The Mustang we really need.

[Guppy35]

With all this talk of 20mm Mustangs and long range tanks, I thought I'd better make sure I was accurate.  Turns out I was wrong.  I found some references to an obscure variant of the P51 better known as the P51VLR(20mm)

Apparently prior to the capture of Iwo Jima there were concerns about escorting the B29s all the way to Japan.  North American went to work on the basic Mustang design and came up with this beauty.

Specifications were: 

P51VLR(20mm)
-Pressurized cockpit for high altitude flight
-Wings lengthened and strengthened to take 300 gallon DTs. 
-Wings also sealed up to "wet wing' configuration so that all internal space outside of guns and ammo housed more fuel.  Test flights of up to 16 hours were flown.
-4 20mm cannon.  There had been concerns with the hitting power of 6 50cals against bombers up high so this was tested out.  Improved Tempest style Hispanos were used.
-Ability to carry 2000 pound bombs in place of drop tanks.
-10 rockets on zero length rocket rails outboard of the 300 gallon DTs or 2000 pound bombs.
-Auto-pilot so that pilots could rest on the way to a target
-Radar pod on the end of the right wing.  This was similar to what Marine Corsair and Hellcat night fighters had.  This was to help the pilot spot E/A earlier for intercept.

Due to all the modifications there was talk of changing the name to "Scorpion" but it was thought that this might cause problems with modifying existing Mustang contracts so the Mustang name was retained.

While I admit introducing this bird into Aces High might bring fear to a lot of people, I only thing it fair that in the interest of history and providing for a better game envirionment, that we should have the P51VLR(20mm)

[Krusty]

Guppy.... I get it, but I fear so so SO many others and others from years hence, will only use this to endlessly request it over and over and over.


What have you done?!?!?! 

P.S. You made the barrel housings too short as compared to the 3-plan sketch I saw not too long ago. They should be about 50% longer. Even though they are the shorter barrel Hispano Vs (technically, the US equivelant, can't recall the name), they were still mounted a little more forward because the wing was only so thick.

[uptown]

o dear   now you've started something. Am I correct in assuming that these never seen combat?

[Rino]

     It's just a 51D with a little plastic surgery done    Just wondering if those are droptanks or floats? 

[gpwurzel]

Sits back, grabs popcorn and waits for the inevitable to happen.

Wurzel

[SIK1]

  

[1701E]

Careful not to get stung by that evil looking Scorpion.

[mensa180]

LOL

[guncrasher]

a pony that can run faster than the others   .  and some dweeb will fly it and complain about getting killed by spits 

semp

[Steve]

a pony that can run faster than the others   

Well, there's no mention of an improved power plant. seems to me that this pony would be somewhat slower and heavier, have a worse roll(longer wings and turn rate(heavier).  The pwny is a pig already. This VLR might attract a few people I guess, but they would be less dangerous than if they were in a run of the mill D-pwny....IMHO

[Guppy35]

Well, there's no mention of an improved power plant. seems to me that this pony would be somewhat slower and heavier, have a worse roll(longer wings and turn rate(heavier).  The pwny is a pig already. This VLR might attract a few people I guess, but they would be less dangerous than if they were in a run of the mill D-pwny....IMHO

This wasn't meant as a turn fighter.  Flying for a long time at high alt either as a bomber escort, or interceptor.  With the extra weight it apparently went downhill really well and with the 4 20mms it could drop from the heavens, shoot a badguy in the face and zoom right back up there.

Naturally in it's ground attack role, loaded with 2 2000 pound bombs and 10 rockets it could really do some damage while shooting up airfields.  Again, a long dive to gain speed, let loose the rockets and bombs and shoot anyone trying to take off in the face before zooming back up to altitude for the long cruise home.

The biggest problem discovered in testing was that the pilot's couldn't take the up to 16 hours in the cockpit.  Legs and backsides went to sleep.  It was recommended that pilots used the autopilot inverted so they could get the weight off their backsides and get the blood flowing again.

With the capture of Iwo Jima, this was no longer an issue as more reasonable flights of 6-7 hours were flown.

[Steve]

This wasn't meant as a turn fighter.  

So it would be even less nimble and slower than a D Stang... forgive me for being obtuse, I still don't understand how it would be more dangerous(air to air) than a vanilla D-Stang. The 6 .50 configuration is more than enough to drop any plane, buffs included in the one pass you mention.  

That said, bring it into the game. Too many people misuse my beloved pwny as it is.  [/haughty]    



10 rockets and two 2k bombs .... that is a lot of punch.

[kingcobradude]

+1 I like the idea
but I cannot find proof of that thing
-2

end total: -1

[stealth]

Come on people a P51 with 20mm,might as well put jets in here and we'll all use missiles.We need a P51 that first has a good ENY value that would be used on this game and one with more then 4 50 cals like the P51b.Something that's just like a p51b just more guns and ammo,but that's just me.

[EskimoJoe]

+1 I like the idea
but I cannot find proof of that thing
-2

end total: -1

My great-uncle flew one as ground attack he bombed the germans you know the same ones that attacked peral harbor anyway he bombed them just like the fishy said he dove from really high and blew the germans up and flew back up and shot down the bombers really high and flew back home he said they flew for long times sometimes and it was really hard holding in the icky stuff so they shortened the flights