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Cavalier Mustang II - AURI
Hello everyone! Today I would like to suggest an Indonesian version of the post-war Cavalier Mustang II which was developed for COIN Purposes. These aircrafts originally old P-51Ds which were refurbished and improved. This include a slightly differing vertical stabilizers well as a change of engines, with the installment of the Rolls-Royce Merlin 724 with 1720 shp, as well as a change of armament with the installment of the 80mm SURA-D rockets.
In-game this would function similarly to the P-51D-30 or P-51H-5-NA with a slight suspended armament difference, this could be a good Rank 4 CAS option for Japan
F-51D vs Cavalier Mustang
Since Indonesia doesn’t get the tip tanks, the easiest way to tell the difference between the two similar aircrafts can be seen on the tail section. The Cavalier Mustang II Has a higher tail similar to the P-51H, whereas the P-51D has the shorter tail
A. Background
Details
As a result of the National Revolution, the former Dutch East Indies air assets were handed over to the Indonesians. This transfer includes several of the ML-KNIL’s P-51D/K Mustang which had been used against the nation the previous years. Around 25 of these aircrafts were then to be used extensively during the many conflicts faced in Indonesia at the time, both from within through insurgency and separatist movements as well as outside through the Malay Confrontation. Though the original P-51D story ends in around 1970, the story of the mustang itself is not over yet.
One of the early Indonesian P-51D, notice the Dash instead of the roundel on the side fuselage
Though the exact details can be hard to nail down due to the secrecy of the AURI at that time, the story goes that AURI was tasked with air security missions during the General Election of 1971 as it was considered priority at the time due to the turbulent state of the nation. The AURI’s equipment were extremely disheartening, with limited operational aircrafts, lack of readiness of said aircrafts and the abundance of pilots without aircrafts to fly. During the readiness report for the security missions these issues became ever highlighted. with ex-soviet jets being outright forbidden to fly, and the combination of the older P-51D/Ks being unsafe to be operated, the government decided to strengthen the Air Force’s capability by bringing in new Mustangs from the US. These mustangs were of the Cavalier Mustang II which was manufactured by the Cavalier Aircraft Corporation.
Indonesian Mustang Pilots
The Cavalier Mustangs were refurbished and remade Mustangs specifically for the civilian market. David B. Lindsay and his company, then-named Trans-Florida Aviation first began the conversions at Sarasota-Brandenton Airport in Florida. They acquired 8 ex-RCAF P-51Ds of the 443rd Squadron. These aircrafts were stripped down to the very core. The fuel tanks behind the pilot were removed and the floor where the fuel tank used to be were strengthen and a second seat was fitted in its place. The seats were padded and the the floor was carpeted. The entire cockpit has also been soundproofed with Polyurethane foam and lots of sound-reducing tape. A new instrument panel and side console were designed by Lindsay himself along with other numerous changes to the cockpit. Additionally the rear Vertical fin were elongated by 14-inch, similar to that of the P-51H.
Cavalier Mustangs seen outside the Cavalier Aircraft Corporation’s Florida Plant.
With the success of the Aircraft conversions, in 1967 The US military purchased several militarized F-51Ds from Cavalier, which at this point had bought the rights to the Mustang from North American Aviation. These aircrafts incorporated most of the improved features of the Civilian Cavaliers while optimized as a ground attack fighter aircrafts. They were called Cavalier F-51D Mustangs, with 9 single-control F-51D and 2 Dual-control TF-51D were built. These aircrafts were to be give to Bolivia under the "Peace Condor " Program, and two F-51Ds were sold to the US Army for use as a chase aircraft.
In the same year, Cavalier developed a further version of the F-51D designed for CAS and COIN operations, calling this aircraft the Cavalier Mustang II. These aircrafts had improved avionics, additional structural improvement to the wing for the addition of more external weapons carriage on four additional hardpoints as well as an improved Rolls Royce Merlin V-1650-724A engine. The first batch of the Mustang IIs were given to El Salvador in 1968 and the second group was exported to Indonesia in 1972-73. Though Indonesia’s version does not feature the wingtip fuel tanks due to pressure from the US to limit the combat range of the aircrafts. The “Peace Pony” contract were not completed by Cavalier, as by this point the company was closed so that David Lindsay can work on the Piper PA-48 Enforcer. Rather Lindsay set up a new company, Field Services Inc. to help finish the remaining Indonesian contracts of Cavalier IIs.
Two Cavalier Mustang II Flying over Sarasota, these aircrafts were to be given to El Salvador in 1968, notice the extra fuel tanks on the edge of the wingtip
During the transition training for the new mustangs, only two senior pilots were qualified to fly the P-51D/Ks, namely Rukandi and Rusmali. The squadron command is held by Air Lieutenant Colonel Rukandi which was then replaced by Air Lieutenant Colonel Rusmali. However they would not fly the Cavalier Mustang, that role was given to the 3 pilots, namely then-captain Kusbeni, as well as two other members of Air Force Academy (AFA) 69 members of Effendi and Abdul Mukti. The transition was guided by senior instructors Rusmali, Sofyan Nur, and Musidjan as well as one instructor from the Cavalier Corporation from the US named Whitmore. They participate in a handful of missions and combined exercises. it includes training on weapon delivery which was conducted in Gorda Airfield in Banten. After the General election was conducted, the Cavaliers were flown by ferry to Malang.
