What this means is that in the majority of instances, Steve has already seen a potential problem arising in the cockpit and is making the correction as it is called for by Bernie. Still, it is helpful to have that level of oversight and it kept anything from going unnoticed during the record attempt.
Indeed, the cockpit layout itself was key to ensuring Steve was on top of any issues arising during the flights.
Despite the changes to the panel, the cockpit itself is not a radical departure from standard, with the trim, gear and flaps to be found on the left and kill switches on the right. As well as enabling Steve to get some practice of flying the course at full speed, the team also wanted to use it as a benchmark to work out exactly how much of each fluid would be required for the full run.
With the ADI tank only holding 42 gallons, Steve would have to be somewhat frugal with it — if he used the same set up as at Reno, he would run out. The spray bar water tank has a capacity of gallons, which would be plenty for the attempt.
This left the fuel, which Steve anticipated to be the least concerning of the trio, with a capacity of gallons. Following the first practice the team noticed particularly dark exhaust staining, however on initial inspection the engine seemed in good health. It was not until they drained the fuel tank the following morning that they found only 55 gallons of fuel remaining — the rich-running Merlin had consumed roughly 57 gallons of fuel, which, Steve mentions, is more than an R would have been expected to burn, by way of comparison.
Running the numbers, they realised that had the full course been flown, Steve would have only had eight gallons remaining after landing. This was rather alarming, and necessitated the fitment of a new carburettor. To further put this into context, with the new and correctly performing carburettor , 54 gallons of fuel was used for the full distance attempt.
Another of the key things that the practice runs helped to prove out was the dive profile — a somewhat contentious point, mainly due to the ambiguous wording of the rules from the Federation Aeronautique Internationale FAI , which state that once the flight performance begins, you cannot exceed m ft. For the practice attempt, the run-in was entered from ft AGL above ground level , which gave a first pass of mph.
Later attempts would use more height to edge the initial speed even higher. When flying the record attempts, there is a strict altitude limit of ft imposed during the turnarounds and even here, the speeds the aircraft reached created unforeseen problems.
The practice runs uncovered that the instruments on the static system airspeed indicator, altimeter and vertical speed indicator would begin to read erratically as Steve climbed in the turns. Passing through ft, the altimeter would start swinging ft in either direction, which, with the hard cap at ft, was not ideal, especially for something so critical to the success of the attempt.
These updates began as early as when the Mustangs were equipped with the British Merlin engine for speed. Adding the Merlin engine increased the speed of the PA original Mustang by mph.
This new prototype was brought back to the U. Due to their new speed and classifications, the B and C models were able to fly higher and have a longer range. These details allowed the Mustangs to become the escorts for the U. As time went on, the Mustang continued to update to the model we know today. By the spring of , the Mustang had moved to the PD model. This new plane was equipped with a canopy, called the bubble-top, to protect the pilot and improve his vision.
There were also updates made to the machinery as well. Extra guns and a new gunsight were added to the plane, along with a new feed system for the ammunition to reduce jams in the guns.
By the end of the war, the PH was in commission but did not arrive in time to hit the front lines of battle. This newest model was 50 mph faster than the D model and was considerably lighter than most of the previous models. By , there were over 15, Mustangs in existence — all types included.
I wanted to add value. The shock waves Sikavi found in CFD studies were the result of supersonic airflow over portions of the wing, and they cause abrupt increases in drag. The engineers began to look for ways to weaken the shocks or delay their formation.
With computer-aided design and CFD software, they prescribed pressure distribution over the wing. They then created shapes that eliminated or weakened the shock. They maintained the profiles of portions that were shock-free. That difference may seem small, but it represents a remarkable performance gain: at 7, feet, an additional 28 mph on the same horsepower. Using the digital data, Aviation Partners milled 35 carbon-fiber pieces to be applied to the wing to change its shape.
For two weeks of hour days, Hinton and teammate B. After the final piece was installed, the team had to fill and smooth the new surface. Once the work was complete, the wing was painted, clear-coated, polished, and re-mated to the fuselage. As the modifications were getting under way, Joe Clark requested another big transformation for the racer. Voodoo lost its garish purple, orange, and green race paint and emerged at the end of the summer wearing a classy, creamy white.
The photos of white Voodoo that the team posted on the Internet caused their own shock waves among race fans grown accustomed to the racing livery. High summer temperatures and a 5,foot elevation made the airstrip optimal. For maximum speed, airplanes like the Mustang perform best in thin air at high altitudes.
Less dense air nets a higher true airspeed, the actual speed an aircraft moves through the atmosphere as opposed to indicated speed, calculated by the amount of air molecules entering instruments. High temperature offers additional help for the same reason; hot air is less dense. The reverse is true when it comes to the engine; less dense air means the engine will generate less horsepower.
The internal combustion engine mixes fuel and air; the more air you can pump through the engine via the supercharger and the more fuel via the pump and metered by the carburetor , the more power you can make. Stock Mustang engines produce 1, horsepower at 60 inches of manifold pressure and 3, rpm. The supercharger in a racing V can produce up to inches of manifold pressure. Few of these settings are automatic. Pilots adjust manifold pressure and rpms as they fly. Stuffing more air leads to another problem: too much heat.
In , after five laps, engine problems forced Hinton out of the race. Flores is a master at building Merlins that will rage around the race course and survive the inferno.
A few months after the the Merlin arrived in Tehachapi, the Voodoo team sent a second one: insurance against problems with the primary. The proof that the engine would sustain its power through the four laps of the record attempt would come only during the attempt itself. But to get an indication of how it would behave, the team set up for flight testing. Early tests showed that the airframe modifications had resulted in significant gains in performance.
This schedule shoved the record attempt up against the Reno air races, to be held only a week and a half later. The nine months leading up to the record attempt had been grueling for Hinton. For much of the final three weeks, I spent days with the crew as they worked, overcame obstacles, and kept their focus on the goal. Work had started on the airplane the previous December, and from May onward he had led a small team working 16 to 18 hours a day, seven days a week—without pay.
The effort was entirely volunteer. His crew was small and skilled; every member was able to do just about any job. If you're using these speeds as reference, be sure that you select "Display Indicated Airspeed" in the Realism Settings dialog box. Speeds listed in the specifications table are shown as true airspeeds. By default, this aircraft has full fuel and payload. Depending on atmospheric conditions, altitude, and other factors, you will not get the same performance at gross weight that you would with a lighter load.
The length required for both takeoff and landing is a result of a number of factors such as aircraft weight, altitude, headwind, use of flaps, and ambient temperature. The figures here are conservative and assume:. Lower weights and temperatures result in better performance, as does having a headwind component. Higher altitudes and temperatures degrade performance. The engine is running by default when you begin a flight. If you want to do the startup procedures manually, follow the checklist procedures on the Kneeboard.
The throttle on the P controls engine power, from idle to takeoff power. The P has an adjustable-pitch propeller. The normal power setting for taxiing is 1, rpm press F2 on the keyboard, or drag the power levers. Forward visibility is limited so you need to make S-turns as you taxi. Use the rudder pedals to move the nose side-to-side as you move forward in order to see what is ahead of you.
On the P, available flap settings are from 0 degrees to 50 degrees. Flap limit speeds vary from mph with 10 degrees, to mph with 50 degrees. Run through the Before Takeoff checklist. Directional control is maintained by use of the rudder pedals twist the joystick, use rudder pedals, or press 0 left or ENTER right on the numeric keypad. A good climb speed in the P is mph with a manifold pressure of 47 inches and the propeller at RPM.
Winning races is not about one single skill. Major factors in successful racing include judicious use of boost power and close management of engine cooling.
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