P-51B/C MUSTANG

P-51B/C MUSTANG

NORTH AMERICAN


	P-51C MUSTANG Gladys, P51C, 43-24959, 26th FS, 51st FG, Kunming, China. Fall 1944. Overall Natural Metal with Olive Drab anti-glare panel.
	FS2002/2004
	JRLucariny FSDS V2.24 Model
	Download/DonationWare
	Jan/2005

On 30 November 1942, Bob Chilton took the XP-51B into the air for the first time. After 45 minutes Chilton was forced to land with an overheated engine. It was discovered that a chemical reaction between the different metals in the cooling system and the glycol coolant was causing lhe radiator to plug up. At the same time, a new larger radiator system was planned because of the demands of the aftercooler. A bigger radiator demanded a redesign of the air scoop. The first design was found to cause excess noise in flight, leading to its further redesign.

The new scoop was added to the second XP-51 B, 41-37469. Tests revealed that the XP-51 B was 50mph faster and had a service ceiling some 10,000 feet greater than an Allison-powered Mustang. So glowing were North American's predictions for the new aircraft that the US Army Air Force had ordered 400 P.51 Bs three months prior to the first test flight of the XP-51 B.

With Army Air Corps buying 400 P.51 Bs, and RAF ordering almost 1000, North American's Los Angeles plant simply could not handle the load. A second factory was needed. North American had such a facility in Dallas, Texas, where a subsidiary company was busy turning out B-24 Liberators. An additional order for 1350 more P-51 Bs from Army Air Force settled it. The Dallas facility would also build Mustangs. Dallas-built P-51s were identical to Los Angeles-built aircraft but were designated P.51C. The first production P-51 B flew on 5 May 1943, with the first flight of a C model coming in August.

The first arrival of a production Merlin/Mustang in Europe occurred in September 1943. After de-cocooning and assembly, the new aircraft were turned over to a brand-new fighter unit - the 354th FG at Boxted on 11 November 1943. It is interesting to note that at this time the 354th FG was a 9th Air Force unit, a fighter-bomber unit! The US Army Air Force still had little faith in lhe P-51 even though its range was roughly double that of other fighters in the theater and its performance far superior. 8th Air Force Bomber brass were the only ones that saw in the P-51 B the aircraft that could, and would, protect the bombers all the way to and from targets in Germany.

They insisted that the 354th be assigned escort duties. On 1 December 1943, pilots of the 354th FG flew their first mission in the P-51 B, a familiarity sweep over Belgium and Northern France. Their leader for the day was Col. Don Blakeslee, the legendary Eagle Squadron veteran and CO of lhe 4th FG. All aircraft returned although one had suffered minor damage from flak. No German fighters were encountered. The first escort mission was flown on 5 December 1943 to Amiens, France. Again, no enemy air opposition.

A formation of Bf 110 twin-engine fighters were waiting but started to run when they saw the fighter escort. Lt. Glenn Eagleston jumped on one and scored many hits before breaking off his attack. The group flew to Bremen on 16 December and Lt. Charles Gumm shot down a Bf 110 for the first confirmed P.51B 'kill' of lhe war. The 354th FG would go on to shoot down 700 more enemy aircraft - the most air-to-air victories of any Allied outfit in World War II!

Modifications to the basic P-51 B/C continued throughout the production run. A new engine, the V-1650-7 was introduced in the P-51 B-10 and C-5 series. Horsepower was increased to 1590 at 8500 ft. An 85 gallon fuel cell was added behind the pilot which further increased the P-51 B's phenomenal range. The new tank installation led to some control problems which were later ironed out through the use of ali-metal elevators.

British use of the P-51 B/C, called the Mustang III, began when No. 19 Squadron received brand-new aircraft in February 1944. Modifications to British aircraft included the sliding, 'Malcolm Hood', a plexiglass 'bubble' canopy. Vision was much better and headroom was increased. Even though strictly a British development, several US Groups soon acquired a number of the new bubble canopies.

By war's end P-51 B/Cs would serve on all fronts. A total of 3738 aircraft were produced, 944 of them being Mustang 1115. Several were later modified to two-seat fighter trainers by removing the fuselage fuel tank and adding a second cockpit in its place.

The Merlin-powered Mustang would break the back of the Luftwaffe. On 4 March 1944, Hermann Goring would look up into the skies over Berlin and see P-51 Bs from lhe 4th FG flying escort to the B-17s. He knew then that it was a matter of time...

P-51B/C MUSTANG
JRLucariny FS2002/2004 Model

DRAWINGS
”P-51 Mustang in action”
squadron/signal publications
AIRCRAFT No. 45
Pg.27