Warbirds Worldwide : Page 3 of 4

Eliot Cross radioed in and joined up for the photographic sortie. What a unique pair! The camera felt like a lump of gold as we did various maneuvres to get some interesting photographs, pulling about 2.5 to 3G's. As Lee asked me how I felt I was unable to reply with a handful of heavy camera and deep concentration. The Mustang canopy is not an ideal layer to shoot through but, much to my surprise the pictures came out well. We dropped back in formation with the Spitfire for the wide angle on board video to get some footage of the formation, and after a couple more manoeuvres Lee called it off and we parted company.
Right. Back to training. After passing the camera to Lee I was briefed on how I was going to do a basic loop in the Mustang. Now I figured how on earth is Lee going to take the pictures and fly the TF-51 Simple. He was going to take the pictures, and I was going to fly the Mustang!

"Right Paul, turn left go degrees, push to 37 inches of manifold pressure and roll wings level, put the nose down, little more....now pull really hard, come on, pull, pull, PULLLLL!!!" ...the nose came up into the vertical as I was instructed to feed in some right rudder....I felt heavier in the seat as the Mustang pulled over.... pulled my head back instinctively as Lee pointed the camera at me. Posers Paradise. Power coming back, throttle back. I repeated the experience, but being the gentle person I am really didn't get aggressive enough on the controls. Nevertheless, I looped the aeroplane, and have the video to prove it. After a few more manoeuvres, this time expertly performed by Captain Lauderback we headed back towards the field. I relaxed, and began to savour the moment just as the intercom crackled into life...."Paul, were five minutes out of Kissimmee and I want you to do an overhead join and then land on runway 6. I'll be here to help if you need me.." WHAT? If I need him? All right!

"Aircraft systems looking good... O.K."

Paul let's head for home for a nice overhead and full stop... little bumpy underneath the cloud deck here which is perfectly normal...use the stick more aggressively than you have been doing....raise the nose a little, and you're doing fine. Just relax - wooah - right turn here underneath the birds... the stationary birds are the problem!" Lee had spotted some buzzards, known in the past (this is not a joke) to mob the Mustang - then we were back on track after some fine adjustments....we were at 1000 feet and six miles SW of the airport. "Boost pumps on...gentle right hand turn Paul....and we'll overfly the airport at 1000 feet and make a left turn for an overhead approach..." I listened and moved the controls. "Run the prop up to 2700 rpm and throttle back to 26" manifold, now make a hard left turn....go on Paul, hard left...harder! Ease out of the turn, right stick and back, that's it, to 190 knots... drop off another 20 knots and we'll get the gear down here...level wings, nose up a little and aim for the threshold Paul....nice..170 kts, gear coming down, slight left turn ease the nose up a lit- tle....Lee radioed Kissimmee Crazy Horse three greens finals for runway six...after checking gear down and locked...130 knots....line Up with the centre line make teeny corrections, and power back, relax...hey PAUL!!! Back pressure on stick, go on pull some more, pull, pull...NICE JOB!" We were on the deck, more by Lee's inputs than mine I'm sure.

To give me a break, Lee taxied in with a few apologies for what he felt was a little bullying during the flight as he firmly instructed me what to do. Not the case - for me, Lee had struck the perfect balance with his instruction, and I hadn't even broke into a sweat it was so enjoyable. That was a day to remember. The debrief with the video was interesting, and I've almost worn it out playing it since my return home. The certificate is a valued possession. So where is Stallion 51 compared to when we last reported on its activities seven years ago? The new facility which is the result of some long tedious hours of planning and projecting "...is a spring board towards where we want to be with Stallion 51, to reinforce our professionalism. Tied in with some of the things that we are doing, and have on the burner for the future with some of the corporate work we are undertaking with people like Rolls-Royce, who have been very good to us - we've done airshow work for them and flown some of their key people which is big business for them. We currently have Cessna Aircraft Corporation looking at doing a similar programme. So the corporate approach to this coupled with the professionalism made the new facility a real must to make it happen. Our big goal here is a total Mustang facility to try and become the Mustang Centre of the United States which becomes a clearing house not only for training but for maintenance and safety issues affecting these aeroplanes - almost a state of the art information clearing house". Stallion 51 clearly want to see owners operate the aircraft to the full potential and in the safest manner. A major plan is to do a Mustang Safety Seminar, "In April 1998 Stallion 51 wants to bring in as many aircraft and as much 'talent' in the Mustang community as we can." adds Lee. There are already some major corporations ready to work with Stallion 51 and take on the sponsorship of such an event - and provide much that is needed to bring it together. The idea is to promote a three or four day event into which every aspect of Mustang operations is focused upon including operating and maintenance procedures, spinning regimes etc. all tackled by top people. There is a lot of support locally and nationally for such an event.

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