P-51 fuselage fuel tank (1 Viewer)

[z42]

There was a firewall between the pilot and the tanks in front of him. Sitting on a unprotected tank would not be popular

In any case having big fuel tanks just ahead of the pilot seems extra dangerous, as the slipstream would push flames and burning fuel right into the cockpit.

Though apparently we have this to thank for advances in plastic surgery in the early WWII years. But what a ghastly price..

IMHO, would have been better to put the cockpit as far forward as possible, and instead put fuel below/behind the pilot, or in the wings. Better forward visibility as well. Oh well.

 

[Engineman]

In any case having big fuel tanks just ahead of the pilot seems extra dangerous, as the slipstream would push flames and burning fuel right into the cockpit.

Though apparently we have this to thank for advances in plastic surgery in the early WWII years. But what a ghastly price..

IMHO, would have been better to put the cockpit as far forward as possible, and instead put fuel below/behind the pilot, or in the wings. Better forward visibility as well. Oh well.

In the case of the early Spitfire, the tankage was as simple as possible, just behind the engine as close as possible to the C of G and effectively gravity fed to the engine fuel pump.

Eng

 

[drgondog]

Late war the RAAF removed the IFF from P-51D&K aircraft when the rear fuselage tank was used. By that time the allies had air superiority in the SWPA.

This is a great find. The US operated P-51D/K placed IFF fwd of firewall and the carb return line always went to left main.

Many RAF Mustang III were delivered without 85gal tank but I was unclear regarding P-51D/K. Do you know if RAAF received any MK IV or IVa directly from US, or purchased by RAF and then allocated?

 

[EwenS]

This is a great find. The US operated P-51D/K placed IFF fwd of firewall and the carb return line always went to left main.

Many RAF Mustang III were delivered without 85gal tank but I was unclear regarding P-51D/K. Do you know if RAAF received any MK IV or IVa directly from US, or purchased by RAF and then allocated?

Mustangs used by 3 RAAF and 450 squadrons in Italy came from RAF stocks.

Those that started equipping RAAF squadrons in Australia from mid-1945 were Lend Lease allocations to Australia.

Details of all Aussie Mustangs here

ADF Serials - Mustang

 

[MIflyer]

The US operated P-51D/K placed IFF fwd of firewall

Really? I would not have thought there would be enough room.

The US developed a new, UHF, much more sophisticated IFF, the BC-645, that had all kinds of features including the ability of aircraft to interrogate each other. But the British refused to change and you can't very well have two different IFF systems. As a result the BC-645 became a common surplus item offered to radio amateurs for about the next 40 years.

 

[Engineman]

Really? I would not have thought there would be enough room.

The US developed a new, UHF, much more sophisticated IFF, the BC-645, that had all kinds of features including the ability of aircraft to interrogate each other. But the British refused to change and you can't very well have two different IFF systems. As a result the BC-645 became a common surplus item offered to radio amateurs for about the next 40 years.

View attachment 788739

Good value! Unfortunately, I am saving for a $1,000 P51-D Mustang!

Eng

 

[MIflyer]

Good value! Unfortunately, I am saving for a $1,000 P51-D Mustang!

A friend of mine said a guy he knew was driving through the midwest in the 60's and passed a rural school with a P-51 in the playground. He stopped, went to see the principle, and offered to take that beat up eyesore off his hands. The principle agreed. The canopy was smashed and he found a surplus store selling new unused canopies for use as fish tanks.

There was a school on Pacific Coast Highway just north of Santa Barbara. It had an F-86A in the school yard for the kids to play on. The CAANG came and got the F-86A for use in a museum and replaced it with an F-86F. While I lived out there the school was taken over by an oil company and replaced by new prefab buildings a few miles down the road; they were much nicer but not nearly as pretty. The CAANG came and got the F-86F for use in a museum.