Merlins in a P-38

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Mudge
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Merlins in a P-38

Wed Dec 10, 2008 12:37 pm

Feasible or not? If not, why not? Cost? Adaptability? Just curious. What advantage/disadvantage to performance would it have?
If this has been dealt with before, please direct me to the thread.

Mudge the curious :?
Second Air Force
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Wed Dec 10, 2008 12:48 pm

Mudge,

Lockheed actually looked into Merlins, but the War Production Board didn't want production stopped for the retooling/re-engineering involved. There is some discussion of this subject here: http://forums.ubi.com/eve/ubb.x/a/tpc/f ... 090723/p/2
Page down about halfway for the Merlin info.

Scott
Mudge
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Wed Dec 10, 2008 1:04 pm

Scott...Many Mahalos. That's exactly what I was looking for. Sure would have been interesting to see what a Merlin powered P-38 would have accomplished.

As for the War Production Board..."What good's a little power if you can't abuse it?"

Mudge the appreciative :drink3:
The Inspector
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Wed Dec 10, 2008 1:44 pm

Didn't Chuck Lyford re-engine his P-38 with Merlins back in the late 60's?
Nathan
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Wed Dec 10, 2008 1:56 pm

Putting Merlins in a P-38 wouldn't have dont much. The P-38 was an expensive fighter. Why waste a merlin(2) on a P-38 when one could be put in a P-51 hand have a cheaper and better fighter? We had a good discussion about this on us-aircraft awhile back. Indeed a good topic to start! :D

Thanks Mudge!
Bill Greenwood
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Mudge

Wed Dec 10, 2008 1:57 pm

Mudge, good question. Did you know they tried one as an experiment in England. The put a Merlin on the right wing and left the Allison on the left. It worked ok on takeoff, but when they got above 10,000 using full throttle on both the plane would only turn left.

They even tried to get a famous test pilot, Chuck Yeager, to fly it. But he said no thanks, no way was he ever going to the left. They were gonna use an Indy car driver, but then the war ended.

I sure miss reading about your flying.
Mudge
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Wed Dec 10, 2008 3:30 pm

Nathan wrote:Putting Merlins in a P-38 wouldn't have dont much. The P-38 was an expensive fighter. Why waste a merlin(2) on a P-38 when one could be put in a P-51 hand have a cheaper and better fighter? We had a good discussion about this on us-aircraft awhile back. Indeed a good topic to start! :D

Thanks Mudge!


HERESY

Mudge the astonished :shock:

ps. I'll deal with you at Geneseo :twisted: :twisted:

Bill...You don't miss my "flying stories" as much as I miss doin' it! :evil:

ps. Chuck WHO? :wink:
retroaviation
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Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:08 pm

Why would you ruin a perfectly good airplane by putting Merlins on it??? Heck, the Brits did that to the Mustang, and now look what you got. Long live the P-51A! :wink:

Flame suit on...ready to get blasted. :hide:

Gary
Nathan
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Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:11 pm

retroaviation wrote:Why would you ruin a perfectly good airplane by putting Merlins on it??? Heck, the Brits did that to the Mustang, and now look what you got. Long live the P-51A! :wink:

Flame suit on...ready to get blasted. :hide:

Gary


Glad someone out there besides me likes the Allison! :lol:

P.S. I'd take a P-38 over a P-51 anyday Mudge. Although I'd take a P-40 over both too. :lol:
Warbird Kid

Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:11 pm

retroaviation wrote:Why would you ruin a perfectly good airplane by putting Merlins on it??? Heck, the Brits did that to the Mustang, and now look what you got. Long live the P-51A! :wink:

Flame suit on...ready to get blasted. :hide:

Gary


Best version of them all! Long live the A! :P :twisted:
lestweforget
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Wed Dec 10, 2008 7:36 pm

retroaviation wrote:Why would you ruin a perfectly good airplane by putting Merlins on it??? Heck, the Brits did that to the Mustang, and now look what you got. Long live the P-51A! :wink:

Flame suit on...ready to get blasted. :hide:

Gary


Man , it wasn't even half decent until they put a proper engine on it!!! Just tried to imagine a Mossie with Allisons on it , Aaaaaaarghh!!! :shock: :lol: :lol:
J. Armstrong
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Wed Dec 10, 2008 8:18 pm

Since the Allison was, in the P38 application, already a two stage engine, there wouldn't be much reason to go with the Merlin, IMHO.
Mudge
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Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:40 pm

OK...OK...Merlins are out. Consider this...a pair of Griffons. :shock: :roll:

Just stirrin' the pot, troops.

Mudge the revolutionary :wink:
hairy
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Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:46 pm

Mudge wrote:OK...OK...Merlins are out. Consider this...a pair of Griffons. :shock: :roll:

Mudge the revolutionary :wink:


Yeah Baby, and none of those namby-pamby contra props either. :twisted:
RyanShort1

Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:47 pm

lestweforget wrote:
retroaviation wrote:Why would you ruin a perfectly good airplane by putting Merlins on it??? Heck, the Brits did that to the Mustang, and now look what you got. Long live the P-51A! :wink:

Flame suit on...ready to get blasted. :hide:

Gary


Man , it wasn't even half decent until they put a proper engine on it!!! Just tried to imagine a Mossie with Allisons on it , Aaaaaaarghh!!! :shock: :lol: :lol:


Huh? From what I've read it wasn't too bad down low at all!
Also, a huge factor that was in favor of the P-51 was it's significantly better fuel economy over the P-47 or P-38. Armies and Air Forces are thirsty machines... even if gas is cheap. If you can cut in half what you have to transport, it's a big deal.

Ryan
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