P-40

Yes the P-40 had a couple variants fitted with the Merlin engine. The F and L were both equipped with the Merlin instead of the Allison engine. And the F actually came along in summer 1942, before the P-51 was equipped with the Merlin. But the performance increase was not so drastic on the P-40 as it was on the P-51 with the new powerplant. Which mainly goes back to the airframe itself, a mid 1930’s design, the P-36, adapted to fit an in line engine.

Plus, the Merlin equiped P-40's did not have a supercharger engine. So they were still relegated to low and medium altitude just like the Allison P-40's.

stikpusher

Yes the P-40 had a couple variants fitted with the Merlin engine. The F and L were both equipped with the Merlin instead of the Allison engine. And the F actually came along in summer 1942, before the P-51 was equipped with the Merlin. But the performance increase was not so drastic on the P-40 as it was on the P-51 with the new powerplant. Which mainly goes back to the airframe itself, a mid 1930’s design, the P-36, adapted to fit an in line engine. 

Yes, the position of the radiator intake had a big impact, too, didn't it?  That is, there was more drag with the chin intake on the P-40 than on the ventral position further back on the P-51.  I remember, too, that Curtiss considered a design when developing the P-40 that placed the intake where it would be later on the Mustang, but decided against it.  A perceived disadvantage was that debris would be blown up by the prop wash and enter the intake.

From and engineering and production standpoint, keeping all of that up front would require less changes to the airframe and tooling for production.

Just to be clear the P-40 and 51 engines referred to above were license built by Packard.

I hear "soaring tractor"s wing beats approaching.

Bill

GMorrison

Just to be clear the P-40 and 51 engines referred to above were license built by Packard.

I hear "soaring tractor"s wing beats approaching.

 

Bill

 

Yes, it was called the Packard Merlin.

My F-I-L went over in fall 1942 to England with the "First Over" 314. They were issued the bristol Beaufighter, with the early air intercept radar.

Somewhere that Fall they went back to Buffalo to evaluate a P-40 Night Fighter. by the end of 1942 he was bound for Tunisia. Seemed to get the black projects; later were issued the P-61.

He had a nice rendering of a P-40 on the wall of his den, made no sense to me until he told me the story.

In Buffalo, he and his squadron went on the town when they had liberty.

5 Italian American sisters came along arm in arm.

He married one of them the day after he got back to the States. Had 5 hash marks on his sleeve.

Bill