P-51 Mustang

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P-51 Mustang
USAAF P-51D
Type	Fighter
Manufacturer	North American Aviation
Maiden flight	26 October 1940
Introduced	1942
Retired	1957, US ANG
Primary user	United States Army Air Force
Number built	15,875
Unit cost	US$50,985 in 1945[1]
Variants	Twin Mustang

The North American P-51 Mustang was an American long-range single-seat fighter aircraft that entered service with Allied air forces in the middle years of World War II and became one of the conflict's most successful and recognizable aircraft. The definitive version of the single-seat fighter was powered by a single two-stage supercharged V-12-1650 Rolls-Royce Merlin engine and armed with six .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2 machine guns.

The P-51 flew most of its wartime missions as a bomber escort in raids over Germany, and helped ensure Allied air superiority after 1944. It also saw service against Japanese air forces in the Pacific War. The Mustang began the Korean War as the United Nations' main fighter but was supplanted as a fighter by jets early in the conflict, being relegated to a ground attack role. Nevertheless, it remained in service with some air forces until the early 1980s.

The Mustang was an extremely well-made and rugged aircraft. Its Achilles' heel was a coolant system that could be shut down by a single bullet piercing an external feed. Pilots joked that "a kid with a rifle could bring it down." In addition, the engine would be starved of oil if the plane was flown inverted for more than three seconds.

Post- World War II and the Korean conflict, many Mustangs were converted for civilian use, especially air racing.

Contents 1 Genesis 2 Design and development 3 P-51B and P-51C 4 P-51D and P-51K 5 P-51H 6 F-51 and RF-51 7 Impact of the P-51 8 P-51 Pilot Medal of Honor Recipients 9 Non-US service 10 Version history 11 Produced versions 12 Specifications 12.1 P-51D Mustang 12.2 P-51H Mustang 13 P-51s in film 14 P-51s and civil aviation 15 Scaled replicas 16 Serial Numbers 17 References 18 External links 19 Related content

[edit] Genesis

Shortly after World War II began in 1939, the British government established a purchasing commission in the United States, headed by Sir Henry Self. Self had sat on the (British) Air Council Sub-committee on Supply (or 'Supply Committee') along with Sir Wilfrid Freeman, who as the "Air Member for Development and Production" was given overall responsibility for RAF production and research and development in 1938. One of Self's many tasks was to organize the manufacture of American fighter aircraft for the RAF. At the time, the choice was very limited. None of the US aircraft already flying met European standards; only the Curtiss P-40 Tomahawk came close. The Curtiss plant was running at capacity, so even that aircraft was in short supply.

North American Aviation (NAA) President Dutch Kindleberger approached Self to sell a new medium bomber, the B-25 Mitchell. Instead, Self asked if NAA could manufacture the Tomahawk under licence from Curtiss. (North American was already supplying their T-6 Texan trainer but were otherwise underutilized.)

Kindleberger replied that NAA could have a better aircraft with the same engine in the air in less time. As executive head of the British Ministry of Aircraft Production, Freeman ordered 320 aircraft in March 1940. Fortuitously, on 26 June 1940, MAP awarded a contract to Packard to build Rolls-Royce Merlin engines under licence. And in September, MAP increased the first production order by 300.

[edit] Design and development

The result of the MAP order was the NA-73X project (from March 1940). The design was in keeping with the best conventional practice of the era, but included two new features. One was a new NACA-designed laminar flow wing, which was larger than others on similar aircraft while still having the same drag. This left plenty of room for landing gear, guns, ammunition and fuel, all completely inside the well streamlined wing. Another was the use of a new radiator design that used the heated air exiting the radiator as a form of jet thrust in what is referred to as the "Meredith Effect." There is controversy over whether this was adapted from a design by Curtiss Aircraft or was developed as part of the overall design by NAA engineer Edgar Schmued.

The USAAC could block any sales they considered interesting, and this appeared to be the case for the NA-73. An arrangement was eventually reached where the RAF would get its planes, in exchange for NA providing two more cost-free to the USAAC.

The aircraft first flew on 26 October 1940, 178 days after the order had been placed - an incredibly short gestation period. In general, the prototype handled well and the internal arrangement allowed for an impressive fuel load. It was armed with four .50 M2 Browning (12.7 mm) guns and another four .30-06 Browning A4 (7.62 mm) guns - a somewhat lighter armament than the contemporary Focke-Wulf Fw 190, which had four 20 mm cannons and two 7.92 mm machine guns. In comparison, the British Spitfire carried two 20 mm cannon and four .303 machine guns.

It was quickly evident that performance, although satisfactory near sea level, was not up to European standards at higher altitudes. This was due largely to the mechanically supercharged Allison V-1710 engine. The finer points of supercharging were very much a British specialty; United States engineers had concentrated mainly on the turbocharger instead and the Allison suffered in consequence. Equal performance at high level had not been anticipated as a requirement for the Allison.

