Specifications

DCS
[P-51D Mustang]
108
FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS
shifts back into low blower on the descent. As a precaution, attention should be paid to the
Supercharger control switch. If the amber light isn’t out below 12,000 feet, the supercharger should
be set manually to LOW. When running in high blower, care should be taken to handle the throttle
smoothly, as any rough handling will cause the engine to surge, greatly decreasing the efficiency of
the airframe at high altitude and increasing control efforts.
High Speed Dives
The P-51 is an excellent diving platform, thanks to its clean-lined design, laminar-flow wing,
exceptional aerodynamics characteristics, and small frontal area. It is capable of developing terrific
speeds, which makes it necessary to pay careful attention when diving. The following table illustrates
safe pullout altitudes for various diving angles. These figures are based on a constant 4G pull for a
flight level altitude of 4,000 feet at recovery.
It is recommended that trim tabs are not used during a dive after the aircraft is trimmed for level
prior to initiating the dive. If so desired, the aircraft can be trimmed once during the dive, but this
must be done carefully as the trim tabs are sensitive to input and care must be taken not to trim the
aircraft nose-heavy.
Note the accompanying table, which shows the minimum safe altitude required for
pullout from dives of various degrees. These figures are based on a constant 4G
acceleration, which is about what the average pilot can withstand without blacking out.