J5F-1 'Bronco'

[Glenn]

After the capture of a Nakajima Rufe, the USN was very interested in adapting an existing fighter into a sea plane. The British had made a couple of Spitfires on floats, so it was thought that a P-51D might work as well. Using the central float and struts idea from the Rufe, with outriggers on the wing tips, Edo designed and built the floats and supports for the project.
First flown in Oct. 1944, and tested on The Great Lakes, the Bronco soon proved popular with it's pilots and was put into service in early 1945, replacing the Curtiss SC-1 Seahawk.
Seen here at an undisclosed location somewhere in the South Pacific.
Photo: (USN cat# 976254/12)

Model        Academy 1/72 sc. P-51D
Floats        1/72 vacform set of floats, sorry, don't know the company
Struts        Evergreen
Colour scheme     USN tricolour 1943~54
Backdrop    calendar North Queensland 2004

[Tophe]

Wonderful, dear Lyn-Glenn, slightly different from TsrJoe's single-float Mustang posted 2 days ago somewhere else... Obviously float-P-51s do exist very much, both in Australia and Scotland, so the JMNs should admit it : this is very true, genuine... and so beautiful... Thanks !

[Radish]

Oh dear me.....I do like this!
Everyone has daft/wonderful ideas, but to see it executed!!
Wow!!!
 :ar:    

[nev]

lovely jubbly glenn    

[Captain Canada]

Yeah, sweet, Glenn !

Does make one winder why they never tried it !

Cheers !

[Tophe]

I was wondering... why this code J5F ? After the J4F Widgeon ? For the US Navy, F was meaning Grumman (see the very famous F4F, F6F) or sometimes Fairchild (SBF Fairchild's Helldiver), should we add Edo, or was this a Grumman seaplane ?

[elmayerle]

I was wondering... why this code J5F ? After the J4F Widgeon ? For the US Navy, F was meaning Grumman (see the very famous F4F, F6F) or sometimes Fairchild (SBF Fairchild's Helldiver), should we add Edo, or was this a Grumman seaplane ?

Perhaps "JSJ" seemed somewhat dull?  Funny, actually, how North American got that designation from the US Navy.  It seems that an earlier incarnation of the company as "General Aviation" had picked up the remains of the Berliner-Joyce company as well as the US branch of Fokker.  As a result, the Navy just transferred the designation to NAA.

[Tophe]

Could you explain this JSJ, Evan ? I have never heard of a JS family in the US Navy. And that cannot be a mistyping for J5J, as there was no J4J, as far as I know - but what if...
I would vote for XJJ if that came from North-American...
If that bird came from Edo, it would be XJ2E (like the quite famous OSE, parallel to Vought XOS2U Kingfisher), no ? E is more often for Bellanca, Piper, Hiller, Platt-Read, Cessna, but not only. As there has been the Bellanca JE Pacemaker of 1929, this Edo Bronco would be the J2E.
Only Glenn-Lyn could decide, I think, having access to the very source (or dream...).
Well, no matter the name and classification, this was a beautiful bird...

[Ollie]

I once talked about a P-51D for the USN, called a F51J.

The B-25 was called a PBJ.

[John Howling Mouse]

oOOOO, that's one sharp-looking model----what mfg/scale, please?

[Ollie]

Yes, this is very sweet!  We want to know and SEE more!!!

       

[Captain Canada]

Yeah, that is sweet !

Don't worry Ollie...one of these days I'll finish my RCN SeaHorses !

Cheers !

[Ollie]

I'll be ready then Toad!  In the meanwhile, I can check your drawing, hmmm!!


     

[Captain Canada]

I masked them all up for the yellow tails, and got one coat on.........

Must....finish......started....kits........

 

[Tophe]

 nice Mustangs...
I am just a little doubtful about the name F1J, I think the US Navy would have used FJ (like the Fury in JMN's World), with the naval F-86 then called F2J (like there have been Ryan FR then F2R, Boeing FB then F2B, Grumman FF then F2F etc). No ?
The FJ-5 would be marvelous anyway...
I hope Lyn will answer about the manufacturer : Grumman, or Edo, or North Am, or Commonwealth Australia ?