P-51 Ferry Range

[Dan Jones]

Could a P-51 be ferried from California to Hawaii? A friend of mine claims that an old gent (now passed) told him that he'd ferried a few there during the war, but it sounds like a bar tale to me.

[DoraNineFan]

Could a P-51 be ferried from California to Hawaii? A friend of mine claims that an old gent (now passed) told him that he'd ferried a few there during the war, but it sounds like a bar tale to me.

California to Hawaii: approx. 2390 miles
P-51D range with drop tanks: 2055 miles (less range with the A thru C models)

So that is cutting things close. I'm sure there were drop tanks with different capacities or perhaps other modifications for ferry flights.

[Dan Jones]

The normally used tanks were 75 and 110 US gallons, but I imagine you could hang a set of 165 gallon tanks on one?

[JohnTerrell]

Hey Dan,

I've been studying Mustangs for about 8 years now, and I've never heard or seen evidence of any of them being flown to Hawaii from the US (though I still learn something new just about every day). There are a number of photos showing P-51's (along with other fighters (P-38's, P-47's)) being assembled in Pearl Harbor, after being shipped to the island. These were then later put aboard jeep carriers, as assembled and tested aircraft, and transported to their bases. Mustangs weren't ferried over the Atlantic either, but were also shipped, partially disassembled, to Europe from Newark, NJ. Even on the ferry route across the US, flying from California to New Jersey, there were a couple of stops made en-route with the Mustangs. Even if range wasn't a problem, the government/AAF certainly wouldn't have allowed their single-engine fighters to be flown, purposely, over open water for that distance or length of time (?) - weather too would have been a constant problem. Of course numerous four-engine bombers were ferried/flown across the Pacific.

[ErrolC]

Hey Dan,

... Even if range wasn't a problem, the government/AAF certainly wouldn't have allowed their single-engine fighters to be flown, purposely, over open water for that distance or length of time (?) - weather too would have been a constant problem. Of course numerous four-engine bombers were ferried/flown across the Pacific.

And some twin-engined! e.g. PBYs

[Deuelly]

I beleive the longest single engine flight over water during WWII was when they flew P-40's from Hawaii to Midway island. That was a little over 1300 miles I beleive.

[Kyleb]

I beleive the longest single engine flight over water during WWII was when they flew P-40's from Hawaii to Midway island. That was a little over 1300 miles I beleive.

Interesting. Do you have a link to that story or any information on the flight?

[Deuelly]

Interesting. Do you have a link to that story or any information on the flight?

Yes, I have a copy of the study the government did at the time. The flight involved 24 or so planes. Fuel usage and levels were checked before and after the flight for each aircraft. It's very interesting. Besides at times flying just feet above the water because of weather some of the planes landed with just minutes worth of fuel left.

[Invader26]

TBF Avengers ferried from Hawaii to Midway in 1942....