustrious career in the jet powered XB-43.

 

[Rjel]

4 hours ago, Wardog5711 said:

Curtiss XP-55 Ascender

 

 

Was that photo taken at the Kalamazoo Air Zoo? That's where I saw the XP-55 a few years ago. A great little museum and restoration shop if anyone is visiting SW MI.

 

 

[Wardog5711]

Yep. 

I had some old B&W's saved, but a quick search turned up those.

Looks like an excellent museum.

 

 

[DD_Arthur]

1 hour ago, Rjel said:

Or possibly a not so illustrious career in the jet powered XB-43.

According to wiki it does seem to have had an extremely useful career as a an engine test bed.

I find the whole period 45 - 60 a fascinating time in aviation.

Unfortunately these things seem to be too obscure to compete against Spitfires and Mustangs when it comes to museum space.

[ST_Catchov]

7 hours ago, Rjel said:

 

Was that photo taken at the Kalamazoo Air Zoo? That's where I saw the XP-55 a few years ago. A great little museum and restoration shop if anyone is visiting SW MI.

 

 

 

So .... the jig is up! The USAF stole the designs from Crimson Skies. Stay tooned for pusher driven weather balloons over Montana.

[spreckair]

Ascender ey?  Kind of a redundant name for an aircraft.  Like calling a submarine "Descender".

[Wardog5711]

Yeah, it makes about as much sense as calling the XF-12 the "Rainbow".

But at some point, you eventually run out of cool names.

 

 

[AndyJWest]

9 minutes ago, spreckair said:

Ascender ey?  Kind of a redundant name for an aircraft.  Like calling a submarine "Descender".

 

It has been claimed that the name started as a joke - as the 'Ass-ender'.