P-51L and P-51M

One P-51M was produced by NAA at its Dallas, Texas facility. Actually it was the last NA-124 P-51D (45-11743) built there with installation of the V-1650-9A Merlin engine. No P-51L airplanes were built. In any event, does anyone have a photo of the one-of-a-kind P-51M? -SP

I just found this over on Aero-web.com from 5/5/2002 P. Horn, CA (sorry no pictures)

North American P-51M

This model is a real mystery! Supposedly, the "M" was identical to the production lightweight, the P-51H, excepting for the engine, which was, rather than the 1,380 H.P. Rolls Royce V- 1650-9 (2,218 H.P. @ 10,200 ft. in W.E.P., using water injection), the "M" was fitted with a non-water injected version of the engine, the V-1650-9A! According to Mr. Robert Gruenhagen in his study on the P-51, the performance of this variant (of the engine) was similar to that of the V-1650-3 (the engine in the P-51B and C). Further, according to Mr. Ray Wagner, (in Mustang Designer), the one "M" actually built was the last "D" from the Dallas production line (45-111743) with the aforementioned V-1650-9A. With 1400 H.P. at takeoff and only 1675 H.P. in W.E.P. at 15,500 ft. (Wagner states 1,670 H.P.), why bother with either version?

Although the non-water injected motor might have been easier to build in quantity, the versions to concentrate on at this late stage of the war (1944-5) should have been the "H" and the even more powerful "L"; identical to the "H" save for the fitting of a more advanced version of the Merlin in the latter; the V-1650-11 with water injection (as in the -9) but also fitted with a Stromberg speed injection carburetor. W.E.P power at about 10,200 ft. was 2,270 H.P. Since No "L" was ever built, no specifications were issued. However, with an additional 52 H.P. I would estimate a maximum of about 491 M.P.H. at 25,000 ft. for this variant if it had been produced.
05/05/2002 @ 19:50 [ref: 4872]

From Aerofiles.com by Joe Baugher no date and no photos:

P-51H was intended to be the leading AAF fighter used in a planned invasion of Japan. 2,000 P-51Hs were ordered—555 NA-126s and 1,445 NA-129s with minor differences—all to be built at Inglewood. 1,629 more examples were ordered from NAA's Dallas plant as NA-124, designated P-51M by the AAF. The P-51M differed primarily in having the V-1650-9A engine, which had a lower war-emergency rating by virtue of having the water injection deleted.

from www.joebaugher.com from 3/2/2002

The P-51H was too late to see action in the war in Europe. By the late summer of 1945, some P-51Hs had been issued to a few operational units. These units were in the process of working up to operational status when the war in the Pacific ended with the Japanese surrender. None had the opportunity to see any combat. At the time of V-J Day, 555 P-51Hs had rolled off the Inglewood production lines. With the coming of peace, orders for 1445 more P-51Hs were cancelled, along with the entirety of the order for the Dallas-built P-51Ms after only one example (45-11743) had been completed.

Also cancelled was an order for 1700 P-51Ls (company designation NA-129). They were to have been similar to the P-51H but were to be equipped with the more powerful V-1650-11 engine with a Stromberg speed/density injection-type carburetor, rated at a peak power of 2270 hp with water injection. None were built.

The last P-51H rolled off the production line in 1946.

Serials of the P-51H and P-51M:

44-64160/64179 North American P-51H-1-NA Mustang
44-64180/64459 North American P-51H-5-NA Mustang
44-64460/64714 North American P-51H-10-NA Mustang
45-11743 North American P-51M Mustang

No P-51L never came off the assembly line. According to Joe Baugher

Here's what I've discovered re the P-51L and P-51M:

P-51L Mustang
NA-129

The P-51L Mustang was to be Dallas, Texas-built P-51H airplanes powered by the improved mechanically-driven fuel injected 1,380 horsepower Packard-built V-1650-11 Merlin engine. The contract for 899 P-51M airplanes was approved on 31 August 1944 with serial numbers 44-91104 to 44-92003 assigned to them. But these were all cancelled after VE-Day. Since no P-51L would ever built there was no need for the V-1650-11 engine for which it was to use exclusively and only two of these -11 engines were ever built.

P-51M Mustang
NA-124

On 21 September 1944 USAAF contract AC-2400 was approved for the manufacture of 1,000 P-51M Mustang airplanes in Dallas, Texas. These were to be identical to the Inglewood-built P-51H airplanes but powered by the non-water methanol injected 1,380 horsepower V-1650-9A engine that was optimized for low altitude rather than high altitude combat operations. To get the program started it was decided to take the last production Dallas-built P-51D-30-NT airplane (45-11743) and build it as a P-51M-1-NT demonstrator. This airplane was completed and it was identical to the P-51H except for its V-1650-9A engine installation.

On () the P-51M demonstrator was successfully flight tested at Dallas by NAA test pilot (). As evaluations of this airplane proceeded NAA began to gear up for P-51M production beginning with the first of 999 production airplanes being set aside for structural loads testing. This particular airplane would never receive a USAAF serial while the remaining 998 production P-51Ms would carry the serial numbers 45-11744 through 45-12742.

