eBay: North American P-51 Mustang

[Wurger]

 

[johnbr]

P-51 "Mustang" fighter in flight near the Inglewood, California, plant of North American Aviation. October 1942. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency

 

[Navalwarrior]

P-51 "Mustang" fighter in flight near the Inglewood, California, plant of North American Aviation. October 1942. 4x5 Kodachrome transparencyView attachment 510278

Resp:
This aircraft was taken from the Second order for the British. 57 Mustang MkI aircraft were held back just after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The USAAF initially designated them as P-51-1 (& -2), but most were fitted with cameras for the Photo-Recon mission and redesignated as F-6A. Although most if not all kept the black stenciling just forward of the canopy on the left fuselage of 'P-51-1 NA.' Armament retained the four wing mounted 20mm cannon.

 

[johnbr]

October 1942. Inglewood, California. "Employees at North American Aviation, Incorporated, assembling the cowling on Allison motors for the P-51 'Mustang' fighter planes." 4x5 inch Kodachrome transparency

 

[Wurger]

 

[Gnomey]

Nice shots!

 

[johnbr]

 

[Wurger]

 

[Navalwarrior]

View attachment 513820

A CBI P-51C (or B), but why? Contain fuel, water or napalm?

 

[Capt. Vick]

Chem trials?

 

[fubar57]

P-51B/C of the 16th Sq,14th AF, in China. Possibly old P-40 drop tanks converted to napalm bombs as this unit flew them before getting Mustangs

 

[Steph Jung]

Just right regarding napalm tanks. If you look closely at the photo, to the left of the filler pipe is a cylindrical device which is the igniter. The mount it is attached to is non-standard (probably from another aircraft P-40?) and the wooden braces are there to keep the tanks steady. On the regular (inside) mount there are integral sway braces built into it.

 

[Wildr1]

 

[Wurger]

 

[Gnomey]

Good shots guys!

 

[MiTasol]

spot the anomaly

 

[MiTasol]

View attachment 513820

Interesting as the fuel delivery pipe has not been connected to anything.
Still being worked out? Or was the outboard tank intended to carry cargo or a camera?

 

[MiTasol]

Just right regarding napalm tanks. If you look closely at the photo, to the left of the filler pipe is a cylindrical device which is the igniter. The mount it is attached to is non-standard (probably from another aircraft P-40?) and the wooden braces are there to keep the tanks steady. On the regular (inside) mount there are integral sway braces built into it.

The item to the left is the fuel delivery (outlet) and the right angled one to the left of that is the vent fitting.

 

[Gnomey]

Nice shots guys!

 

[johnbr]