P-51/Mustang Mk.IA

[MicroShket]

Hi, friends!
I'm very sorry if I chose the wrong section for this thread.
For several days I rack my brains trying to reach a consensus on Hispano armed Mustangs (P-51 and F-6A). Are all of them were sent to ETO&MTO? As I know, several reconnaissance groups used F-6 on CBI. Were they only F-6B and later versions of a reconnaissance Mustang?
In other words, Is that true, that there were not a single Hispano armed P-51 or F-6A on CBI?
Thank you.
Best regards,
MicroShket.

 

[drgondog]

Hi, friends!
I'm very sorry if I chose the wrong section for this thread.
For several days I rack my brains trying to reach a consensus on Hispano armed Mustangs (P-51 and F-6A). Are all of them were sent to ETO&MTO? As I know, several reconnaissance groups used F-6 on CBI. Were they only F-6B and later versions of a reconnaissance Mustang?
In other words, Is that true, that there were not a single Hispano armed P-51 or F-6A on CBI?
Thank you.
Best regards,
MicroShket.

The AAF retained 55 of the 150 NA-91 as (P-51-1NA, -2N then all F-6), the RAF took 93 as the Mustang IA and two were retained as XP-51B.

None of the AAF F-6 went to ETO, most if not all went to MTO as part of the 68 TRG (111TRS). Some may have been transferred 73TRG then to 10th PRG in the ETO.

I can not find a trace of an F-6 (P-51-1NA) from the NA-91 contract that went to CBI.

 

[MicroShket]

The AAF retained 55 of the 150 NA-91 as (P-51-1NA, -2N then all F-6), the RAF took 93 as the Mustang IA and two were retained as XP-51B.

None of the AAF F-6 went to ETO, most if not all went to MTO as part of the 68 TRG (111TRS). Some may have been transferred 73TRG then to 10th PRG in the ETO.

I can not find a trace of an F-6 (P-51-1NA) from the NA-91 contract that went to CBI.

Thank you very much for your answer!
I have serial numbers of AAF Mustangs and checked some of them, but all was in 111th TRS and 154th TRS.
Could you give the name of the source containig information about NA-91 contract, please (just can't check it myself now)? So, it means that one of them could be sent (on paper) to CBI, right? Or it is just my misunderstanding (my english is not perfect at all).

 

[drgondog]

Gruenhagen's "Mustang - The Story of the P-51 Fighter", Stars and Bars by Dr. Frank Olynyk and an on going data base of P-51 losses/serial numbers that I have been working on for 15 years

 

[nuuumannn]

If you're after a condensed history of the Allison engined Mustangs, Martyn Chorlton's Allison Engined P-51 Mustang (New Vanguard) is a nifty little reference at a very good price.

 

[Airframes]

I agree - a very useful little book.

 

[c1951]

I can say that at Renfrew aerodrome, Scotland, 18 October 1943 there was at least one F-6 Mustang being refurbished by Lockheed Overseas Aircraft Corporation. Possibly there were more

 

[MIflyer]

There is a ww2 video, "A Day with the A-36's" you should be able to find online that shows a P-51-1 or F-6 sitting at the A-36 base. Someone found evidence that the A-36 unit had acquired a few P-51-1 and used them for strafing targets where they needed the extra punch from those four 20MM guns. So you had some mixed combat formations of A-36A and P-51-1/F-6, which I think is just totally cool.

 

[c1951]

There is a ww2 video, "A Day with the A-36's" you should be able to find online that shows a P-51-1 or F-6 sitting at the A-36 base. Someone found evidence that the A-36 unit had acquired a few P-51-1 and used them for strafing targets where they needed the extra punch from those four 20MM guns. So you had some mixed combat formations of A-36A and P-51-1/F-6, which I think is just totally cool.

I know the RAF used them for low-level tactical reconnaissance Here's a picture of one at Renfrew
https://catalog.archives.gov/id/204917586

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mgqoBRXph4

 

[ColFord]

I know the RAF used them for low-level tactical reconnaissance Here's a picture of one at Renfrew
https://catalog.archives.gov/id/204917586

The photo you have linked to is of a USAAF NA-99 P-51A. The USAAF shipped a number of P-51A modified for the low level tactical fighter reconnaissance role, to be used in a similar way to those used by the RAF. The USAAF P-51As were used extensively in the lead up to D-Day building up the reconnaissance coverage of the areas where the US Army units would land for D-Day and the aras they were planned to operate in after D-Day. After D-Day they provided the direct Tac/R support to the US Army units operating in France, Belgium and then eventually into Germany. Most of the USAAF P-51A shipped to the UK for the Tac/R role were also modified before entering operational service in the UK with the addition of the Malcolm Hood mod and some RAF based camera mods - to take account of the Malcolm Hood.