About 20 of the Mustang I were delivered to the RAF and made their combat debut on 10 May 1942. With their long range and excellent low-level performance, they were judged useful for tactical reconnaisance and ground-attack duties over the English Channel, but too slow at altitude to be used as fighters.

The smaller machine guns were removed from the Mustang Mk. IA to improve performance. At the same time the USAAC was becoming more interested in ground attack planes and had a new version ordered as the A-36 Apache which included two more M2 guns, dive brakes, and could carry two 500 pound (230 kg) bombs.

[edit] P-51B and P-51C

In April 1942, the RAF's Air Fighter Development Unit (AFDU) tested the Mustang at higher altitudes and found it wanting, but their CO was so impressed with its maneuverability and speed that he invited Ronnie Harker from Rolls-Royce's Flight Test establishment to fly it. Rolls-Royce engineers rapidly realized that re-engining the Mustang with a Merlin 61 would result in a significant improvement in performance. Freeman lobbied vociferously for a Merlin-powered Mustang conversion, insisting two of the five Mustangs that were being re-engined with Merlin 61s, be handed over to Carl Spaatz for trials and evaluation by the US 8th Air Force in Britain. ^[2]

The result was astonishing. The high altitude performance and range with the use of drop tanks enabled the Merlin-powered Mustang version to excel as a bomber escort. After sustained lobbying at the highest level, American production of the Mustang with the Merlin engine was started in early 1943 with P-51Bs and Cs starting to arrive in England in August and October 1943.

The pairing of the P-51 airframe and the Packard-Merlin 68 engine was designated P-51B/C (B being manufactured at Inglewood, California, and C at Dallas, Texas). The new version was used in 15 fighter groups, that were part of the 8th and 9th Air Forces in England, and the 12th and 15th in Italy (the southern part of Italy was under Allied control by late 1943).

The main role of the plane was bomber escort. It was largely due to the P-51 that daylight bombing raids deep into German territory became possible without prohibitive bomber losses in the middle of 1944.

[edit] P-51D and P-51K

The P-51D was considered by many as the definitive Mustang version. One of the problems with the Mustang was poor pilot visibility to the rear. The British had field-modified some Mustangs with fishbowl-shaped canopies called Malcolm Hoods, which somewhat corrected the problem. All British P-51s were equipped with Malcolm Hoods, and some American ones were also equipped with them. However, North American decided to do better than that, and equipped the new P-51D Mustang with teardrop-shaped bubble canopies derived from the British Hawker Typhoon fighter. The fuselage behind the pilot had to be cut down to accommodate the new canopy, but the new design offered the pilots unrestricted vision in all directions with virtually no distortion.

A common misbelief is that cutting down the rear fuselage to mount the bubble canopy reduced stability, requiring a dorsal fin to be added to the forward base of the vertical tail. Actually, both the B/C and later D/K models had a low speed handling problem that could result in an involuntary "snap-roll" under certain conditions of air speed, angle of attack, gross weight and center of gravity. Several crash reports tell of P-51Bs and Cs crashing because the horizontal stabilizer was torn off during maneuvering. The report says:

"Unless a dorsal fin is installed on the P-51B, P-51C and P-51D airplanes, a snap roll may result when attempting a slow roll. The horizontal stabilizer will not withstand the effects of a Snap Roll. To prevent recurrence the stabilizer should be reinforced in accordance with T.O. 01-60J-18 dated 8 April 1944 and a dorsal fin should be installed. Dorsal fin kits are being made available to overseas activities"

Photographs of P-51B/C models fitted with a similar dorsal addition, which has to be made to fit the different contours of the B/C rear fuselage, prove that the problem requiring it wasn't unique to the D/K versions. While some existing aircraft do not have the dorsal extension fitted, many were equipped at some point in their service or refurbishment with a taller model tail, which provided a similar increase in yaw stability. Also, civilian owned examples often have newer, lighter radios, an absence of external munitions and drop tanks, removed guns and armor plate and an empty or removed fuselage tank - reducing the need for the dorsal fin.

Among other modifications, armament was increased with the addition of another two M2 machine-guns, bringing the total to six. The inner four machine guns had a supply of 400 rounds and the outer two 270. In previous P-51s, the M2s were mounted at angles that led to frequent complaints of jamming during combat maneuvers. The new arrangement allowed the M2s to be mounted in a more standard manner that fixed a lot of the jamming problems. The .50 caliber machine guns, though lacking "punching" power, proved adequate against the Fw 190 and Bf 109 fighters that were the main opponents of the USAAF at this time. Later models had under-wing rocket pylons added to carry up to 10 rockets per plane.

The P-51K differed from the P-51D only by its hollow-bladed Aeroproducts propeller. This propeller turned out to be badly manufactured and created dangerous vibrations during times of high throttle, and was eventually replaced.

The P-51D/K started arriving in Europe in the middle of 1944 and quickly became the primary USAAF fighter in Europe. It was produced in larger numbers than any other Mustang variant. Nevertheless, by the end of the war, roughly half of all operational Mustangs were still B or C models.

P-51Ds were also built under licence in Australia by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (see below).

