How to maximize range and efficiency with the Mustang

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Scott - A2A
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How to maximize range and efficiency with the Mustang

Post by Scott - A2A »

Your P-51 can be flown with it's 2nd supercharger in either HIGH or LOW setting. The HIGH setting allows you to reach higher altitudes by cramming more air into the engine, but running that supercharger on HIGH robs your engine of horsepower at the same time. Therefore the most efficient way to run your P-51 is with the supercharger in LOW.

An example of a nice, efficient altitude and power setting is:

15,500 ft, 1,700RPM, 28". Remember, the lower the RPM, the more efficient the engine (more power for every gallon burned).

You will see roughly 210kts indicated and 300mph true airspeed, 42 gph, 7.2mpg, and (get ready) over 1,500 miles range. This kind of efficiency, even in today's best GA airplanes is respectable and the best part is, you are traveling at 300mph.

You may be able to squeeze out a bit more by finding that sweet spot up a bit higher (I think the sweet spot may be around 18,000 feet or so), but look at your manifold pressure and RPM gauge, and just keep them both in the green and you will be fine (you probably don't want to run at the high end of manifold pressure and low end of RPM however).

Anyway, the piston engine, believe it or not, is still a marvel of efficiency. Compare the above stats to any modern airplane and be amazed at how advanced this airplane design was and still is.

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locmar
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Re: How to maximize range and efficiency with the Mustang

Post by locmar »

Thanks Scott, great tips as always :D



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Lufthansa 380
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Re: How to maximize range and efficiency with the Mustang

Post by Lufthansa 380 »

I once fueled up the Mustang to the top and fitted the biggest tanks to the wings, took off from EGFF (Cardiff) and flew all the way up to the northern tip of Scotland - I was surprised how little fuel I had burned (only the external fuel tanks). I think I could have easily managed to make the trip back. Having flown the Spitfire before this was quite mindblowing for me.

Cherokeepilot19
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Re: How to maximize range and efficiency with the Mustang

Post by Cherokeepilot19 »

Awesome tips. Thanks Scott. Love putting this plane through its paces and seeing what it can really do. One stop to get from coast to coast is quite amazing for a GA aircraft, in half the time too!
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DHenriques_
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Re: How to maximize range and efficiency with the Mustang

Post by DHenriques_ »

Cherokeepilot19 wrote:Awesome tips. Thanks Scott. Love putting this plane through its paces and seeing what it can really do. One stop to get from coast to coast is quite amazing for a GA aircraft, in half the time too!
We've actually done that in a real Mustang.

In June of 72, we formed a team for the P51D "Miss America" to set a new cross country speed record West to East for Transpo 72.
Howie Keefe flew the attempt and I managed the team for the effort at Dulles. Cox sponsored it all and we got Cessna to back us up with a quick refuel turn around at Wichita.
We flew Miss A from LAX to Dulles for the Transpo opening and set a new record for prop aircraft coast to coast.
Dudley Henriques
Miss America P51 Air Race Team 1972
World Record Piston Aircraft Coast to coast Los Angeles to Dulles
6hrs18min5sec
Team for WR; Howie Keefe, Dudley Henriques, Ben Garret

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Re: How to maximize range and efficiency with the Mustang

Post by SkipperMac »

Lufthansa 380 wrote:I once fueled up the Mustang to the top and fitted the biggest tanks to the wings, took off from EGFF (Cardiff) and flew all the way up to the northern tip of Scotland - I was surprised how little fuel I had burned (only the external fuel tanks). I think I could have easily managed to make the trip back. Having flown the Spitfire before this was quite mindblowing for me.
... which is a perfect illustration of why the Americans could fly daylight bombing raids with fighter escort there and back, whereas the poor old Spitfire pilots had to head home for tea shortly after crossing the Channel leaving the Brit bomber crews on their own ... in the dark ... and probably very, very scared.
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Re: How to maximize range and efficiency with the Mustang

Post by Lewis - A2A »

SkipperMac wrote:
Lufthansa 380 wrote:whereas the poor old Spitfire pilots had to head home for tea shortly after crossing the Channel leaving the Brit bomber crews on their own ... in the dark ... and probably very, very scared.
Brit bomber crews didn't have escorts like the day time boys. Certainly the spits where not used, they where used to escort the day time boys quiet a bit though. The night war is apples and oranges compared to the day time raids :wink:
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Re: How to maximize range and efficiency with the Mustang

Post by robert41 »

Good information Scott. Very good range with this aircraft.

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Re: How to maximize range and efficiency with the Mustang

Post by Shalomar »

Dudley, do you have any more info on the Miss America coast to coast flight?

