P-47-D25-29 Fillet

[RTHolmes]

yup thats why slow D25 = lotsa yaw. its ok though, at d300 the pendulum effect is only about the wingspan of a fighter

[Krusty]

It's nothing compared to what it used to be. Back in AH1 you could fly an early D-11 and notice the stability compared to a D-40. Same goes for P-51B and P-51D. You used to spin into your tight turns MUCH more easily in the D pony than the B because of the razorback-added-stability.

Sadly, this and a few other things seriously seem to be lacking in current AH2. I don't honestly recall WHEN they went away, but it was AH2 or sometime in the early revisions of AH2 that it happened. The F4u became an uber spit, basically, and lost its torque instability, and some other issues similar to the P51/P47 lack of spins.

[Stegahorse]

The N has the Squared off wings. The D25 does not. The N, M and D40 have the fillet. Our D25 does not as it should. As Stated Above Gabretski did not transfer to the Ms or Ns. The Air Force museum says the Memorial is a D25.

[Ack-Ack]

From the P-47D-30-RE production lots onward, a dorsal fin was fitted just ahead of the
rudder.

The N has the Squared off wings. The D25 does not. The N, M and D40 have the fillet. Our D25 does not as it should. As Stated Above Gabretski did not transfer to the Ms or Ns. The Air Force museum says the Memorial is a D25.

The plaque clearly says it's an N model painted in the colors to represent Grabreski's Jug.




ack-ack

[bozon]

"This P-47N is painted in colors representing the P-47D flown by Lt. Col. Francis S. Gabreski while leader of the 61st Fighter Squadron 56th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force.  The markings on the plane show the "D" Day invasion stripes and the 28 confirmed air victories made by Lt. Col. Gabreski."

I am sure that many if not most of those 28 kills were in Razorbacks. Those were the real fighter jugs.

[Guppy35]

From the P-47D-30-RE production lots onward, a dorsal fin was fitted just ahead of the
rudder.


The plaque clearly says it's an N model painted in the colors to represent Grabreski's Jug.

(Image removed from quote.)


ack-ack

Sometimes I feel like I'm talking to myself with this stuff

[Ack-Ack]

Sometimes I feel like I'm talking to myself with this stuff

Especially when the plaque says it's a P-47N painted to look like Gabreski's P-47D.   But I'm still envious of Stegahorse because he got to see it in person and I can only see it in a picture.


ack-ack

[Stegahorse]

 :furiousOK, OK! I concede the point, but the
D25 was the first to have the fillet.
All our favorite American Iron is on Lackland AFB.
Most of them are around the parade grounds!

[Megalodon]

Forgive my ignorance, but what is the purpose of the fillet? I believe the 51D also has this too.

Yes the P-51D recieved the fin on the -10 model -1's and -5's didnt have them and it was for directional stability. We have a P-51D-30 in the game.

[Ack-Ack]

:furiousOK, OK! I concede the point, but the
D25 was the first to have the fillet.
All our favorite American Iron is on Lackland AFB.
Most of them are around the parade grounds!

No it wasn't.  From the  P-47D-30-RE onward, the dorsal fin was added to the Jug, not the D-25.


ack-ack

[Guppy35]

Can't be any more clear then this.  Gabby's bird, bellied in the day he went down.  NO FILLET!

[MiloMorai]

Yes the P-51D recieved the fin on the -10 model -1's and -5's didnt have them and it was for directional stability. We have a P-51D-30 in the game.

Earlier models of the 51D got fin fillet kits. Even the razorbacks.

[Krusty]

Earlier models of the 51D got fin fillet kits. Even the razorbacks.

And many did not.



Note the mixed formation? P-51D without fillet, P-51D with fillet, P-51B without fillet. They often just flew the plane until it was replaced, and P-51B/Cs were flying alongside Ds all the way to the end of the war, just about.

EDIT:

don't know if that image likes hotlinking.. Here's a different one:

[MiloMorai]

Thanks Krusty. Guess I should have written 'were made available for retro fitting to earlier models'.

The Ds are P-51D-5-NA.

[Megalodon]

No it wasn't.  From the  P-47D-30-RE onward, the dorsal fin was added to the Jug, not the D-25.


ack-ack

Actually it was the D-40 and kits were made for earlier models to be retrofitted in the field. Bubble-tops started with the D-25.

"The D-25 was followed by similar bubble-top variants, including the P47 D-26, D-27, D-28 and D-30. Improvements added in this series included engine refinements, more internal fuel capacity, and the addition of dive recovery flaps. Cutting down the rear fuselage to accommodate the bubble canopy produced yaw instability, and the P-47D-40 introduced a dorsal fin extension in the form of a narrow triangle running from the vertical tailplane to the radio aerial. The fin fillet was retrofitted in the field to earlier P47 D bubble-top variants. The P-47D-40 also featured provisions for ten "zero length" stub launchers for 5 inch (127 mm) High Velocity Aerial Rockets (HVARs), as well as the new K-14 computing gunsight."