This is kind of a stub..
Hindsight is always 20-20. Of course, $2000 was a lot of money in those days. I was earning $10k/yr as an electronics engineer. And Mustangs burn a LOT of fuel. But if I had bought it and stashed in in a barn………
I have been thinking a bit more about rudder on take off. As Ian has pointed out, crosswind component is very important. I have encountered situations in Motorfalkes and my aircraft where there is so much crosswind from the right, (Like southerly winds on 05) that there is not enough left rudder to keep straight. Only option is to abort the takeoff. Not a good idea to keep boring ahead, hoping to become airborne before hitting something off the side of the runway.
Tug pilots, particularly in Pawnees, have very good rudder awareness. They can develop cramps in the right leg after a hard day of towing clods around in heavy 2 place gliders. Savvy glider pilots watch the tug’s rudder. If it is on the right side, the glider moves left until the rudder is centered. The tug pilot can then relax the right leg and improve his/her disposition. After all, who wants to deal with a grumpy one-legged tug driver?
Norm