.. sometimes pretty close to the ground.
After we took off and headed for Europe across the Channel there
would usually be someone who would abort the mission. This was the
term for dropping out and going back to the field. Usually this was
due to engine trouble or knowing that something didn't feel Just
right with the plane, but we had a few pilots who were "chicken" and
just made up an excuse, particularly if the mission was to be a long
one. They didn't stand very high on the popularity list with the
other pilots. I had my ground crew to thank for keeping my plane in
excellent condition so I never had to "abort".
There are a few facts about the P-51 which I will mention here. There
was a lever that controlled openings that kept the coolant from
boiling over while waiting to take off and it closed as soon as you
were in the air. The wheels were pulled up as soon as you left the
ground so you had to remember to put them down again before landing.
The four bladed propeller was a variable pitch and had to be set so
it would bite more air, getting you into the air faster, climbing
steep, then set back to the right angle. A small tube at the and of
the wing ran the wind indicator so you know how fast you're going.
The plane had a cockpit heater that didn't always work too well and
that was a primary complaint of the pilots. At 30,000 feet the
temperature could be anywhere from zero to minus 60 degrees so you
needed all the heat you could get.
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