P-51 Mustang operations on aircraft carriers

[pampa14]

I share with you some photos showing P-51 Mustangs on aircraft carriers. There was a naval version of this plane? To see the photos, visit the link below:


http://aviacaoemfloripa.blogspot.com.br ... izado.html


Cheers.

[smokejumper]

Many of the photos were taken on board the USS Independence (CVL 22 - a light carrier built on a light cruiser hull) when they were being transported during WW2. The photos with the spinning propellers are unknown, but I suspect the planes might have been an experimental effort by North American to sell the P-51 to the Navy - but I've never heard of any such effort.

One thing that does confuse me is that the landing gear appears to be the standard AAF P-51 gear and not as rugged as a carrier landing requires.