the p51 d20 / d30

[stuffy]

im trying to find information on the p51 and i cant find info on when the d20 or d30 entered service do anyone know anything about it (sorry if its a strange question)

 

[Geoffrey Sinclair]

P-51D-20 to -30. Dallas tended to switch straight between production blocks, Inglewood tended to complete a couple from each new block around 4 to 5 weeks before switching production to the new standard. Dates according to the USAAF,

Dallas,
first P-51D-20-NT factory completed 8 March 1945, 13 P-51D-20-NT accepted 16 March, 8 delivered the same day.
first P-51D-25-NT factory completed 11 April 1945, accepted 20 April, delivered the same day.
first P-51D-30-NT factory completed 27 June 1945, first acceptance 17 July, delivered the same day.

Inglewood,
first P-51D-20-NA factory completed 11 September 1944, accepted 28 September, delivered 2 October, series production from late October.
first P-51D-25-NA factory completed 20 December 1944, first acceptance 9 January 1945, delivered 11 January, series production from mid February
first P-51D-30-NA factory completed 21 March 1945, first acceptance 5 April, delivered 6 April, series production from mid May

After this comes what the definition of entered service is.

 

[Snautzer01]

Recommend this book P-51B Mustang: North American's Bastard Stepchild that Saved the Eighth Air Force (English Edition) eBook : Marshall, James William "Bill", Ford, Lowell F., Gruenhagen, Col (Ret.) Robert W.: Amazon.nl: Kindle Store

 

[mjfur]

P-51 Mustang Production - MustangsMustangs.com

The North American P-51 Mustang Production. WWII wartime production of the P-51A, A-36, P-51B, P-51C, P-51D, P-51K, P-51H, F-6D, F-6K, F-51D, F-51H Mustangs

www.mustangsmustangs.com

Using the Serial Numbers above you can use Joe Baughers site to get an idea as to when the first losses occurred.

USASC-USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Military Aircraft Serial Numbers--1908 to Present

 

[stuffy]

P-51D-20 to -30. Dallas tended to switch straight between production blocks, Inglewood tended to complete a couple from each new block around 4 to 5 weeks before switching production to the new standard. Dates according to the USAAF,

Dallas,
first P-51D-20-NT factory completed 8 March 1945, 13 P-51D-20-NT accepted 16 March, 8 delivered the same day.
first P-51D-25-NT factory completed 11 April 1945, accepted 20 April, delivered the same day.
first P-51D-30-NT factory completed 27 June 1945, first acceptance 17 July, delivered the same day.

Inglewood,
first P-51D-20-NA factory completed 11 September 1944, accepted 28 September, delivered 2 October, series production from late October.
first P-51D-25-NA factory completed 20 December 1944, first acceptance 9 January 1945, delivered 11 January, series production from mid February
first P-51D-25-30 factory completed 21 March 1945, first acceptance 5 April, delivered 6 April, series production from mid May

After this comes what the definition of entered service is.

So neither one saw combat in ww2?

 

[Geoffrey Sinclair]

There are a number of 8th Air Force Missing Air crew Reports for pilots flying P-51D-20 and D-25. The earliest D-20 related one I know of is dated 29 December 1944, over 2 months after production switched.

Does see combat mean flew a sortie, or at least shot at or was shot at?

The D-30 came into full production in mid May 1945, add 2 months and it is mid July. So it is possible a D-30 was shipped to one of the units of the 5th, 7th or 20th (or even 10th or 14th) Air Forces equipped with P-51 in time to be used on at least one combat mission. To be sure you would need a combination of the unit and individual aircraft histories.

The serial numbers for Inglewood produced P-51D-30 are 44-74227 to 75026 http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_5.html

There are a number of Missing Air Crew Reports available online, for example.

USAAF Missing Aircrew Reports - June 1945

AAIR, Aviation Archaeological Investigation & Research, is a source of U. S. military aircraft accident reports, pictures of aircraft crash sites, MACRs (Missing Air Crew Reports) and individual aircraft history cards and historical research. Historic aircraft crash site surveys, search and...

92.53.241.206

USAAF Missing Aircrew Reports - July 1945

AAIR, Aviation Archaeological Investigation & Research, is a source of U. S. military aircraft accident reports, pictures of aircraft crash sites, MACRs (Missing Air Crew Reports) and individual aircraft history cards and historical research. Historic aircraft crash site surveys, search and...

92.53.241.206

USAAF Missing Aircrew Reports - August 1945

AAIR, Aviation Archaeological Investigation & Research, is a source of U. S. military aircraft accident reports, pictures of aircraft crash sites, MACRs (Missing Air Crew Reports) and individual aircraft history cards and historical research. Historic aircraft crash site surveys, search and...

92.53.241.206

no P-51D-30

 

[drgondog]

So neither one saw combat in ww2?

The P-51D-20-NA and -25-NA both flew combat in ETO, but D-25-NA deliveries into ETO ops just about a month before VE-Day. My father flew both before April 25, 1945 when 8th AF suspended combat ops. I don't believe that second block of D-25-NA, nor any D-30-NA, were ever delivered to Europe after VE-Day. All remained in ZI or shipped tp Pacific in prep for invasion of Japan

I know D-20-NT and first block of D-25-NT flew in Pacific before VJ-Day. No -30's before VJ Day in combat ops AFAIK.

That said, my father also flew -30-NA and -NT post WWII when he commanded 35FG in Japan.

 

[drgondog]

The P-51D-20-NA and -25-NA both flew combat in ETO, but D-25-NA deliveries into ETO ops just about a month before VE-Day. My father flew both before April 25, 1945 when 8th AF suspended combat ops. I don't believe that second block of D-25-NA, nor any D-30-NA, were ever delivered to Europe after VE-Day. All remained in ZI or shipped tp Pacific in prep for invasion of Japan

I know D-20-NT and first block of D-25-NT flew in Pacific before VJ-Day. No -30's before VJ Day in combat ops AFAIK.

Double post

 

[Mike Williams]

For what it's worth and after just a very brief look, I found that Iwo Jima based Mustang units were equipped with P-51D-20 in April 1945. See attachments from 531st FS and 72nd FS as examples.

 

[stuffy]

The P-51D-20-NA and -25-NA both flew combat in ETO, but D-25-NA deliveries into ETO ops just about a month before VE-Day. My father flew both before April 25, 1945 when 8th AF suspended combat ops. I don't believe that second block of D-25-NA, nor any D-30-NA, were ever delivered to Europe after VE-Day. All remained in ZI or shipped tp Pacific in prep for invasion of Japan

I know D-20-NT and first block of D-25-NT flew in Pacific before VJ-Day. No -30's before VJ Day in combat ops AFAIK.

That said, my father also flew -30-NA and -NT post WWII when he commanded 35FG in Japan.

So was the d30 the main p51 in Korea or was that the d25?

 

[drgondog]

So was the d30 the main p51 in Korea or was that the d25?

I don't know where to look, but National Guard had D-20 through D-30 in abundance by Korea.

 

[33k in the air]

After this comes what the definition of entered service is.

I would define it as the date on which the aircraft model flew its first wartime operational mission with a squadron or group.

As to how the original poster defines it, I cannot say.

 

[stuffy]

I would define it as the date on which the aircraft model flew its first wartime operational mission with a squadron or group.

As to how the original poster defines it, I cannot say.

Yeah that sounds right.
I'm surprised people still come to this thread as it was really just a question for war thunder trying to find out when the p51 d30 was used lol