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It was a handful with respect to combat manuevers with full 85 gal fuselage tank. The resultant CG was a couple of inches aft of the designated static aft cg point. Very light conrol forces in turn, with tendency to reverse control of elevator and spin out. Bob weights were retrofitted to alleviate (but not eliminate) the very sensitve pitch condition.The flight testing of the three P-51B-1s at Eglin Field recommended burning down to 45gal (IIRC) before being in safe cg limit for combat manuevering.SOP in ETO was to a.) load 65 gal, or b.) burn 20+ gal during climb to cruise altitude. There were exceptions depending on the projected mission profile. A very long range mission to say, Posnan or Stettin, with 75gal tanks dictated 20+ gal burned and be aware that the projected 20min Combat Rating fuel consumption margin was no longer a safe consideration for fuel reserve to return home.Anecotally, my father who led the 355th FG escort for FRANTIC VII maintained full tank untll near Berlin, when the Bomber Task Force leader radio'ed that he was 10 min early to R/V and the group switched to fuse tank and spun up to Military Power to forge an intercept point NNW of Warsaw. The 355th had a fight with JG 51 shortly thereafter. He didn't land with the 355th at Piryatin but flew on to Poltava for a briefing for the next leg to Foggia. He told me that he 'couldn't have had more than 5-10gal remaining when he landed. His longest mission at 7:30 or &7:50 hrs
It was a handful with respect to combat manuevers with full 85 gal fuselage tank. The resultant CG was a couple of inches aft of the designated static aft cg point. Very light conrol forces in turn, with tendency to reverse control of elevator and spin out. Bob weights were retrofitted to alleviate (but not eliminate) the very sensitve pitch condition.
The flight testing of the three P-51B-1s at Eglin Field recommended burning down to 45gal (IIRC) before being in safe cg limit for combat manuevering.
SOP in ETO was to a.) load 65 gal, or b.) burn 20+ gal during climb to cruise altitude. There were exceptions depending on the projected mission profile. A very long range mission to say, Posnan or Stettin, with 75gal tanks dictated 20+ gal burned and be aware that the projected 20min Combat Rating fuel consumption margin was no longer a safe consideration for fuel reserve to return home.
Anecotally, my father who led the 355th FG escort for FRANTIC VII maintained full tank untll near Berlin, when the Bomber Task Force leader radio'ed that he was 10 min early to R/V and the group switched to fuse tank and spun up to Military Power to forge an intercept point NNW of Warsaw. The 355th had a fight with JG 51 shortly thereafter. He didn't land with the 355th at Piryatin but flew on to Poltava for a briefing for the next leg to Foggia. He told me that he 'couldn't have had more than 5-10gal remaining when he landed. His longest mission at 7:30 or &7:50 hrs
