NMUSAF Piper PA-48E Enforcer for sale

eze240 · **Joined:** Tue Jun 29, 2010 2:32 pm **Posts:** 117

The museum almost always lists such airframes like that to cover themselves for liability issues....
Getting the log books and other records would, I think, be the most difficult part on an aircraft that's complete....
On this aircraft you've got the extra issue of the engine and gearbox....according to wiki, the T-55 rated at 2445hp....is there a suitable engine readily available? I think a PT6 might be a bit lacking, if that's correct....

Kyleb · **Posted:** Mon Aug 31, 2020 6:48 pm

eze240 wrote:

...is there a suitable engine readily available?

Merlin or Allison? ;-)

Honestly, why not?

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11319

eze240 wrote:

The museum almost always lists such airframes like that to cover themselves for liability issues....
Getting the log books and other records would, I think, be the most difficult part on an aircraft that's complete....
On this aircraft you've got the extra issue of the engine and gearbox....according to wiki, the T-55 rated at 2445hp....is there a suitable engine readily available? I think a PT6 might be a bit lacking, if that's correct....

It doesn't fit into the Limited type certificate, so any logbooks probably wouldn't matter anyhow. As Experimental you could put any engine on it.

Snake45 · **Joined:** Sat Apr 05, 2014 5:49 pm **Posts:** 864

Kyleb wrote:

eze240 wrote:

...is there a suitable engine readily available?

Merlin or Allison? ;-)

Honestly, why not?

A bubbletop Allison Mustang--now there's something I don't believe I've seen before.

martin_sam_2000 · **Joined:** Sun Jan 08, 2012 10:05 am **Posts:** 394

I would just throw a Garret on it. you can keep the one sided exhaust and I am sire you can figure something out for a prop. Any standard King Air 100 prop should work fine.

PT-6 would be nice..but your limited with the exhaust ducting and I think the Enforcer looks great with the once sided exhaust.

Sean

Lon Moer · **Posted:** Tue Sep 01, 2020 12:34 pm

Snake45 wrote:

<>
A bubbletop Allison Mustang--now there's something I don't believe I've seen before.

Starting to get off-topic, but Anthony D'Alessandris converted one of his Mustangs back in the early '70s.
Was later changed back to a Merlin.

Attachment:

Snake45 · **Joined:** Sat Apr 05, 2014 5:49 pm **Posts:** 864

Lon Moer wrote:

Snake45 wrote:

<>
A bubbletop Allison Mustang--now there's something I don't believe I've seen before.

Starting to get off-topic, but Anthony D'Alessandris converted one of his Mustangs back in the early '70s.
Was later changed back to a Merlin.

Attachment:

civilMustang99a.jpg

Didn't say it never happened (and boy am I glad!). Just said I don't think I'd ever seen one before.

Now I have. :wink:

eze240 · **Joined:** Tue Jun 29, 2010 2:32 pm **Posts:** 117

While an Allison or Merlin are good choices, these later two airframes were supposedly a little bigger than a P-51....also, I like the PT6, but it maxes out at about 1900hp....would it be acceptable to lose about 500hp or more?

C VEICH · **Joined:** Sun Nov 15, 2009 12:40 pm **Posts:** 1470

Since you won't be hauling around any stores and strictly flying for enjoyment I doubt the loss of 500hp would be a deal breaker. Plus there has to be some military equipment/armor plating that can be removed, no?

Randy Haskin · **Posted:** Wed Sep 02, 2020 1:42 pm

C VEICH wrote:

Since you won't be hauling around any stores and strictly flying for enjoyment I doubt the loss of 500hp would be a deal breaker. Plus there has to be some military equipment/armor plating that can be removed, no?

The prototypes had very little in the way of actual military equipment in 'em. They were not armored, no.

marine air · **Posted:** Fri Sep 04, 2020 1:13 pm

Randy, I agree that any real military use of the P-51 with possible turboprop upgrade probably was gone by the 1960’s. I actually think an upgraded T-28 would’ve been better than the P-51. Nit sure why the Enforcer idea survived into the 1980’s. As the P-51 airframes continue to age and many restorations are thirty to forty years old, it’s hard to get embrace the escalating prices they continue to bring. Aircraft shop rates in my area are $50 to $125 dollars per hour. What are warbird shop rates? $200 per hour?
So, I can see in say, 25 years or around the 100th anniversary of WW II, a few completely new build P-51’s being commissioned for the ultra wealthy. They would look identical but have glass cockpits, air conditioning, and a factory new turbo prop or diesel aircraft engine. They might even sneak a nose wheel up front like on the Bacon T-6 , T-28, or OV-10. A lot of wealthy people just want to own and fly. They’re aren’t interested in having the maintainers and parts fabricators as their “ new best friend.”

Bearcat SA · **Posted:** Fri Sep 04, 2020 2:26 pm

marine air wrote:

Randy, I agree that any real military use of the P-51 with a possible turboprop upgrade probably was gone by the 1960’s. I ctually think an upgraded T-28 would’ve been better than the P-51. Nit sure why the Enforcer idea survived into the 1980’s. As the P-51 airframes continue to age and many restorations are thirty to forty years old, it’s hard to get embrac3 the escalating prices they continue to bring. Aircraft shop rates in my area are $50 to $125 dollars per hour. What are warbird shop rates? $200 per hour?
So, I can see in say, 25 years or around the 100th anniversary of WW II, a few completely new build P-51’s being commissioned for the ultra wealthy. They would look identical but have glass cockpits, air conditioning, and a factory new turbo prop or diesel aircraft engine. They might even sneak a nose wheel up front like on the Bacon T-6 , T-28, or OV-10. A lot of wealthy people just want to own and fly. They’re aren’t interested in having the maintainers are parts fabricators as their “ new best friend.”

Its already happening ... Spitfire project with a Walter turbine

spriso · **Posted:** Fri Sep 04, 2020 9:40 pm

I felt very fortunate to see this aircraft in a 2012 visit to the Air Force museum. When I saw the for sale ad a few weeks ago, I was surprised to see the PA-48E without the engine, but after reading this thread, I now understand why it won't be offered with the aircraft. Here are a few shots from my visit:

Michel Lemieux · **Posted:** Sat Sep 05, 2020 10:34 am

Now that is interesting!!!

Any back story on this one????

Quote:

Spitfire project with a Walter turbine

Joe Scheil · **Posted:** Sat Sep 05, 2020 2:03 pm

marine air wrote:

any real military use of the P-51 with a possible turboprop upgrade probably was gone by the 1960’s. I ctually think an upgraded T-28 would’ve been better than the P-51. Nit sure why the Enforcer idea survived into the 1980’s..”

Warbird Information Exchange

NMUSAF Piper PA-48E Enforcer for sale

Who is online