Warbird Information Exchange

What is that protuberance just aft of the prop on the top of the cowling on Miss Mimi?

Looks like a pistol front sight.

Well that was an interesting read. Thanks for providing the link. I've often wondered myself why F-47's weren't used.

One of the objections to using the F-47's in Hawaii was that the pilots would have to be retrained as well as ground crew in the type.

Why not just swap squadrons which come with their own support? The Air Force ought to be flexible enough to do that.

We sure paid a large price for the fanciful 1940's/1950's/1960's
notion that all war would be nuclear war.

I've read an interview with Dean Hess about this. He was familiar with both types, and said he'd have never been able to get in and out of all the valleys and "nooks and crannies" of the Korean landscape in an F-47.

I went back and looked. At first I thought it was something in the background, but it's in pics from different angles. And there's something similar (different shape) on at least one other Mustang, maybe two, maybe more. Maybe it actually is a makeshift rudimentary "gunsight" of sorts. Very interesting!

Possibly deflector of oil/grease from windshield?

North American F-51D Mustang 'Jeannie' (s/n 44-84925; c/n 44871)


North American F-51D Mustang 'Jeannie' (s/n 44-84925; c/n 44871)


SAAF Mustang Mk. IV (s/n KM366) undergoing armament operations.


SAAF Mustang Mk. IV being equipped with drop tanks.


SAAF Mustang Mk. IV being equipped with drop tanks.


F-51D Mustang (s/n 44-84653; c/n 44509) parked near a hangar.

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45+47=Psalm 92:6

Republic F-84E Thunder 'Lois K' (s/n 51-613) of the 8th Fighter Bomber Squadron (FBS), 49th Fighter Bomber Group (FBG), fitted with external fuel tanks, a bomb and four rockets.


Republic F-84E 'Maria' (s/n 50-1186) being fitted with bombs.


Republic F-84 Thunderjet bearing the markings of the 8th Fighter Bomber Squadron (FBS), 49th Fighter Bomber Group (FBG), fitted with a bomb and four rockets.


Republic F-8E Thunderjet 'Lois K' (s/n 51-613) fitted with four rockets.


Republic F-84 Thunderjet 'This'll Kill Ya' (s/n 46-559) bearing the markings of the 8th Fighter Bomber Squadron (FBS), 49th Fighter Bomber Group (FBG)

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45+47=Psalm 92:6

Perhaps a piece of yarn would be attached for use as a drift meter during bombing? Some of the other Mustangs have a small vertical plate at the front of the cowling. I've seen similar on Hurricanes and I think it was to keep the windscreen free of oil and perhaps bugs.

Anyone have any documentation on these types of devices?

It's an oil guard, it protects the windshield.
Often seen on post war Mustangs their shapes were varied.

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Christian A.

I've seen that before, mainly on Hurricanes. But that is NOT the shape that was asked about--completely different location too. Look at the first five pics in the OP.

How about a field made camera mount for motion pictures?

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45-47=-2

I wonder if it might be a sighting/aligning device for photo taking. I've only seen it on RF-51's

Yes, I mentioned they had different shapes and the location is a bit further aft (not "completely different").
The one you are talking about looks like a "V" when viewed from the top but the purpose is the same, it's an oil guard.
Could it be a camera sighting device or some such?
Sure, I guess but someone would need to explain how that could possibly work.

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Christian A.

Correct. I'm not asking about the "disk" just behind the prop (similar to what we've seen on Hurricanes)

What I'm asking about is further aft - on the top of the cowling - and it's in line with the fuselage axis. As I said, it looks like a front sight on a pistol.

Yet, they're the same thing serving the same purpose.

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Christian A.