Is it true that a replacement engine was offered for the P-51 Mustang fighter the 'Thunder' but not accepted.

Question

I am looking for information regarding this, was such an engine ever produced. The rumor is that there were twelve made, I have been unable to find any information of such an engine either produced or even a drawing or blue print of such a thing. Someone has stated that they own such an engine and is trying to sell such engine - it is damaged. Help me out as I would like to do more research on this subject but right now I can only believe that it was a rumor and nothing more. Thanks.

Answer 1

No

Answer 2

The original P-51 Mustang had Allison engines but were later fitted with Rolls-Royce Merlin engines and that continued throughout the war. It is likely that North American experimented with other engines but I have never heard of one called Thunder.

Answer 3

The P-51Mustang (by North American) was different than the P-47 Thunderbolt (by Republic), though both, in their later, more powerful versions, were used as escort fighters for bombers (particularly on raids over Germany).

Originally, the P-51 was built with an inline Allison engine and was designed for defensive use as a "P" fighter — P meaning pursuit, later repaced by F for fighter plan (multipurpose). Prior to U.S. entry into World War II, American fighters were designed essentially for defense and range was fairly limited. This was the original purpose of the P-51 and at the time it was designed, the Packard engines, which were available in mass production, seemed adequate foir the purpose.

However, when officers of the US Army Air Corps. (as it was then) observed and assessed the Battle of Britain they realized that what was required was performance greater than what the Packard engine could deliver. Development tests were taken by refitting structurally modified Mustangs with British Rolls Royce engines of the type that were powering Spitfires. When the results of the tests came in positive, North American started to redesign the Mustang and equip it with an engine design that was licensed by Packard from Rolls-Royce unde the "reverse" Lend Lease program (Britain to the U.S.).

It was also found, when this was done, that the endurance and range of the Mustang could be improved. When, in 1942, the experience of early B-17 raids showed that the "Flying Fortress" did not, in fact, have sufficient ability to fly through enemy opposition using only its own machine gun defenses, there was an operational realization that the bombers needed long-range fighter escorts to do their mission (the "Little Brothers" in the air corps lingo of the time). I believe that one of the people who worked on this at North American was Dr. Schatzki, a Geman-Jewish refugee who had worked as a senior designer for Heinkel in the 1920s and who had designed an long-range escort fighter for Fokker in Holland after he escaped from Germany (in the air battle of 1940 over Holland, Schatzki must have been the only person who had been involved with the aircraft of both sides, since the Heinkel bombers were derived from a transport he had helped design). Schatzki probably was involved because he was an early designer who thought of the need for long-range fighter escorts (though, fortunately, the German air strategists did little along these lines).

Answer 4

Never heard of this one! It was generally accepted that
the P51, was best served with the Rolls Royce merlin!

Answer 5

silvcslt has the best and most complete answer...good job