P-51 Rockets

[beau32]

Hello and good day all.

I have a P-51 manual and it states that without droptank or bombs loaded the mustang can carry 10 rockets. The version we have only carries 6. Here is what the manual says.


Later airplanes of the P-51D series are equipped to carry ten 5-inch, zero rail rockets, five under each wing. Each rocket is supported at nose and tail by a pair of launchers which are attached to the wing structure. The forward launcher contains an arming solenoid and supports the rocket by means of a forward-opening slot which engages a lug on the rucket. A safety-wired latch on the aft launcher restrains the rocket from slipping forward and falling off. When the rocket is ignited, its forward thrust shears the safety wire, allowing it to shoot forward from the launchers. Four of the rockets are installed close to the bomb racks. Consequently, when bombs or droppable tanks are attached to the racks, only six rockets can be carried, three on each wing.

So in game do we have a early P-51D model, or are the rocket set up on the plane incorrect?

[bj229r]

How does it define 'later'? Was made well beyond WW2

[Chalenge]

The Mustang was tested with a setup that used the main pylon to carry two extra rockets. In service the plane used two bombs and six rockets but I dont think the pylon mod was made available in the field.

[beau32]

ok, i was just curious. I didnt know how they would mount the other 4. Thanks.

[Babalonian]

ok, i was just curious. I didnt know how they would mount the other 4. Thanks.

Eigh, instead of three rocket mounts and the standard drop tank or bomb mounts/hardpoints on each wing they were able to put two additional rocket hardpoints, thus ten rockets total (five per wing).  Someone else brought this up a couple weeks ago I think and it was discussed more thouroughly.  Something I thought was interesting which someone brought up in that thread was that there is no photos from WWII that show a P-51 "very heavy" (two 1000lbers and rockets), just one with maybe 500lbers and rockets and the rest have smaller bombs and rockets or drop tanks and rockets or just rockets with no bombs/DTs.

[Ack-Ack]

Eigh, instead of three rocket mounts and the standard drop tank or bomb mounts/hardpoints on each wing they were able to put two additional rocket hardpoints, thus ten rockets total (five per wing).  Someone else brought this up a couple weeks ago I think and it was discussed more thouroughly.  Something I thought was interesting which someone brought up in that thread was that there is no photos from WWII that show a P-51 "very heavy" (two 1000lbers and rockets), just one with maybe 500lbers and rockets and the rest have smaller bombs and rockets or drop tanks and rockets or just rockets with no bombs/DTs.

It was CorkyJr/GuppyJr that pointed out that there weren't any known photographs of any WW2 era P-51Ds with 10 HVAR rockets mounted.


ack-ack

[Plazus]

Well having a set of 10 rockets for the P51D would be a nice addition.

[Ack-Ack]

Well having a set of 10 rockets for the P51D would be a nice addition.

Not if they didn't field them in real life.


ack-ack

[Stoney]

The plane could carry 10 rockets--it rolled off the factory with the capability.  There are very few pictures of P-51's carrying 1,000 lb bombs either (Dan's photos from Iwo Jima being the only ones I've ever seen).  Given that the POH states plainly that it is outside of the normal operation of the aircraft to load 2X1,000 lb bombs, you could make the argument that the 2X1,000 lb load is just as much an anomoly as a 10 rocket load.

P-47's almost never operated with 2X1,000 + 1X500 + 10 rockets in real life--I've never seen a picture of an operational aircraft with that load, and yet you can fit one out that way in-game.  Not necessarily a right/wrong issue--just inconsistent IMO.

Just saying...

[Guppy35]

This a Jug like you are talking about?



Even Korean 51s don't carry 10 rockets as they kept the pylons on to carry bombs or napalm.  The WW2 Mustangs seemed to carry DTs for the most part when they carried rockets. 

[Stoney]

Touche`--I should have assumed you had one

I would hazard a guess that this aircraft was conducting air support on or around Okinawa, not unlike the P-51's that your picture shows on Iwo Jima.  For typical missions they were carrying some external fuel to get somewhere.
 
All I'm saying is that the P-51 had the capability to carry the ordnance--that's all.  I have no agenda beyond that. 

p.s.  You got some D-model shots in that configuration?  Perhaps 9th AF used it frequently?

[Guppy35]

Touche`--I should have assumed you had one

I would hazard a guess that this aircraft was conducting air support on or around Okinawa, not unlike the P-51's that your picture shows on Iwo Jima.  For typical missions they were carrying some external fuel to get somewhere.
 
All I'm saying is that the P-51 had the capability to carry the ordnance--that's all.  I have no agenda beyond that. 

p.s.  You got some D-model shots in that configuration?  Perhaps 9th AF used it frequently?

Agreed on the short range bit with the 51 and 1000 pounders as well as that N Jug.

Best I can do on a D Jug.  4 rockets on the zero length rails and 3 500 pounders.  A fair amount of photos of Jugs with the rocket tubes totalling 6 rockets and 2 500 pounders but not three that I can find.
9th AF bird

[Chalenge]

During WWII the US Army would have been looking carefully at mission reports and I think in the case of the Mustang they would have seen a large portion of its 'mission accomplished' reports to be as a fighter and not as an attacker. Even though the plane could carry a heavier load then its type specification it had a problem with antiaircraft guns and heavy loses in the attack role would have had the groups primarily assigned to attack roles having different planes assigned dont you think? I mean if an individual squadron had great losses in Mustangs and another had great success with the Thunderbolt and most of the boys made it back home I would think both squadrons would be handed Thunderbolts next time around.

If you look at the Lightning (for a different perspective) you can see that it was successful in the Pacific but I believe the German engineering was refined upon beyond the Japanese level and when PTO fighters came to the ETO it was obvious the Lightning was out of its element. If that isnt completely true it must be true at least that the Lightning was a par behind in effectiveness. Likewise the Corsair was not used much in Europe and you would think if that fighter were the same success it is in our main arena that it would have been a front line machine against Hitler wouldnt you?

[Karnak]

Personally, I don't think that fighters should be able to carry bombs larger than 500lbs without paying perks for them.

[Chalenge]

I wasnt trying to comment against the 1000 lbers but just trying to point out a possible reason for the scarcity of photos of a P51 with 1000 lbers and rockets.