Rule of thumb for a rough idea of acceptance dates, given there are always exceptions, Inglewood
Month | Prdn. | Cumulative | Production block | serials | Model | Qty. | Cumulative | To end block/Notes |
Feb-44 | 2 | 2 | D-5 start | 44-13253/14052 | P-51D-5 | 800 | | |
Mar-44 | 25 | 27 | D-5 | | | | | |
Apr-44 | 182 | 209 | D-5 | | | | | |
May-44 | 340 | 549 | D-5 | | | | | |
Jun-44 | 328 | 877 | D-5 end, D-10 start | 44-14053/14852 | P-51D-10 | 800 | 800 | D-5 |
Jul-44 | 318 | 1195 | D-10 | | | | | |
Aug-44 | 470 | 1665 | D-10 end, D-15 start | 44-14853/15252 | P-51D-15 | 400 | 1600 | D-5 and -10 (84 of Aug. Prodn. deliv. as F-6) |
Sep-44 | 450 | 2115 | D-15 | 44-15253/15752 | P-51D-15 | 500 | 2000 | (29 of Sep. Prodn. deliv. as F-6) |
Oct-44 | 501 | 2616 | D-15 end, D-20 start | 44-63160/64159 | P-51D-20 | 1000 | 2500 | D-5, -10, -15 (39 of Oct. Prodn. deliv. as F-6) |
Nov-44 | 501 | 3117 | D-20 | 44-72027/72626 | P-51D-20 | 600 | 3500 | (4 of Nov. Prodn. deliv. as F-6) |
Dec-44 | 480 | 3597 | D-20 | | | | | |
Jan-45 | 570 | 4167 | D-20 end, D-25 start | 44-72627/74226 | P-51D-25 | 1600 | 4100 | D-5, -10, -15, -20 |
Feb-45 | 480 | 4647 | D-25 | | | | | |
Mar-45 | 528 | 5175 | D-25 | | | | | |
Apr-45 | 420 | 5595 | D-25 | | | | | |
May-45 | 368 | 5963 | D-25 end, D-30 start | 44-74227/75026 | P-51D-30 | 800 | 5700 | D-5, -10, -15, -20, -25 |
Jun-45 | 336 | 6299 | D-30 | | | | | |
Jul-45 | 201 | 6500 | D-30 | All | All | 6500 | 6500 | D-5, -10, -15, -20, -25, -30 |
Using the above table 44-13805, would have been accepted late May or early June 1944. Then add delivery. 44-15611 would have been accepted around mid October 1944. Then comes delivery to UK and its first incarnation as Cile VI - Luck of the Irish.
USAAF Study of the 179 P-51B arriving in UK 11 December 1943 to 21 February 1944,
83 on project 92215R, an average of 71 days from acceptance to arrival in UK
88 on project 92256, an average of 66.1 days from acceptance to arrival in UK
8 on project 92321R, an average of 38.2 days from acceptance to arrival in UK
Aircraft that were part of the first two projects went via modification centers, spending an average of 27.5 days there. The third project aircraft took over two weeks from acceptance to port of embarkation, over a week at the port control area and slightly over 2 weeks departure to arrival.
The 213 P-47D on 4 projects arriving in UK 29 January to 6 March 1944, an average of 40.3 days from acceptance to arrival in UK, none went via modification centers
According to Ken C Rust, The 9th Air Force in World War II, 363rd Fighter group, 380th Squadron code A9, 381st B3, 382nd C3, they did not use group colour markings, instead the colours were applied to the spinner and nose band , Blue, Yellow and Red respectively. When the group became the 363rd Tactical reconnaissance in September 1944 the squadrons were renumbered 160, 161 and 162, keeping their squadron code letters, then the 162nd switched to IX when it transferred to the Provisional Reconnaissance Group in October.
The 8th Air Force does not seem to have recorded any P-51D-15 losses on operations before early November 1944.