what would you fly?

TonyM · **Posted:** Thu Feb 10, 2011 7:38 pm

whistlingdeathcorsairs wrote:

mudge and chris, i think that was on take-off. if an engine stopped during that the p-38 would flip and kill the pilot. that's what i'm thinking. in level flight i think you could make it home on one engine. that would mean sooooo much over the pacific ocean

According to my research, it seemed that the P-38 guys would lose it when they turned into the dead engine. Unfortunately there is a lot of that in my book on WWII aviation accidents.

In my book there is at least one instance of a DB-7 losing an engine during the take-off run/rotation and rolling inverted and into the ground (Hunter Field, GA, 17 June 42). There are probably more than one but this one accident sticks out in particular because I had helped this family. The pilot was 2Lt. James R. Barrow.

TM

HMFischer · **Posted:** Thu Feb 10, 2011 7:51 pm

If I'm buying the gas; L4. If somebody else buys the perto P 47N. Dad worked on them in IE Shima in 1945. Orrrr---P61, I think a couple P&Ws would be a bit thirsty though. I've always liked the look of the Black widow. And from what I've read with it's control surfaces it was very manuverable for it's weight. Hugh

DC3R4DC47 · **Joined:** Tue Dec 08, 2009 12:34 am **Posts:** 115

Yank in the RAf in a Hurricane,preferably a MKIIc, or a C47 guy flying the Hump.

warbird1 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:25 pm **Posts:** 2760

TonyM wrote:

whistlingdeathcorsairs wrote:

mudge and chris, i think that was on take-off. if an engine stopped during that the p-38 would flip and kill the pilot. that's what i'm thinking. in level flight i think you could make it home on one engine. that would mean sooooo much over the pacific ocean

According to my research, it seemed that the P-38 guys would lose it when they turned into the dead engine. Unfortunately there is a lot of that in my book on WWII aviation accidents.

In my book there is at least one instance of a DB-7 losing an engine during the take-off run/rotation and rolling inverted and into the ground (Hunter Field, GA, 17 June 42). There are probably more than one but this one accident sticks out in particular because I had helped this family. The pilot was 2Lt. James R. Barrow.

TM

It all depends on what airspeed that you lose that engine at. If it's below Vmc or single engine safety speed, then you will have to reduce power on the good engine to keep from rolling it over on it's back. Obviously the most critical time for such an engine failure is during the takeoff roll, when one is below that critical speed. In cruise, losing an engine should present no more problems than any other W.W. II twin of it's era. In other words, it would be imminently controllable provided one was above Vmc.

Dan Johnson II · **Joined:** Tue May 04, 2004 1:49 am **Posts:** 659

Spitfire XII with these guys. Tangmere Wing, Fall of 1943

agent86 · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 3:57 am **Posts:** 926

if I'm not mistaken (I am rather often) Charles Lindberg used to do an aerobatic routine with a P-38 with one engine out to show what was possible. I think that experience was what determined whether or not you augered in.oh and training too.

warbird1 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:25 pm **Posts:** 2760

agent86 wrote:

if I'm not mistaken (I am rather often) Charles Lindberg used to do an aerobatic routine with a P-38 with one engine out to show what was possible. I think that experience was what determined whether or not you augered in.oh and training too.

It was Tony LeVier who did that. If Lindbergh did it also, I haven't heard about it.

Mudge · **Posted:** Fri Feb 11, 2011 11:34 am

agent86 wrote:

if I'm not mistaken (I am rather often) Charles Lindberg used to do an aerobatic routine with a P-38 with one engine out to show what was possible. I think that experience was what determined whether or not you augered in.oh and training too.

WOW! If only there was film of that....

Mudge the wishful

whistlingdeath77 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 11, 2011 3:49 pm

i thought lindberg had something to do with the fuel consumption of the aircraft. he was able to show other pilots how to get max range out the plane and belly tanks. Correct me if im wrong guys. Being Lindberg though, im sure he at least tried to loop a p-38! Does anybody know if that can be done on one engine?

