F-51D

[sandmarken]

6 hours ago, PaperPilot said:

I may have missed this, so please excuse this, but what variant(s) of the F-51D are in the game? D-25? D-30?

I figured it's probably trying to represent all the different F-51s used in Korea. As there were a few different types, I guess that's why it's just called D and not specifically 25-30. 

[LukeFF]

13 hours ago, PaperPilot said:

I may have missed this, so please excuse this, but what variant(s) of the F-51D are in the game? D-25? D-30?

 

6 hours ago, sandmarken said:

I figured it's probably trying to represent all the different F-51s used in Korea. As there were a few different types, I guess that's why it's just called D and not specifically 25-30. 

The USAF never had an official designation for F-51D-25, D-30, etc. They were all simply referred to as "F-51D" because once you reached about the D-20 production block, the only major differences were internal, such as avionics. I've researched the USAF serial numbers of F-51s that flew in Korea, and you'll find everything from the D-5 to the D-30 (though, yes, D-25s and D-30s made up the majority of the Mustangs in Korea).

IIRC, officially, the model in the game is based on the D-25 block, but the various mods can make it into really any late production block. 

[YoYo]

10 hours ago, OreoBird_147 said:

I haven't flown the F-51D in IL-2 Korea for a while, but I took her out for some pattern work today and I got to say the landing gear suspension behavior is much, much better now compared to when the game was still in early access. As a taildragger she's obviously still a little bouncy, I'm no perfect pilot either, but it does feel like the suspension does some actual work now and my landings have become much smoother and more pleasant. Really happy about that!

I'd argue here; it's better than at the beginning, but the problem has returned (and at one stage it was perfect, even). If you try to stay on two wheels, you'll immediately start bouncing, especially on unpaved airfields. The current technical takeoff is a three-point launch, which isn't entirely correct. After gaining speed, you should lift the tail, pull it for a few seconds to gain momentum, and only then lift off. A two-wheeled takeoff is practically impossible. The shock absorbers aren't working properly, they don't absorb bumps, which causes bounces and, ultimately, even propeller damage, as you tend to lower the nose after a jump. There's still room for improvement here (example is on the previous page).

[PaperPilot]

1 hour ago, LukeFF said:

 

The USAF never had an official designation for F-51D-25, D-30, etc. They were all simply referred to as "F-51D" because once you reached about the D-20 production block, the only major differences were internal, such as avionics. I've researched the USAF serial numbers of F-51s that flew in Korea, and you'll find everything from the D-5 to the D-30 (though, yes, D-25s and D-30s made up the majority of the Mustangs in Korea).

IIRC, officially, the model in the game is based on the D-25 block, but the various mods can make it into really any late production block. 

Good to know. Thank you.

[Cahokia]

The aircraft we have is a perfect rendition of the P-51 D-25 and it was the most numerous block used during the Korean War.

I should say almost perfect as the canopy is an early Inglewood model which was fitted to earlier production block. I suspect a model import from Great Battles. All other features (and they are quite numerous !) are perfectly modelled.

What is lacking to have a "complete" aircraft (just like the MiG-15) is two other propeller models (an Aeroproducts and an Hamilton Standard) and the late Dallas canopy. Add this to the game and you can fly the F-51 from the first day of the war to the last one !

[hawax270]

Hello everyone,

As you probably know, on the P-51D / F-51D, the fuel gauges are located on the floor for the wing tanks and behind the pilot for the rear fuselage tank.

I was wondering why the engineers chose to position the fuel gauges this way. Personally, I find the arrangement rather strange, and potentially even dangerous, since it requires the pilot to look away from the main instrument panel to check the fuel level.

The P-51’s instrument panel is admittedly already quite crowded, but I still get the impression that there would have been enough room to add two small indicators: one for the wing tanks and one for the fuselage tank.

I’ve done some research online, but I haven’t found many pilot accounts mentioning the location of the fuel gauges as being particularly inconvenient or impractical in flight. So I’m wondering whether there was a technical or practical reason behind this design choice: wiring constraints, simplicity of the system, reliability, the location of the fuel-level sensors, or some other aspect of the aircraft’s design.

I’ve never had the opportunity to sit in a P-51 cockpit, so for those who have: is checking the fuel gauges really as awkward as it appears? And does anyone know whether there was a specific reason for their placement?

