Pushing the limit

"Mycroft" wrote in message
...
Can anyone think instances when an AC has been push beyond it's limits or
has done things it was never supposed too? The reason I ask is that I
recently read that when Lancasters were carrying Grandslams during WW2 the
engines were seriously over reved at take off because the bomb exceeded
the
AC max payload weight by aprox 9000lbs.

I had a P51D all the way out to .75 once after an O2 failure at altitude. I
had some "guest" engineers from North American as well as my personal crew
chief look the bird over pretty well afterward. Things were REALLY hum'in in
the pit there for a while for me:-)))
Although we estimated the tip rotational velocities went through the roof,
the airplane came through it ok. I did have a walking stick for awhile as
the airplane went into compressibility, but once down into denser air it
recovered ok with gentle back pressure to keep the g in limits.
No biggie really...tough airplane!
Dudley Henriques
International Fighter Pilots Fellowship
Commercial Pilot/CFI
Retired