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[CWMV]

Thats about what I stick with. No reason to go more than 60% wile cruising.

[hello]

If anyone would like to know in detail how to fly the P51 in Il2, google Klingstroem, a real life pilot, one-time IL2 addict, and old GH teammate of mine. He has tracks, instructions, stick settings the lot on how to fly the old horse, and was virtually unbeatable.

http://www.352ndfg.com/vb/showthread.php?4041-The-352nd-VFG-now-hosts-GH_Klingstroem-s-P-51-Combat-Training-Information

[SAS~Monty27]

What an excellent thread!  Thanks to all in this discussion so far.  This is well worth reading through for some great information. 

Despite the differing opinions our mutual love of the subject is so clear, I don't feel like such a wierdo now, cheers!

[SAS~Malone]

hah - don't worry, Monty. you're still a weirdo, it's just that here you're in the company of fellow weirdos, lol

[CWMV]

Seriously.
I mean, what sort of guy thinks of big floppy donkey dingus for a thread title...
 
Still makes me chuckle...

[mach-overspeed]

Hey guys,

Mostly lurk here, and enjoy the EXCELLENT site, and all the hard work that everybody has done.....I just ain't got the words......

Anyway, will chance a few words.

I've flown the aluminum a couple times (dual control). 

Both flights we burned 100LL, so the Manifold Pressure was waaaay limited. I don't think we ever pulled more than 50 inches, maybe a little less. It's been a loooong time, but the owner distinctly warned me to not push the MP up too high or we might hole a piston. Didn't get up in the Flight Levels as I recall, but did get above 10000 ft for a few minutes. It was clearly evident that the airplane wanted more power. No way it would let you trim it. No matter what I did, the ball would be out, or we would slip, take yer' pick. Until we started down. Just trimmed it over, out of like 16 thousand for 10...Zoom! It's CLEAN. Indicated airspeed quickly went past 250 and then it just felt *so right*. Much like a jet, except friggin LOUD. Less vibration than I expected. Once the speed got up for that brief moment, I did notice a LOT of ram air effect on the Manifold Pressure. More than I've seen on anything else I've flown. Don't know if this is normal or not. It wasn't a bitch, just a detail. When we leveled off at 10, after a bit the power needed to be bumped up, because we had slowed down and lost a couple inches of MP from reduced ram air.

OK. After all that, and thinking a while about all the high altitude flying I've done,....Now don't think I'm trying to preach gospel, because I certainly ain't a Mustang owner, but I'm of the opinion that above say, FL270, or thereabouts, you don't want to do ANYTHING that will slow you down. And for sure that's true above FL330. Up there, ram air is what you gotta have, to get her up on the step.

So, that means high altitude ACM in the Mustang is just plain using the airplane wrong (in my humble opinion). It's a runner, not a wrestler, or a dancer. When the enemy dives away, let him. Now you've got an altitude (energy) advantage on him, and forced him to disengage you and/or the bomber stream. Now all ya gotta do is wait for him to climb back up, and make him waste all his gas doing it all over again. Bottom line, he ain't shooting at anybody for a minute, and you can pounce and zoom back up at your leisure, holding him at bay. You're making him run at max continuous power for an extended period, and he can't tanker fuel like you do, so eventually he's gotta' break it off and go home.

Historically, the Mustang was never known as the greatest 1 on 1 dogfighter, although it was good enough in that role if exceptionally well flown. It was fast (particularly in cruise), and had legs. That's it's claim to fame. Ours emulate that fairly well, I think. They're certainly plenty of fun, and that's the main thing.

[HundertzehnGustav]

...
edit: what you are saying is, somehow, the stang doesnt do its job with the guns, it does the job with its mere presence...
the hotshots in the game will hate to read this...

XD

[BT~Tarik]

Cool info, thanks 

[mach-overspeed]

"what you are saying is, somehow, the stang doesnt do its job with the guns, it does the job with its mere presence..."

Not at all. What I'm saying is that the Mustang, like any other fighter, has it's strengths and weaknesses, and the trick to using it effectively, is understanding what they are, and how best to either exploit, or avoid them, as the case may be.

Assuming the enemy isn't trying to get killed, or intentionally crash his ship, or blow the engine(s) up, samey-same as yourself, there's only so much risk he's willing to take at any given moment. If, for example, the fight is above FL300, and he's already been forced to dive away, and climb back up and chase the bombers down again, he's mucho vulnerable to whoever is just cruising along above him, waiting to pounce, and isn't likely to press the issue against a known-wise opponent who has the energy advantage. If he does, use the advantage to either kill him, or force him to dive away again. Repeat as necessary until he's dead, or hits BINGO fuel and retires. The Mustang's performance advantage in that regime, makes it's rather weak (typical US) armament good enough to not lose a bomber, or get killed, which equals a win for the day.

Compare that situation to a kamikaze on the deck, jinking all over the place, inbound to smack a carrier. I wouldn't think a Mustang would excell at that job in the least, unless maybe ya' hung a couple Sidewinders on it.

Wait a minute...

Mua-ha-ha-haaa.....

[HundertzehnGustav]

he's mucho vulnerable to whoever is just cruising along above him, waiting to pounce, and isn't likely to press the issue against a known-wise opponent who has the energy advantage.

there is it, the mustang cruising above by the dozens, not doing their job with a trigger, but with their mere presence and well conserved energy advantage, against the poor climbing 109 (g6, worst of them all) or 110 G2 (even easier prey)

well, at least what i interpret.

and no, dat mustang would not at all be suited to that kind of Job... maybe with a couple of 20s and ammo to boot... the single random hit on the zero must be fatal...