[edit] P-51H

The original NA-73 had been built to the USAAF acceleration standard of 8.33 g (82 m/s²), which made it stronger but considerably heavier than if it had been designed for the British standard of 5.33 g (52 m/s²). To be more in line with the classic Spitfire, both the USAAF and the RAF were interested in lightening the plane, which was expected to boost its performance significantly.

That resulted in what was basically an entirely new plane, and it gained a new name, the NA-105. Several prototypes were built with different engines from the P-51F (same engine as the D), P-51G (Merlin 145M) and P-51J (Allison V-1710-119) models. However none of these went into production.

Instead the final production version was the P-51H, using the new V-1650-9 engine, a version of the Merlin that included automatic supercharger controls and water injection for bursts of up to 2,000 hp (1,500 kW). With the new airframe several hundred pounds lighter, the extra power and a more streamlined radiator, the P-51H was among the fastest propeller fighters ever, able to reach 487 mph (784 km/h) at 25,000 ft (7,600 m).

It was planned that the H model would become the standard fighter for the USAAF for the invasion of Japan, replacing all other models. Production was just ramping up with 555 delivered when the war ended. Additional orders, already on the books, were cancelled.

[edit] F-51 and RF-51

In 1948, the designation P-51 (P for pursuit) was changed to F-51 (F for fighter) and the existing F designator for photographic reconnaissance aircraft was dropped because of a new designation scheme throughout the USAF. During the Korean War, F-51s, though obsolete as fighters, were used as tactical bombers and reconaissance aircraft. Because of its lighter structure and less availability of spare parts, the newer, faster F-51H was not used in Korea in place of the D model. With the planes being used for ground attack, their performance was less of a concern than their ability to carry a load. Aircraft still in service in the USAF or Air National Guard (ANG) when the system was changed included: F-51B, F-51D, F-51K, RF-51D (formerly F-6D), RF-51K (formerly F-6K), and TRF-51D (two-seat trainer conversions of F-6Ds).

The F-51 was adopted by many air forces, the Israeli Air Force using them in the War of Independence (1948) and in Operation Kadesh (1956). The last Mustangs were retired from USAF/Air National Guard service in 1957 but remained in use as test beds/chase aircraft into the 1960s and later. Many remain airworthy across the globe, in private hands. A few of those have been modified for extra speed for competing in air racing.

[edit] Impact of the P-51

At the Casablanca Conference, the Allies formulated the Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO) plan for "round-the-clock" bombing by the RAF at night and the USAAF by day. American pre-war bombardment doctrine held that large formations of heavy bombers flying at high altitudes would be able to defend themselves against enemy interceptors with minimal fighter escort, so that precision daylight bombing using the Norden bombsight would be effective.

Both the RAF and Luftwaffe had attempted daylight bombing and discontinued it, believing advancements in single-engine fighters made multi-engined bombers vulnerable to interception and destruction, contrary to Douhet's thesis. The RAF had worried about this in the mid-1930s and had decided to produce an all night-bomber force, but initially began bombing operations by day. The Germans used extensive daylight bombing during the Battle of Britain in preparation for a possible invasion. The Luftwaffe found daylight bombing raids sustained high casualties and soon switched to night bombing (see The Blitz). Bomber Command followed suit in its subsequent raids over Germany.

Initial USAAF efforts were inconclusive because of the limited scale. In June 1943, the Combined Chiefs of Staff issued the Pointblank directive to destroy the Luftwaffe before the invasion of Europe, putting the CBO into full implementation. The Eighth Air Force heavy bomber force conducted a series of deep penetration raids into Germany beyond the range of available escort fighters. German fighter reaction was fierce and bomber losses were severe — 20 percent in an October 14 attack on the German ball-bearing industry. This made it impossible to continue raids deep into Germany without adequate fighter escort.

The Lockheed P-38 Lightning had the range to escort the bombers, but was available in very limited numbers in the UK, was difficult to maintain, and its Allison engines proved unsuitable for operations in the extreme cold of high altitudes. The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt was capable of meeting the Luftwaffe on even terms, but did not then have sufficient range. The Mustang changed all that. In general terms, the Mustang was at least as simple as other aircraft of its era. It used a single well-understood and reliable engine, and had internal space for a huge fuel load. With external fuel tanks, it could protect the bombers all the way to Germany and back.

Enough P-51s became available to the 8th and 9th Air Forces in the winter of 1943-44, and when the Pointblank offensive resumed in early 1944, matters changed dramatically. The P-51 proved perfect for the task with the Eighth Air Force immediately beginning to switch its fighter groups to the Mustang, first exchanging arriving P-47 groups for those of the Ninth Air Force using P-51s, then gradually converting its Thunderbolt and Lightning groups until eventually 14 of its 15 groups flew the the Mustang.

