Topic: P51 B+D U/C and leading edge.

Does anyone have definative evidence that the early Mustangs had a different pintle angle for the U/C to the D

Photos definately show a different angle to the raked forward leading edge section at the wheel well, but photos also show that the B has a much blunter leading edge at this point, so perhaps the D is raked forward more for purely aerodynamic reasons? My scale drawings generally appear to be accurate, but the B and D doors and wells appear the same shape and in the same place on them. Anyone know for definate? I always thought the angles were different due to the different leading edge in plan, but now I am thinking differently. I freely admit that I haven't looked into it too hard till now, so await the ridicule!! .

Ian.

Ian, currently away from home till Thurs, but if no-one has answered by then I'll have a dig in my ref's 

Steve

Can't help you on the exact angle difference, but I know there is one...............

I remember having a chat with a mate who work's for TFC at Duxford a few years ago.....around the time the P-51C was in for it's restoration after the yanks screwed the job up in the 1st place. IIRC, the wings were done over here, but the retract legs were sent back to the US, and somewhere along the line, parts were 'replaced' with P-51D parts, and when they returned, they didn't fit the P-51C (same wing as a B) and had to be returned again to be put back to B/C spec.

From what I've read in the past (built 7 P-51's of varying sizes), the rake angle on the D was a little larger than on the B.......I think the change was made for ground handling reasons as the B/C was a little less friendly on the deck, and more prone to nosing over if provoked.

Phil

According to Tamiya's 1/48 models (generally accepted to be very accurate) the B/C undercarriage doors are completely different to the D/K models too.

It only appears to be the inner doors though Jamie, the leg doors still look the same which still makes me think that its only the leading edge to the wing thats different, which would explain why the inner doors are different. Don't know though really, but want to find out as I want to do an early Mustang.

Cheers, Ian.

Could the leg be diffrent as the D had an extra gun and amo?
ive over layed some side elivations and there seams to be very little diffrence in angle to me, not enough to worry about any ways..wing looks diffrent on the D as its got the fairing triangle bit(probbly got a name),

Undercarriage Angles A frequently seen mistake in Mustang models is to fasten the main undercarriage legs at right angles to the fuselage datum, so that they hang straight down.  To avoid the 'tippy-toed' look that results, make sure that you rake the legs forward - by 11°on the D  cant find the earlyer marks yet.

leading edge on the D... the changed tapper was 20 deg's
 
I have many book on the mustang including the big janes one great drawings in it.

Im an A,b fan myself.

http://s204.photobucket.com/albums/bb277/namustang1a/?action=view&current=Picture.jpg
 
Ian.

Cheers mate

I like the early ones too, but the one I particularly like is the A36A Apache, and this is the one I'll do one day. Looking for details on colour schemes too, theres one named 'Bronx Cheer', have a photo but not much else, plenty of time yet though before I need definate info

Ian.

Will you have the dive brakes? a36a is almost the same as the mustang1, mine is a mustang 1a it didnt have the nose guns like the 1 and a36a had.
 Nice to know someone else proffers the alison engined rasorbacks and not just me ::cc