Dave Hackett: Sure looks like the Piper Enforcer to me.


Flt Lt Stewart Staudinger BEng RAF 230 Sqn RAF: I hope I can be of some help. The aeroplane shown is the surviving one of two Piper Enforcers built in the early 1970's under the direction of David Lindsay (founder of Cavalier Aircraft). The other was lost in a crash. In the early 80's he had two more built (N482PE and N481PE) and were ferried for storage at Davis-Monthan in August 1984. The reason I believe the aircraft shown in the photo is the surviving of the earlier pair is due to the markings on the RH side of the nose. These were not present on the dark green paint scheme of the later pair. I hope I'm not talking BS here but it'd require a bit more research to confirm. However, I'd be surprised to be too far off the mark as there are only three aircraft it could be.

The aircraft should be either N201PE or N202PE. Whichever didn't get wrecked in a crash.


Mike Saunders: This is a Piper PA-48 Enforcer, Registration No. N482PE. It's currently at the Air Force Flight Test Center Museum located at Edward AFB in California awaiting restoration. It's sister aircraft, N481PE, is currently on display at the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. Quoting from Joe Baugher's website (home.att.net/~jbaugher1/p51_14.html) here's a brief history of the aircraft: "...the Cavalier company decided to sell the rights for further development to the Piper Aircraft Corporation, and cancelled any further work on the re-engined Mustang project. On November 4, 1970, the Dart-powered Mustang prototype was delivered to the Piper factory at Vero Beach.

At that time, the US was embroiled in the Vietnam War, and combat experience indicated that there was a need for a low-cost, high-performance close-support aircraft for use by foreign air forces obtaining MAP assistance. This project was given the name *Pave Coin*. In pursuit of production contracts under the *Pave Coin* program, the Piper company undertook a more ambitious Mustang conversion effort. One single-seat F-51D and one two-seat TF-51D airframe were fitted with the 2455 s.h.p. Lycoming T55-L-9 turboprop engine. The project was given the name *Enforcer* by Piper. The first Enforcer conversion was flown on April 19, 1971. Later that year, the USAF evaluated one of these Enforcers and confirmed the original performance claims, but did not show very much enthusiasm for the project.

Even though the USAF never saw any use for the Enforcer, Congressional pressure led eventually to a contract in September 1981 for Piper to construct two new prototypes for evaluation. They were known under the company designation of PA-48. The two PA-48 prototypes were given civilian registrations rather than military serial numbers, and were never given any military designations.

The PA-48 Enforcer bore only the slightest resemblance to the F-51D--only ten percent of the parts were in common. The fuselage was lengthened by 19 inches aft of the wing and larger tail surfaces were fitted. Power was provided by a Lycoming T55-L-9 turboprop. The familiar trademark Mustang ventral scoop was completely removed, and a large turboprop exhaust was fitted on the left-hand side of the fuselage just ahead of the cockpit. A Yankee rocket ejector seat was fitted in the single seat cockpit. Provisions for wingtip tanks were made, and ten underwing hardpoints were fitted. The fixed wing-mounted guns were removed, and all gun armament was carried within underwing pods. The two PA-48s first flew on April 9 and July 8, 1983 respectively, and the USAF conducted its evaluations at Elgin AFB and Edwards AFB during 1983/84. Gross weight was 14,000 pounds. Maximum speed was 403 mph and cruising speed was 363 mph. Service ceiling was 37,600 feet and combat radius (with two gun pods) was 469 miles.

The PA-48 Enforcer was unsuccessful in obtaining any production orders, and both prototypes were put in storage by the USAF in late 1986. One of them (N481PE) is now on display in the Annex building at the WPAFB Museum in Dayton, Ohio."

I'm currently looking for information on the Cavalier and Piper variants, if there's anybody at your website that might have information, I would appreciate if you could let me know. Feel free to contact me at this address or at lbms15@snet.net.


Linda Alexander: The Piper Enforcer.


Roger Price: This is actually not a Mustang. It is the Turboprop driven Piper Enforcer which Congress forced the USAF to evaluate in the early 70's. The tip tanks, multiple hardpoints and missing belly scoop identifies this as the Enforcer. My guess is this photo is of the Enforcer before it was sent to be restored at the USAF Museum at WPAFB. Enforcers were not Mustangs, but were completely new airframes. Too bad the "Gas Shortage" hit, or maybe Piper would have gone commercial with these! Oh but to dream!


James Grant: I think this is the Piper Enforcer project of the late 70s or early 80s. If it is it's basically a turboprop on a Mustang Fuselage.


Olivier Lacombe: This is what I believe to be a Piper Enforcer, a Modified F-51D used by Piper in a contest to win an order for COIN aircrafts. The project was terminated and the aircraft was disposed of. It was powered with a Allison turbine of about 2000+ SHP (I may be wrong, but I know I am close). Just look at the width of the baldes and at the strange spinner. There was a huge round exhaust on the port side of the aircraft and it was equipped with tip tanks and underwing pylons.


Ryan Wright: I'm no genius but it looks like an Enforcer!