“Dive bombing” guidance lines on Mustangs?

[RidgeRunner]

I know almost nothing about this but I have seen photos of post-WW2 Mustangs with black lines radiating from the wing root outwards along the upper surface of the wing. A caption I have seen refers to them being related to dive bombing and aiming. Was this a WW2 idea? 
 

Martin 

[dogsbody]

Which Mustang? A-36? P-51? P-51B/C? P-51D?

 

 

 

 

Chris

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Ive seen both late war and post war usage of these lines. I’ll see if I can track down photos. 
 

The sight lines are on the leading edge Chris @dogsbody
 

Ok 361st Fg. 

 

 

 

and 359th Fg.

 

Dennis

Edited September 18, 2021 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[Rob G]

There is a USAAF manual for it, but I can't find a copy online. However, here's a flight sim tutorial on how to use them. It's a sim, so he's dead accurate; I imagine that doing it for real was a bit more demanding (not to mention ze Germans shooting back...) 

 

https://youtu.be/qKqe0HNYqmU

[72modeler]

Martin,

 

Here are some more photos that show the sighting markings. PR Mustangs also had a similar system, using crosses, for aiming the oblique cameras. The dive bomb markings seem to have been used by PTO Mustangs much more frequently than ETO aircraft.

Mike

 

Scroll down to see a P-51D with the markings. Click on the arrow to read the photo caption. (Very interesting read and some neat photos, BTW!)

https://www.506thfightergroup.org/iwotojapan.asp?ID=1

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:506thfgP-51.jpg

 

https://emsindo.com/dmcsa-Mustangs-th-th-th-st-191082/Airplanes/

 

http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=19519

 

explanation of the used of sighting marks for PR Mustangs

https://books.google.com/books?id=sBXjDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA166&lpg=PA166&dq=P-51+Mustang+PR+sighting+marks&source=bl&ots=tKZCad69HB&sig=ACfU3U24gneYqQCQ1tUQOwQtut82PYLHzQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjDmZii7YnzAhUtlmoFHUj2Ar8Q6AF6BAgwEAM#v=onepage&q=P-51 Mustang PR sighting marks&f=false

 

https://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php/46059-Warbirdsim-s-F-6D-quot-Lil-Margaret-quot

 

 

 

[BS_w]

 

[RidgeRunner]

Excellent stuff, chaps. As is now apparent from posts @dogsbody, it is the D I am referring to. 
 

Thanks everyone.

 

Martin

[Alan P]

This site was a superb recommendation, thanks Mike 👍

5 hours ago, 72modeler said:

Click on the arrow to read the photo caption. (Very interesting read and some neat photos, BTW!)

https://www.506thfightergroup.org/iwotojapan.asp?ID=1

[Duncan B]

@RidgeRunner your namesake certainly had them and it operated in the ETO.

 

 

(Credit to original photographer, I found this on the internet)

 

Duncan B

[72modeler]

1 hour ago, Duncan B said:

your namesake certainly had them and it operated in the ETO.

Yep- 4th FG ace Pierce McKennon's P-51D. The dive bombing markings were added late in the war, as evidenced by the red nose marking being swept back instead of being just a band behind the spinner backplate, the 4th began with red spinners, then a red band behind the spinner, then the swept back sash, as seen in the photo you posted. He had to bale out of one of his earlier mounts, which was damaged by flak, and another 4th FG pilot landed his Mustang on the field where McKennon was hiding, and Mckennon sat on his lap with the canopy open and was flown back to Debdon, the 4th's home field. See the link for his history and the description of this rescue. A very colorful pilot who flew a very colorful Mustang!

Mike

 

https://www.afspc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1235108/4-fws-greatest-heroes-mckennon-green-the-rescue/