Originally Posted by
Phantom Flyer
Talk to any of the UPS pilots on the forum that flew the DC-8-73 series with the CFM-56 engines. In their configuration, you ran out of wing a long time before you ran out of engine and one had to be very careful at the higher altitudes. Definitely an example of an "overpowered" aircraft. Due to well trained crews it didn't present significant problems but nonetheless, it was overpowered.
The Globe Swift started off with an 85HP engine, enough power to take it to the crash site. The engine was upgraded until today Swift's are like snowflakes, no two alike. It is not uncommon to find Swifts with 180, 210 and more HP BUT the rudder and the vertical fin was never changed. You can run out of rudder especially if there is a strong crosswind from the left.
And then there was the Hawker Sea Fury... knew a guy who flew them and he said that if you went to full power (above 50-55in) the airplane would be skipping across the runway with full left rudder (engine operates the other way). and more than a few of the big pistons have been torqued over on botched go-arounds.