The P-51As that were shipped to the UK for the RAF left the NAA factory in RAF camouflage and markings.

Just to update some of the fine detail since this thread was started years ago, research into both US and UK records has now confirmed that of the NA-91 P-51 Mustang/Mustang IA production, the US retained 58, the UK received - and accounted for - 92.

Also in terms of books, Bill Marshall's own book - in conjunction with the late Lowell Ford - on the development of the Mustang released a couple of years ago now and Matt Willis "Mustang - the Untold Story" which focusses on the early Allison engine models of the Mustang, provide two of the better, very well researched and accurate accounts on the early Mustangs.

 

[c1951]

The photo you have linked to is of a USAAF NA-99 P-51A. The USAAF shipped a number of P-51A modified for the low level tactical fighter reconnaissance role, to be used in a similar way to those used by the RAF. The USAAF P-51As were used extensively in the lead up to D-Day building up the reconnaissance coverage of the areas where the US Army units would land for D-Day and the aras they were planned to operate in after D-Day. After D-Day they provided the direct Tac/R support to the US Army units operating in France, Belgium and then eventually into Germany. Most of the USAAF P-51A shipped to the UK for the Tac/R role were also modified before entering operational service in the UK with the addition of the Malcolm Hood mod and some RAF based camera mods - to take account of the Malcolm Hood.

The P-51As that were shipped to the UK for the RAF left the NAA factory in RAF camouflage and markings.

Just to update some of the fine detail since this thread was started years ago, research into both US and UK records has now confirmed that of the NA-91 P-51 Mustang/Mustang IA production, the US retained 58, the UK received - and accounted for - 92.

Also in terms of books, Bill Marshall's own book - in conjunction with the late Lowell Ford - on the development of the Mustang released a couple of years ago now and Matt Willis "Mustang - the Untold Story" which focusses on the early Allison engine models of the Mustang, provide two of the better, very well researched and accurate accounts on the early Mustangs.

Somewhere I saw a picture of an RAF Mustang shot down on the French coast-it was flown by Raymond Pullin the helicopter pioneer, the Mustang was a 1A

 

[ColFord]

Somewhere I saw a picture of an RAF Mustang shot down on the French coast-it was flown by Raymond Pullin the helicopter pioneer, the Mustang was a 1A

The photo is of the NA-73 Mustang I flown by P/O R Pullin. Details are:

On 14 August 1942, AG-524 HB-B of No.239 Squadron Royal Air Force piloted by Pilot Officer Raymond Aubrey Pullin took off at 10.45 hrs in company with AG-472 piloted by Flight Lieutenant C Oakes for a Rhubarb sortie to the Blankenberge-Brugge area of Belgium. They met intense accurate light and medium flak at the coast from Kreigsmarine flak units as they were exiting the operational area. The Mustang flown by P/O Pullin was hit by the flak and damaged, forcing him to make a forced landing in a field near Wissenkerke in Zeeland province in the Netherlands. P/O Pullin was captured, made a PoW and ended up in Stalag Luft III. The wreckage of HB-B was photographed by Luftwaffe Intelligence and then ended up at the Beutepark 5 der Luftwaffe at Paris Nanterre, where it was displayed with other Allied aircraft.

 

[ColFord]

And please excuse my belated brain fade. Renfrew is the district adjacent to what is now Glasgow International Airport that during WW2 was Abbotsinch. That was were many of the aircraft arriving by ship from the USA to the UK were unloaded from ships on the Clyde, then transported accross to a facility run by Lockheed Aircraft Services where they were reassembled, test flown and then picked up from by pilots and ferried to their next destination. Lockheed had a 'sister' location down at Speke that performed the same services for crated or disassembled aircraft arriving in to the port of Liverpool. There were a couple of other aviation works companies who also had a presence at Abbotsinch, along with a number of RAF and RN FAA units based there at various times - up to early 1942 it had a joint RAF/RN FAA torpedo training unit.