N.A. Mustang XI (Finished)

[TallEng]

So a couple of days ago Spinners produced a Mustang IV in SEAC colours, I suggested
It would look better with Dark Green and Earth camouflage, conveniently forgetting that Narses
Had already done one.   See here; http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,36541.0.html
Anyway the upshot of all this rambling is that I've decided to do a SEAC Mustang with Green and Earth
Camouflage myself...



Then I found this book;



And this engine;



And with the addition of a Hurricane radiator housing (A Griffon is going to need more cooling right?)
I've got this



I've added a taller fin and the Rolls-Royce fin leading edge extension for better directional stability (more torque from a Griffon)
The idea being that with the war in SEAC dragging on for longer than expected, the RAF wanted a more powerful and longer ranged Mustang to deal with the newer and faster Japanese aircraft they were expecting to meet.
So North American And Rolls-Royce came up with the idea of putting a Griffon in the Mustang (after all what's good for a Spitfire should be good for a Mustang)
I'm still not sure what mark number to use, as far as I can make out the RAF went up to Mk IV possibly Mk V
Then there is a big jump to Mk X used by Rolls-Royce for there own Merlin Engined conversions.
So I've plumped for XI, unless somebody knows better?

Regards
Keith

[NARSES2]

This will be good. Love the idea 

[Dizzyfugu]

Looking forward to this one. Also have a vague idea for a SEAC Mustang, but that would most probably end up in NMF.

[kitnut617]

This is looking interesting Keith, I'll have to hunt down a copy of that book though, I've got a couple of High Planes Griffon Mustangs in the stash.

RR did look into putting a Griffon onto a Mustang, but ran into a lot of problems.  It's why their mid-engine fighter came to being ---

[aston]

Oh dear .... as though life wasn't hard enough for the poor old Japanese .....

[Go4fun]

"Mustang Mach I" comes to mind. 

[kitnut617]

A Griffon on the front of a F-82 fuselage might be a better way ---

Which has just given me an idea, and I've got some spare F-51H wings I could use --- hmm!

[McColm]

A T-56 turboprop or RR Tyne!!

[TallEng]

Right! Mustang update time.





Now the Eagle eyed among you will have already spotted what I only spotted as I loaded these photos up to
Photobucket.
Namely I've managed to glue my Griffon on with a lot too much down thrust
Oh dear ( or something like that) I said, here I am on holiday with a minimum modeling kit and now this...
Well dad's not a Modeller but he does posses a junior Hacksaw, so whilst it's not precision  work it's good
Enough for me
So at the moment the Griffon Mustang is recovering from its Rhinoplasty 
More later....

Regards
Keith

[PR19_Kit]

But Griffons DID have a lot of downthrust, and assuming yours is a late version and much more powerful than the teensy weensy ones fitted to Spitfire XIVs and XIXs it'd need some more downthrust......... 

[Army of One]

I like the look of this........

[kitnut617]

Like the look of it too Keith  

I think you and me must be on the same wave-length, here's something similar I'm working on at the moment.  Only I'm sticking with the Merlin engine, albeit a hopped up one (around 2500 hp). I'm calling it a Cavalier Enforcer II

[TallEng]

  well gosh and darn it!
You've gone and put cannons on it
That's what I'm doing as well, and probably from the same (Airfix spitfire source)
Is that the F-82 twin Mustang fuselage? Or a P-51H?
Looking forward to more
Regards
Keith

[kitnut617]

The cannon come from the Italeri Mustang Mk.I kit Keith, the fuselage is from the Beechnut F-51H kit and the wing is from the Airfix Tucano kit, which just happens to be very close in size and shape to a F-51H wing. Propeller blades come from the multitude of spare blades found in the Special Hobby late model Spitfire boxings.

[Captain Canada]

Wow ! Great idea. I think it looks weird tho. Like a spit but not.....then again, like a stang but not ! Can't wait to see her painted.

PS-I just love that kit.