AIRCRAFT(S) OF THE WEEK (North American P-51 Mustang, and F-82 Twin Mustang)

Vintage_Aircraft · March 24, 2005, 1:26pm

Three Aircraft all pushed into a SUPER SPECTACULOUS AIRCRAFT OF THE WEEK!!!

Finally the week winded down for me and I was able to get on the computer long enough to get some info on the beloved stang. To make up for the tardiness of this post I have decided to add a littel twist to the information I usually give.

Hope this makes up for everything.

Still Have Pics of the really things left to put up but it should all be there by tomarrow.

North American P-51 Mustang,

The P-51 was designed as the NA-73 in 1940 at Britain’s request. The design showed promise and AAF purchases of Allison-powered Mustangs began in 1941 primarily for photo recon and ground support use due to its limited high-altitude performance. But in 1942, tests of P-51s using the British Rolls-Royce “Merlin” engine revealed much improved speed and service ceiling, and in Dec. 1943, Merlin-powered P-51Bs first entered combat over Europe. Providing high-altitude escort to B-17s and B-24s, they scored heavily over German interceptors and by war’s end, P-51s had destroyed 4,950 enemy aircraft in the air, more than any other fighter in Europe.
Mustangs served in nearly every combat zone, including the Pacific where they escorted B-29s to Japan from Iwo Jima. Between 1941-5, the AAF ordered 14,855 Mustangs (including A-36A dive bomber and F-6 photo recon versions), of which 7,956 were P-51Ds. During the Korean War, P-51Ds were used primarily for close support of ground forces until withdrawn from combat in 1953.

TYPE
XP-51
P-51
P-51A
XP-51B
P-51B-NA
P-51C-NT
P-51D-NA
P-51D-NT
TP-51D-NT
P-51E
XP-51F
XP-51G
P-51H-NA
XP-51J
P-51K-NT
P-51L-NA
P-51M-NT

SPECIFICATIONS P-51D
Span: 37 ft. 0 in.
Length: 32 ft. 3 in.
Height: 13 ft. 8 in.
Weight: 12,100 lbs. max.
Armament: Six .50-cal. machine guns and ten 5 in. rockets or 2,000 lbs. of bombs.
Engine: Packard built Rolls-Royce “Merlin” V-1650 of 1,695 hp.
Cost: $54,000

PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 437 mph.
Cruising speed: 275 mph.
Range: 1,000 miles
Service Ceiling: 41,900 ft.

Diagrams

Markings

Thanks to Pix for the pic

North American A-36 Apache

The A-36A dive bomber was the first AAF version of the “Mustang” developed for Britain in 1940. The A-36 fist flew in Oct. 1942; production of 500 A-36As was completed by March 1943.

Unofficially named “Invaders,” A-36As were assigned to the 27th and 86th Bombardment Groups (Dive), later redesignated as Fighter-Bomber Groups. In June 1943, the plane went into action from North Africa. During the Italian campaign, A-36A pilots flew bomber escort and strafing missions as well as ground support bombing attacks. A-36As also served with the 311th Fighter Bomber Group in India. Dive brakes in the wings gave greater stability in a dive, but they were sometimes wired closed due to malfunctions. In 1944, AAF A-36As were replaced by P-51s and P-47s when experience showed that these high-altitude fighters, equipped with bomb racks, were more suitable for low-level missions than the A-36As.

The A-36A was powered by an Allison V-1710 like the early versions of the P-51 (P-51A & RAF Mustang I) and had a three blade propeller. The small air intake on the top forward fuselage just behind the propeller is a distinguishing feature of all Allison-powered Apaches and Mustangs. The famous Packard-built Rolls Royce V-1650 “Merlin” engine was introduced beginning with the P-51B, but was never used on the A-36A. The A-36A can be distinguished from a P-51A by noting the dive brakes on the “Apache”.

TYPE
A-36A

Notes:
Serial numbers: 42-83663 to 42-84162

SPECIFICATIONS
Span: 37 ft.
Length: 32 ft. 3 in.
Height: 12 ft. 2 in.
Weight: 10,000 lbs. loaded
Armament: Six .50-cal. machine guns; 1,000 lbs of bombs externally
Engine: Allison V-1710 of 1,325 hp.
Cost: $49,000

PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 365 mph.
Cruising speed: 250 mph.
Range: 550 miles
Service Ceiling: 25,100 ft.

Diagrams

Model Aircraft Reviews (A-36 Apache)

North American F-82 Twin Mustang

The F-82 was the last propeller-driven fighter acquired in quantity by the USAF. It appears to be two Mustang fuselages on one wing, but in reality it was a totally new design. Its purpose was to provide a fighter carrying a pilot and co-pilot/navigator to reduce fatigue on long-range bomber ecsort missions. Delivery from production did not begin until early 1946, too late for WW II. After WW II, radar-equipped F-82s were used quite extensively by the Air Defense Command as replacements for the P-61 night fighter.
During the Korean Conflict, Japan-based F-82s were among the first USAF aircraft to operate over Korea. The first three North Korean airplanes destroyed by U.S. forces were shot down by all-weather F-82G interceptors on June 27, 1950.

