Supermarine Spitfire (1 Viewer)

Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules

When you're talking about the ground attack Mustang, you're talking about the A-36 Apache, right?
 
Yes, there was the A-36 Apache, which was a Mustang (before being called Mustang) with the Allison engine, used as a ground attack aircraft.
 
a36d.gif


This is the A-36, which was a ground attack aircraft before having a Merlin engine, it was not known as the Mustang.

The (RAF) Mustang I, was armed as thus; 4 x .303 in wings, 2 x .50 cal in wings and 2 x .50 cal under nose.
 
The first A-36A flew in Sept 1942, [they wanted to call it 'Apache', but the Brit's 'Mustang' stuck- The Mustangs, were in fact developed FOR Britain..] The A-36A's incorporating mods to strengthen it, and had special hydraulic dive-brakes to slow in high-angle dives. It had 2x.5's in each wing, 500 were ordered and first saw action over Pantelleria in June '43 with the 27th BG. They had a high attrition-rate, being vulnerable in pull-out and were known to disentegrate due to wing over-stress. They were eventually replaced by P-47's in early '44. - ALL that I've studied of the Mustang, it never had .303's, but .30's, .50's and 20mm's.
 
It was called the Apache, the Allison engined dive bomber was called the Apache. It was only the Merlin engined ones that became the Mustang, which was a fighter, where the Apache was a ground attack plane.

The P-51D had 6 x .50 cal in its wings. The Mustang I was armed as I mentioned before. The Mustang IA had 4 x 20mm in its wings.
 
I've put the A-36 in the Aircraft Database, although I forgot to put Apache.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back