Waldo, if you get the P-51, ARF or kit, think about putting in one of those "sound like 20mm cannons" thingys to put in her. She's a dream to fly, looks awful good in the air with the retracts going up, but she's just a show plane, not a flying challenge--unless you flame out, then keep the nose down 15% and flare out at 35 mph, if ya can. Sound in that bird would make those vertical diving runs and straffing attacks real crowd pleasers.

You're getting as bad as Tim, talking about days over 40--in the WINTER. We won't see a day over 40 for a month, I suspect. Tim warmed my heart when he said it was 20 in Lone Pine. Huh, go figure THAT out.

"Insurance bliss," these days, for me, is having both a Twist AND fuel in the hangar. I presently have TWO Twists and 43 gallons of Wildcat, so enjoy thinking about THAT as you sit, not flying, in your sun and balmy weather.

As I sit, not flying, I'm considering changing out the ST .45 on ONE Twist and putting the 82a back on her--with a velocity stack, which may help with the fuel efficiency. The 82a weighs less than the OS .61, so if I put the bat behind the canopy I MAY be able to get that bird to the 4.25 CG that Down has his at. THEN we can discuss abilities on a level playing field. And landing tail heavy planes is a real challenge.

Oh, and NOT included in that 43 gallons are 8 QUARTS of Wildcat 35% nitro--my pal at Wildcat sent them, gratis, with the last order--so he could get me hooked on flying high test stuff in my Saitos. I hope the 35% is also more fuel efficient, bigger props, velocity stack, lower rpms.... We'll see.

I've gotta get off line. Down just may call and say he wants to wreck a plane in this weather after 4 pm. The snow's stopped even if the winds are still gentle-breezy (23 mph gusts). The wind chill is still above zero, by three degrees, anyway. Yeah, he'll call.

Oi.