TonyM · **Posted:** Fri Feb 11, 2011 4:29 pm

whistlingdeathcorsairs wrote:

i thought lindberg had something to do with the fuel consumption of the aircraft. he was able to show other pilots how to get max range out the plane and belly tanks. Correct me if im wrong guys. Being Lindberg though, im sure he at least tried to loop a p-38! Does anybody know if that can be done on one engine?

Lindburgh was in the PTO giving advice on fuel consumption. He flew with Tommy McGuire in the 475FG on several occasions. He apparently had flown some unauthorized combat missions. Stoires about Lindberg can be found in the book about Col. Gerald Johnson "Jungle Ace" and in one of the books about McGuire. The title escapes me right now.

There is a story about Jimmy Doolittle flying and doing aerobatics on one engine in a Martin B-26 to demonstrate to frightened pilots that the B-26 could be flown on one engine.
I think the account can be found in Gline's book on the subject.

TM.

warbird1 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:25 pm **Posts:** 2760

TonyM wrote:

whistlingdeathcorsairs wrote:

There is a story about Jimmy Doolittle flying and doing aerobatics on one engine in a Martin B-26 to demonstrate to frightened pilots that the B-26 could be flown on one engine.
I think the account can be found in Gline's book on the subject.

Are you sure he was doing aerobatics in the B-26? That's not an aerobatic aircraft. I've heard the same story, but not the "aerobatics" portion, just that he demonstrated the aircraft at forward bases to dispel the myth of the "Widowmaker" being a deadly aircraft.

warbird1 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:25 pm **Posts:** 2760

whistlingdeathcorsairs wrote:

i thought lindberg had something to do with the fuel consumption of the aircraft. he was able to show other pilots how to get max range out the plane and belly tanks. Correct me if im wrong guys. Being Lindberg though, im sure he at least tried to loop a p-38! Does anybody know if that can be done on one engine?

Of course it can!

Lefty Gardner, when he was alive, used to do a full aerobatic demonstration in the P-38 with one engine shutdown and feathered.

whistlingdeath77 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 11, 2011 4:45 pm

warbird1 wrote:

whistlingdeathcorsairs wrote:

i thought lindberg had something to do with the fuel consumption of the aircraft. he was able to show other pilots how to get max range out the plane and belly tanks. Correct me if im wrong guys. Being Lindberg though, im sure he at least tried to loop a p-38! Does anybody know if that can be done on one engine?

Of course it can!

Lefty Gardner, when he was alive, used to do a full aerobatic demonstration in the P-38 with one engine shutdown and feathered.

thanks for the info! Was he the one who used to fly the white lightning?

warbird1 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:25 pm **Posts:** 2760

whistlingdeathcorsairs wrote:

warbird1 wrote:

whistlingdeathcorsairs wrote:

i thought lindberg had something to do with the fuel consumption of the aircraft. he was able to show other pilots how to get max range out the plane and belly tanks. Correct me if im wrong guys. Being Lindberg though, im sure he at least tried to loop a p-38! Does anybody know if that can be done on one engine?

Of course it can!

Lefty Gardner, when he was alive, used to do a full aerobatic demonstration in the P-38 with one engine shutdown and feathered.

thanks for the info! Was he the one who used to fly the white lightning?

Yes, that's him - one of the Legends of the P-38.

Bill Greenwood · **Posted:** Sat Feb 12, 2011 12:18 am

I recall seeing Bob Hoover doing a one engine acro demo many times in the Aero Commander Shrike.
I don't recall Lefty doing it on one engine, perhaps he did. Does anyone have any photos of Lefty doing this?

Lefty once was coming up here and was misfueled next door at Eagle where they put jet fuel in the P-38. It might run on White Lightin, but not on kerosene. Luckyily he caught the detonation on takeoff and shut down. The plugs looked like they had been shot peened, didn't seem to be any other trouble.

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