drgondog
Major
Strictly speaking NA-73 for AAF was XP-51, 41-038 & 039. Thanks for the correction of ETO arrival date for the -30
Were the legible IDs in RAF format?
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Strictly speaking NA-73 for AAF was XP-51, 41-038 & 039. Thanks for the correction of ETO arrival date for the -30"The Secret Years" by Tim Mason, ISBN 0 951899 9 5, which covers Flight Testing at Boscombe 1939-1945
Looked up a copy online but it was a low quality scan making it hard to be sure of the serial numbers via the index, there were a number of Mustangs on strength over time, the index also lists 7 Thunderbolts, 3 with USAAF serials and only 1 in 1943, the rest seem to arrive July 1944 or later. The Morgan and Shacklady are Spitfire, the other types mentioned in passing, really need the A&AEE reports. Or the output of the late David Birch.
Most people use P-51 and Mustang as the generic interchangeable label for the aircraft yet P-51 is one of the few WWII USAAF designations for a production version without a trailing letter and there was no USAAF designation for the NA-73 Mustang I.
The first Farmingdale P-47D-30 was accepted on 31 August 1944, then production from mid September, Republic seems to have had a habit of building an example or two of a new version/block slightly ahead of the actual change over. Evansville began D-30 production late October.
According to the end June 1944 RAF census there were 323 Mustang I, 58 mark IA and 46 mark II and 405 mark III in Britain plus 72 III in the Mediterranean and 48 III en route. Operational units were using a mixture of all marks. No mark IV but 3 Mustang X, 1 Mustang 36 and 2 Mustang (American Type) were in Britain. First Mustang IV imports reported in September. Losses to end June 293 I, 34 IA, 4 II, 126 III, 1 X and 4 American Type.
AG 351 would have the flap in front of the intake. AM 118 was the prototype A-36, modified and tested between May 1942 and August 1942. Unlike other NA-83 it would have bomb/fuel racks with arrival in UK.I have a copy of the book in question.
In the Tables at the back there are 5 Mustangs listed in Performance tests
I...........AG351...................V-1710-39.................oil cored therefore blanking plates used.
X..........MA208..................Merlin 65...................Rolls Royce modified: 4-blade propeller; combat rating for performance
II..........FR893...................V-1710-81..................Wing guns (4 0.5 in) taped over
III.........FX953....................V-1650-3...................Maximum speed at reduced RPM (2800) due to compressibility. Max speed was given as 450mph at 28,000ft
III.........FX858....................Merlin 100................Maximinum RPM thoughout; 130 octane fuel
In the Aircraft index section there are 41 Mustangs listed by serial number with arrived date, a one or two word description as to the type of test and page number for further information. However no type number or engine type is shown for these 41 planes in the list
They seem to be sorted by Serial number so AM118 shows up between AM106/G and AM130/G despite arrival dates at Boscombe Down of 17 Feb 44, 03 Apr 43 and 17 Dec 42 respectively.
If I can look up anything in this book that would be of assistance let me know.
AG 351 would have the flap in front of the intake. AM 118 was the prototype A-36, modified and tested between May 1942 and August 1942. Unlike other NA-83 it would have bomb/fuel racks with arrival in UK.
Hi,I have a copy of the book in question.
In the Tables at the back there are 5 Mustangs listed in Performance tests
I...........AG351...................V-1710-39.................oil cored therefore blanking plates used.
X..........MA208..................Merlin 65...................Rolls Royce modified: 4-blade propeller; combat rating for performance
II..........FR893...................V-1710-81..................Wing guns (4 0.5 in) taped over
III.........FX953....................V-1650-3...................Maximum speed at reduced RPM (2800) due to compressibility. Max speed was given as 450mph at 28,000ft
III.........FX858....................Merlin 100................Maximinum RPM thoughout; 130 octane fuel
In the Aircraft index section there are 41 Mustangs listed by serial number with arrived date, a one or two word description as to the type of test and page number for further information. However no type number or engine type is shown for these 41 planes in the list
They seem to be sorted by Serial number so AM118 shows up between AM106/G and AM130/G despite arrival dates at Boscombe Down of 17 Feb 44, 03 Apr 43 and 17 Dec 42 respectively.
If I can look up anything in this book that would be of assistance let me know.
I blame auto typo control. Yes . I stick with that.Nice catch, I seem to be making more typo's these days and was one of the Forums Champions at typos 10 year ago.
I have a failing keyboard which misses about one in 10 keystrokes.. plus old and feeble - and lazy.I blame auto typo control. Yes . I stick with that.
Nah.. you cannot play the old card. I read about everything you posted here and elsewhere, books etc.I have a failing keyboard which misses about one in 10 keystrokes.. plus old and feeble - and lazy.
Any ?I'm a bit suspicious of M.92 myself. I'm thinking airspeed error.
Based on your post, this is one place I'll have to disagree with Eric Brown. The P-47 shot down over 3,600 enemy airplanes and added a lot more on the ground. That's hardly useless, and the P-47 was vastly superior to the Fw 190 at high altitudes while the Fw 190 would hardly get there and was a bit of a slug above 20,000 feet. At least until the Fw 190D showed up, and there weren't all that many of them. Of some 20,600 Fw 190s built, there were 1,850 D models. So, if you saw an Fw 190, you stood about a 9% chance of it being a D model. In practice, less because the D's didn't show up until later. So ... it depends.
I'd pick the radial Fw 190 as superior at, say, 17,000 feet but I'd take a P-47 at 25,000 and above every single time unless it was an Fw 190D. Then it would be a fight. I'd still pick the P-47 above 35,000 feet.
Eric Brown should KNOW that. I'll have to watch the video ... maybe he does. Never heard any Brit of that generation sing the praises of ANY US airplane, so at least this is consistent.
Yes, for all models through the D-23. 305gal, afterwards 305 plus 65 auxiliary.The report states the internal fuel capacity of the P-47 as being 202 Imperial gallons, which equals 242.6 US gallons. But wasn'tthe internal fuel capacity of the earlier P-47s was 300 US gallons? In which case, what happened to the other 57.4 US gallons?
Auxiliary tank was always at 100 US gals.Yes, for all models through the D-23. 305gal, afterwards 305 plus 65 auxiliary.
You are absolutley correct - brain fart on my part.Auxiliary tank was always at 100 US gals.
Main tank was 1st at 205 US gals, later (with 'bubbletop' versions) increased to 270.
Never heard any Brit of that generation sing the praises of ANY US airplane, so at least this is consistent.