No P-51 Mustang

I know nothing about the P-75 myself. That said, how many ATL universes are there where people ridicule the unconventional appearances of (It'll never work!) designs like the Corsair, P-38, P-39, P-47, and P-60?

And for that matter, the F5U? Oh wait...:eek:
 
Nope the P-40N had fine performance up to about 25K. Which was about where the Merlin started running out of power as well, they both had mechanical superchargers.
By the time the P-40N was rolling out Britain was getting Merlin-engined P-51s

The P-51 got the Merlin because Packard could produce them and the Allison production was already over-allocated.
Ah, so it wouldn't have been because it would simplify logistics then (what with virtually every other aircraft in Britain using the Merlin)?
 
It turned out surprisingly well considering it started with a Dauntless tail Corsair maingear, P-40 outer wing panels, Airacobra engine layout, Mustang rad layout, and a Buick cockpit canopy.
It's just all the time and money spent on this may well have been able to been to have been spent on second sourcing the P-38, which would have allowed for the P-38K--perhaps with a pressurized cabin.
 
Not much change. What really put the Luftwaffe out of business was the change in escort tactics. Instead of attempting to surround the bombers in a protective bubble the fighters were sent ahead of the bombers to clear a path for the bombers.
 
A question.. If there is not a long range fighter that can do what a mustang did, at what stage does the 8th airforce abandon daytime bombing?
 
A question.. If there is not a long range fighter that can do what a mustang did, at what stage does the 8th airforce abandon daytime bombing?

So the Americans build P-47N's earlier?

Arguably the P-47 was the escort fighter of choice during most of the critical bombing missions in late 43 and early 44, not the Mustang.
 
By the time the P-40N was rolling out Britain was getting Merlin-engined P-51s

Ah, so it wouldn't have been because it would simplify logistics then (what with virtually every other aircraft in Britain using the Merlin)?

Actually NO - The Rolls Royce and Packard Merlins were NOT interchangeable and did not have common parts. So each would need it's own logistics chain anyway. The Lancaster B I used Rolls Royce Merlins (of several version numbers) while the B III used Packards I was told at one point in the distant past that even different tool sets were needed for the two types
 
Actually NO - The Rolls Royce and Packard Merlins were NOT interchangeable and did not have common parts. So each would need it's own logistics chain anyway. The Lancaster B I used Rolls Royce Merlins (of several version numbers) while the B III used Packards I was told at one point in the distant past that even different tool sets were needed for the two types

Beat me to it. The as bsmart said, the two Merlins are completely incompatible even down to mountings. From what I read the main reason it was tried was the production issue, the main reason it was continued was the performance increase. Because yes in the P-51 airframe the Merlin gave a very nice jump in performance over the Allison, it was just not a lot better at altitude than a supercharged Allison was. The big difference was the airframe not the engine.
 
A question.. If there is not a long range fighter that can do what a mustang did, at what stage does the 8th airforce abandon daytime bombing?

There were long range fighters that could do what the mustang could, the P-38J and later had as much range as the P-51D and P-47D and later had near the range. The P-38 was pulled from ETO because the other theaters were screaming for more of them and the P-51 was cheaper.

Most of the early escort work that proved long range escort was not only possible but reduced the losses was done by P-38 groups.

They could have set up additional production lines of the P-38, increased the tankage on the P-47 sooner, possibly allocated F4U to ETO without the P-51 and gotten through. It would have cost more $$$ to build the fighters but maybe they cut back on one bomber group for every 2-3 fighter groups they add? Or just live with the additional cost.
 
Would Curtiss have pushed the P-40Q? Shorter ranged than the Mustang but cheaper than the P-38 or P-47? Maybe with the uprated Merlin - was this ever installed in other P-40's?
 
The main reason that GM came up with the Eagle was to avoid being assigned to build B-29 engine nacelles. Plus GM did a fair job building Grumman designs.
 
Would Curtiss have pushed the P-40Q? Shorter ranged than the Mustang but cheaper than the P-38 or P-47? Maybe with the uprated Merlin - was this ever installed in other P-40's?
Curtiss pushed everything they had. Prototypes kept appearing after superior machines were in service. None were good enough, but the P-40 was cheapest of all. Cheap isn't good enough.

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