North American A-36 Apache

[Geoffrey Sinclair]

The Air Ministry files and the Squadron ORBs reflect a quickly changing situation in the thinking about the best use of the Mustang IIIs when the RAF first started to receive them. Added to that were the pressures coming from different sources within the Allied High Command about where priorities were at given points in time.

Yes, I know they were used to help the USAAF at times, but do not have the details. Like everyone else June 1944 was maximum effort invasion support.

They basically followed the advance by the ground army all the way through into October 1944 before they moved back to the UK.

That is later than I understood, given the supply situation in France September 1944 on removing them would help ease the problem.

In the long range escort role, they would be supplemented by shorter range Spitfire squadrons based in the UK, but staging through airfields on the continent - usually refuelling on the return leg, but sometimes refuelling before proceeding on their escort operation.

Now we arrive at the Spitfires with large rear fuselage tanks, which in theory could do escort missions to Ruhr targets.

I do not have many propeller documents, but it does not look like initially the name paddle was an official one, but perhaps later.

P-47 propeller production schedule December 1943 to May 1945 (AFHRA Reel A1359 p719 and on) but hard to read. Curtiss,

0542B-A22, blade 714-12, 12 feet 2 inches diameter
0542B-A114, blade 836-18, 13 feet diameter
0542B-A120/A34/A40, blade G.F., 12 feet 2 inches or 13 feet diameter
Also 836-0 blades.

 

[MIflyer]

And they were still using MkI's based in France.

 

[GrauGeist]

On 4 July 1944, Eisenhower toured Normandy in a P-51B (43-6877) piloted by Gen. Quesada.
So older types were still relevant in the later stages of the war.

 

[MIflyer]

On 4 July 1944, Eisenhower toured Normandy in a P-51B (43-6877) piloted by Gen. Quesada.

And last air-to-air kill by a RAF Mustang Mk I was 1 Jan 1945, a JU-88 that was one of the lead aircraft for Operation Bodenplate.

 

[ColFord]

And last air-to-air kill by a RAF Mustang Mk I was 1 Jan 1945, a JU-88 that was one of the lead aircraft for Operation Bodenplate.

Last CONFIRMED air to air combat kill by a RAF Allison engine Mustang, being a Mustang II of No.268 Squadron RAF was on 28 February 1945 against a FW-190 - gun camera film, observed combat and crash of FW-190 by Army unit on ground. The air to air kill on 1 January 1945, also by a pilot of No.268 Squadron RAF against a Ju-88 G-6 being used as a navigation lead/pathfinder for a mix formation of Bf-109s and FW-190s was flying a Mustang IA. Also claimed a 'damaged' FW-190 that same sortie and one 'scared'.

The photo at post #182 is a Mustang I of No.26 Squadron RAF, who re-equipped with Mustang I from the Spitfire V in late 1944 to take up the role of providing naval gunfire direction to units of the Free French Navy and British Royal Navy, bombarding German hold out ports along the French and Belgian coasts and German coastal defence locations along the Dutch Coast.

 

[GrauGeist]

And last air-to-air kill by a RAF Mustang Mk I was 1 Jan 1945, a JU-88 that was one of the lead aircraft for Operation Bodenplate.



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Is that the Collings Foundation TP-51C "Betty Jane" in it's new livery?

And in regards to Allison powered Mustangs, Lt. Russo of the 27th BG(L), 12th AF made Ace while flying his A-36 (five victories). This made him not only the first Mustang Ace of the war, but the only Ace to do so in an Allison-engined Mustang.

His victories were:
(3) Bf109 (two on 30 December 1943)
(1) Fi156
(1) Ju52

 

[MIflyer]

Is that the Collings Foundation TP-51C "Betty Jane" in it's new livery?

I believe so, yes. Here is a shot from 2014

 

[Gnomey]

Nice shots!