I am particularly interested in altitude, though specific route would be great.

Sounds like a fun flight to recreate.

Thanx...

Donald
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DHenriques_
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Re: How to maximize range and efficiency with the Mustang

Post by DHenriques_ »

Shalomar wrote:Dudley, do you have any more info on the Miss America coast to coast flight?

I am particularly interested in altitude, though specific route would be great.

Sounds like a fun flight to recreate.

Thanx...

Donald
Here's a link to our planning sheet for the record. I believe it contains what you might need.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8ZDKc ... sp=sharing
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DC3
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Re: How to maximize range and efficiency with the Mustang

Post by DC3 »

Scott - A2A wrote: An example of a nice, efficient altitude and power setting is:
15,500 ft, 1,700RPM, 28". Remember, the lower the RPM, the more efficient the engine (more power for every gallon burned).
You will see roughly 210kts indicated and 300mph true airspeed, 42 gph, 7.2mpg, and (get ready) over 1,500 miles range.
A few months ago, just for the heck of it I loaded up all the gas I could put in the Mil P51 (I wanted to see if I could control it on take off) and flew from the San Francisco Bay Area, California to the Texas (about 1300 nm) and arrived with gas to spare. I flew at 26,000 feet because looking at the performance charts for the P51 this seemed to be where the best airspeed was achieved at. I flew at the recommended cruise settings. I wish I had more specifics, however, I wasn't really trying to maximize my range (other than gas and the 26k altitude) so I am sure the 1500 mile range is easily achievable in the P51D.

Mike

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BiBa
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Re: How to maximize range and efficiency with the Mustang

Post by BiBa »

Scott - A2A wrote:...An example of a nice, efficient altitude and power setting is: 15,500 ft, 1,700RPM, 28". Remember, the lower the RPM, the more efficient the engine...
Scott - you made my day! I've experimented so much at high altitudes for the best setting, and it's so good to know that I've already struck Bingo indeed just by intuition :idea:
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seand
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Re: How to maximize range and efficiency with the Mustang

Post by seand »

Thx for the information Scott :)

Got to add that it's a real beauty and a beast at the same time :D

Loving it 8)

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How to maximize range and efficiency with the Mustang

Post by Shalomar »

I didn't think I could do it in the civilian Mustang but I did.

To make a long story short I recreated Howard Keefe's Miss America transcontinental flight and smashed the record,

6 hrs 12 mins 58 sec TOTAL

8 mins 14 sec on ground at Wichita

I forgot to record my times for descending and climbing back to altitude.

I took off from Van Nuys at 0200 GMT on Wednesday 2/26/2014. That was Tuesday nite on the east coast USA.

There is a lot of room for improvement on my time; I landed both times with over an hour left in the tanks.

First leg was 3:25 at 21,000 and the second 2:39 at 23,000 feet altitude.

On both legs winds were more favorable at 23,000 feet but on the first leg I flew a significant part with the supercharger on low.

I had a 70-90 knot tailwind on the second leg.

All in all this is a fun flight and I highly recommend it.

If you have Active Sky Next you can duplicate my conditions; like I said There is room for a bit more gas guzzling!!!

Thanx for all the info Dudley :)
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Japo32
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Re: How to maximize range and efficiency with the Mustang

Post by Japo32 »

Very good information!
Since I knew the history of Amelia Earhart, I wanted to recreate her flight but with the P51 Civ... without gps and only ADF aid. The thing is that in my testings not completed range test flight it seems that the plane can reach 1700nm at 18,500 feet with very low rpm (still looking for those exact numbers).
don't know if that is correct becuase in the real p51 manual it says that only can be achieved 1200nm with the 269 Us/gal. And those numbers are said by the shift+2 panel.
But as you say I think the 1500nm can be done.

The thing is that I need 1622nm and a little more to be save (1700nm) to jump from Pascua Island to Robinson Crusoe one in Chile. The trip to Hawaii is imposible (more than 2000nm Hawaii to USA coast).

If I lower the energy consumption would I have more range. A real A320 pilot told me that if I switch off some lights and radios etc.. because we would have less energy requirement we will burn less fuel for the generators. Is that modelled in the A2A P51?

Also the octanage of fuel could give me more range? Default is 100 but I think there is more. And the type of oil to let me have less rpm? (don't remember if in the P51 we can the type of fuel and oil (maybe I am mixing things with the Cherokee). By the way I would like to see those features as the walk around one in the P51 and other planes.

Thanks!

Edit: I made a flight between Klax and KILN (1690nm) with still some gas in wings.
17500feet, low charger, 1700rpm, 22.5man. at 165 ias (225gs)

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