Rob_Haelterman Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 Guys, I've always accepted that the P-51D wing root extension was somewhat bigger on the P-51D compared to previous marks. However, when reading the SAM Modelers Datafile book on the aircraft mention is made that some late P-51B might have received the D wing. (Incidentally, the book never mentions any differences in wing root between the B and D, while it takes great pride in proving previous books wrong in other respects.) Do we all still agree that the P-51D wing root fillet is larger, or has some new information surfaced that I am unaware of ? TIA Rob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tourist Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 Hi Rob, there were no P-51B or C's with the P-51D wing root, these guys don't know what they're talking about. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Vorrasi Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 Hi Rob, there were no P-51B or C's with the P-51D wing root, these guys don't know what they're talking about. Ditto what Christian said. It is an old wives tale. Photo of the final P-51C on the line at Dallas with D models right behind it shows the early wing root was not changed on any B/C model. I believe the source of this old wives tale is the 100 knockdown kits of P-51D-1NA's sent to Australia to get Aussie production rolling. Only 80 were assembled. The rest became parts and engineering samples. It has been claimed that the first four of the unassembled D's had fuselages with the high backed profile and birdcage canopy. They never were completed as finished airplanes, and would have been D models in any event. The bubble top was not the main change to make a D. The wing was. NAA's initial plans for the D upgrades did not include the bubble canopy as a change. It was added as a feature after testing on a B model. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rob_Haelterman Posted November 30, 2015 Author Share Posted November 30, 2015 Thanks guys. Reassuring news. Sadly there are many books that have been released recently on iconic WW2 aircraft (P-51, Bf109, Fw190,...) that always seem to get something quite basic wrong or omit well known details. Most of the time the authors of these books do not forget to deride previous books, however. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 Hi Rob, there were no P-51B or C's with the P-51D wing root, these guys don't know what they're talking about. SAM Modeler's Data File books need to be taken with a BIIIIIIIIIIG grain of salt. These are the folks who presented a whole bunch of Mosquito models with one elevator up and one down. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rob_Haelterman Posted November 30, 2015 Author Share Posted November 30, 2015 SAM Modeler's Data File books need to be taken with a BIIIIIIIIIIG grain of salt. These are the folks who presented a whole bunch of Mosquito models with one elevator up and one down. I am sure you meant aileron, not elevator, right ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 Nope, I meant elevator. See what I'm talking about? It's hard to trust the source when there are errors that make you laugh right out loud. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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