Dudley

There are two sounds of the Merlin engine I remember. First was the
classical cruise or high power sound. The other was the sound when you
pitched off the deck in the pattern and pulled the throttle back to
idle. The popping noise with the short stacks was very distincive
also.

Very few alive today remember when pitching off the deck landing, was
the operating mode.

About all we can do now is dream of the good old days )

Big John
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On Tue, 06 Dec 2005 01:43:15 GMT, "Dudley Henriques"
wrote:


"Private" wrote in message
news:8j4lf.54066$Eq5.5797@pd7tw1no...
http://www.rense.com/general69/p51.htm

Happy landings,

It's a beautiful sentiment.
Believe it or not, I've actually lived an exact duplication of this scenario
more than a few times in my life.
No matter where I was with our P51, the request was always the same; a low
pass and a roll or two before departing the area.
I complied wherever and whenever I could, if time and fuel permitted.
I always felt that when this happened I was just a player. The 51 and indeed
the Merlin sound are one of the most recognizable combinations in all of
aviation. I don't think I ever met anyone seriously involved with flying who
wouldn't admit to having a life long love affair with the airplane.
To many of the people that I met at the fields on these stops en route to
and coming from the air displays I flew, their request would be their once
in a lifetime chance to be so close to the airplane.
Most of all I remember the kids the most. In every face I saw myself at that
age.
I think I enjoyed those little impromptu small airport climbing rolls more
than any displays I ever flew.
Dudley Henriques