"ArtKramr" wrote in message
...
I ran into quite a few guys who flew P-39's. The all said the same thing.
It
had dangerous flat spin characteristics. . Benig bombardier I asked,
"what the
hell is .that?" They explained. I don't remember what they said so I
can't
explain it here. But I am sure guys like Ed and Dudley can.

Arthur Kramer

Was this flat-spin condition related in any way to an equally-distressing
condition I've been told about called the "tumble", in which the P-39
allegedly could flip end-over-end (i.e., swap ends, or tumble,
tail-to-front) if sufficient Gs were pulled in turns? Apparently, the
aircraft's wings would completely lose their grip on the air or vice versa.
Ostensibly, this "tumble" was a bugaboo unique to the P-39. At least, I've
never heard of it being associated with its P-63 successor....