Two seat P-51 in Italy April 1945?

Baldeagle · **Posted:** Wed Jan 31, 2024 2:32 pm

I'm reading a biography of Gen. Lucian Truscott, who fought in North Africa, Southern France, and Italy, and it talks about him riding in a two seat P-51 with Gen. Thomas Darcy over the Po River valley in April, 1945.
Does anyone have any info on that Mustang?

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Noha307 · **Posted:** Sat Feb 03, 2024 3:59 pm

I did a little bit of looking into two seat fighter conversions a while ago and these are the P-51s I am aware of during World War II:

P-51B, 42-106703[1]
P-51B, 42-106894[2]
P-51B, 43-6593[3]
P-51B, 43-6688[4]
P-51B, 43-6787[5]
P-51B, 43-6865[6]
P-51B, 43-6877[7]
P-51B, 43-6928[8]
P-51B, 43-12193[9]
P-51B, 43-12478[10]
P-51D, 44-13885[11]
P-51D, 44-72210[12]

I believe they all were based in England though.

Baldeagle · **Posted:** Sat Feb 03, 2024 7:02 pm

Later in the book it talks about Truscott riding in the back seat while Darcy strafes a column of German vehicles on a road! Quite a ride.
Truscott also seems to have gone for a number of flights in L-4s to observe the front, and visit units under his command, and he was once very nearly shot down by ground fire while riding in an L-5.

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JohnB · **Posted:** Sat Feb 03, 2024 10:29 pm

My father was in the 15AF as a B-17 pilot.
He spoke of a flight he had in a 2-seat P-38 very shortly after the end of the war.

Don't know if it was one of the humpback night fighters we see photos of or a modified unit hack.

Noha307 · **Posted:** Sun Feb 04, 2024 2:10 pm

JohnB wrote:

He spoke of a flight he had in a 2-seat P-38 very shortly after the end of the war.

Not counting the P-38Ms or droop snoots, the P-38J, 42-67762, at NASM was once a two seat trainer.[1] There was also an RP-38, 40-744, with a cockpit in the left nacelle that was used to test asymmetrical cockpit positions.[2][3] In addition, a few warbirds have a passenger seat. I haven't come across any cases of field modifications, but I wouldn't be surprised if such a thing existed, though.

JohnB · **Posted:** Sun Feb 04, 2024 9:18 pm

Especially after the end of the war. There were a lot of people who couldn't rotate back to the U.S. yet and had time on their hands and plenty of aircraft.
I would also imagine official over sight was a bit relaxed.
He told me a favorite pastime of the fighter pilots was flying low over the Adriatic and scaring fishermen.

My father's records indicate a commendation for helping an engineering unit (perhaps the base civil engineering/runway repair unit). He worked his way through college with his hometown"s country road department... so he probably knew something that was useful in helping rebuild rural Italy.

Archer · **Joined:** Tue Nov 30, 2004 3:13 pm **Posts:** 427

Noha307 wrote:

JohnB wrote:

He spoke of a flight he had in a 2-seat P-38 very shortly after the end of the war.

Not counting the P-38Ms or droop snoots, the P-38J, 42-67762, at NASM was once a two seat trainer.[1] There was also an RP-38, 40-744, with a cockpit in the left nacelle that was used to test asymmetrical cockpit positions.[2][3] In addition, a few warbirds have a passenger seat. I haven't come across any cases of field modifications, but I wouldn't be surprised if such a thing existed, though.

I remember seeing a period photo of a pilot taking his wife/girlfriend along in a P-38.... was that Richard Bong? I cannot find the photo now.

sandiego89 · **Joined:** Mon May 21, 2012 12:28 pm **Posts:** 1195

Anyone have any photos of these early two seat P-51 fast back conversions? (not later D's, TF-51s)

Noha307 · **Posted:** Mon Feb 05, 2024 2:33 pm

Archer wrote:

I remember seeing a period photo of a pilot taking his wife/girlfriend along in a P-38.... was that Richard Bong? I cannot find the photo now.

I think I actually know what you're talking about. I came across it while researching the P-38 post. It was a picture of Bill Lear, Jr. flying Betty Skelton in the back of his F-5G, NX56687.

sandiego89 wrote:

Anyone have any photos of these early two seat P-51 fast back conversions? (not later D's, TF-51s)

Check the references in my post above. The American Air Museum's website is pretty good for it.

Duggy009 · **Joined:** Fri Mar 23, 2012 6:20 pm **Posts:** 320

sandiego89 wrote:

Anyone have any photos of these early two seat P-51 fast back conversions? (not later D's, TF-51s)

More can be found here- http://axis-and-allies-paintworks.com/e ... php?id=306

Archer · **Joined:** Tue Nov 30, 2004 3:13 pm **Posts:** 427

Noha307 wrote:

Archer wrote:

I remember seeing a period photo of a pilot taking his wife/girlfriend along in a P-38.... was that Richard Bong? I cannot find the photo now.

I think I actually know what you're talking about. I came across it while researching the P-38 post. It was a picture of Bill Lear, Jr. flying Betty Skelton in the back of his F-5G, NX56687.

Thanks! I had a different photo in mind but it was most likely taken during the same opportunity.

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

When Yanks acquired their P-38 it had a raised second cockpit behind the first.

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Two seat P-51 in Italy April 1945?

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