www.riseofflight.com

[Bobb4]

Originally Posted by Pike

Dear All,
Just one point here, Bobb4.........not wishing to be critical, I could not perform a Barrel Roll in an SE5 unless I was doing Max speed and more....even then its difficult as I always stall out. If the speed dropped to 50mph I would be very worried if I was less than threequarters through the maneouvre. If you can do it tell me how please.
best regards,
SLP

Never said in a SE5a did I, do not think I mentioned a plane at all...
But the stall speed of the SE5a was 45 mph according to some sources and as low as 43mph to others. As with the Fokker DR1 which also had a stall speed of around 45 mph. Now with its given maximium speed of only 115mph One can see that all manovers were done in between say 50 and 100 mph.
even cruising along at 115mph or 135mph (SE5a) terrain is slipping past pretty slowly.

And yes I would find it very difficult to perform a barrel roll at 50mph.
That does not mean in a dogfight i would not give it a try
I guess that is why most of my flights end up as me being a lawn dart.

"Preparation for landing is relatively easy; check the air pressure is still between 1 and 2 PSI, we wouldn’t want the engine to starve of fuel on approach. Enter the traffic pattern downwind at about 70 mph reducing throttle and airspeed as you go; turn base to final and reduce to 55-60 mph, over the fence at 50 hold it off as long as you can and touch down three point just as the stall is approached at 45. Directional stability at this point is rather good and the airplane rolls out straight ahead, any corrections are easily made with rudder and you will find the steerable skid is very effective."

This is an actual extract from a modern flight of a rebuilt (replica?) SE5a http://thevintageaviator.co.nz/proje...on/flying-se5a