Luftwaffe pilots attempted to avoid US fighters by massing in huge numbers well in front of the bombers, attacking in a single pass, then breaking off the attack, allowing escorting fighters little time to react. While not always successful in avoiding contact with escort (as the tremendous loss of German pilots in the spring of 1944 indicates), the threat of mass attacks, and later the "company front" (eight abreast) assaults by armored sturmgruppe Fw 190s, brought an urgency to attacking the Luftwaffe wherever it could be found. The P-51, particularly with the advent of the K-14 gunsight and the development of "Clobber Colleges" for the in-theater training of fighter pilots in the fall of 1944, was a decisive element in Allied countermeasures against the Jagdverbände.

In May 1944, the fighters of Allied Tactical Air Forces were granted permission to "free-hunt:" roaming away from the bombers after providing fighter cover and attacking German planes at Luftwaffe airfields. The numerical superiority of the USAAF fighters, superb flying characteristics of the P-51 and pilot proficiency crippled the Luftwaffe. As a result, the fighter threat to US, and later British bombers, was greatly diminished by the summer of 1944.

USAAF Tactical Air Forces then concentrated on ground targets, trains, military equipment, etc., in preparation for and support of the Allied invasion of France.

P-51s also distinguished themselves when challenging advanced enemy rockets and aircraft. A P-51B/C with high-octane fuel was fast enough to pursue the V-1s launched toward London. The Me 163 Komet rocket interceptors and Me 262 jet fighters were considerably faster than the P-51 but not invulnerable. Chuck Yeager, flying a P-51D, was one of the first American pilots to shoot down a Me 262 when he surprised it during its landing approach.

The Eighth, Ninth and Fifteenth Air Forces' P-51 groups, all but three of which flew another type before converting to the Mustang, claimed some 4,950 aircraft shot down (about half of all USAAF claims in the European theatre) and 4,131 destroyed on the ground. Losses were about 840 aircraft. One of these groups, the Eighth Air Force's 4th Fighter Group, was the overall top-scoring fighter group in Europe with 1,016 enemy aircraft destroyed, 550 in aerial combat and 466 on the ground [1]. In aerial combat, the top-scoring P-51 units (both of which exclusively flew Mustangs) were the 357th Fighter Group of the Eighth Air Force with 595 air-to-air combat victories, and the Ninth Air Force's 354th Fighter Group with 701, which made it the top scoring outfit in aerial combat of all fighter groups of any type.

P-51s were deployed in the Far East later in 1944, operating in both close-support and escort missions.

The USAF Strategic Air Command had F-51 Mustangs (F-82 Twin Mustangs and F-6 Mustangs F=Fotorecon} from 1946 through 1951.

[edit] P-51 Pilot Medal of Honor Recipients

Three US fighter pilots were awarded the Medal of Honor for actions while flying the P-51.

Major James H. Howard of the 354th Fighter Group was awarded the Medal of Honor for action over Germany on 11 January 1944 while flying a P-51B, when he was separated from the rest of his flight while escorting a formation of B-17 bombers which then came under attack from over 30 German fighters which he then took on singlehandedly. While Howard only claimed two kills, crewmen on the B-17s reported that he downed at least six German fighters.

Major William A. Shomo, commander of the 82nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, was awarded the Medal of Honor for action over the Philippines on 11 January 1945, a year to the day after Howard's action. Flying F-6Ds on an armed recon mission, Shomo and his wingman spotted and attacked a flight of 12 Japanese fighters escorting a Betty bomber. Shomo downed the bomber and six of the escorting fighters while his wingman downed three more of the escorts.

Major Louis J. Sebille of the 67th Fighter Squadron was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for action over Korea on 5 August 1950. Flying on a ground attack mission against a heavy troop concentration, his F-51D sustained severe damage from enemy ground fire. Rather than attempting to return to base or bail out over friendly territory, he continued his attacks until finally deliberately diving his Mustang into an enemy antiaircraft battery.

[edit] Non-US service

The P-51 Mustang not only served in the World War II and Korea but also remained in service with nearly 30 countries after the war — the last of them being retired from active service in the early 1980s. Here is a list of some of the countries that used the P-51 Mustang.

• Argentina
• Australia

The first Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) unit to use Mustangs was No. 3 Squadron RAAF, which converted to them at its base in Italy in November 1944.

The RAAF had also decided to replace its P-40 Kittyhawks in the South West Pacific Area with P-51s, and ordered a total of about 500 Mustangs, which were to be built by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC), the only non-US production line.

In 1944, 100 P-51Ds were shipped from the US in kit form to inaugurate production at Fishermans Bend, in Melbourne. CAC assembled 80 of these under the designation CA-17/Mark 20, the remaining 20 being kept unassembled as part spares. CAC then produced on its own 120 more P-51Ds (reduced from an initial order for 170), which it designated CA-18/Mark 21, 22, or 23. (The RAAF used the serial number prefix A68 for all P-51s.). Mk 22 was a photo reconnaissance variant and Mk 23 had newer model British-made Merlin engines. In addition, 84 P-51Ks were also shipped direct to the RAAF from the USA.

However, only 17 Mustangs reached the frontline squadrons of the First Tactical Air Force by the time World War II ended in August 1945. The RAAF cancelled orders for about 200 Mustangs.

