Quote:
|
"Another thing we did was to devise a manoeuvre which was aimed at getting us out of a difficult corner if we ever got into one. This may sound very extraordinary, probably, to practising pilots today, but it consisted of putting everything into the left-hand front corner of the cockpit. If you saw a 109 on your tail, and it hadn't shot you down at that point, you put on full throttle, fine pitch, full left rudder, full left stick and full forward stick. This resulted in a horrible manoeuvre, which was in fact a negative-g spiral dive. But you would come out of it with no Me 109 on your tail and your aeroplane still intact."
|
(
Roland Beamont)
Harvey-Bailey, A. 1995.
The Merlin in Perspective - the combat years. Derby: Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust.
Of course, the engine should be somewhat unhappy during the manoeuvre; then again, the same might be said for the pilot's stomach...