The 998 production P-51Ms originally ordered were cancelled due the end of World War II.

Appendix: P-51M Production in Dallas, Texas
NA-124

P-51M-1-NT, 1, 45-11743, 400th and last of 400 P-51D-30-NT airplanes; Dallas-built P-51H airplane with V-1650-9A engine
P-51M-NT, 0, 45-11744 to 45-12742, these 998 P-51M airplanes was cancelled.


If anyone has anthing to add/correct please do so. -SP

Anyone have a photo of the one-of-a-kind P-51M? -SP

If I understand well, the aspect of the P-51M is exactly the same as a P-51H (like P-51K's aspect was exactly as P-51D's). Only the serial could tell you this is THE 'M. One should check many photographs with caption saying wrongly 51H maybe, on the Web or in books. Not a thrill.

I'll try it. -SP

Elusive Mustangs

Try as I might I cannot find photographs of two types of Mustangs that are said to have been ordered by the USAAF and built. These are the first NA-106 P-51D-1-NA (42-106539), and the one-of-a-kind NA-124 P-51M-1-NT (45-11743). HELP! -SP

Re: Elusive Mustangs

You already asked about the P-51M a few weeks ago and we even had a topic on it!!!

Topics merged

Re: Elusive Mustangs

You're right - I must be getting senile! Thanks for reminding me. -SP

This is an old post but also very inaccurate. The P-51-M was not a modified H model but a continuation of the D models with the -9A . It was originally assigned a -35 block number before being designated as the -M. The first M model airplane also has a lot of urbane lore attached to it. It was not the last D-30 built but instead was a purpose built development aircraft that was delivered in in early July. It was most likely built up from spare D-25-NT parts.

Found this on Facebook this morning.

The drawing.

Good stuff - Thanks! -SP

Model of P-51H:

Interesting...

I'd managed to go a long time without realizing the extent to which the P-51H differed from the D, including a 2-foot-longer, deeper fuselage and a largely redesigned structure. As far as I can tell they were looking for long range (high-compression engine) and speed (water injection) for the Pacific. That was less important post-war, which is why a lot of P-51D/Ks carried on in service.

Despite being the fastest P-51, the H gets no respect from the model industry - there are hundreds of P-51 models including an assortment of relatively available As and even A-36As and there's exactly one current P-51H.

LowObservable said:

Interesting...

I'd managed to go a long time without realizing the extent to which the P-51H differed from the D, including a 2-foot-longer, deeper fuselage and a largely redesigned structure. As far as I can tell they were looking for long range (high-compression engine) and speed (water injection) for the Pacific. That was less important post-war, which is why a lot of P-51D/Ks carried on in service.

Despite being the fastest P-51, the H gets no respect from the model industry - there are hundreds of P-51 models including an assortment of relatively available As and even A-36As and there's exactly one current P-51H.

Click to expand...

The H's development was a result of all of the lightweight fighter work they performed during the war (F, G, and J models). The D's, with their heavier, stronger structures were better for A2G work, which is another reason they were used in Korea and not the H. We finally got a decent H model in Flight Simulator and you're absolutely right, the model industry ignores the H. I could also go for a new F-82 kit as well.

I want a model of the P-51M in 1:32 scale - the last Mustang built in Dallas. - SP

High Planes models 1/72 kit:



M News 1/72 P-51H Mustang kit:

I want 1/48 scale, from Tamiya to the quality of the Razorback kits.

I've read the RNZAF ordered a number of P-51Ms, cancelled with the end of the war. Is there any truth to this?

ZacYates said:

I've read the RNZAF ordered a number of P-51Ms, cancelled with the end of the war. Is there any truth to this?

Click to expand...

No idea. However, I am aware that CAC entered a license production agreement with North American for the P-51D/K and the P-51H. The RAAF was however, only interested in the P-51D/K version for some reason after the USAAF cancelled it's orders for the P-51H.

ZacYates said:

I've read the RNZAF ordered a number of P-51Ms, cancelled with the end of the war. Is there any truth to this?

Click to expand...

According to David Muir's excellent "Southern Cross Mustangs", in early 1945 the NZ Govt "...approached the Munitions Assignment Committee (Air) (MAC(Air)) in America seeking an allocation of 167 aircraft for delivery in 1945 with a further 203 for delivery in the first half of 1946. MAC(Air) assigned a batch of 30 Dallas built P51D-25-NTs with the balance to be made up Packard Merlin V-1650-9A engined P51M-1-NTs...the first group were in transit...when the conflict ended. The aircraft were suddenly very much surplus to New Zealand's needs and despite attempts to not accept them; they were handed over in late August/early September 1945, the remainder that had been allocated were cancelled along with the entire M model programme."

.

Any idea why the "H" (or a possible "J") wasn't designed to use a US version of the Rolls-Royce Griffin engine ?

.

Possibly due to time taken to create the tooling at a time when there was little need for it.

[quote author=phil gollin]
Any idea why the "H" (or a possible "J") wasn't designed to use a US version of the Rolls-Royce Griffin engine ?
[/quote]

No US engine company had a licence to manufacture the RR Griffon.