Quote Originally Posted by Rctintin View Post
Wow, I bet that was fun flying her!! I'd imagen that was a narrow FOV looking out around that shield while taxiing!!
The view forward from the front seat in a T-6 isn't terrible, though the rear seat view (where the instructor sits) is non-existent with the tailwheel on the ground and S-turning across the taxiway is absolutely essential.

The T-6 is a great airplane. It's a beast (controls wouldn't be out of place in a 1930s boiler room), but completely honest - it'll do exactly what you tell it to do, every time. That's both the best and the worst of it. Most modern pilots, who've been trained in planes that've had their worst traits engineered out (and have no idea what to do with their feet), have a significant learning curve to negotiate.

The reward for mastering the Texan, though, is the feel of beautifully harmonized controls. Smooth, powerful, and graceful. Also, it'll set one up nicely for transitioning to the big piston fighters…

Ken