No. 77 Squadron RAAF also used P-51s extensively during the first years of the Korean War, before converting to Gloster Meteor jets.

• Bolivia
• Canada

Canada had five squadrons equipped with Mustangs during World War II. After the war, a total of 150 Mustangs were purchased and served in auxiliary fighter squadrons until the early 1960s.

• China

Several hundred P-51s were given to the Allied Air Forces in China. They were also used by the Chinese Communists until the late 1950s.

• Cuba

Only two P-51 Mustangs were ever used by Cuba, reputedly being illegally bought in Canada by envoys of Fidel Castro.^{[citation needed]} However, the Mustangs did not enter service soon enough to see any action during the Cuban revolution. During the Bay of Pigs Invasion, the Mustangs were damaged on the ground, and were repaired too late to participate in the fighting.

• Dominican Republic

The last nation to have the F-51 Mustang in service, the Dominican Republic's last F-51Ds left service by 1984.

• El Salvador
• France

In early 1945, the French GR II/33 photo-reconnaissance squadron was equipped with F-6 Mustangs and participated in the fighting that took place when the Allies crossed the Rhine. The Mustangs remained in service until the early 1950s when they were replaced by jet fighters.

• Guatemala
• Haiti

Haiti had two Mustangs when President Paul Eugène Magloire was in power between 1950 and 1956.

• Honduras
• Indonesia

Indonesia acquired some F-51s from the departing Netherlands East Indies Air Force in 1949/1950. The Mustangs were used against Commonwealth (RAF, RAAF and RNZAF) forces during the Indonesian confrontation in the early 1960s. The last time Mustangs were to be deployed for military purposes was a shipment of six [2] or eight [3] delivered to Indonesia from Cavalier in 1972-1973, which were replaced in 1976.

• Israel

A few P-51 Mustangs were illegally bought by Israel in 1948 and quickly established themselves as the best fighter in the Israeli inventory. Further aircraft were bought from Sweden and Nicaragua but were replaced by jets at the end of the 1950s, but not before the type was used in the Suez Crisis.

• Italy
• Netherlands
• Nicaragua
• New Zealand

New Zealand ordered 320 P-51 Mustangs as a partial replacement of its F4U Corsairs in the Pacific Ocean Areas theatre. Thirty were delivered in 1945 but the war ended before they entered service. The remainder were retained in the US. The 30 received were placed in storage until 1950 when put into service with the New Zealand Territorial Air Force (TAF)'s Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago squadrons. The TAF was disbanded in 1957 and the Mustangs retired, one being retained by 42 Squadron for regular target towing duties. RNZAF pilots in the Royal Air Force also flew the P-51 and at least one New Zealand pilot scored victories over Europe while on loan to a USAAF P-51 squadron. A Mustang is on display in the RNZAF Museum and three other privately owned Mustangs are airworthy in the country.

• Philippines

After World War II, the Philippines were issued with P-51 Mustangs. These were to become the backbone of the Philippines Air Force and were extensively used during the Huk campaign, fighting against communist insurgents. They were replaced by F-86 Sabre jets in the late 1950s.

• Somalia
• South Africa

The South African Air Force operated a number of Mustang Is and IIs (P-51As) in Italy and the Middle East during World War II. After VE-Day, these machines were soon struck off charge and scrapped. In 1950, 2 Squadron SAAF was supplied with F-51D Mustangs by the United States for Korean War service. The type performed well in South African hands before being replaced by the F-86 Sabre in 1952/1953.

• South Korea

Within a month of the outbreak of the Korean War, 10 F-51D Mustangs were provided to the badly depleted Republic of Korea Air Force as a part of the Bout One Project. They were flown by both South Korean airmen, several of whom were veterans of the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy air services during World War II as well as by US advisors led by Major Dean Hess. Later, more were provided both from US and from South African stocks, as the latter were converting to F-86 Sabres. They formed the backbone of the South Korean Air Force until they were replaced by Sabres.

• Soviet Union

The Soviet Union received at least 10 early-model Mustangs and tested them in combat. Some reports suggest that other Mustangs that were abandoned in Russia after the famous "shuttle missions" were repaired and used by the Soviet air force.

• Sri Lanka
• Sweden

Sweden's Flygvapnet first recuperated Allied P-51s that had been diverted to Sweden during missions over Europe. Sweden later bought Mustangs and equipped a few wings with them, using them primarily as interceptors and reconnaissance aircraft before they were replaced by indigenous designs in the early 1950s.

• Switzerland

Switzerland operated a few USAAF P-51s which had been impounded by the Swiss authorities during World War II after the pilots were forced to land in neutral Switzerland. They also bought 130 P-51s for $4,000 each. They served till 1958.

• Taiwan (Nationalist China)

Some of the P-51s given to China after the Second World War ended up in Taiwan after their pilots sided with Chiang Kai-shek's government. Further P-51s were acquired from the USAF and other sources.

