Re: Red Tails - due out 1/20
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sandwarrior</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: shootist2004</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I think the C had the Allison engine and the D had the Rolls
Royce engine...</div></div>
No
The original P-51 was equipped with an Allison V-1710-39. (Britished called it the V-1710-F3R. A 1000 hp engine@ 12,000 ft. and 1,150 rated for takeoff (5 min)
The P-51A and A-36 Apache (ground attack/dive bomber) were equipped with the Allison V-1710-81 (British V-1710-F20R). Noteworthy as neither had a high altitude supercharger (what Mustangs are famous for, high altitude combat)
It was a P-51A that had the Rolls Royce (RR) Merlin 61 (1,290 hp) mated to it in 1942 by the British, and wowed the crowd!
That led to re-engineering and orders for the P-51B (built in Long Beach by North American) and the P-51C (built in Dallas by North American) to be ordered. They both started with a Packard built V-1650-3* ( RR Merlin 68, with high altitude superchargers) This double wowed the crowd. Because now, the aircraft was not only way faster, it had performance like you wouldn't believe above 25,000 ft. Which is where it's maximum speed rating is. The Packard (RR) V-1650-3 is rated at 1,520 HP, but was de-rated for the airframe to 1,400 hp. Over the course of airframes being upgraded through the war those engines were rated up to 1560 hp.
Then the P-51D came along with a new and improved high altitude engine (and most notably the bubble canopy) That was a Packard built V-1650-7 Rated at 1590 hp. Through progression this was increased to 1,750 by wars end.
Because, building P-51B and P-51C models didn't end simultaneously, (P-51C's ran longer) and a surplus of V-1650-7 engines had been built to fit into the assembly schedule, they were used in the later P-51C's. The upgrades in the airframe could handle, and could also well use, the horsepower increases.
In case you are not familiar with the progression of P-51 aircraft, here's a quick tell-tale of each:
P-51 Razorback style canopy, engine intake on top of engine cowling.
P-51A Virtually indistinguishable from the standard P-51 except more horsepower. Incidentlally, it was the Brits who named the P-51 the "Mustang". Much like riding an obnoxious American horse they thought. Until they saw what it could do. Then it was a good thing.
Here's an old reel showing British P-51A's at work and mostly in training.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usqV_zUpGCs
That's a beautiful thing!
The A-36 Apache can be distinguished by the two cannons barrels on either side of the engine cowling just below the exhausts. If the aircraft is sitting for long the dive brakes on them will droop.
Heres a shot of A-36.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfTBoTUtZ5k
And a close-up. All that served (N. Africa) were painted OD Green.
AT 0:58 two aircraft lined up to take off, the all silver one (w/Star and Bar) is the A-36 The OD plane #2 to take off is the "A". The Bluenose with invasion stripes is the "B" and of course the bubble tops are all "D"'s. The A-36 and "A" are #1 and #2 @ 2:20 also.
Packard built the V-1650 engines under license from Rolls Royce.
FWIW, Rolls Royce engines were also installed in P-40F's and P-40L's. The upper cowling air intake is unmistakeably missing on both.</div></div>
Just wanted to make a little correction here. The P-51B's (and subsequent -D's) were built in Inglewood, not Long Beach.
