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P-51 dorsal fin fairing


72modeler

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After posting my comment on the forum topic about the new-tool 1/48 Airfix P-51D, I logged onto the P-51 SIG and looked at the discussion, photos, and factory diagrams on the two styles of dorsal fin fairings. There were two different types documented: one had a perfectly straight upper edge, from the fin to the fuselage, and the other had a slightly curved upper edge. From the information supplied by the several posters, it appeared that the Inglewood Plant used the straight-edged fairing on their P-51D's and the Dallas Plant used the curved-edge, or 'swayback' fairing on P-51K's. Many  P-51B's and C's were also retrofitted with dorsal fin fairings in the form of factory-supplied kits. According to the SIG discussion, P-51B's were already out of production at Inglewood when the kits were fabricated, but P-51C's were still being built in Dallas, so the fairing kits supplied for both P-51B's and P-51C's were the swayback style being manufactured at the Dallas Plant. Soooo, I guess that means P-51B's and C's that had the dorsal fin fairing added would have had the curved-edge style, and a bubble canopy Mustang would have the style of fairing unique to the factory at which it was built. Interesting! I never realized there  were two types of fin fairings for Mustangs until reading the SIG discussion and hearing that the Airfix kit included both types, which was a plus for them, I think. I hope this information will be useful.

Mike

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7 hours ago, 72modeler said:

 it appeared that the Inglewood Plant used the straight-edged fairing on their P-51D's and the Dallas Plant used the curved-edge, or 'swayback' fairing on P-51K's.

Mike

Hi Mike,

 

In fact the straight-edged fairing started to appear with the P-51D-20-NA, earlier D models built at Inglewwod had the curved-edge dorsal fin.

 

Laurent

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10 hours ago, silberpferd said:

Hi Mike,

 

In fact the straight-edged fairing started to appear with the P-51D-20-NA, earlier D models built at Inglewwod had the curved-edge dorsal fin.

 

Laurent

Interesting, Laurent! Maybe that means the Inglewood plant used the DFF kits made by the Dallas plant for the B/C's until they tooled up for their own version, which was straight-edged? Since the Dallas Plant was just finishing P-51C production and was also making DFF kits before switching to D's and K's that just might be the reason. Thanks for the info! Doesn't really make any difference to making the model- just need to find a photo of the D/K  you want to build to verify the DFF type fitted. They are so similar in appearance, and IIRC one is a three-part fairing and the other is a two-part fairing, which only shows as different tones at the joints where the parts were welded together, so it was pretty commendable for Airfix to provide both types. I would have traded two DFF's for just one type and the parts to do the D-5 version which lacked the DFF. Guess that will be in the next boxing, but there are other differences between the D-5 and the D-10 and later blocks- I will be curious to see how Airfix handles them. (I guess we get to do this all over again when Eduard releases the 1/48 P-51D they have announced.....so many Messerschmitts- so many Mustangs- so little time!

Mike

Edited by 72modeler
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In fact, B/C dorsal fins won't fit D/K models, as they are longer. At some point, NAA decided the straight-edged dorsal fin was easier to manufacture, and switched to it, starting with the D-20-NA at Inglewood, and the D-20-NT at Dallas.

 

Laurent

Edited by silberpferd
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Laurent,

 

Well, I'll be- learned something new today, thanks to you! From re-examining the DFF discussion on the P-51 SIG, I did find a post by Charles Neely, who's widely considered to be one of the leading authorities on the Mustang, and he stated that the DFF on the P-51B/C was longer than the one fitted to the P-51D/K. According to him, the DFF on the B/C's ended on the fuselage in  front of fuselage STA 248, and the one for P-51D/K's ended behind the same fuselage station. I also found that the two DFF's fitted to bubble canopy P-51's were:

1st type: swayback type, NAA number 109-25001

2nd type: straight-edged, NAA number 109-25001-100

 

In the same post was a breakdown by type of DFF fitted to bubble canopy Mustangs, as well as factory and block number. If anyone is interested, I can post that information as a separate topic or can add it to this topic discussion. I also am adding a link to Mustang production by type, plant, and serial number, which I hope will be useful to all Mustang maniacs. Credit the information contained in the link  to mustangsmustangs.com

Mike

 

http://www.mustangsmustangs.com/p-51/production 

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