• United Kingdom

The RAF was the first air force to operate the P-51 which was originally designed to meet RAF requirements. The first P-51As (RAF Mustang Is) entered service in 1941, wearing the standard RAF fighter markings. Due to poor high altitude performance, the Mustangs were soon transferred to Army co-operation and fighter reconnaissance duties, and were used extensively to seek out V-1 sites during 1943/1944. The final RAF Mustang I and Mustang II machines were struck off charge in 1945. The RAF operated several Mustang III (P-51B/C) machines, the first units converting to the type in late 1943/1944. Mustang III units were operational until the end of World War II, though many units had already converted to the Mustang IV (P-51D/K). RAF pilots preferred the Mustang III (with Malcolm hood), but the RAF re-equipped with Mustang IVs. As the Mustang was a Lend-Lease type, all aircraft still on RAF charge at the end of the war were either returned to the USAAF "on paper" or retained by the RAF for scrapping. The final Mustangs were retired from RAF use in 1947.

• Uruguay

[edit] Version history

The initial prototype was designated the NA-73X by the manufacturer, North American Aviation. The first production contract was awarded by the British for 320 NA-73 fighters. This aircraft was named Mustang I by the British. Two aircraft of this lot delivered to the USAAF were designated XP-51. A second British contract for 300 more Mustang Is was assigned a model number of NA-83 by North American.

In September 1940, 150 aircraft designated NA-91 by North American were ordered under the Lend/Lease program. These were designated by the USAAF as P-51 and initially named the "Apache" although this name was dropped early on and "Mustang," the RAF name adopted. The British designated this model as Mustang IA. They were equipped with 4 long barrelled 20 mm Hispano-Suiza Mk II cannon instead of machine guns. A number of aircraft from this lot were fitted out by the USAAF as photo reconnaissance aircraft and designated F-6A. The British would fit a number of Mustang Is with photographic reconnaissance equipment as well. Also, two aircraft of this lot were fitted with the Packard built Merlin engine and were designated by North American as model NA-101 and by the USAAF initially as the XP-78, but re-designated quickly to XP-51B.

In early 1942, the USAAF ordered a lot of 500 aircraft modified as dive bombers that were designated A-36A. North American assigned the aircraft the model number NA-97. This model became the first USAAF Mustang to see combat. One aircraft was passed to the British who gave it the name Mustang I (Dive Bomber).

Following the A-36A order the USAAF ordered 310 model NA-99 fighters that were designated P-51A by the USAAF. and Mustang II by the RAF. A number of this lot of aircraft were equipped with K-24 cameras and designated F-6B. All these models of the Mustang were equipped with Allison V-1710 engines except the prototype XP-51B.

Beginning with the model NA-102 Mustang the Packard built Merlin V-1650 engine replaced the Allison. In the summer of 1943 Mustang production was begun at a new plant in Dallas, Texas as well as at the existing facility in Inglewood, California. The model NA-102 was produced as the P-51B in Inglewood while the NA-103 as the P-51C was produced at Dallas. The RAF named these models Mustang III. Again, a number of the P-51B and P-51C aircraft were fitted for photo Reconnaissance and designated F-6C.

The prototypes of the bubble canopy change were designated model NA-106 by North American and P-51D by the USAAF. The production version, while retaining the P-51D designation, was assigned a model number NA-109 by North American. The ‘D’ became the most widely produced variant of the Mustang. A variation of the P-51D equipped with an Aeroproducts propeller in place of the Hamilton Standard propeller was designated the P-51K. The photo versions of the P-51D and P-51K were designated F-6D and F-6K respectfully. The RAF assigned the name Mustang IV to the ‘D’ model and Mustang IVA to ‘K’ models.

As the USAAF specifications required airframe design to a higher load factor than that used by British for their fighters, consideration was given to re-designing the Mustang to the lower British requirements in order to reduce the weight of the aircraft and thus improve performance. In 1943, North American submitted a proposal to do the re-design as model NA-105, which was accepted by the USAAF. The designation XP-51F was assigned for prototypes powered with V-1650 engines and XP-51G to those with reverse lend/lease Merlin 145M engines. Modifications included changes to the cowling, a simplified undercarriage with smaller wheels and disk brakes, and a larger canopy. A third prototype was added to the development that was powered by an Allison V-1710 engine. This aircraft was designated XP-51J. As the engine was insufficiently developed the XP-51J was loaned to Allison for engine development. A small number of XP-51Fs were passed to the British as the Mustang V.

The final production Mustang, the P-51H embodied the experience gained in the development of the lightweight XP-51F and XP-51G aircraft. This aircraft, model NA-126 and with minor differences NA-129, came too late to participate in World War II, but it brought the development of the Mustang to a peak which was probably the fastest production piston engine fighter to see service. The P-51H used the Merlin V-1659-9 engine, equipped with Simmons automatic boost control and water injection, allowing War Emergency Power as high as 2218 horsepower. Some of the weight savings inherited from the XP-51F and XP-51G were invested in lengthening the fuselage and increasing the height of the tailfin, greatly reducing the tendency to yaw, and in restoring the fuselage fuel tank. The canopy was changed back to more nearly resemble the P51-D style, over a somewhat raised pilot's position. Service access to the guns and ammunition was improved. The P-51H was designed to complement the P-47 Thunderbolt as the primary aircraft for the invasion of Japan and 2,000 were ordered to be built at the Inglewood plant. With the solution to the problem of yaw control, the P-51H was now considered a suitable candidate for testing as an aircraft carrier based fighter; but with the end of the war, the testing was cut short, and production was halted after 555 aircraft were built. Although some P-51Hs were issued to operational units, none saw combat.

