Naval P-51?

[Oliverlovesplanes]

Hello guys, I'm helping my son out, who asked me, and I quote: "Do you think we can make a model P-51 that's naval induced?" And I responded with, "Of course, but we need to do research on it first," and he agreed, but I don't know where to get the information, so I came to you guys to help him. I told him we have to at least get pictures and lots of additional information.

Can you guys help???

 

[fubar57]

https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2018/august/historic-aircraft-ever-hear-sea-horse

P-51D “Seahorse:” the Mustang Carrier Testing and why it was unsuited for service on US Navy flat tops

The P-51D “Seahorse:” the Mustang Carrier Testing and why it was unsuited for service on US Navy flat tops

theaviationgeekclub.com

Mustang! - Documents

mustang.gaetanmarie.com

 

[R Leonard]

VCS-8 (Cruiser Scouting Squadron Eight - that is, the scouting squadron assigned to Cruiser Division Eight) went ashore and transitioned to P-51C's which they flew during Operation Dragoon providing naval gunfire spotting.

Similarly, VCS-7 operated Spitfire Vb's and Seafires during the invasion of Normandy, albeit with British markings.

 

[Wurger]

If I may .. my two cents ... next shots of 414017 ....

44-14017 on the deck of USS Shangri-La during the trials in November 1944.

the pic source: the net

Not the US Navy kites but P-51 Mustangs of the 506th FG aboard USS Kalinin Bay (CVE-68) being carried across the Pacific Ocean en route to Guam in 1945.

the pic source: the net.

 

[Wurger]

And the arresting hook ...

the pic source: the net.

 

[special ed]

If I may .. my two cents ... next shots of 414017 ....

44-14017 on the deck of USS Shangri-La during the trials in November 1944.

View attachment 877710
View attachment 877711
View attachment 877713
View attachment 877714
the pic source: the net

Not the US Navy kites but P-51 Mustangs of the 506th FG aboard USS Kalinin Bay (CVE-68) being carried across the Pacific Ocean en route to Guam in 1945.

View attachment 877712
the pic source: the net.

Last one looks like material for an A.I. fail - The U.S. Navy's greatest carrier fighter that no one knows because it came from the USAAF

 

[Crimea_River]

"Navel" P-51's would have to be pretty small. Might want to fix the subject title.

 

[Wurger]

"Navel" P-51's would have to be pretty small. Might want to fix the subject title.

Done.

 

[EwenS]

https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/browse-by-topic/commemorations/commemorations-toolkits/wwii/articles-on-world-war-ii-naval-aviation/pdf/ww2-30.pdf

 

[MIflyer]

An issue of Airpower/Wings circa 2001 that I think I have somewhere has beautiful cover art painting of a P-51D turning final for landing on an aircraft carrier. The art accompanied an article on naval carrier suitability trials for the P-51. Reportedly they found the laminar wing to be a difficult subject for wing folding.

However the FJ-1 Fury was basically a "jet Mustang" equipped for carrier operations.

 

[Oliverlovesplanes]

An issue of Airpower/Wings circa 2001 that I think I have somewhere has beautiful cover art painting of a P-51D turning final for landing on an aircraft carrier. The art accompanied an article on naval carrier suitability trials for the P-51. Reportedly they found the laminar wing to be a difficult subject for wing folding.

However the FJ-1 Fury was basically a "jet Mustang" equipped for carrier operations.

View attachment 877768View attachment 877767View attachment 877769

I know but the fury was not really used

 

[R Leonard]

Long, long, before the internet was even in someone's fevered imagination, I heard the story of the P-51 carrier trials from Bob Elder himself. A couple years later my father had CarDiv14 and we were in quarters at Chelsea Naval Hospital so I must have been in 8th grade and still building model airplanes. I did up a Spitfire in USAAF markings and when my father saw it he remarked "you know, a Navy squadron operated Spitfires over Normandy in the invasion . . ." I didn't know until then. That was circa 1965.

 

[R Leonard]

An issue of Airpower/Wings circa 2001 that I think I have somewhere has beautiful cover art painting of a P-51D turning final for landing on an aircraft carrier. The art accompanied an article on naval carrier suitability trials for the P-51. Reportedly they found the laminar wing to be a difficult subject for wing folding.

