P-51VLR

The P-51 V-L-R "Scorpion"  was a North American single-seat fighter airplane. It was a long-range variant of the popular P-51 fighter. The variant was produced due to the United States' concerns about the ability of unmodified P-51 fighters to escort bombers to Japan during World War II. The aircraft was never mass-produced as the capture of Iwo Jima eliminated the need for it. Little documentation exists.

Modifications were:


 * Pressurized cockpit for high altitude flight
 * Lengthened and strengthened wings to support 300 gallon drop tanks
 * Wings sealed to "wet wing' configuration so that all internal space outside of guns and ammo housed fuel. Test flights of up to 16 hours were flown.
 * 4 20mm cannons
 * Ability to carry 2000 pound bombs in place of drop tanks
 * 10 rockets on zero length rocket rails outboard of the drop tanks/bombs
 * Auto-pilot
 * Radar pod on the end of the right wing