Got the Mustang III's pilots notes dated June 1944. The cockpit illustrations show the standard sight not the K-14.. However, that's not to say they weren't used.. Still looking!
Edit..Just read this..'The P-51D/K introduced the K-14 computing gyro gunsight, based on a British (Ferranti) design. When it first appeared, it was considered almost miraculous. The pilot needed only to dial in the wingspan of the enemy aircraft he was chasing and then feed in the target range by turning a handgrip on the throttle lever. Everthing was then done by an analog computer. All that the pilot had to do then was to get the wingtips of his target lined up on the bright ring projected on the gunsight, and press the trigger. The K-14 was fitted almost from the start of P-51D production, the P-51K receiving this sight from mid-1944. This sight played a major role in the P-51D's impressive score of aerial victories.'
Well, I have a book on the history of 19 Sqn, Its pretty detailed and charts all the different aircraft used and day by day combat history.. 19 Sqn used the MkIII extensively from early 1944 through to the end of the war.. it doesn't mention the use of a gyro gunsight, but is pretty explicit on training for gunnery practice, bombing etc.. But absolutely no mention of the gyro gunsight.
I get the feeling that if it was factory fitted there would be more concrete material to go on. My take at the moment is that maybe some Sqn's may have had them retro fitted at some stage, but it wouldn't be a universal practice throughout the RAF...
On another related tack, I've just been checking in Bud Andersons book 'To Fly And Fight', that his group began to replace the B/C model for the Mustang D model in May1944.. The fitting of the K-14 gyro sight started in June 1944, all done localy on site.. So clearly, the initial D models didn't arrive with them factory fitted... Also, D models appear to have been introduced as the earlier B and C models became u/s or were written off, so logic dictates there may have been earlier models that were fitted with the K-14.. Anderson states that he prefered his old model and kept it, even though he could have had the newer D model. He kept flying it until he went home on leave, then recieved the newer D type on his return!.
The info above applies to the USAAF of course and not the RAF, but it does give an idea that no matter what official accounts may say, the men at the sharp end often modify their own equipment to suit their needs, regardless of what official higher formation instructs them to do..
the thing is with the mustang mkiii is that it was i think used even after the D models were brought in as it was hybrid RAF version & was also much faster. so im thinking that it most probebly was at some point possibly factory fitted with gyro sight but probebly not until later on.
Just checked 19 Sqn history again.. The Sqn had transitioned into the D model, or Mustang IV in RAF speak, by early April 1945, and flew them right up until the end of the war in May.. Whether they were fitted with the Gyro gunsight is unclear, but in any source for the Ferranti sight that I could find, there is no mention of them being fitted on RAF Mustangs unfortunately..
Dzuibek Horbaczewski' account of shooting down FW190's over Norway with RAF 315 (Polish) Squadron, 30th July 1944. He had been flying Mustang III FB166/PK-G since 13th April 1944.
"I got him in my gunsight's illuminated ring, pulled staight through his line of flight, one diameter...two...three diameters of deflection and then pressed the firing button..."
Source: Aircraft of the Aces: Legends of World War 2. Tony Holmes. Osprey publishing 2003. ISBN 1 84176 737 9
Clearly still using the standard sight at that stage then..
I don't think P-51Ds had it during the mentioned time period anyway. We're talking before the Normandy invasion.
That still doesn't confirm they were not fitted.. The photos above appears to show they were. Like Andersons account, they could have been fitted on site, that clearly happened and is documented.
Finding hard evidence for RAF machines however is a different story.
On a personal note, I believe some may have been fitted when they became available, but I'm happy that they weren't factory fitted.. Therefore, I'll leave my MkIII as it is anyway..
Good idea mrJolly. I'm glad it's a matter of when and not if we can add additional aircraft.
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![[Image: clayton.jpg]](http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/TROOPER117/SimHQ%20Screenshots/clayton.jpg)