P-51 Night Fighter?

ACarey · **Posted:** Fri Jul 10, 2009 8:09 pm

Did NA build a prototype or have plans for a P-51 Night Fighter? I'm not talking about the the F-82.

David W3 · **Joined:** Sat Dec 03, 2005 5:16 am **Posts:** 16

I am not sure if NAA had such plans but the RAF did and modified a number of airframes for night flying. The most obvious change was to add a glare shield on both sides of the cowling above and behind the exhausts. This was similar in configuration and function to the T shaped plates fitted to the Hurricanes that were used as night fighters.

There are only a few photos of them around (eg in Roger Freeman's "Conbat Profile - Mustang - The P-51 Merlin Mustang in World War 2"). Lots of the aircraft supplied by the RAF and used by 3 and 450 RAAF Squadrons in the MTO show clear evidence that they had been fitted and removed before they came on strength.

HTH,

David Muir

Author
'Southern Cross Mustangs'

ACarey · **Posted:** Sat Jul 11, 2009 12:10 am

No radar?

David W3 · **Joined:** Sat Dec 03, 2005 5:16 am **Posts:** 16

Not as far as I know for the RAF machines. There was at least one two seater fitted with radar by (for?) the USAAF. 44-72210/VF-S with a "Lark" system but details are scarce.

HTH,

David Muir

Author
'Southern Cross Mustangs'

JDK · **Posted:** Sat Jul 11, 2009 10:32 am

Don't think so, no good reason...

Spitfires and Hurricanes were expected to act as day and night fighters when they entered service in the 1930s, as the biplanes before them had, and some squadrons pre-war undertook practice at night - very hit and miss. The Hurricane was used in action as a night-fighter (sans radar) AFAIK, the Spitfire wasn't.

IIRC the Canadian CanCar Hurricanes carried the flame blanking-plates throughout.

A single Hawker Tempest was trialled fitted with AI radar as a nightfighter. Note the arrowhead aerials.

http://www.airwar.ru/enc/fww2/typhoon.html

Long range tanks and grey/green refined (rather than black) camouflage.

HTH

ACarey · **Posted:** Sat Jul 11, 2009 11:09 am

Thanks for the info.

mike furline · **Joined:** Wed May 05, 2004 3:45 pm **Posts:** 2679

ACarey wrote:

Did NA build a prototype or have plans for a P-51 Night Fighter? I'm not talking about the the F-82.

Are you referring to this one?

ACarey · **Posted:** Sat Jul 11, 2009 11:09 pm

mike furline wrote:

ACarey wrote:

Did NA build a prototype or have plans for a P-51 Night Fighter? I'm not talking about the the F-82.

Are you referring to this one?

It could be. What does it mean by night finish?

mike furline · **Joined:** Wed May 05, 2004 3:45 pm **Posts:** 2679

My guess is "black paint".

adflyer · **Posted:** Sat Jul 11, 2009 11:29 pm

America's secret stealth fighter? :wink:

JDK · **Posted:** Sat Jul 11, 2009 11:35 pm

'Night' and 'Special Night' were RAF night fighter colours, black in hue. IIRC, Special Night was the particularly sooty one, which when new was completely matt, but wore badly, quickly, in service and also caused significant drag.

I'd presume this Mustang was painted in British supplied or US made matched paint - but that's just guesswork.

Interesting thread!

ACarey · **Posted:** Sat Jul 11, 2009 11:44 pm

mike furline wrote:

My guess is "black paint".

Why would it be painted black w/o mods for night work?

JDK · **Posted:** Sun Jul 12, 2009 12:20 am

ACarey wrote:

mike furline wrote:

My guess is "black paint".

Why would it be painted black w/o mods for night work?

Obviously because it makes it cooler and it goes faster if painted matt black...

May have been for some British trials in the US, without the secret equipment - as a complete guess.

ACarey · **Posted:** Sun Jul 12, 2009 1:21 am

JDK wrote:

ACarey wrote:

mike furline wrote:

My guess is "black paint".

Why would it be painted black w/o mods for night work?

Obviously because it makes it cooler and it goes faster if painted matt black...

May have been for some British trials in the US, without the secret equipment - as a complete guess.

Thus, the mystery continues.

Ztex · **Posted:** Sun Jul 12, 2009 9:51 am

My dad told me that one day while he was sitting outside eating lunch at the North American plant in Dallas, a couple of MP jeeps escorted a arriving P-51, with "funny antenna on the wings" to a spot on the ramp away from everything else...one of the mechanics walked by them on the way back to the plant....My dad asked him "is that one "equipped" wink wink...the mech said "yeah it's "equipped" ..wink wink. He did not say anything about special paint though...

Dad said no one would say the word RADAR....

Anecdotal evidence of a RADAR Mustang....

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P-51 Night Fighter?

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