[ARC5] FM-2 Radios

[Kenneth G. Gordon]

On 10 Sep 2010 at 9:42, Robert Eleazer wrote:

> As for the difficulty with changing coils, that must have been a real
> pain.  But on the other hand, all versions of the Wildcat had landing
> gear that had to be cranked up by hand via a bicycle chain arrangement

Several interesting points about that: 1) once you started the process of 
cranking you HAD to finish it: if you stopped in the middle of the operation, it 
was almost impossible to restart it, 2) if the handle slipped out of your hand, 
the gear would drop quickly and the chains would foul, making it impossible 
to move them, 3) if you attempted to grab the handle as it spun around you 
would most likely get smacked on the hand and it would be broken, and 4) if 
your speed was above a certain point (I think it was 100 MPH) you couldn't 
get the gear up at all.

Most Wildcat pilots had well-developed right arms...

> and the earliest versions also required the use of a manually pumped
> fuel transfer system in order for drop tanks to be used.  It appears
> that you could not fly a Wildcat unless you could rub your head and
> pat your stomach at the same time and had very strong wrists!

Aye, Laddie. 'Tis true, 'tis true.

All this and operate the radios too.

Ken W7EKB