Trans Florida Aviation F-51N Mustang

[comrade harps]

Trans Florida Aviation F-51N Mustang
#33, 2 Squadron, Sudanese Air Force
Dongola, Sudan, 5 February 1965



Trans Florida Aviation (TFA) was formed in 1947 to acquire surplus F-51 Mustangs and convert them into civilian aircraft. TFA quickly developed several variants based on the P-51B/C and D/K models, including the lightweight Mustang Thoroughbred racer and two-seat Executive Mustang versions. When World War Three broke out in 1950, TFA's civilian work on the Mustang put it in a good position to win government contracts to refurbish and sustain Mustangs operated by the USAF, ANG and Allied foreign users. TFA produced its first significantly modified combat version of the Mustang, the F-51N, in 1954. This mated the readily available and robust F-51D/K airframe (strengthened for higher maximum take-off weight and heavier ordnance load) with a taller vertical tail and the more powerful Packard Merlin V-1750-9 engine of the F-51H. Depending on customer requirements, F-51Ns were built without or without wingtip fuel tanks and most had a fixed rear undercarriage. The company provided a range of sustainment services for military Mustangs into the 1970s, before resuming its civilian focus which continues to today. Although TFA flew several Turbo Mustang prototypes (including the Lycoming T55-powered F-51TL and the Orenda Astazou-powered F-51TO), these efforts failed to find customers.




When Sudan gained its independence from Egypt and the Royalist British Government in Exile in 1956, it inherited a squadron of ex-RAF F-51Ds. These aircraft were surplus RAAF P-51Ks, converted to F-51D standard by TFA in 1954 and issued to the RAF. Transferred to the Sudanese Air Corps (from 1962, the Sudanese Air Force) in 1956, the aircraft proved so valuable on COIN duties that an order was placed in 1959 for 18 F-51Ns with wingtip fuel tanks. Some of the F-51Ns were Sudanese F-51Ds converted on-site at Dongola, others being F-51Ds converted in America. This aircraft, #33, was the last Sudanese F-51D converted to F-51N at Dongola and was redelivered in December 1964.




TFA benefited considerably from a 1955 UN Resolution that required all member states to stand up a specified minimum air defence capability by 1958. The Resolution's Stage One Capability demanded aircraft with a minimum level speed of 400 mph, leading to a scramble for World War Two era piston-engined types, including Bearcats, Corsairs, Mustangs, Thunderbolts and Kaiser-built P-50 Spitfires. Stage Two Capability, to be reached by 1965, required jet-powered types with a minimum speed of 500 mph. Stage Three, enforced from 1974, required supersonic performance. Nations unable to establish and maintain such a capability were required to contract other UN members to provide air defence. The overall result was the sale of large numbers of fighters to countries that didn't overwise need them. These demands saw Sudan's Mustangs officially replaced in the air defence role by second-hand Canadair Sabre FGA.6s in 1960, which in turn were replaced by the Mirage 5SU in 1972.  For thoroughly entertaining discussions of this controversial program, see Roy Braybrook's books BOOM! A Personal View of The Great UN Fighter Boondoggle and Dogfight! Confessions of a Travelling Fighter Salesman.




Although the Egyptian government had "encouraged" the decolonisation of Sudan, the country's independence was concluded with mutual border areas still in dispute. Egypt and Sudan maintained conflicting claims over two areas extending north and south of the 1899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd Parallel. This arrangement saw Egypt occupying a small salient east of Wadi Halfa and Sudan "administrating" a larger patch of territory alongside the Red Sea. With the start of the UN bombing campaign against Red-backed revolutionary Egypt on 1 February 1965, Sudan launched an offensive to drive the Egyptians out of their zone of occupation south of the nominal 1899 Treaty border. Forward deployed to Wadi Halfa, the Embraer EMB.326GS of Sudan's 4 Squadron launched attacks on Egyptian positions from 1 February. This action brought an Egyptian response in the disputed, Sudanese occupied area to the north of the 1899 border. With UN help, Sudan successfully pushed the Egyptians out of the disputed areas and retained control over them until 1980.




