RAF Mustang MkVII

[andrewj]

In the April of 1944 a small team of engineers and designers from North American Aviation, visited the Supermarine works and design offices. They were collecting information with a view to installing a Griffon engine in the P-51 Mustang. Supermarine offered the fullest co-operation, showing them the latest Spitfire XII and the Mk XIV, they were also presented with the engineering drawings for the Griffon installation in the Spitfire and the new Spiteful, then in the very early stages of developement.
On their return to the USA and the North american works, the NA staff were amazed to find some outline drawings for a new aircraft called the Jet-Spiteful, bundled in amonst the other drawings. These were intended for a brochure being draw up by Joseph Smith and should have been securely locked away.
The NA engineers seized upon the concept in the drawings and decided it would be a basis for an interim fighter based on the P-51, it would also give them a head start on the jet powered aircraft they knew were being developed by Bell and Lockheed. The original Mustang had been brought from the drawing board to reality in four months, now with the advantage of already having a wing, the NA team were able to design and build a new fuselage in short order and had a prototype jet powered fighter ,ready to fly by September 1944. The aircraft utelised the P-51 D wing and tailplanes married to a new fuselage containing  a GE I-40 engine [based on the RR Derwent ].
Although the Bell and Lockheed jets had already flown , the Jet-Mustang proved to be a much more reliable performer, due in the main to it's proven wing design. Despite it's tailwheel undercarriage, the speed which NA were able to put the design into production led to the USAAF ordering large quatities of the P-51 JT as it became known, and the aircraft began entering Air Force service in January 1945.
As with previous P-51 variants the aircraft were also supplied under Lend-Lease to the RAF, the first squadron to be equiped with the Mustang VII being 41 Sqd , the new jets replacing Spitfires.
As an interesting aside Joseph Smith would later become very annoyed when people accused Supermarine of copying the Jet-Mustangs concept for their Attacker naval fighter

[tanktastic43]

Nice build and back story. 

tt43.

[GTX]

 

[tc2324]

Now thats clever. Very nice and love the NA link.

[Martin H]

oh yes. I like it!

[Hman]

Love it, simple and very effective.

[PR19_Kit]

Maximum respect! 

That's a great model, idea and back story. 

[andrewj]

Thanks everyone, glad you all like it.

[kitbasher]

Excellent.  Such an obvious build when you think about it!  Just like NARSES 2's promised Finnish Hs123.  Did you build it in the end, Chris>

[Pablo1965]

It´s like an North American F-86 mixed with a Supermarine Attacker, Nice, very awesome. 

[scooter]

Aww.... its a Baby Sabre. 

Really nice work.

[Taiidantomcat]

Thats a beauty, Looks legitimate too 

[Alvis 3.14159]

Oh...
My...
GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Holy snapping turtles Batman! This is the COOLEST thing I've seen in some time! High marks for backstroy AND execution, and just overall sheer whiffgasmic looks!


I do have to declare I hate you now, for coming up with such a cool idea, and stealing it from my mind before I ever thought of it!

Alvis Pi

[anthonyp]

Awesome build!!!  Love it much more than the FJ-1 Fury the USN briefly used.   

[NARSES2]

Really nice