Merlins in the P 38

[Big Tex 63]

The Mustang with the Allison was not so good in the ETO but when replaced with the Merlin was a big sucess.
What would happen if the P 38 got two Merlins , better hi altitude performance, range ?

[FLYBOYJ]

The Mustang with the Allison was not so good in the ETO but when replaced with the Merlin was a big sucess.
What would happen if the P 38 got two Merlins , better hi altitude performance, range ?

Look at some old posts, this has been discussed many times before.

IMO there would have NOT been that much of a performance enhancement for the time and effort to interupt the production line.

This was a much better idea.

The P-38K

[syscom3]

Thanks for that link Flyboy.

Personally, I think the biggest bone headed move by the war production board was not having a second P38 production line "ordered" in 1941.

[FLYBOYJ]

Agree - I think at the same time they had so much on their plate that no one was thinking straight. Can't forget a very powerful lobby from Curtiss Wright as well.

[Big Tex 63]

Thanks Flyboy , good article and a great site that was new to me

[Shortround6]

The Mustang with the Allison was not so good in the ETO but when replaced with the Merlin was a big sucess.
What would happen if the P 38 got two Merlins , better hi altitude performance, range ?

Worse high altitude performance and worse range.

See discussrions metioned above.

See also "Vee's for Victory" in which several differnt schemes are looked at. Opinion at the time was against it.