North American A-36 Apache

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Not an A-36, but one of the two original NA-73 taken from the initial RAF production batch and provided to USAAF for testing and given the XP-51 designation. Key identification points are the original style moveable radiator intake ramp along with the shrouded nose gun ports. The anti copying lettering is unfortunately hiding a couple of other possible recognition features including the outer port wing gun camera window.

NOTE: Being 41-048, survived and is now N51NA in EAA Foundation Collection at Oshkosh.
 
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I thought I've commented on these photos before, but if so, here goes again: The first and fourth photos are NOT A-36As. The top one is shows NA-91s (P-51 or P-51-1-NA or P-51-2-NA in the USAAF and Mustang Mk IA in the RAF - the fairings for the 20 mm Hispano cannons are a dead-giveaway) and the 4th one is an NA-73...one of the two XP-51s pulled from the first batch built for the RAF. That's a test probe that might look like the pitot probe on an A-36A (unlike the A-36A's pitot, it comes from underneath the wing and is the wrong profile) ... you can see the L-shaped pitot probe just inboard of the US insignia, and the three BMG ports in the wing. I could be wrong, but I believe that this is the 2nd Prototype for the USAAF, SN is 41-039 on the 2nd prototype. The absence of a wide single lens outboard of the left wing guns also tells you that it's not an A-36A. The variable intake mouth on the doghouse also verifies that it's not an A-36A.
 
I feel almost "silly" telling you this but hasn't it been established that the two USAAF XP-51s (41-038 and 41-039) were never SN AG348 and AG354, respectively?
 

Original WWII Snapshot Photo AAF FIGHTER S/N 283830 Telergma 1943 Algeria 89 | eBay

<p>ORIGINAL WWII PHOTO - ORIGINAL TO THE TIME - NOT A COPY, SCAN, OR REPRO</p> <p>QUANTITY: 1 - See the other original WWI & WWII photos that I have listed. Today I am listing many WWII aircraft photos. </p> <p>ITEM: Original WWII Snapshot Photo of TELERGMA FIELD, Constantine, Algeria, 1943...
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Telergma Algeria 1943 notice place of serial number

Baugher A-36A 42-83830 86th BG crashed during wheels up belly landing at El Aouina Airfield, Tunisia due to mechanical failure Aug 6, 1943. Pilot survived, but aircraft DBR and condemned for salvage Aug 22, 1944

 
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Not an A-36 but an RAF Mustang Mk.I. Key identification clues, Mustang Mk.I, Mk.IA and Mk.II all had the 'L' shaped pitot head under the starboard wing, A-36 had the 'spear' pitot head projecting out of the leading edge of the starboard wing. Layout of the landing lights in the wing leading edge is different between the A-36 and Mustang Mk.I, landing light shown is Mustang Mk.I type and location. Can't see any identfiable dive brakes, only the underwing case and link ejection ports for the wing mounted armament, which then brings us to the three armament ports just visible in the leading edge of each wing for the mixed 0.50in HMG and 0.300in MG armament of the Mustang Mk.I vs the 2 x 0.50in HMG in each wing of the A-36. No underwing stores carriers (hardpoints) which the sole A-36 tested by the RAF in the UK carried. Hard to tell from the photo, but this may be one of the first production batch NA-73 Mustang Mk.I, rather than the later NA-83 second production batch Mustang Mk.I. A-36 also had a different 'fatter' profile propellor blade design, where as this shows the early 'thinner/tapered' style propellor blade as used on the Mustang Mk.I and Mk.IA.
 
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Snautzer01 said:
Strange tail code BH shot down ( if it is a A-36 to begin with...) October 1943
Click to expand...
I found some artwork in an Osprey "Air Vanguard" book on the Allison engined Mustang showing A-36's with similar giant letter tail codes "B3" but they do not ID the squadron. Giant letter tail codes were used in the Med. My next door neighbor flew B-25's there and they had giant letter tail codes, rather crudely drawn, which was a help to me when I made him a 1/48 model.
 
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