Then-Air Lieutenant Colonel Rusmali Airifin, 3rd Air Squadron
When they arrived in the Abdulrahman Saleh AFB, which was previously equipped with said aircrafts, they immediately notice that there was a lack of pilots. As such 3 other members from AFA 69 was transferred to the 3rd Air Squadron, namely Aryasa from 5th Air Squadron, as well as Sunarko and Sismono from 1st Air Squadron. A number of recruits were also taken from Air Force AFA 68, namely Djoko Sulistiyardjo, Bowo, Hardiyanto, dan Ratih Aden. They all did not pass except for Djoko, who experienced a collision after completing the transition along with M. Rusli. He was a part of the AFA 66 along with Sugita and Kusnadi Umar Said. However all of them was transferred to the Merpati Airways. As such the juniors at the time were recruited, these pilots are the alumni of the Indonesian Armed Forces Acadamy (IAFA) 70. They include Suparno, Sonny Rizani, Ronggo Suarso, Sihotang, Dondit Suroso, M. Halik, dan Agus Suwarno. the total of pilots of the mustang around the time was 6 pilots from AFA 69, 7 pilots from IAFA 70, and one Commander, resulting in 14 total Pilots trained to fly the Cavalier Mustang)
Being the only Fighter squadron of the Air Force (until 1976), the squadron conducted a high amount of flight missions. Namely after the General Election, they were involved in domestic security missions including missions against armed groups in South Blitar and firing in Rambang, Lombok. Other missions includes the combined Armed Forces training exercises. During one of these combined exercise, codenamed Wibawa in Branti, South Lampung on 1975, a Mustang flown by Air Lieutenant Effendi crashed on the edge of the Branti Airfield after briefly taking off to Halim Perdanakusuma. He was buried in Madiun’s Hero Cemetery the day after the crash. The mustangs also participated in Combined training Wibawa V near the slopes of Mount Lawu, Magetan. In this exercise the Mustangs conducted direct air strike as well as close air support with the target of Mount Srandil on the slopes of Mount Lawu. The final mission of the mustangs were during the filming of the “Janur Kuning” Historical Drama (can also be classified as Propaganda) Film. They acted as the Dutch fighters during Operation Kraai (Second Dutch Aggresion).
WIBAWA V Combined Training Preparation, the mustang can be seen in the background
In around 1974. It was well-known that the new OV-10F Bronco were to be brought in as replacement for the Mustangs. Being the only active fighter squadron, the 3rd Air Squadron was then entrusted to be the pilots for these future aircrafts. From the 13 active pilots of 3rd Air Squadron, only 10 were sent to the US to be trained for the Bronco, as one pilot was killed during an accident, and the two others were training in Australia in Air Spraying techniques for the Agricultural Air Unit of the Air Force. With the arrival of the OV-10F, The remaining Mustangs were finally retired. Nowadays around 5 Cavalier Mustangs remain in Indonesia, either as Gate guardians or as Display piece in a museum. One other Indonesian Cavalier Mustang were transferred to the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. where she remains to this day.
Former Indonesian Air Force Cavalier Mustang II F-367. Now housed in the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.
B. Specifications
Details
General Specifications
- Weight : 7,000 kg
- Length : 9.81 m
- Wing Span : 11.28 m
- Height : 4.00 m
- Crew : 1
- Engine: Rolls-Royce Merlin V-1650-724A (1,720 shp)
- Cruise Speed : 735 km/h
- Max Altitude : 7,720 m
Museum Label, Dirgantara Mandala Museum
Armament
- 6x 12.7mm M2 Browning Machine Gun (3x per wing)
- Hardpoint: 3x on each wing
- 8x Hispano Suiza (SURA-D) 80mm rockets on two outer pylon
- (2x launcher per wing | 2x rockets per launcher)
- HEFrag (Impact Fuze), HEFrag (Proximity Fuze), HEAT
- 2x bombs or drop tanks on inner pylon
80mm SURA-D specifications
Propellant : Solid Rocket Fuel
Max Speed : 700 m/s
Effective Firing Distance: 1500 m (HEAT)
Maximum Firing Range: 8000 m
Weight : 11 - 12 kg per unit
Length : 600 - 1.055 mm
Fin Type : Fixed Fin
Penetration : 13 inch of armor
C. More Images
Details
Cavalier Mustang II Static Display in Abdulrachman Saleh, Malang
Cavalier Mustang II in Dirgantara Mandala Museum, Yogyakarta
Old image of the Cavalier while still in service
D. Sources
Details
- Museum Label, Cavalier P-51 Mustang, Dirgantara Mandala Museum, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
- Lowe, Malcolm V. North American P-51 Mustang (Crowood Aviation Series). Ramsbury, Wiltshire, UK. Crowood Press, 2009
- Johnsen, Frederick A. North American P-51 Mustang . North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press Publishers and Wholesalers, 1996.
- T.O. No. 1F-51D-1 (AN 01-60JE-1) Flight Handbook F-51D. USAF
- Cavalier F-51D Mustang, Business aircraft/Counter-insurgency aircraft, USA
- P-51 Mustang Variants - Cavalier - MustangsMustangs.com
- AIRPLANE SCALE MODELKIT: NORTH AMERICAN P-51 Mustang
- Story: Sepenggal Kisah Generasi Terakhir Penerbang P-51 Mustang TNI AU - Radar Militer
- Cavalier F-51 Mustang II : Other
- Cavalier Mustang - Wikipedia
- Cavalier Mustang cockpit colors - AIRCRAFT - Large Scale Modeller
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