Project "Seahorse"

[pampa14]

In September 1944, Mustin Field played host to trials for a very unusual aircraft, an P-51 Mustang which had been modified to evaluate its use from Navy carriers. The program was given the name “Project Seahorse”.


An early-series P-51D, serial # 44-14017, was selected.A tailhook was fitted, which required an extended keel line on which to fix the tailhook attachment point. A catapult hook was fitted on the fuselage centerline, just forward of the wing. To cope with hard carrier landings, the tires were replaced with special high-pressure ones. The main undercarriage shock absorbers received increased air pressure to reduce bouncing upon landing. The airframe was also reinforced in various points to withstand the extra stress.


By early 1945, the islands of Okinawa and Iwo Jima were conquered. Their airfields were immediately taken over by US forces, providing fighter units with bases from which they could escort bombers to mainland Japan. The navalized P-51 was no longer needed and the program never went any further. The link below shows some photos this unusual Mustang version:


Project "Seahorse": A P-51 Mustang navalized



Hope you enjoy!!!

[komata]

pampa14

Thanks for the link, it was very interesting.  A good find indeed. There does however seem to be some confusion by the image-poster as to exactly what is in the photographs, almost as if that person has seen photographs of 'carrier-borne' Mustangs and decided that they were all of 'navalised' P-51's, when they very patently aren't.

Some of the images appear to be of 'cocooned' machines being delivered straight from the factory (to the UK perhaps?), while the last image (in the below-deck hangar) would seem to be of a combat unit 'in transit', as the various P-51's carry unit markings and 'nose art'.

Do we know anything more about the photographs; the captions give nothing away?

[nuuumannn]

Indeed, very interesting, but I agree with Komata, only the first four images are relative to the navalised Mustang. I can't add any more info other than the fifth image is the carrier USS Boxer and the Mustangs aboard are on their way to korea, rather than during WW2, since Boxer was commissioned at the end of WW2, also its radar fit is too sophisticated for WW2 equipment, so Korea seems a logical fit. The seventh photo aboard the jeep carrier shows either P-51Bs or C models without tails props or wing tips. The foremost aircraft on the deck has white wall tyres. Just nosing about the interweb, that carrier is HMS Nabob and the image was taken at Liverpool, so RAF Mustang IIIs on delivery. RAF Mustangs were taken to Speke, or Liverpool airport and assembled for flight trials there before being distributed to squadrons. The last pic shows Mustangs off to the Pacific, but of what fighter group, I couldn't say.

[komata]

nuuumannn

Many thanks; I knew someone, somewhere would have the info'.  There are unit markings on the noses of the P-51's in the last image, but a magnifying-glass doesn't bring-up enough detail to determine what they consist of.  



However, the left-hand aircraft (carrying the fuselage -code 61), seems to have a serial number ending in -3425, (possibly 44-13425), that particular aircraft (a P-51D-5NA) being written-off at Lesina, Italy on 6 August 1944 'Damaged beyond repair'. Unfortunately, I cannot find-out any additional details in respect of the unit that that particular aircraft was with at the time. 

[nuuumannn]

You could be right, but I thought the striping on the wings and tail surfaces might have been related to the 21st Fighter Group in the Pacific, but if that one was in Italy, it could be either Ninth or 15th AF aircraft, although the markings aren't entirely familiar.