Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site ihnp4.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!cfiaime From: cfiaime@ihnp4.UUCP (Jeff Williams) Newsgroups: net.aviation Subject: Re: Sidewinder vs. 172 Message-ID: <685@ihnp4.UUCP> Date: Thu, 29-Nov-84 09:39:13 EST Article-I.D.: ihnp4.685 Posted: Thu Nov 29 09:39:13 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 30-Nov-84 07:29:57 EST References: <3304@rabbit.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL Lines: 37 Mention was made of the Piper Enforcer... Indeed, this is based on the North American P-51 as modified by Cavalier. Back in the late 1960's, this small Florida based company modified several P-51D's with Rolls-Royce Dart turbine engines as a possible attack airplane for use in Southeast Asia. The response was, as they say, underwhelming. However, the idea was sound... Enter, in the early 1970's, Piper Aircraft. They bought the rights to the P-51 from Cavalier who had bought the rights from North American in the late 1950's. The first Piper Enforcer was indeed a modified 1944 model P-51D which had been through the Cavalier rebuild program a mere fifteen years before. This particular airframe still exists at the Piper Lakeland plant. Well, Piper has been trying for oh these many years to find a buyer for this machine. Lets face it, the beast will out A-10 an A-10 on everything except the 30mm cannon. The Enforcer carries several 20mm cannons instead. Congress decided that Piper ought to have a chance to prove the airplane, so instructed the Air Force to purchase two of the things for flight test. The Air Force is more interested in high technology jets, so relegates this program to the back burner. The low-key flight test program was finished several months ago with very good results. About the two flight test aircraft. These are new production P-51 airframes built on the old tooling. Piper said that World War II vintage parts were not really in good enough shape to use, so the two new prototypes used over 98% new parts. The engines are Allisons, and the propellers are modified Skyraider units. If a production contract is awarded, new propellers will be used, making the airplane perform even better. Jeff Williams AT&T Bell Laboratories ihnp4!cfiaime