Best RAF photo collection on the web...

[Widewing]

Walt Boyne sent me this link.... Enjoy!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8270787@N07/sets/72157605269786717/show/

[Soulyss]

Great stuff, thanks for posting.

[Shane]

awesome. 

[Easyscor]

Thanks for the link, great stuff.

[MachFly]

Thanks for posting

[mthrockmor]

Lots of great pictures, many planes I did not know even existed.

Some questions. How many UK units flew the P-38, where and what models? I saw a couple pictures of P-51Bs, one of which included what appeared to be a 4x20mm gun package. If so...this needs to be in the game! And where those Hispanos? I saw one picture of a P-47 though not certain what model. Was this a "captured, Yank" bird or did the Brits fly this in unit strength? Did they have any units flying the PonyD?

I searched a bit on this and didn't find answers. I am guessing some might know right off the top of their heads. Thanks in advance, and maybe we focus on that 4x20mm gun package for starters! Skuzzy?!

Boo

[lengro]

What a great collection - thanks for sharing.

[SmokinLoon]

Wow!!!   

[Greebo]

Thank you for posting Widewing. That's a nice collection, with a fair few I hadn't seen before.

The UK never flew the P-38 in anger. They ordered a version without turbochargers, but later cancelled them.

The P-51 with cannons was a Mk Ia. There were IIRC about 150 made with the RAF getting about 120. They were used for low level recon and "Rhubarb" missions over France, shooting up trains etc. This version had the Allison engine, so it would lack the high alt performance of the P-51s we have now. Might see it as a perk plane if and when HTC model the P-51A.

The RAF was a major user of the P-47 in the Far East, not in the ETO and MTO  though.

The RAF used a lot of P-51s in Europe from the A version right through to the K.

[mthrockmor]

Thanks Greebo!

Lots of good information with only a couple follow-ups. First, were the P-51A and P-51K British designations? I understood there to be a prepoduction P-51A but that lead to the production model B. Also, the K model? Any good sources on the 47s flown by our British brethren? Had no idea. I always thought the Brits let us fly the fatboys while they tooled around in fancy Spits and fast Typs/Temps...mistaken again!

Boo

[FLS]

Nice pics.   

[pangea]

Very nice... Thanks Widewing!

[Greebo]

The P-51K was basically just a D with a different propeller. The RAF called their aircraft Mustang Mk I, II, III and IV.

Early Mustangs with the single stage Allison engine had a number of different variants. The RAF called them Mustang Mk I, IA (the rare Hispano variant) or Mk II, the main differences being in armament layout. In US service they were P-51, P-51A or A-36, the last was a dive bomber variant with air brakes. A few of the RAF's Hispano Mustangs were used by the USAAF as camera equipped recon fighters, can't recall the designation offhand. The Packard Merlin equipped Mk III and IV were equivalents of the B/C and D/K.

The RAF's P-47s were all Ds and only varied from the US versions in minor equipment, radios and bomb racks etc. They replaced Hurricanes in the SEAC theater and were used for ground attack mostly. Can't think of a good source on SEAC Thunderbolts right now, but I'll let you know if I do.

[MK-84]

What on earth is that Jet engined flying boat?

[Rich52]

Awesome sight.