The USAF Strategic Air Command had F-51 Mustangs (F-82 Twin Mustangs and F-6 Mustangs F=Fotorecon} from 1946 through 1951.

One aircraft was provided to the RAF for testing and evaluation. Serial number 44-64192 was designated BuNo 09064 and used by the US Navy to test transonic airfoil designs, then returned to the Air National Guard in 1952. The P-51H was not used for combat in the Korean War despite its improved handling characteristics, since the P-51D was available in much larger numbers and was a proven commodity.

With the cut back in production, the variants of the P-51H with different versions of the Merlin engine were produced in either limited numbers or terminated. These included the P-51L, similar to the P-51H but utilizing the 2270 horsepower V-1650-11 Merlin engine, which was never built; and its Dallas-built version, the P-51M or NA-124which utilized the V-1650-9A Merlin engine lacking water injection and therefore rated for lower maximum power, of which one was built out of the original 1629 ordered, serial number 45-11743.f

Many of the aerodynamic advances of the P-51 (including the Laminar Flow wing) were carried over to North American's jet-powered next generation of fighters, the Navy FJ Fury and Air Force F-86 Sabre. The wings, empennage and canopy of the straight-winged first variant of the Fury (the FJ-1) and the unbuilt preliminary prototypes of the P-86/F-86 strongly resembled those of the Mustang before the aircraft were modified with swept-wing design.

[edit] Produced versions

• P-51A, 310 built at Inglewood, California
• P-51B, 650 built at Inglewood
• P-51C, 3,750 built at Dallas, Texas
• P-51D/K, 6,502 built at Inglewood; 1,454 at Dallas; 200 by CAC at Fisherman's Bend, Australia. A total of 8,156.
• P-51H, 555 built at Inglewood

Total number built: 15,875 (among American fighter aircraft second only to the P-47 Thunderbolt)

[edit] Specifications

[edit] P-51D Mustang

Data from The Great Book of Fighters^[3], and Quest for Performance^[4]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 32 ft 3 in (9.83 m)
• Wingspan: 37 ft 0 in (11.28 m)
• Height: 13 ft 8 in (4.17 m)
• Wing area: 235 ft² (21.83 m²)
• Empty weight: 7,635 lb (3,465 kg)
• Loaded weight: 9,200 lb (4,175 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 12,100 lb (5,490 kg)
• Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0163

• Drag area: 3.80 ft² (0.35 m²)
• Aspect ratio: 5.83

Performance

• Maximum speed: 437 mph (703 km/h) at 25,000 ft (7,620 m)
• Cruise speed: 362 mph (580 km/h)
• Stall speed: 100 mph (160 km/h)
• Range: 1,650 mi (2,655 km) with external tanks
• Service ceiling: 41,900 ft (12,770 m)
• Rate of climb: 3,200 ft/min (16.3 m/s)
• Wing loading: 39 lb/ft² (192 kg/m²)

• Lift-to-drag ratio: 14.6

Armament

• 6x 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns; 400 rounds per gun for the two inboard guns; 270 per outboard gun
• 2 hardpoints for up to 2,000 lb (907 kg)
• 10x 5 in (127 mm) rockets

[edit] P-51H Mustang

Data from The Great Book of Fighters^[3]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 33 ft 4 in (10.16 m)
• Wingspan: 37 ft 0 in (11.28 m)
• Height: 11 ft 1 in (3.38 m)
• Wing area: 235 ft² (21.83 m²)
• Empty weight: 7,040 lb (3,195 kg)
• Loaded weight: 9,500 lb (4,310 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 11,500 lb (5,215 kg)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 487 mph (784 km/h) at 25,000 ft (7,620 m)
• Range: 1,160 mi (1,865 km) with external tanks
• Service ceiling: 41,600 ft (12,680 m)
• Rate of climb: 3,300 ft/min (16.8 m/s)
• Wing loading: 40.4 lb/ft² (197.4 kg/m²)

Armament

• 6x 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns with 1,880 rounds/gun, or 4 guns with 1,600 rounds/gun

[edit] P-51s in film

Ladies Courageous (1944), starring Loretta Young, the fictionalized story of the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron depicts a unit of female pilots during WW2 who primarily flew bombers from the factories to their final destinations. Reissued as Fury in the Sky, has early-model P-51As used mainly as backdrops.

Fighter Squadron, (1948), depicted a P-47 unit based loosely on the 4th Fighter Group (sometimes known as "Blakeslee's Bachelors"). The 4th FG flew P-47s in combat from April 1943 to March 1944, when they converted to Mustangs. In this film, the German Bf 109s are actually painted P-51s.

