North American P-51 Mustang is an iconic fighter developed in the United States, which served with distinction during and beyond World War II.
Background[]
One of the most iconic fighters of World War II, the P-51 Mustang was originally developed by North American Aviation for the British Purchasing Commission as an export fighter. Instead of building P-40 Curtiss fighters, NAA proposed developing a more modern, up-to-date design when approached by the commission in 1940. The prototype was created within half a year, and the first Mustangs flew in 1942 under the RAF banner.
The Mustang was not a groundbreaking design, but a conventional fighter using mature, well developed practices of its era, combined with a number of new features that gave it superior fighting ability. These included laminar flow airfoils, fuselage lofted mathematically, and a cooling assembly that relied on the Meredith effect to give it excellent air performance. Combined with its primary armaments, low price tag, and range, the Mustang was instrumental in fighting fascism in Europe and Asia, particularly as a dogfighter and bomber escort. It remained in service with air forces around the world for decades, with over 15 000 planes produced.
Models[]
Mustang B[]
Mustang C[]
P-51C or Mk. III in British service replaced the Allison engine of the previous versions with a Rolls-Royce Merlin that improved its performance at high altitudes (above 4 500 m), giving it parity with Luftwaffe fighters.
- F-6C Recon Plane (SD2): A reconnaissance variant of the P-51C Mustang, with the original's armament which was just four Browning M2 .50 machine guns. The key handicap is its limited ammunition loadout, understandable due to its mission being recon, rather than dogfighting.
- Mustang Mk.III Dogfighter (SD2): Lend-Leased P-51B and P-51Cs were designated Mustang Mk.III by the British RAF. Five Polish Air Force in Great Britain squadrons used Mustangs. Two Polish Squadrons served in the 2nd Tactical Air Force, RAF. In the No. 18 (Fighter) Sector, 133 Wing had three Mustang Mk.III Squadrons one No. 129 came from the RAF while the other two was Polish Air Force in Great Britain No. 306 Squadron and No. 316 Squadron.
- P-51C-10 Dogfighter
Mustang D[]
P-51D was the definitive version of the Mustang, fitted with a licensed two-stage, supercharged Merlin 66 (the Packard V-1650-7), and armed with six M2 Browning machine guns. Another difference between P-51D and the earlier variant of P-51 were the Malcolm Hood which improved rear visibility.