[BenWired306]

I had a great flight today.

The P-40 is a very nice flyer, and it's so easy to get comfortable with in the air. With the CG at the current position, ~85-88 mm, it was a very smooth flight. Compared to the Spitfire it feels smoother but I think the P-40 loses more speed in the turns.

After I had made all the pre-flight checks I decided I had to just get it in the air ASAP because it would be too dark very soon. I taxied out and lined up, then I slowly increased the throttle. It was easy to track it, it does not pull excessively to the left. I took off at a little ove half throttle and kept increasing as I climbed and retracted the gear. I had adjusted the valve so that it had some delay now and it retracted nice and slow.

The prop makes a sweet sound. The motor isn't audible in flight but instead you head a thumping sound from the propeller along with loud wooshing from both prop and airframe.

I was able to pull pretty big loops without diving so there's enough power with the homemade power setup. They took a long time to do and it slowed down noticeably towards the top but they were still round and impressive. It didn't stall on the top of the loops. It has a higher power to weight ratio than the Spitfire.

When the landing came I lowered the landing gear and watched as one gear came down all the way and the other hung therehalfway. Uh oh... I slowed down further and lowered some flaps . *click* and the other gear came down. then I turned in to line up for the landing, but since I was beig careful not to bank too much I had to turn over 200º and then line up, so it was closer than I wanted. I lowered the flaps completely and pointed the nose down with the throttle shut and it actually slowed down a little as it descended. Touchdown was gentle and smooth, and as it slowed down it did not veer off to the left or right like the Spitfire does. the Spitfire will pull so hard to the right with the prop windmilling I just have to hope there's nothing in the way.

A couple of pictures:
http://www.enrarot.net/images/p-40-99.jpg
http://www.enrarot.net/images/p-40-100.jpg

Here's a short video showing the plane idling after landing. It doesn't make much sound:
http://www.enrarot.net/videos/p40/p-40idling.wmv


Still lots and lots to do before it's finished.