World War II Database

1. Bill says:
7 Oct 2011 08:05:25 PM

Fighter pilots have egos, everyone thinks he is the best. He has to pilot the airplane, navigate to and from the target, he's the gunner and if necessary the flight engineer to fix whatever is out.
If a mission comes up saying its a fifty-fifty chance only one of you will return our top fighter pilot will look around the room, and say you poor guys.

Captain Turner is flying the P-51C Model but still has the standard canopy frame exit hatch. Looks like a K-14 gunsite w/iron site on top of the canopy frame, behind him, is the radio equipment. Looks like Captain Turner is wearing an A-11 flying helmet, with
goggles, A-14 oxygen mask and what looks like a B-10 jacket.
Some pilots had the crew chief mount a rear view mirror, on top of the canopy frame, so he could check his six o'clock position. Later the older P-51B/C Models were fitted with the Malcolm hood that was a blown clear plexiglass sliding hood for better overall visibility to the side and rear.

The P-51B/C were also used in the reconnaissance role cameras were mounted in the fuselage to the pilots left facing downward this variant of the Mustang, was called the F-6/P-51B/C armament was still carried four-fifty caliber machine guns.

2.  Bill; says:
15 Feb 2012 07:44:08 PM

SHORT BURSTS: WATCH YOUR AMMO

The P-51B and C Models were armed w/4x.50
caliber machine guns w/350rpg inboard and 280rpg outboard for a total of 1260 rounds, this gave the pilot about 20 seconds of firing time.
The fighter could also carry 2x1,000lb bombs
5 inch rockets other ordnance or drop tanks.
The B and C Models served until the end of the war last B Model retired from USAF 1949

3.  Bill says:
8 Dec 2014 12:34:37 PM

TOP GUN:

Captain Andrew Turner later (Major) in the cockpit of his North American P-51C-10-NT named
"Skipper's Darlin III" He commanded the 100th
Fighter Group, 15th Air Force, and flew 69 combat missions. Major Turner survived World War II.

FALLEN WARRIOR:

ANDREW TURNER JAN.6,1920 - SEPT.14,1947

After the war, Major Turner decided to stay in the USAAF and later the USAF. He was later killed
flying his P-47 Thunderbolt in a collision with another aircraft, killing both pilots.
After the war Major Turner's P-51C was sold for scrap on September 30,1945.