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I was under the impression that the V-1710 was rather competitive with the Packard Merlin 28 (Mark XX) [V-1650-1] (single stage, two speed supercharger) used in the P-40F's and L's.
Now I'm wondering if the Packard Merlin 28 (Mark XX) [V-1650-1] (single stage, two speed supercharger) could have/should have been employed in P-51's.
I agree!Shortround, what an educational post!! Thanks.
Well, yes.
My point was that it took some time for the V-1650-3 to appear in the P-51.
Meanwhile, perhaps, the V-1650-1 could have been employed in lieu of the V-1710.
Another question:
Were V-1710's powering P-51's while V-1650-1's were powering P-40's?
The answer to the last question is yes. But a problem is production scheduling and not just what would make the "best" fighter but what would give the "MOST" good fighters. Just like the Hurricane got the Merlin XX (V-1650-1) and the Spitfire didn't. The Spitfire could be competitive with a single speed engine. The Hurricane would have been even further behind with the Merlin 45, less power for take-off and at low altitude.
Most Merlin powered P-40s went to the MTO. With a 20-30mph speed advantage over an Allison powered P-40 at 20-25,000ft it was thought they would have a better chance against the Me 109. The difference at low altitude wasn't anywhere near as great. But production allocations had to be made and Fighter groups equipped months before combat was actually joined in North Africa. If the Merlins are given to the P-51s you have ONLY the poorer performing Allison powered P-40s and you may have disrupted P-51 production by several months. While much easier to fit in that the two stage Merlin the single stage Merlin is a bit heavier than the Allison and more importantly it gets rid of a different amount (percentage) of heat to the oil and coolant than an Allison which means you may not be able to use the same radiators and oil coolers. SO you still have to test fly the installation and then order the appropriate radiators/oil coolers ( for delivery weeks or months down the road). Not impossible or even terribly hard but one more detail. The Allison P-51 could hit 415mph at 10,400ft using WER and could hit a claimed 395mph at 25,000ft with Military power. It was competitive without the Merlin in 1942, early 1943. A V-1650-1 poweerd version may have been faster adn climbed better but you may have had fewer TOTAL number of effective fighters.
With the U.S. at peace, they, almost certainly, wouldn't have been allowed to. Even when work (and the war) was going on, to marry the Merlin to the Mustangs, one U.S. general said that the politicians seemed to be more interested in having an all-American airframe, than in defeating the Germans, so it wasn't all plain sailing.Too bad for Allied cause that Brits didn't loan a Merlin XX to the NAA back in late 1940/early 1941.
That would be the P-51A/Mustang II - so it's really from June 1943 in combat service (1st produced in March 1942)? The 1st P-40s with Packard Merlin were produced in January 1942 - 14 months before P-51A. While it would've taken time (and caused less fighters produced) to develop a V-1610-1 P-51, the same was true for the P-40 with Merlin.
Too bad for Allied cause that Brits didn't borrowed a Merlin XX to the NAA back in late 1940/early 1941.
With the U.S. at peace, they, almost certainly, wouldn't have been allowed to.
Even when work (and the war) was going on, to marry the Merlin to the Mustangs, one U.S. general said that the politicians seemed to be more interested in having an all-American airframe, than in defeating the Germans, so it wasn't all plain sailing.
When the Brits ordered the P-51 (and for that matter approached NAA for license-built P-40's) they knew they would be getting V-1710 performance.
So it seems reasonable that the planes could have been ordered, or supplied at some point, with V-1650's.