XP-51J (and one type of XP-51B?) supercharger intake?

[BarnOwlLover]

I know that the XP-51J (the Allison powered lightweight Mustang) had the supercharger intake relocated from the nose to the radiator ducting. I've wondered how this tract worked, and, one, if it was a possible source of power getting robbed (due to the snaking intake instead of a direct shot to the supercharger/carb), and two, if it negatively impacted airflow to the radiator.

I was also reading the Michael O'Leary Building the P-51 Mustang book last night I just got and there was a XP-51B pictured with no apparent supercharger intake under the nose. It was suspected in the caption that it may've been located in the radiator intake like on the XP-51J.

 

[Daggerr]

I was also reading the Michael O'Leary Building the P-51 Mustang book last night I just got and there was a XP-51B pictured with no apparent supercharger intake under the nose. It was suspected in the caption that it may've been located in the radiator intake like on the XP-51J.

No, not like the XP-51J.
As an experiment North American modified one XP-51B prototype with a carburetor intake flush with the engine bottom cowling near the wing leading edge. It would only be visible on a photo if taken from the right pov.

 

[BarnOwlLover]

Any photos exist of this variant that show what the intake looks like?

 

[Daggerr]

There is in Bill Marshall's P-51B book.

 

[ddwhitney]

I know that the XP-51J (the Allison powered lightweight Mustang) had the supercharger intake relocated from the nose to the radiator ducting. I've wondered how this tract worked, and, one, if it was a possible source of power getting robbed (due to the snaking intake instead of a direct shot to the supercharger/carb), and two, if it negatively impacted airflow to the radiator.

I was also reading the Michael O'Leary Building the P-51 Mustang book last night I just got and there was a XP-51B pictured with no apparent supercharger intake under the nose. It was suspected in the caption that it may've been located in the radiator intake like on the XP-51J.

There is a cross-section drawing of the XP-51J on page 187 of Vee's For Victory, I have attached a colorized version. It shows the air intake, taken from the ram air prior to the radiator core. It does not appear that this would have had any adverse effect on the radiator's performance. The air then travels through a long tube to the Auxiliary Stage Supercharger inlet. The P-82E/F, which essentially used the same engine and configuration, got its intake air via a chin inlet and duct much like that used with the Merlin powered P-51s. The P-82E/F did get heated combustion air during icing conditions from a duct back to the aft-side of the coolant radiator. There were likely a number of aerodynamic pressure loss issues involved in the decision to use a Merlin type inlet for the P-82E/F. The XP-51J was used as a test vehicle for a number of engine and installation details for the coming Allison powered P-82.
Dan Whitney

 

[BarnOwlLover]

Is there any diagrams/illustrations like this for the Merlin powered lightweight P-51s (XP-51F/G, P-51H, or even the F-82 family)?