Dragonfly Squadron (1953): B-movie flick of Korean War flyers featuring the P-51.

Battle Hymn (1956), is based on the real-life experiences of Lt Col Dean E. Hess (played by Rock Hudson) and his cadre of US Air Force instructors in the early days of the Korean War, training the pilots of the Republic of Korea Air Force and leading them in their baptism of fire in F-51Ks.

Lady Takes a Flyer (1958), features a P-51D prominently in the final sequence when Lana Turner (as Magie Colby) crashes dramatically at the end of a perilous ferry flight to England.

Cloud Dancer (1980): a melodramatic tale of aerobatic flyers includes aerial sequences with a P-51.

Empire of the Sun (1987): the Steven Spielberg film features a flight of three P-51Ds in a spectacular attack that destroys the Japanese airbase near Soochow Creek Interment Camp, wartime home to the story's protagonist, Jim Graham.

Memphis Belle (1990): Based on the acclaimed Second World War documentary, the crew of the Memphis Belle, a B-17 bomber, have to make one final bombing raid over Europe before they complete their 25th mission and are able to return home. Five P-51D Mustangs serve as escorting fighters although they were not in the European theatre during the actual mission.

Tuskegee Airmen (1995): The story of how a group of African American pilots overcame racist opposition to become one of the finest US fighter groups in World War II, utilizes the P-51 as their primary mount although the 99th Squadron would have used P-39s during their North African stint.

Saving Private Ryan (1998): in Spielberg's film, two P-51Ds, engaged in the destruction of German Tiger I tanks, dramatically appear briefly at the end of the final battle in the fictional French town of Ramelle.

It can also be seen in Spielberg's miniseries "Band of Brothers"

[edit] P-51s and civil aviation

Many P-51s were modified for civilian uses such as air racing.[4] The most prominent conversion firm was Trans-Florida Aviation, later renamed Cavalier Aircraft Corporation, which produced the Cavalier Mustang.

The P-51 is perhaps the most sought after of all warbirds on the civilian market; the average price usually exceeds $1 million USD, even for only partially restored aircraft.[5]

Some privately owned P-51s are still flying, often associated with organizations such as the Commemorative Air Force (formerly the Confederate Air Force); a few have had a tight second seat added in the space formerly occupied by the military radio and fuselage fuel tank, a Cavalier Mustang specialty. [6]

Ironically, in the late 1960s and early 1970s when the United States Department of Defense wished to supply aircraft to South American countries and later Indonesia for close air support and counter insurgency, it turned to Cavalier to return some of their civilian conversions back to updated military specifications.

[edit] Scaled replicas

The P-51 has been the subject of numerous sub-scale flying replicas; aside from ever-popular R/C-controlled aircraft, several kitplane manufacturers offer 3/4-scale replicas capable of comfortably seating one (or even two) pilot(s) and offering high-performance combined with more forgiving flight characteristics. Such aircraft include the Titan T-51 Mustang and Thunder Mustang.

[edit] Serial Numbers

• P51-H-1-NA 44-64160 - 44-64179
• P51-H-5-NA 44-64180 - 44-64459
• P51-H-10-NA 44-64460 - 44-64714
• P51-M 45-11743

[edit] References

⌊⌊⌊⌊7⌋⌋⌋⌋

1. ^ Knaack MS (1978). Encyclopedia of US Air Force aircraft and missile systems. Office of Air Force History.
2. ^ Bridgman, Leonard, ed. “The North American Mustang.” Jane’s Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London: Studio, 1946.  248-249. ISBN 1-85170-493-0.
3. ^ ^a b Green, W., Swanborough, G. (2001). The Great Book of Fighters. St. Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing. ISBN 0-7603-1194-3.
4. ^ Loftin, LK, Jr.. Quest for performance: The evolution of modern aircraft. NASA SP-468. Retrieved on 2006-04-22.

[edit] External links

• The North American P-51 Mustang
• P51Pilots.com -- P-51 Pilot Biographies, Pilot Stories, Photo Gallery
• Mustang!
• North American P-51 Mustang at Greg Goebel's AIR VECTORS
• North American P-51H Mustang
• Commemorative Air Force page on P-51 background, history, specs
• Warbird Alley: P-51 page - Information about P-51 Mustangs still flying today
• USAAF Resource Center - P-51 profile
• Warbird Registry - P-51 Warbirds
• List of 284 known surviving Mustangs
• Air Show Photos
• Cuban F-51 Mustangs

[edit] Related content

Related development

• A-36 Apache
• F-82 Twin Mustang

• Piper PA-48 Enforcer
• T-51 Mustang 3/4 scale homebuilt replica

Comparable aircraft

• Supermarine Spitfire
• Focke-Wulf Fw 190
• Lavochkin La-7

Designation sequence

XP-48 - XP-49 - XP-50 - P-51 - XP-52 - XP-53 - XP-54

Related lists

• List of military aircraft of the United States
• List of fighter aircraft