The elusive P-51M (45-11743)

[Steve Pace]

I have a 3.98mb pdf that shows the one of P-51M airplane (45-11742). -Steve Pace

 

[yasotay]

Re: P-51M discovered

How does one get a copy?

 

[Steve Pace]

Re: P-51M discovered

send me an at stevepace43@gmail.com

 

[Stargazer]

Re: P-51M discovered

Thanks Steve. Here is the picture in question (the aircraft is described as the last built P-51D...).

 

[Steve Pace]

Re: P-51M discovered

Here's the correct info - i stand corrected. -SP

Steve,
That photo is the last P-51D built at Dallas, according to our NAA records, 45-11742 was the last P-51D - that photo was taken around Aug. 1945.

The P-51M was 45-11743. Have not been able to find any photos or other information on the illusive P-51M, the only notes we have on the P-51M is that it was used to test the Merlin V-1650-9A – there are unfortunately no records of any flight tests.

I know there are a lot of stories about the P-51M but I have not been able to substantiate any of them.

Michael Lombardi Corporate Historian - The Boeing Company

 

[Steve Pace]

Re: P-51M discovered

This is how I've decided to tell the P-51M story. Any corrections/additions are welcome. Steve Pace
P-51M Mustang

On 21 September 1944 the U.S. War Department amended USAAF contract AC 2400 for the production of 401 additional Dallas-built NA-124 Mustangs as follows: 100 P-51D-25-NT, 45-11343 to 45-11442; eight TP-51D-25-NT, 45-11443 to 45-11450; 92 P-51D-25-NT, 45-11451 to 45-11542; 112 P-51D-30-NT, 45-11543 to 45-11654; 35 F-6D-30-NT, 45-11655 to 45-11689; 53 P-51D-30-NT, 45-11690 to 45-11742; and a single P-51M-1-NT, 45-11743. At the same time 999 follow-on P-51M airplanes with the assigned USAAF serial numbers 45-11744 to 45-12742 were cancelled. This order was follow-on to the previous order for 600 Dallas-built NA-124 Mustangs (1,001 in all) on 30 June 1944 as previously described under P-51D (NA-124) above.

By 31 August 1945 all 1,001 of these Mustangs – including the one-of-a-kind P-51M – were to have been completed, accepted and delivered to the USAAF.

The one of P-51M, powered by a Packard-built Rolls-Royce Merlin engine designated V-1650-9A, was to be the 1,001st and last NA-124 built – to be created from the last P-51D-30-NT built to be exact. Or was it? As I write there remains to be no documented evidence that the P-51M was ever completed; thus, flown. Yet, officially, it was ordered and it was to be built. Whether it actually was built remains a mystery. It also remains unclear as to why the P-51M carried the NA-124 classification instead of its own NA-number. There are a few photographs of the last Dallas-built P-51D-30-NA (45-11742) in existence but none showing the one of P-51M (45-11743).

Supposedly, the mysterious P-51M was to be the Dallas-built version of the Inglewood-built P-51H Lightweight Mustang, but once more, documented proof of this is nonexistent. Moreover, since it was to be created from the last P-51D-30-NT built, how could it be completed as a look-alike P-51H airplane?

In any event, the V-1650-9A engine was to produce 1,380 takeoff horsepower and a war emergency horsepower rating of 2,218. It was very similar to the V-1650-9 but did not have the water-methanol (methyl alcohol) injection system. This engine change would have given the elusive P-51M a lower altitude combat capability as well.

So was the P-51M truly built and flown? If so it will be most interesting to discover when it was completed and who the pilot was that flew it. And more importantly, its final place of rest.

 

[Steve Pace]

Re: The Elusive P-51M 45-11743

I got an IAR Card today on the P-51M 45-11743. It only says the airplane was accepted 6/7/45; delivered 6/15/45; arrived 6-25/45. But it proves the airplane did indeed exist. -SP

 

[Steve Pace]

Here's what I've pieced together so far on the P-51M story - see document. -SP

 

[Steve Pace]

Found another last production Dallas-built P-51D-30-NT image like above image with s/n 45-11742 on it. -SP

 

[ZacYates]

Great write-up Steve, so after all that the P-51M was indeed a D with a different engine rather than a variant of the H?

 

[billybob]

Great write-up Steve, so after all that the P-51M was indeed a D with a different engine rather than a variant of the H?

Unfortunately Steve has since passed away so your question still remains

 

[Archibald]

Yup. In May 2016, a great loss...

 

[archipeppe]

Yup. In May 2016, a great loss...

Steve was a real friend, a great job partner (hosting my artworks), I owe him my entry into the aerospace professional illustration world.

Godspeed Steve, wherever you are...... :-(

 

[drgondog]

Re: P-51M discovered

Here's the correct info - i stand corrected. -SP

Steve,
That photo is the last P-51D built at Dallas, according to our NAA records, 45-11742 was the last P-51D - that photo was taken around Aug. 1945.

The P-51M was 45-11743. Have not been able to find any photos or other information on the illusive P-51M, the only notes we have on the P-51M is that it was used to test the Merlin V-1650-9A – there are unfortunately no records of any flight tests.

I know there are a lot of stories about the P-51M but I have not been able to substantiate any of them.

Michael Lombardi Corporate Historian - The Boeing Company

The NAA Contract NA-124 had an initial contract run of 2000, but contract cancelled after 1001. P-51D-30-NT number 1001 was 45-11743 and was pulled into Experimental Department to install the 1650-9A engine in lieu of the 1650-7. Otherwise it was 'pure P-51D-30-NT"

 

[ZacYates]

I'm so sorry folks, I had no idea.