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With the passing of the years and a few more dead brain cells than I would prefer, the publication of this photo on this site inadvertently reminded me that I hadn't lost all my marbles. As other have already noted, this certainly wasn't an A-36 or any other Allison-powered Mustang - it was a P-51B or C. The tail stripes (red) placed this aircraft in the 31st Fighter Group, Fifteenth Air Force. But the "MM" squadron codes made no sense - I'd never before seen them on an AAF fighter. No matter, there are plenty of things I can't explain.

So the better half and I went out to run errands for a few hours. We were driving home on the highway when I blurted out "Charles M. McCorkle!" (We've been married a few decades now, so she's used to my strange declarations.) It turns out I published a photo of the opposite side of this aircraft on page 79 of Air Force Colors, Vol II in 1980. Due to space limitations with the star insignia, the pilot (and group commander) has his initials as CM*M on the Mustang's left side.

Nice to now have both sides of the aircraft, and to know that I'm not completely bonkers...

Cheers,



Dana
General Charles (Sandy) McCorkle was my father's last boss in USAF. Dad was Deputy Chief, Air Defense Command -Missles Div vice McCorkle. He was a great guy and gentleman.
 
I believe this is the XP-51B as seen below and the text, published on January 15, 1944 is kind of misleading for the time of publication, IMHO :rolleyes:
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XP-51B #1. This is a moment in time - after 421 returned from Ames where the 'dropped' slanted scoop was formulated to eiminate the rumble. May 1943 and soon after departed NAA for Wright Field. It was dispatched tor Training Command til end of war. Another treasure reduced to scrap.
 
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389
p-38 , p-47 p-40 p-39 p-51

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43-12389 was one of the 3 P-51B with 85 gal tanks per MCR-326 set to Eglin for testing of stability with the new tank.
 
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I remember reading where Walsh actually wanted to use Mustangs but the ANG Thunderbolts were available for less $$$ so he went with them.
The first rescue in ETO was with a P-51D, so the story would have been better served using Mustangs. But then what? Paint the cheaper P-47s as Fw 190s?

Gawd those studio canopies are awfull (hissing heard in the background)
 
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311th's 530th Fighter Squadron Yellow Scorpions scoreboard kills

left 88 kills 517 train right 136 kills

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the 530FS was credited with 88 air VCs. The 311th FG was credited with a total of 115 VCs. The tally on right (136) is number of Damaged credits. Strange Board.

The 530th flew P-51As early while 528/529 flew A-36s until late summer 1944 - which could account for much larger % of air victories going to 530th FS.
 
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P-51D-25-NA 44-73060 Dove of Peace VIII 353rd Fighter Group ETO

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Col Glen Duncan's last ship. He was shot down by flak over Holland in P-47D July 7, 1944. He evaded capture and fought with underground until over run by Allies. Returned to command the 353rd in April 1945 till EOW.
 
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been scrolling through this thread all day....
looking for pics of one of the two XP-51B prototypes, the final one with the eventual rad intake.
Seeing if I can merge the Ac Min P-51 with the nose and intake of the Acc Min P-51B. Going well so far, but need to sweat the details.
I think what I have is all there is, but never hurts to ask.
I have a few of the Ames wind tunnel set, but would love higher res items.
Didn't NA do walkaround shots of all the aircraft on the apron?, I only have low res side shots, nothing else.
Both XP-51B had the final intake scoop installed. 421 first at Ames, then 352 with production scoop - as all early P-51B-1-NA already released but awaiting 1650-3 engines from Packard. For example 43-12093 (#1) had flat intake scoop when first photgraphed but replaced before first flight tests by Chilton in May 1943.

The image Snautzer published earlier was #1, the one that did Not go to Ames.

Yes to walkaround shots, but many forever lost when Rockwell absorbed. I have high res images of 352 and 421 bt have to seek Boeing's permission to display (theoretically only to publish) as they own copyright to all NAA products. So many on eBay are products of the NAA photo with the bottom photo ID cropped..
 
BALTIMORE JO JO 355th Fighter Group 3 Kills

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Maisch got two 109s west Marburg on September 11, 1944 while returning home with radio trouble. The same batch that he carved , continued east NE and were clobbered by 354th FS led by my father. Dad got 2-0-1, Brown got 3, Priest 1, Peglar 2 and Schultz. Lft Frost added one more to 358FS score in air plus Morgan who collided with a 109. Four more were destroyed on the ground.


Flt Pegalar was an exchange pilot from RAF. He finished an eight week tour with 354th FS with 2 doubles in air and one on the ground to be the only recognized Ace from RAF in 8th AF.
 
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Easy. The F-82's tail fillet was much more prominent than the P/F-51D or H and reached all the way forward to the antenna mast. The fillet on the 51's wasn't nearly as prominent/big and ended about a foot before the antenna mast. Plus, look at the photo again and you'll see the antenna wire and small portion of the port tail.
The P-51B Dorsal extended about 4" further forward than the D - The F-82 needed more 'effective fin area' to provide rudder authority at low speed/single engine so it was both the largest in area and the longest in length as you pointed out.
 

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