North American P-51A "Small Window" ...

[airnutz]

In lieu of a photo of an open clear vision panel, I'm guessing it opens inward forward and hangs down? Great photos! I never tire of looking at high-back 'Stangs.

[Mark Allen M]

Capt. Charles McMillin and P-51A, CBI Fighter Replacement Training Unit, India November, 1944.

[Chris Brame]

The XP-51 at the EAA Museum was one of two that were pulled from the initial production run of RAF Mustang Mk.I's (NA-73) and kept by the US Govt. for testing, and thus features the adjustable radiator scoop.

Never noticed that before.

[JohnTerrell]

These photos, by Mustang restorer Glenn Wegman, were taken of the adjustable radiator scoop on the EAA Museum XP-51 (Mustang I/NA-73) in both the fully open and fully closed positions:

https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5EA737AB
https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5E91999D

The two XP-51's, 41-038 (EAA's example) & 41-039 (no longer existing), were the 4th and 10th production airframes ever built (following the original NA-73X prototype). Those two airframes were pulled from the initial RAF Mustang I/NA-73 production run and would have had RAF serials AG348 and AG354 had they not been pulled (those RAF serials instead went to the 5th and 12th production airframes).

[phil65]

First the small window and now this...

Does anybody know when last time the XP-51 at the EAA Museum flew ?

Phil

[JohnTerrell]

The EAA website states that it was last flown in late 1982, by Paul Poberezny. Although I couldn't make it to Oshkosh last year, it was fantastic to see the EAA Museum take the aircraft out and park it among the other Mustangs at the show.


I wasn't born until 5 years after the aircraft was retired, and I always get a thrill to see a rare photo from time to time of the aircraft back when it was flying:

Here is a fantastic air-to-air shot by Bill Crump, of Jimmy Leeward flying the aircraft with Hall Bond off his wing in the P-47N: https://scontent.ffcm1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5E8D3B5F

Photo by Mel Lutgring taken of 40-038 flying over Harlingen, TX at the CAF Airsho in 1978, with Jimmy Leeward at the controls: https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5E90825F

Another photo from Harlingen '78, by Nate Pritzker: https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5EA70AC4

A Rich Kolasa‎ photo taken at Oshkosh '78, with Jimmy Leeward on takeoff (note both the radiator scoop and exit doors wide open): https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5EA5BEA7

Last edited by JohnTerrell on Thu Mar 12, 2020 3:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Lon Moer]

I was at Oshkosh in '79 and Jimmy Leeward was flying it.