 

Edited Sunday at 07:37 PM by hawax270

[YoYo]

This is more of a topic for this dedicated thread about the Mustang than for feedback and opinions I think:

But as for the answer, I think it's down to design simplicity. Russian aircraft typically had this information on the wings, making it even more interesting (some Germans too). The Americans used a similar solution, but in the cockpit, which could have resulted in less contamination of the indicator than outside.

The gauges were located close to the corresponding tanks, rather than leading to the central instrument panel. Simplicity of installation and design was perhaps paramount. The P-51 had a very unusual fuel layout. The wing tanks were located far to the sides, with their gauges located to the left and right of the seat, respectively. This allowed the pilot to glance down at the appropriate gauge, instead of having three additional instruments on a crowded dashboard. And this had another advantage: the pilot could immediately see which tank he was checking. Left gauge = left tank, right = right tank. The pre-flight instructions actually instruct the pilot to check the left gauge on the floor first, then the right. And the third one behind him? That's the gauge for the 85-gallon fuselage tank. It was located behind the pilot, on the upper left side of the tank. The manual actually states that the pilot has to look over his left shoulder to read it. 

The P-51 was designed with a strong emphasis on range and the ability to manage multiple tanks. The pilot didn't have a single indicator that said, "I have 180 gallons." He had to know how much fuel was left in a specific tank, as tanks were selected individually.

Interestingly, there were no indicators for the underwing combat tanks. Therefore, the pilot had accurate readings for the three internal tanks, but not for the drop tanks.

[hawax270]

Thanks for your reply. I did realize afterward that I had posted my topic in the wrong section, but unfortunately I don’t have the option to move it.

[TCW_Brzi_Joe]

Is radio guided needle / bendix even modeled in P51? 
And is that witchcraft available in all Korea planes?

[AEthelraedUnraed]

12 minutes ago, TCW_Brzi_Joe said:

Is radio guided needle / bendix even modeled in P51? 
And is that witchcraft available in all Korea planes?

No, the P-51 doesn't have a Bendix. It's radio guidance works strictly by audio: hearing the volume change as you get closer.

[TCW_Brzi_Joe]

OK, I can select channel, and then what? I was flying in circles and I heard random morse code and radio white noise. What should I hear/ pay attention to?

[TCW_Brzi_Joe]

I was flying around, and heard different sound volume level for that morse code every now and then. Is that it? It is very hard to navigate by that.

[AEthelraedUnraed]

1 hour ago, TCW_Brzi_Joe said:

OK, I can select channel, and then what? I was flying in circles and I heard random morse code and radio white noise. What should I hear/ pay attention to?

Exactly. Select the correct channel, then listen for the morse code. If it's loud, you're close. If it's only noise, you're far away. If it's louder than the previous morse code, you're getting closer.

1 hour ago, TCW_Brzi_Joe said:

I was flying around, and heard different sound volume level for that morse code every now and then. Is that it? It is very hard to navigate by that.

More or less. The antenna is probably directional to some extent, in which case the volume would provide some information about heading as well as distance, but I'm not sure about the specifics. @LukeFF would know.

1 hour ago, TCW_Brzi_Joe said:

It is very hard to navigate by that.

Yes it is. That's the reason they invented the Bendix 🙂

Edited Sunday at 11:25 PM by AEthelraedUnraed

[LukeFF]

The radio towers in use historically at this time are non-directional beacons (NDBs), which are AM radio stations broadcasting a unique signal in Morse Code. That's how they are identified in the real world as well. Think of it like someone pointing a searchlight straight up into the sky - the closer you are to it, the brighter it will be, and vice versa. 

This contrasts with VOR (VHF Omnidirectional Range) stations, which broadcast on the FM band and can be navigated to or from on a specific heading.

Very simplified explanation, of course, but that's the basics of it. 

 

[Dash,Polder]

You don't need a directional signal tower to home in with an ADF antenna equipped  plane, just a signal.  You can get a bearing on any civil radio broadcasting tower within your radios bands.  If you know two or three radio stations locations on a map you can quickly triangulate your exact location.

Be nice to get the South African or Aussie mustangs with them on board.  Looks to me like the Yak has one in the glass window under the fuselage.

[Philthy]

On 8/23/2026 at 2:51 AM, hawax270 said:

Hello everyone,

As you probably know, on the P-51D / F-51D, the fuel gauges are located on the floor for the wing tanks…And does anyone know whether there was a specific reason for their placement?

The wing upper skin forms the cockpit floor, underneath the wooden floorboard panels. The wing tank gauges are let directly into the tanks through the upper wing skin. Simple, lightweight arrangement.