B&C Mustangs

Mark Nankivil · **Posted:** Sun May 06, 2007 10:52 pm

Greetings All -

Time for some more Mustang photos, this time B & C models.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

The next two are of the same aircraft - the first image looks to be during flight test - interesting too the different serial locations...

and the 3rd B model manufactured, converted to a bubble canopy in preparation for the oncoming D model.

Connery · **Posted:** Mon May 07, 2007 8:47 am

Nice pictures, thanks for sharing. I believe photos 3 & 4 are of the P-51A that had the Merlin installed which was the start of the P-51B/C series of aircraft. You can tell by the way the cowling under the chin doesn't flow smoothly into the wing root area. Also, compare it with the other pictures and you can see that the wing is closer to the canopy railing on 3 & 4 indicating that it is a P-51A airframe.

Swiss Mustangs · **Posted:** Mon May 07, 2007 9:40 am

Mark... as usual great photos... thanks for posting...

Connery is correct about pics # 3 & 4:

41-37421 XP-51B c/n 91-12082; Lend Lease RAF FD519; repossessed and modified to XP-78, re-designated XP-51B, Model NA-101

pic #1 is 43-24943, a factory-fresh P-51C-10-NT; c/n 103-26574; the 1042th a/c from model NA-103 built at Dallas, TX (therefore the number "042" on the tail); it stayed in the Z.I. and was attached to the 347th BAS; reclamation date is 450911

pic # is RAF FX883; 43-12372, P-51B-1-NA; to USAAF upon arrival in the UK 30.12.1943; assigned to 354th FG 353rd FS, code FT-?; MIA 440221, MACR 2328 [enemy fighters]

pics # 3 & 4 as mentioned above, but # 3 is mirrored... [!]

pic # 5 is a factory-fresh P-51C most probably from the last production batch in th 44-10xxx serial range and model designation NA-111 (which also include P-51K-NT's and P-51D-NT's

pic # 6 is 43-24868, factory-fresh P-51B-15-NA; it reportedly was sent to the 15th AAF in Italy, MTO, but no unit assignment has come to light, yet.... however, it was salvaged 450902

pics # 7 & 8 are 43-12095, the third production P-51B-1-NA; it was used for internal tests at NAA (note logo on tail) and later was issued to 340th BAS; reclamation date is 450814

pic #9 is 43-7164, a factory fresh P-51B-10-NA; it later served with the 4th FG 335th FS, coded WD-? and later was transferred to the 355th FG Hdqtrs, coded YF-D and went missing on 440608 due to mechanical failure, MACR # 5750

pic #10 is 43-7116, another factory-fresh P-51B-10-NA; it went to the CBI and served with the 23rd FG 76th FS; lost on 441028; MACR # 10058

pics # 11 & 12 show XP-51D 43-12102, originally a P-51B-1-NA converted to bubble-canopy...

HTH
Martin

Ztex · **Posted:** Mon May 07, 2007 10:48 am

Quote:

pics # 7 & 8 are 43-12095, the third production P-51B-1-NA; it was used for internal tests at NAA (note logo on tail) and later was issued to 340th BAS; reclamation date is 450814

What color would that airplane be? Black, OD Green,...??

Nice pics!

More please...

Mark Nankivil · **Posted:** Mon May 07, 2007 4:20 pm

Thanks guys - I had picked up on the different shape on the Mustang but was not sure if that was the XP-51B - thanks for the confirmation.

As for the bubble top B model, was that actually assigned the XP-51D designation? Baugher's site does not reference it that way and I was curious.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11324

Ztex wrote:

What color would that airplane be? Black, OD Green...??

Green with gray undersurfaces. John Marlin's "Daydreamer" was painted as this airplane I believe.

visaliaaviation · **Joined:** Mon Jul 03, 2006 2:01 pm **Posts:** 353

"102" was never given a D designation asnd was never officially known as the D prototype. While the new canopy is the most obvious feature, the new new lines of the windscreen and the six gun wing (strengthened for larger external stores carriage hence the larger wing root) are probably more important factors for the new variant designation.

I have a letter from Bob Chilton stating that, according to dates and notations from his flight logs, this ac retained its P-51B
(and wing /4 gun arraingement) identity while it remained at NAA, Inglewood. Several rumors exist concerning the eventual fate of this aircraft. Does anyone have any real information???

visaliaaviation · **Joined:** Mon Jul 03, 2006 2:01 pm **Posts:** 353

"102" was never given a D designation asnd was never officially known as the D prototype. While the new canopy is the most obvious feature, the new new lines of the windscreen and the six gun wing (strengthened for larger external stores carriage hence the larger wing root) are probably more important factors for the new variant designation.

I have a letter from Bob Chilton stating that, according to dates and notations from his flight logs, this ac retained its P-51B
(and wing /4 gun arraingement) identity while it remained at NAA, Inglewood. Several rumors exist concerning the eventual fate of this aircraft. Does anyone have any real information???

Color is standard OD over undersidw grey. exhibits extensive weathering and patchwork. Lettering is yellow.

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2007 12:05 pm

visaliaaviation wrote:

Color is standard OD over undersidw grey. exhibits extensive weathering and patchwork. Lettering is yellow.

Is the spinner yellow as well or is it possible that it's white? In the second picture it looks like the 102 and the spinner are lighter than the propellor tips. I've been toying with doing a model of that aircraft. Any more pictures?

Ryan

Swiss Mustangs · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2007 12:23 pm

RyanShort1 wrote:

visaliaaviation wrote:

Color is standard OD over undersidw grey. exhibits extensive weathering and patchwork. Lettering is yellow.

Is the spinner yellow as well or is it possible that it's white? In the second picture it looks like the 102 and the spinner are lighter than the propellor tips. I've been toying with doing a model of that aircraft. Any more pictures?

Ryan

sumthin' like this ?

Martin

Ztex · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2007 1:47 pm

That's great!

Thanks Martin.

Z

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2007 3:18 pm

Oh Yeah! What a beauty...

Ryan

Swiss Mustangs · **Posted:** Thu May 10, 2007 1:28 am

visaliaaviation · **Joined:** Mon Jul 03, 2006 2:01 pm **Posts:** 353

Should have said spinner was yellow. mea culpa. Of note too, the starboard elevator was most probably silver (replacement??). AFAIK this ac never delivered to USAAF. So technically it is not a "warbird".

Note too, it retaines the B/C upper cowl nose contours (different than D-see side view above), with flattened area between canted firewall and windscreen. After much discussion and research several of us have come to believe the D's production firewall was lowered slightly to smooth this line out.

visaliaaviation · **Joined:** Mon Jul 03, 2006 2:01 pm **Posts:** 353

Well, there you go. In re-checking the photos, I've further determined that I do not know my left from my right! Should have said port elevator!!!
Trust no one!!

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