Folks

 

I'm battling... I'm after the glider aerocache. Jump 'in' the P51, which according to Mr Gunston (who I'm not going to argue with) has a service ceiling of 41,000'. But I cannot get above 26k'. Well, I can, but I have to zoom through it, which of course bleeds off speed, then I lose height trying to regain it and settle back at around 26,000'. Mixture is leaned, pitch full fine, loud handle full forward. If I get it level and pitch the nose up a touch, it climbs a bit, bleeds off a few knots and again settles back to around 26k', but at the reduced speed. Eventually this comes back, so it climbs a bit, bleeds off speed, rinse and repeat. It's around 180kts indicated (on the HUD, which I don't trust), so it's not like I should be all out of energy, flopping around at 120kts.

 

What am I doing wrong? Surely there is a speed for best rate of climb at this sort of altitude.

 

Mike

Nothing, you're most probably doing nothing wrong... But, try to set auto-mixture and give it a try again please, then report ;-)

I got some advice in multiplayer - mouse mode and auto-mixture. I'll try again with just the auto-mixture (ie use the stick & trim) and report. :-)

 

Mike

The P51 has a *very* fine line at high altitude between it's 'perfect' mixture and 'not quite right' mixture.

With auto-mixture I got to a sustainable 37,800' (but basically on the edge of controllability). I could zoom to over 39k' and probably get that over 40k' if I was trying, but that wasn't the purpose of the exercise.

 

Very nice pan-able photo of a cockpit here:

http://www.stclairphoto-imaging.com/360/P51-Mustang/P51_swf.html

I was checking to see if there was an auto-lean and auto-rich setting on the mixture. There is, so setting the auto-mixture on for the Mustang (and P40) is more realistic than turning it off.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

With auto-mixture I got to a sustainable 37,800' (but basically on the edge of controllability). I could zoom to over 39k' and probably get that over 40k' if I was trying, but that wasn't the purpose of the exercise.

 

Very nice pan-able photo of a cockpit here:

http://www.stclairph...ng/P51_swf.html

I was checking to see if there was an auto-lean and auto-rich setting on the mixture. There is, so setting the auto-mixture on for the Mustang (and P40) is more realistic than turning it off.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

Very nice photo. Thanks for posting.

 

Ray

_{That -51 cockpit would be sweet! Also slow and steady for the climb rate with the P-51, just above stall. Hands on at that point ontill she refuses to go any higher, should see 40,000 feet if lucky.}

 

_Steve

Haven't tried this challenge myself but I have to ask... Wouldn't dropping the flaps a notch help?

Flaps won't help, they add drag as well as lift :). But just hit auto-mixture and climb, 35-36.000 feet is no problem, higher is possible with some patience.

Great 'pit photo - yes please