P-51D with RamJets

[Paul Krumrei]

This has to be a rush flying!!!

[Saabmeister]

Are those V-1/JB-2 ramjets strapped to the first one?

[dmx]

NAA also did tests with an Aerodyne rocket engine. I've seen a pic somewhere with a P-51 doing a static test with the engine running and the rocket going full blast. Scary . Reported top speed at altitude : 519 mph.

[daveymac82c]

Wow!

-David

[Warbird Mechanic]

Those are actually German developed pulse jets on the Mustang in the first photo, not ram jets. The pulse jet engines have shutter doors on their air intakes that open and close rapidly to allow the combustion process to take place. Ram jets do not have these obviously because they rely on kenetic energy to burn the fuel. Surprised no one has ever tried to mount a pair of German RATO (rocket assisted take off) units to a Mustang. These RATO pods were fueled by T-Stoff and C-Stoff, same rocket fuel used to power the Messerschmitt Me-163 Komet interceptor. These RATO pods had parachutes mounted in front so they could be jettisoned in flight and reused.

I remember there was a P-51D painted black that was fitted with small ram jets on the wingtips very similar to the ones shown in the second Mustang photo. The owner entered this Mustang in the Cleveland Air Race in 1946 or 47? During the race he lost control of the plane and it crashed into a house killing the pilot and a pregnant woman in the house if I remember correctly. The public was so outraged over this incident that it spelled the end for the Cleveland Air Races.

Edit:

It was a radically modified P-51D painted dark green named Beguine that was fitted with what looked like small ram jets on the wingtips very similar to the ones shown in the second Mustang photo, but were actually small scoop radiators. The owner entered the aircraft in the 1949 Thompson race. The belly radiators were removed and installed on the wingtips in hopes of reducing drag. Though there was great anticipation over how the ex-fighter would do, pilot Bill Odom crashed into a house on the course after cutting a pylon, killing himself, a mother and her child.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction Vital Spark

Jim

Last edited by Warbird Mechanic on Sun May 27, 2007 10:45 am, edited 2 times in total.

[Vital Spark]

[quote="I remember there was a P-51D painted black that was fitted with small ram jets on the wingtips very similar to the ones shown in the second Mustang photo. The owner entered this Mustang in the Cleveland Air Race in 1946 or 47? During the race he lost control of the plane and it crashed into a house killing the pilot and a pregnant woman in the house if I remember correctly. The public was so outraged over this incident that it spelled the end for the Cleveland Air Races.

Jim[/quote]

The Beguine racer did not have ram jets. The wing tip pods were radiators to replace the belly unit. http://hometown.aol.com/conroeqb/beguineindex.html