If ever P-51 drivers dreamed of hanging a turboprop instead of their Merlin

[Wolfala]

The Piper PA-48 Enforcer







The withdrawal of the P-51 Mustang from active duty resulted in the appearance of many of these aircraft on the civilian market. Cavalier Aircraft Corporation bought the rights to this famous design from North American, and after remanufacturing delivered “Mustangs” to many nations.  

Cavalier believed that the Mustang still had potential for further developement as a light and cheap COIN aircraft, by fitting a turboprop engine. In 1968 the company fitted a Rolls-Royce “Dart” engine, as it was the only powerplant available, with plans to fit the more powerful Lycoming T-55. However Cavalier cancelled any work on this, and decided to sell the rights to the Piper Aircraft Corporation.  

In 1970, the prototype Turbo Mustang III was delivered to the Piper factory at Vero Beach. In pursuit of contracts under the “Pave Coin” program, the Piper factory undertook a redesign of the Turbo Mustang.

The first converted aircraft was tested by the USAF in 1971 and fullfilled all expectations, but a production contract was not granted.  

In September 1981 the USAF, under pressure from the US Congress, ordered two new aircraft. The fitting of the Lycoming T-55 engine and other modifications (lengthening of the fuselage by 19 inches, fitting of larger tail surfaces, removing of the ventral scoop, fitting of the Yankee ejector seat, wingtip tanks, removing the wing guns, and fitting ten underwing hardpoints) resulted in only 10% of parts in common with the F-51 D, and produced a new aircraft named PA 48 “Enforcer”.

The two prototypes never given any military designations, and were given civilian registrations: N481PE and N482PE. First flights took place on April 9 and July 8 1983 respectively, and evaluations were conducted at Elgin AFB and Edwards AFB during 1983/84. Again no orders were obtained and both prototypes were put in storage in late 1986.  

Aircraft number N481PE is now on display at the WPAFB Museum in Dayton, Ohio.


SPECIFICATIONS:
Span: 41 ft. 4 in.
Length: 34 ft. 2 in.
Height: 13 ft. 1 in.
Armament: Mixed armament includes two GE GPU 30mm gun pods, MK-82 snakeyes, Bristol GRV-7 rockets, CBU canisters and MK-20 Rockeye antitank rockets
Engine: Avco-Lycoming YT-55-L-9 turboprop of 2,445 hp
C/N:48-350001
Registration number: N481PE (no USAF serial number assigned)

PERFORMANCE:
Maximum speed: 403 mph
Range: 921 miles
Service ceiling: 37,600.

[Treize69]

Originally posted by Wolfala
The Piper PA-48 Enforcer
PERFORMANCE:
Maximum speed: 403 mph
Range: 921 miles
Service ceiling: 37,600.

Boy a real leap in performance there 40 years on...

[Benny Moore]

Yes, what's up with that?  The performance and range are both inferior to the original's.

[Squire]

Its not built for air combat. Look at the pylons.

[eagl]

The engine doesn't have much more power than the later model merlins, it's a turbine so it sucks more fuel, and it has all those draggy pylons.

Basically it's a strike eagle compared to a regular F-15.  More power and a stronger structure, but more weight and drag too.

[hogenbor]

Drag is one thing but what about weight? If it is not much more than a P-51, expect a huge leap in acceleration and climb performance. Maybe deck speed too.

With all those hardpoints it reminds me a bit of an A-10 but it will never have the survivability of that aircraft. The arsenal it can carry looks pretty impressive though.

I sometimes wonder what kind of fighter aircraft we would have if rockets and jets were never invented and we still had to make do with piston engines and props. Probably we would have super efficient high speed props and small composite airframes. Engine and fuel tech has also massively improved. Remember that a modern F1 engine, no supercharger or turbo, only 2.4l displacement, can generate in excess of 800hp RELIABLY. And what do they push Merlins and PW's to these days for racing? 4000+ hp? Oh boy.

[FiLtH]

Block the wingtips out with your thumb and it looks mean. The tanks ruin it.

[zorstorer]

The mini-me of the A-1A Skyraider?

[Squire]

Its what Venezuala should have bought instead of the Su-27s everybody is freaking out about.  A good light anti insurgency/light attack a/c. Cheap, easy to maintain and can carry lots of a-g goodies. Would make a good FAC a/c as well.