Racing against the odds in a WW2 Plane

Hey guys and gals. Just came across this really cool mini doc on the speed record with a prop. Thought I’d post it, hope it’s not a repost!




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That is one very smooth Mustang. I had dinner once with the Hinton family, nice bunch of people.

 

It looks like the same treatment on this airplane as that done on Miss RJ, race 5. Jim L., aerodynamicist, went through the airplane and meticulously cleaned it up. All gaps were filled and panel protrusions, surface ripples, and misfits were smoothed out. Gun bay doors were bolted shut and gaps filled and smoothed. A longer and more pointed spinner was fitted and the canopy was reversed with the pointy aft end was mounted forward. At a single manifold pressure setting the airplane gained 10 MPH if I remember. The crucial thing was the smoothing of the aircraft 's whetted areas. Looks like the same thing was done with the airplane that Hinton flew.

 

https://www.aviationpartners.com/aviation-partners-sets-world-record-without-winglets/

 

Bob- Wax jobs used to give some of the same benefits in WW-II and Korea. But your crew chief had to really love you.

 

I think that the "Red Baron" that Steve crashed in was formerly named "Miss RJ #5"... same plane?

 

Always used Lemon Pledge to clean the windscreen and wing/tail surfaces. Easy to get bugs off and gave a nice shine and smooth surface. Also that 'lemon pledge smell'

 

Yep, Terry, I remember that. Como paint was infused with a grainy substance called Syloid 78 to make it dull. It also had the surface quality of fine sandpaper and the drag that went with it. Wax helped a lot to decrease the drag. German paints didn't have the rough surface and the British finally figured out the formula and used it on their airplanes. I recall specs on the Spitfire under-surface, " Sky, Type S " Sky type smooth. Best thing that the USAAF did was to get rid of the weight and drag of the camo paints

 

Yes but reg # N7715C has been recycled and is on a different airframe now according to Mustang Survivors.