However the FJ-1 Fury was basically a "jet Mustang" equipped for carrier operations.

The FJ-1 was a harbinger of things to come.
See https://www.history.navy.mil/conten...ion News/2000/2003/september-october/fury.pdf

 

[EwenS]

Early USN jet aircraft development.

From Dec 1942:-
Ryan FR Fireball - mixed power. ff 25 June 1944. Service entry March 1945 with VF-66. 69 built (incl prototypes) with 634 cancelled at end of WW2. Originally intended for use from CVE.

Ryan FR Fireball - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

There were a number of other proposals for mixed power aircraft in 1943 from the likes of Curtiss & Grumman.

From 1942 (first formal proposal from the company was in March 1943)
McDonnell FH Phantom - ff 25th Jan 1945. First carrier landing 21st July 1946. Service entry from July / Aug 1947 with VF-17A. 2 prototypes and 60 production aircraft (another 40 cancelled at end of WW2)

McDonnell FH Phantom - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

From mid-1944:-

1st Sept 1944 BuAer announce first jet fighter competition. 4 proposals with Grumman being rejected. Others led to the following.

McDonnell F2H Banshee - company proposal in Oct 1944 as development of the FH Phantom with detail design from March 1945. ff 11th Jan 1947. Service entry March 1949 with VF-171.

McDonnell F2H Banshee - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

North American FJ-1 - company proposal dated 14th Oct 1944. ff 27th Nov 1946. Service entry March 1948. 3 prototypes and 30 production (another 70 cancelled at end of WW2).

North American FJ-1 Fury - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Vought F6U Pirate - ff 10th Nov 1947. 3 prototypes and 30 production aircraft. Performance did not live up to expectations so never entered regular squadron service.

Vought F6U Pirate - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

1945 competition for a jet night fighter / all weather fighter (in 1945 the USN began to use its night fighters for dusk / dawn / bad weather interceptions). Two companies were given prototype contracts.

Douglas F3D Skynight - contract for 3 prototypes awarded 3rd April 1946. ff 23rd March 1948.

Douglas F3D Skyknight - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Grumman F9F Panther - began life with an order for a four engined night fighter with a prototype contract for XF9F-1 issued on 22nd April 1946. With this looking unlikely to be successful, Grumman got the contract changed to supply 2 prototype XF9F-2 as a single seat day fighter powered by a single P&W J42 engine (licence built RR Nene) and 1 XF9F-3 with an Allison J33. ff 24th Nov 1947 & 16th Aug 1948 respectively.

Grumman F9F Panther - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The next USN fighter series were supposed to be the F7U Cutlass (prototypes ordered in 1946), the F4D Skyray and the F3H Demon (prototypes ordered in 1948). But with these advanced types encountering development problems interim swept wing solutions had to be found. Those emerged as the:-

North American FJ-2/3/4 series

North American FJ-2/-3 Fury - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Grumman F9F-6 and later models Cougar

Grumman F-9 Cougar - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[SaparotRob]

I didn't know the Fireball was intended for CVEs. Never knew the Panther was supposed to be a four engined night fighter.

 

[Oliverlovesplanes]

An issue of Airpower/Wings circa 2001 that I think I have somewhere has beautiful cover art painting of a P-51D turning final for landing on an aircraft carrier. The art accompanied an article on naval carrier suitability trials for the P-51. Reportedly they found the laminar wing to be a difficult subject for wing folding.

However the FJ-1 Fury was basically a "jet Mustang" equipped for carrier operations.

View attachment 877768View attachment 877767View attachment 877769

 

[smutny]

A friend (since passed) built a Titan T-51 as a Seahorse replica, painted a stylized seahorse on the tail. It may still be running around out there in the world painted up like that with a tailhook.

 

[Antarctica]

The P-51 wasn't really suited for carrier work & didn't have the range to escort B-29s to Japan & back from their early Pacific bases & one pilot would get very tired on such a long trip - hence the P-82 Twin-Mustang was developed.