Supporting the Sudanese Army, the F-51Ns of 2 Squadron performed strike, CAS, FAC, Sandy CSAR fire support, convoy escort and armed reconnaissance missions throughout these operations. The loadout of four Mk.82 bombs on TERS and two LAU-3 rocket pods was common. Few details have been published and little is known about the individuals involved, but one Mustang was lost to ground fire, north of the Egyptian town of Al Shalateen. #33 is depicted here as photographed by a Time photojournalist at Dongola on 5 February 1965.



Sudan retired its Mustangs in favour of another North American design, the OV-10A Bronco, in 1968. Aircraft #33 was sold back to TFA in 1969. Shipped back to the USA, it was sold on the civilian market in 1974 and is now on indoor display at The Defenders Air Museum, Chino, California.



Note that the Sudanese Air Force roundel seen here features the Arab Revolt colours of red, white and black with a green wedge at the top. This was one of several semi-official Sudanese Air Force roundels simultaneously used during the 1960s, the variations reflecting the states in which the aircraft were permanently based. For example, units based at Khartoum Air Base, in the Federally-administered Khartoum State, used the national colours of blue, yellow and green for their markings: in the mid-1960s, this applied to the Xavantes and transports based there. Those based at Dongola in the state of Northern Sudan, such as the Mustangs of 2 Squadron, used the Arab Revolt colours of green, red, black and white with a green wedge at the top of the roundel. By contrast, the Sabres of 5 Squadron at Port Sudan in the Red Sea state used the Arab Revolt colours, but with the green segment located to the left of the roundel. This latter style of roundel was standardised across the SAF from 1970, as it reflected the design of the new national flag adopted in May of that year.

[Sport21ing]

The return of the legend 

[comrade harps]

The return of the legend 

Me or the Mustang?

[Old Wombat]

Both?

[comrade harps]

Both?

[Sport21ing]

Both 

[comrade harps]

Both 

[zenrat]

NIce one comrade.

[Tophe]

with the taller vertical tail

I like this change, congratulations and thanks. This will inspire me more drawings of Mustangs

[Tophe]

This will inspire me more drawings of Mustangs

Here they are, thanks!

= link http://www.kristofmeunier.fr/P-51_profil09_dc.jpg

[Jesse220]

Interesting Idea

[comrade harps]

This will inspire me more drawings of Mustangs

Here they are, thanks!

= link http://www.kristofmeunier.fr/P-51_profil09_dc.jpg

It is an honour to have inspired a Tophe illustration!

The tail is an interesting story of kitbashing. The base kit is the new tool 1?72nd scale Airfix P-51D, the wingtips cut off and replaced by fuel tanks from a spares box. I also cut off the upright portions of the tail. The rudder came from a Wings Models P-51H I built decades ago; a truly anemic, awful, warped and misaligned thing it was. The main part of the vertical tail is actually a horizontal tail wing from an Italeri P-51D, with the elevator removed. That left a small gap where you see the white-painted "dielectric" panel in the extended fin. I filled this with a blade aerial from an Airfix Lynx HMA.8 kit, which turned out to be the right shape and width.

[TheChronicOne]

Nice!!!

[Tophe]

It is an honour to have inspired a Tophe illustration!

Thanks! Both for inspiration and the nice words!

The tail is an interesting story of kitbashing. The base kit is the new tool 1?72nd scale Airfix P-51D, the wingtips cut off and replaced by fuel tanks from a spares box. I also cut off the upright portions of the tail. The rudder came from a Wings Models P-51H I built decades ago; a truly anemic, awful, warped and misaligned thing it was. The main part of the vertical tail is actually a horizontal tail wing from an Italeri P-51D, with the elevator removed. That left a small gap where you see the white-painted "dielectric" panel in the extended fin. I filled this with a blade aerial from an Airfix Lynx HMA.8 kit, which turned out to be the right shape and width.

Wow! Great explanation for a mysterious shape, impossible to guess where it comes from. But there was a logic, yes

[Tophe]

Now that I have understood the principle, I may add the basis, before modeller's adjustments:

= link http://www.kristofmeunier.fr/P-51_profil09_df.jpg