RAF Mustang Grips

Nice photos there, thanks for posting. The extra leverage stick must have been a Douglas patent or was it used elsewhere? No doubt about the id of yours Martyn, very nice! Well done for starting the new thread Tony, look forward to seeing it fill up.

Two lovely columns there. I recently bought a Skyhawk column (from a ‘vet’) which also extends to cope with the high stick forces when the hydraulics fail – I had never seen that before! He said it was dangerous flying it like that.

I agree too!

Ian, Here’s my ‘Ford’ grip still attached to the extendable shaft/column – just in case a bit more leverage was needed during hydraulic failure!

The trim switch on your grip is indicative of an earlier application, I also have pictures showing that style on the early F4D’s too. My grip has a part number 21704 painted on the base, this is quite common with U.S. grips and usually wears off quite quickly, hence little info to go on!

Hmmmm… must get up into the loft this weekend!

Cheers,

Martyn

GYD

A top idea Tony, a stick grip pic thread! I’m a learner but enjoying finding my way through. Have a Skyraider/Skyray query to kick it off.
Got this Maybad Electric grip a while ago as from a Skyraider. I’ve not found a pic of the odd trim switch on a Skyraider, but have found one photo online in a Skyray. Might have to take a walk to Ian Allan to flick through their library. Can’t see any part numbers, any ideas?

That is true old chap! I think it is time to have a thread for people to post a pic of their fav grip/control wheel on….what do you think?!

wasn’t that indecently!!!
Unfortunately no history. The US grips are quite boring really….NAF-1173 on Navy, B6 – B8 covering Peashooter to early F15 – yawn! At least the yokes are more fun to look at!
Yep B6…brain fart.

Never trust these chuffin computers to check words with wiggly red lines under them! I meant Incidentally!!!

However, some of the US grips do have some interesting variations, especially the B8’s if you know what you are looking for?

Martyn

GYD

wasn’t that indecently!!!
Unfortunately no history. The US grips are quite boring really….NAF-1173 on Navy, B6 – B8 covering Peashooter to early F15 – yawn! At least the yokes are more fun to look at!
Yep B6…brain fart.

I have seen modeller drawings with a spade grip….but I CANNOT substantiate any P51s getting into UK service with a spade grip.

The B3 was the classic grip for the P51

Hi Tony,

should that not read the ‘B6’ as the classic grip for the P51??

Indecently, the one you picked up recently, does it have any history?

Regards

Martyn

GYD

Good stuff and thanx for first hand account Denis.
I can understand a mock up for what would please the top brass doing the buying. The spade grip fitted is the ‘gopping’ spade grip fitted to a few early Harvards that actually looks like a cheap toy spade grip! I personally don’t believe that any early Mustangs were fitted with spade grips for the OC etc. For a start, they would have had to have been fitted under a MOD and for the early Mustangs, not many electric gun buttons (on spadeys) were available. Also, a top test pilot, ‘Sam’ Mckenna went very early in the war to test and approve aircraft under lendlease program. The P51 did not need a spade grip like a Spit or a Hurri did.

The photo above is a red herring. From another forum where the same question was asked a few years ago.

“The photos posted are part of a sequence of photos done by NAA for the BPC. The aircraft photographed was fitted with the spade grip from a Harvard 1, a bit of clever marketing by showing what the RAF and Air Ministry types would recognise as a the standard control column top for a fighter. The Mustang Mk.1s, Mk.1As and Mk.IIs as supplied were fitted with the standard US style pistol grip top. A very, underline, very, limited number of early Mustang Mk.1 aircraft were modified at Squadron level to have a RAF style spade grip fitted. This was usually at the request of a senior pilot on the Squadron, such as the OC or a senior flight commander, to what was their usual allocated/personal aircraft This was because these pilots had spent their entire RAF career up to this time flying aircraft fitted with a spade grip and therefore it was a familiarity and piloting style type of preference. However, the greatest majority retained the US supplied pistol grip. By the time the later Mk.1s, Mk.1As and Mk.IIs came along, even those senior pilot’s had dropped using the spade grip and stayed with the US supplied pistol grip which was the standard.”

Just to stick my tuppence worth in, I have just spoken to Doug Reich, who flew Mustang 1 and 1A’s with II(AC) Squadron at Sawbridgeworth. He states that none of their aircraft had spade grips fitted.

Here’s a pic from from the Osprey ‘production line to frontline’ series. An early RAF Mustang with some British equipment and an odd looking spade grip, I think it’s been discussed before. Later P51s certainly had B3 grips as the field where many were scrapped has the odd piece still lying around.

I went into this when researching Volume 4 on Dunlop Spade Grips.

It was mentioned in one of the database articles in that “other magazine”.

The most likely candidate would be the Mk IA with the 20mm cannon but like Rocketeer, I could find no reference to anything but the standard U.S. stick top. I checked the Pilot’s Notes, Volume Is etc.

I have several editions of AP1086, listing usage of Dunlop spade grips and none mention the Mustang.

Perhaps there has been some confusion with the spade grip fitted to some North American Harvards IVs?

I have seen modeller drawings with a spade grip….but I CANNOT substantiate any P51s getting into UK service with a spade grip.

The B3 was the classic grip for the P51

Mustang 1 Alison Pilots notes show U.S style grip.
I cannot get adobe to give me the picture..
Cheers Mike