Re the Enforcer, I dug out our copy of Piper Aircraft by Roger W.
Peperell, published by www.airbritain.com . Roger is the official Piper
historian and has complete access to all company records.

Anyway, Roger says there were four Enforcers in two distinct programs.

The first two airframes were purchased from Cavalier Aircraft Corp in
1970 as incomplete turbo-prop conversions. The conversions were
completed at Vero Beach, powered by Lycoming's 2445 SHP T55-L-9 engine.
These airplanes had a 10,500 lb gross weight and were capable of 397 kts
with a 2550 ft-min rate of climb. Service ceiling was 42,000 ft.

The first aircraft was a two-seat dual control version designated PE2
which first flew April 28, 1971. PE2 was lost July 12, 1971 when the
tail separated from the airplane due to flutter. The test pilot safely
ejected and was rescued by a surfer just off the beach.

The second aircraft was a single-seat version designated PE1 which
first flew later in July 1971. These airplanes were equipped with six
..50-caliber machine guns and up to 10 bombs under the wings. They had
extended fuel capacity in wing tip tanks and more than twice the armor
carried by the original Mustang.

This design was submitted by Piper as the "Enforcer" in response to
the Air Force's A-X requirement, but Piper was unsuccessful and Northrup
and Fairchild were awarded contracts to produce prototypes for a fly-off
which evently yielded the A-10.

The second program was the PA-48 Enforcer. Two airplanes were built at
Piper's Lakeland facility using the PE1 as a pattern aircraft. Major
design changes included: lengthening the aft fuselage 19-inches,
stregthening the wing to support a 14,000 lb. gross weight, new
ailerons, raising the canopy and seat 1.5 inches to improve over the
nose visibility, a new rudder, tail-plane and tail cone. These
airplanes were also powered by Lycoming's 2445 SHP T55-L-9 engine and
used a cut-down A-1E Skyraider four-bladed propeller. They were capable
of 350 kts with a 4790 ft-min rate of climb. Service ceiling was 37,600
ft.

The first airplane, EN-1, first flew April 9, 1983 and was used to
test performance, stability and control systems.

The second airplane, EN-2, first flew July 8, 1983 and was to be the
weapons testbed. It was equipped with six under-wing pylons and was to
carry the G.E. Gepod 30mm 4-barrel rotary cannon.

These airplanes were delivered to the Air Force in late 1984 for
trials. There is no evidence the trials were ever conducted. Both
airplanes were in U.S.A.F. museums in the 1990's: one at Dayton and the
other at Edwards.

Enjoy, Bob
"TacAN" wrote in message
...
I had been reading through a back issue of Australian Aviation Magazine -
September/October 1987.
And came across an article about the development of the Mustang.

The picture of the Dart powered Mustang had this caption....

Quote
Well known to Canberra residents for many years this Dart powered Mustang
never got airborne under its turboprop power and is now being rebuilt to
standard D specs.
Un-quote

(Just for the record Canberra Australia is located in our state of New
South Wales and bears the international code YSCB)

The Dart engine looks like it was lifted straight out of a Vickers
Viscount or similar.

**************
The caption for the Piper Enforcer reads....

Quote
The final version of the long lived Mustang was the Piper Enforcer. This
Counter Insurgency aircraft was powered by a 2445shp Lycoming turboprop
and was optimised to deliver up to 5600 Lb of underwing stores while
operating out of remote and semi prepared strips.
For a variety of political and and technical reasons the aircraft never
got past initial developmental funding and the two Enforcer prototypes
presently remain in storage.
Un-quote

Does anyone have any further information on these two interesting types.

With apologies to the folk on dialup - I couldn't get the images much
smaller.

Graham