"Super" A-36 for CAS/ground attack and tactical recon.

[BarnOwlLover]

I started thinking about this earlier tonight given the development of the P-51 though the war, but what if there was a similarly improved A-36 for the CAS/attack role and maybe tactical recon fighter aircraft.

I'm taking some inspiration from a thread I read (I believe it was about Allison vs Merlin P-51s) and poster ColFord said something about the RAF wanting an updated Mustang I/II (or P-51/P-51A) for tactical recon. Namely, it'd have an uprated Allison and an armament of 4 20mm cannons, and be able to carry cameras for low altitude tactical recon.

My proposal would be for maybe an "A-36B" for similar roles as well as attack/CAS. This would have either an uprated Allison or a low altitude rated Merlin, armament as above and be a razorback with Malcolm hood. There'd also maybe be an A-36D with a low altitude Merlin, and similar to the P-51D/F-6D, but with improved attack/CAS capability and cannon armament.

Is any of this conceivably feasible, or just use normal P-51s/F-6s for those roles?

 

[SaparotRob]

I speak with complete confidence, that whatever it is, it will look better than an HS-129.

 

[GTX]

You might like this:

 

[Howard Gibson]

Is any of this conceivably feasible, or just use normal P-51s/F-6s for those roles?

The A-36 was conceived as a dive-bomber version of the P-51. The Wikipedia article claims that the A-36 was financial jiggery-pokey intended to keep the Mustang in production. Note the air brakes.

The theory behind dive bombing is that you fly up above your victim, dive straight down on them, and release your bombs. This worked fine on proving grounds, and with complete air supremacy. Against opposing air power and intense ground fire, dive bombing became more and more suicidal. Specialized dive bombers simply did not operate in western Europe after D-Day. Perhaps the A-36 was the best of the bunch!

The problem with Mustangs later in the war is that the Eighth Airforce wanted them to provide bomber escorts. P-47s were available for ground attack, and they had lots of positive qualities for that mission anyway. There just were not any Mustangs lying around looking for stuff to do.

 

[SaparotRob]

You might like this:

View attachment 760173
View attachment 760174

What if one loves it?

 

[ThomasP]

Airplane Porn! Airplane Porn!

 

[Snautzer01]

I speak with complete confidence, that whatever it is, it will look better than an HS-129.

Well oh ahhh...now...

No.

The kit is a poor p-51 racer that had some deep cuts made to it. Screaming of pain with every cut.
Its like a person were a plastic surgeon on crack and speed and minties has gone terrible wrong.
He got scared and filled the mistakes with firework stuff that is making it slower them a Tiger Moth. He will spent his next years in a safe place with soft walls.
And.. It can only get 3 rounds around an airfield before it drinks the fuel dump, the bar and Paddy's "coffee" cantine as bare as the Gobi desert.

Now the Hs129 with its frenchie engines can and does destroy with its guns a lot of those pesky soviets Lada's. And some poor blokes that are not fast enough to duck.
It will do that from barely legal grass field covered in tons of snow. No fancy pantsy "aerodrome" needed. Again and again.

There is no contest.

And it is better looking then that yukkie thing formely known as a Mustang.

Fact.

Sorry.

 

[SaparotRob]

Well oh ahhh...now...

No.

The kit is a poor p-51 racer that had some deep cuts made to it. Screaming of pain with every cut.
Its like a person were a plastic surgeon on crack and speed and minties has gone terrible wrong.
He got scared and filled the mistakes with firework stuff that is making it slower them a Tiger Moth. He will spent his next years in a safe place with soft walls.
And.. It can only get 3 rounds around an airfield before it drinks the fuel dump, the bar and Paddy's "coffee" cantine as bare as the Gobi desert.

Now the Hs129 with its frenchie engines can and does destroy with its guns a lot of those pesky soviets Lada's. And some poor blokes that are not fast enough to duck.
It will do that from barely legal grass field covered in tons of snow. No fancy pantsy "aerodrome" needed. Again and again.

There is no contest.

And it is better looking then that yukkie thing formely known as a Mustang.

Fact.

Sorry.

Though I may disagree with what you said, I'll defend to the death your right to say it.

 

[special ed]

Who's death?

 

[pbehn]

I started thinking about this earlier tonight given the development of the P-51 though the war, but what if there was a similarly improved A-36 for the CAS/attack role and maybe tactical recon fighter aircraft.

I'm taking some inspiration from a thread I read (I believe it was about Allison vs Merlin P-51s) and poster ColFord said something about the RAF wanting an updated Mustang I/II (or P-51/P-51A) for tactical recon. Namely, it'd have an uprated Allison and an armament of 4 20mm cannons, and be able to carry cameras for low altitude tactical recon.

My proposal would be for maybe an "A-36B" for similar roles as well as attack/CAS. This would have either an uprated Allison or a low altitude rated Merlin, armament as above and be a razorback with Malcolm hood. There'd also maybe be an A-36D with a low altitude Merlin, and similar to the P-51D/F-6D, but with improved attack/CAS capability and cannon armament.

Is any of this conceivably feasible, or just use normal P-51s/F-6s for those roles?

The A-36 was made to keep the production running from a "bomber" budget. Nothing would have delayed the RR engined variants being made.

 

[BarnOwlLover]

I said nothing about delaying Merlin Mustang production. I was asking basically about an improved A-36 for those roles, as well as tactical recon. even if they had to be Merlin powered. I also noted that the British thought that the best replacement for Allison P-51s in the tactical recon role was improved Allison P-51s.

Either way, most of the tooling used to make Allison Mustangs was absorbed to make Merlin Mustangs (basic airframe from the firewall on back was the same between the two variants aside from the cutdown rear fuselage when we get to the D model, and it was that way until the lightweights).

 

[Snautzer01]

Though I may disagree with what you said, I'll defend to the death your right to say it.

Thats because you did not study the Hs129. And battle field tactics.
No need to die for my rights. I rather have beer and a some laughs with you.

 

[SaparotRob]

Thats because you did not study....

Study?

 

[Jimbob]

Allison powered Mustangs were faster than Merlin powered Mustangs at lower altitudes, so it would make sense that a heavier armed version would have worked in the ground attack mode very well.

 

[Shortround6]

It is not just speed, for ground attack you need to get heavy loads out of less than ideal runways/airfields quickly.
Once you start hanging pair of 500lb/1000lbs under the wing having a bit more power at take-off gets more reassuring for the pilots.