I don't know anything about the relative stability of the P-51, Me 109
and Spitfire. Do you have some info on that? If the latter two planes
had the range of the P-51, would they be any more taxing to fly straight
and level on a long mission? If the P-51 really is more stable than the
other two, are you suggesting that the designers made it that way to
give the pilot a better ride? Maybe there is someone out there who has
flown at least 2 of the 3 planes and can comment.


Corky Scott wrote:
On Mon, 02 May 2005 16:38:00 -0600, RomeoMike
wrote:


the P-51 is a surpringly stable airplane


It had to be, considering the number of hours pilots were expected to
fly in it during escort missions. If the airplane had been as
unstable as the Me 109 or the Spitfire the pilots might have been so
exhausted that they would be a danger to themselves and everyone else
near them.

Corky Scott