Landing speeds?

[CodyValkyrie]

That "horn" is the AN/APS-13 tail warning radar, which was coded to function like the real thing. Essentially, it's a small tail radar (you'll notice small loops on the vertical tail fin) that detects objects near the tail. Should an object (including the ground, if you're low enough) be detected, the horn will light up and a buzzer will ring. Quite useful for long boring flights when you get bounced by a Focke-Wulf 190. On the right side of the cockpit, you'll find the control box. Of note, it takes a moment to warm up. If you're unsure if it's working, the test switch also functions.

Another cool feature is a fully working K-14 gunsight, with appropriate control box, range and wingspan selector, sun glass, and gyro operated compensation. There's lots of little features like this throughout the P-51D.

[Alan_A]

Fascinating. Thanks for that, Cody. I knew about the tail warning radar in the abstract but had never put it to use. To my knowledge I've never been bounced by anything - I don't think MyTraffic is coded for that. But since I haven't turned on the radar yet, I can't be sure.

Wonderful that there are always new things to learn about these aircraft.

Re: the gunsight - that one I have in fact put to use. The only additional thing I'd like is for it to be removable, or for there to be a way to shift the mount forward, as I understand was done in some squadrons as a field mod. Cockpit visibility isn't exactly the Mustang's strong suit.

Off to try out the tail radar now...

[CodyValkyrie]

The P-51 they modeled is very specific. There were a ton of field modifications of the Mustang dependent on theater, war, between units, and even individual planes. Rather, it more closely matches what you find in the manuals, which may or may not appease some P-51 fans, and includes the K-14. The Civilian Mustang doesn't have the K-14, but A2A wanted people to have the Mustang experience as per the manuals for the warbird, including poor forward visibility. That being said, I highly recommend a TrackIR, and this helps considerably. Further, many planes of the time suffered from this issue, such as the aforementioned FW-190, and especially the P-47 (ground crew often sat on the wings to help direct the pilots during ground operations).

By the way, the AN/APS-13 works in multiplayer. I tested this early in beta, and was thrilled to see that the game and coding doesn't distinguish between these objects. I was impressed it also picked up the ground, as such a simplistic radar system would. Although I don't use it often, it will work with AI as well.

[robert41]

It has been awhile since Ive read about the warning radar, but many pilots had trouble with it going off so much, flying in formation and such, that they kept it turned it off or it was removed from the aircraft.

[r601020]

When I first bought this, it took up the entire runway to stoppppppp!

Using RPM (not throttle) to decrease speeds, and flap 1 (with some + elevator to stabilize), I'm shooting for 5,000ft elevation difference between me and the runway at 150mph, at about 10 miles out.

Gear down a few miles out (before the clear to land), increasing RPM as necessary (ie., 15 points), I add more elevator to stabilize, roughly 2,000ft to 3,000ft elevation difference between me and runway.

Flap 2, more elevator, adjust RPM shooting for 120mph to cross the fence (throttle decrease). Before crossing the fence, increase throttle to level plane (nose up), for three-wheel landing. Weight of plane will drop it on runway (or another flap).

Here, I was at 100mph crossing the fence and stalled plane just before touch-down (oops). Was too low. Not my best landing, nor worst, but I've improved since:

https://youtu.be/bu--zs-Hni8

Note: Until you have back wheel down, your control of right/left movement might be more exaggerated on runway than you think it would be.