TYPE
XF-82
XF-82A
F-82B
F-82C
F-82D
F-82E
F-82F
F-82G
F-82H

SPECIFICATIONS (F-82B)
Span: 51 ft. 3 in.
Length: 38 ft. 1 in.
Height: 13 ft. 8 in.
Weight: 24,800 lbs. max.
Armament: Six .50-cal. machine guns, 25 five-inch rockets, and 4,000 lbs. of bombs
Engines: Two Packard V-1650s of 1,380 hp. ea.
Crew: Two
Cost: $228,000

PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 482 mph
Cruising speed: 280 mph
Range: 2,200 miles
Service Ceiling: 39,900 ft

Diagrams

Model kit reviews F-82 Twin Mustang
Hobbycraft 1/72 http://modelingmadness.com/reviews/korean/zwetf82.htm
Modelcraft 1/48 http://modelingmadness.com/reviews/korean/f82e.htm

F-51 Mustang

Model kit reviews F-51 Mustang
Tamiya 1/72 http://modelingmadness.com/reviews/korean/fordhamf51.htm
Tamiya 1/48 http://modelingmadness.com/scotts/korean/f51d.htm
Tamiya 1/48 http://modelingmadness.com/reviews/korean/cleaverrf51.htm
ICM 1/48 http://modelingmadness.com/reviews/korean/us/cleavertf51.htm

The skies the limit,

V.A.

Anonymous · March 24, 2005, 1:55pm

Nice looking picture. Bryan

MKelley · March 24, 2005, 2:04pm

Great piture. Same markings as the Mongram P-51B from the 70’s if I remember correctly.

JoeRugby · March 24, 2005, 2:29pm

Hey I remember that kit!..One of my very firsts…think it got into with a FW190 and met an untimely and firey end…or was it with surplus 4th of July ordnance…BOOM…sad what stupid things we do as kids!!!

mkhoot · March 24, 2005, 2:31pm

Thanks for all the info. the P-51 was always one of my favorites. Here’s a few of the ones I built.

KINGTHAD · March 24, 2005, 3:57pm

here is two of my more recent builds[8D]

Thad

ridleusmc · March 24, 2005, 4:24pm

IMOO prettiest aircraft ever built

yardbird78 · March 24, 2005, 5:27pm

There were a lot of very good fighter aircraft on both sides during WW-II, but when it’s all said and done, the P-51 has got to be #1 on the list.

Darwin, O.F. [alien]

Anonymous · March 24, 2005, 5:39pm

Nice builds, everyone !
Here are a couple of mine.

1/48 Hasegawa kit with Eduard PE and AeroMaster decals, Alcad II paint:

You didn’t mention the A-36 Apache, but I guess you could call it a Mustang. This is Accurate Miniatures kit, with Eduard PE and Three Guys Replicas decals:

rjkplasticmod · March 24, 2005, 6:02pm

Great builds everyone. Thanks for sharing.

Regards, Rick

wibhi2 · March 24, 2005, 6:24pm

oooo…ooooo…some really nice builds here.
here’s a couple of picts of one I finished for a group build

This was an accurate minatures P-51A with Verliden Allison engine and mount and
pieces from the Parts PE set and true detail cockpit and wheels. It’s done up as Col. Phil Cochran’s mount of the 1st Air Commando.

crockett · March 24, 2005, 6:34pm

and my contribution…

Steve

Anonymous · March 24, 2005, 8:33pm

Nice nice nice!!!

Thehannaman2 · March 24, 2005, 8:51pm

Nice builds, everyone!
I’m kinda surprised that the ole 'stang took this long to get voted in as AOTW.
Got to see one fly last summer up in Niagara Falls…what a sound.

Instant chills.

Vintage_Aircraft · March 24, 2005, 9:44pm

AGGHHHHHHH[xx(] I knew there was a version I forgot[banghead] thanks for jogging my memory Pix Ill Add that tomarow with the rest of the mustang info.

By the way fantastic builds everyone, I have got to say there are some really nice stangs here and I really like KINGTHADS German stang, great and interesting subject.

The skies the limit,

V.A.

rjkplasticmod · March 24, 2005, 9:51pm

Great builds everyone. Here’s one of mine done last year for the D-Day GB. Tamiya 1/48 P-51B.

Regards, Rick

Vintage_Aircraft · March 24, 2005, 10:52pm

rjkplasticmod- I have to say that that model is one of my altime favorites ever, great job my friend.

Pixilater- Hey I hope that you dont mind I used your A-36 for one the intro pics, could not find a painting so I decided to use your excelent build.

The skies the limit,

V.A.

BlackWolf3945 · March 25, 2005, 4:11pm

Hokey dokey, here’s two of my Stangs…

This first one is the Tamiya 48th kit built mostly SOB… although I added some scratchbuilt belts. She wasn’t fully finished when this shot was taken. Come to think of it, she’s still not fully finished. Anyhoo, I made a major goof on this one but it ain’t no big thang… all that counts is that it’s an almost fully-finished model.

These next few shots show what is probably my favorite of all the models I’ve built. 'Tis the Hasegawa 48th kit and she’s SOB all the way. I used dry transfers for the swastikas but the crosses are paint. This was a simple, quick and fun piece.

I needs to get me a more gooder camera…

Fade to Black…

rjkplasticmod · March 25, 2005, 9:18pm

Very nice builds Steve. The captured Stang is sweet.

Regards, Rick

gwaihir · March 26, 2005, 10:14am

Great builds everyone! It is nice to see an AOTW that so many people are jumping into with pictures. Great job all and thanks Vintage!
Leon