Why were almost all of them scrapped?
According to a program on the Discovery channel they were putting guys
into Spitfires that would be the equivelant of a low time solo student
now days.
I wouldn't be surprised if that's true, but I've heard a lot of
"facts" on the Discovery Channel (and the History Channel) that were
NOT true.
I doubt their writers are well-trained in historical research and
evaluation of sources. There's a lot of nonsense in books, too, which
those writers probably draw on as 'gospel."
Did you know, for example, that the top speed of the Vultee BT-13 was
190 miles per hour?
The F4U also is *big*, heavy, and although a carrier bird is not
exactly a short field plane.
There was a recent discussion of that in another newsgroup and I was
surprised at how quickly an F4U can get off. I don't remember the
number, but I think it was around 2,000 feet.
I don't remember if they hald a larger engine than the "Jug", but I
think they did.
Both the P-47 ands the F4U had the PW R-2800 engine. I vaguely recal
that the Goodyear FG-1, based on the F4U, may have had a larger
engine.
The Jug ran a miserly 80 to 90 gallons per hour at
economy cruise as I recall.
That sounds about right.
I'd like to have one of the tricycle gear Skyraiders. I think most of
those were tail draggers.
I've never even HEARD of an AD that was not a tail dragger. Do you
know if there's a picture of a tricycle gear AD on the net?
That thing is huge and had the largest
radial engine we ever used, as far as I know.
I think it was a 3350. I think there was a 43XX radial that was used
on the Connie or the DC7, but my memory is quite vague on that.
vince norris
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