Warbird Information Exchange

P-40Ns 8th FG on Cape Gloucester 1943

P-51s 356th FS Criqueville, France June 1944

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Don't touch my junk!!

Are those C's? I need to learn my mustangs...

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"I knew the jig was up when I saw the P-51D-20-NA Mustang blue-nosed bastards from Bodney, and by the way the blue was more of a royal blue than an indigo and the inner landing gear interiors were NOT green, over Berlin."

The only difference in the B and C models is where they were made. The B's were made at the plant in Inglewood, CA and the C's were made in the Dallas (Grand Prairie), TX plant. That same plant is where Vought is now location.

I'm sure someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I "think" the only way to tell the difference in a B or C is the serial number to be able to tell which plant it was made at.

you passed the test

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Flying is easy: just learn how to throw yourself at the ground and miss

thanks! Now I doesn't feel quite as dumb as I was a minute ago!

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"I knew the jig was up when I saw the P-51D-20-NA Mustang blue-nosed bastards from Bodney, and by the way the blue was more of a royal blue than an indigo and the inner landing gear interiors were NOT green, over Berlin."

Nice!

Anymore of the Mustang group? That's neat photo showing the various models serving together. (assuming I'm correct in that I think I see at least 1 D model taxing.)

Mustang spotting is fun. Mustang spotting is fun. Mustang spotting is...

P-51B and C are, for all intents and purposes, outwardly identical. Serials are only positive ID. However serial number placement can also be an indicator. Inglewood B's had 2" number spacing while the Dallas articles had 1". Same goes for P-51D's built at both places. This feature goes by the way side if serials were painted over or moved at squadron level.

Canopy shape/style is rather poor indicator, especially for British based P-51D's, as these switched canopies enough to the point that a particular type accociated with a place of manufacture is almost meaningless. for the record, there were certainly more than just a single "California" type and a single "Dallas" type. The NAA parts drawings indicate there were two different "California" types.

Does anyone have a clue as to why there appears to have been such a scramble to change canopies?? The first type seen on p-51D-5NA's had a relatively flat side compared to all later types, which were/are full blown (circular section when viewed from front/rear). I've always speculated that the swtching might have been for a few more precious degress of visual vista. Can anyone shed some real light?

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Charles Neely

I believe you are referring to what is commonly called the "Malcolm hood" which was a modified canopy, initially used by the British, allowing extra visibility from the high-back mustangs. I think it was only used in the ETO though, and believe it was a field-mod. rather than factory standard.

Cheers,
Richard

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Richard Mallory Allnutt - Photography - http://www.rmallnutt.com

Nah ! Charlie - one of the Mustang gods out there - is referring to the different 'bubble canopies' installed in D- and K-models....

Cheers
Martin

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Flying is easy: just learn how to throw yourself at the ground and miss