North American P-51 Mustang (USA)

Most military historians cede the Mustang its position as the best fighter of the Second World War. It was the result of an extraordinary design effort and, like many other great aircraft designs, was successful beyond the hopes of its designers. For example, the engineers at North American had hoped that their design of a unique air scoop below the wings would create little drag, but in use, it actually produced a sort of ramjet effect, boosting performance slightly. The Mustang was hot, but unlike many other high-performance planes, it was sweet to fly. Equipped with drop tanks, the Mustang was the first USAF long-range fighter escort, flying over Germany and distant targets in the Pacific with formations of bombers. Re-designated F-51, the Mustang flew in the Korean War, tangling with jets, and served as an interceptor in the US into the mid-fifties.

Specifications
Date: 1944
Description: Single-engine straight-wing
Mission: Fighter
Manufacturer: North American Aviation, Inc.
Nation: USA
Engine(s): One 1,490-hp Packard/Rolls-Royce
                Merlin V-1650-7 liquid-cooled 12-cylinder V
Versions: P-51A (1943) through P-51H (1945)
Speed: 437 mph (705 km/h) at 25,000 ft. (7,620 m)
Range/Endurance: 1,000 miles (1,613 km) with
                            two 110-gallon drop tanks
Ceiling: 42,000 ft. (12,800 km)
Armament: 6 machine guns
Crew: 1
Wingspan: 37 ft. (11.28 m)
Length: 32 ft. 3 in. (9.38 m)
Weight: 9,450 lbs. (3,992 kg)

From the Arts & Letters WarBirds Database ©1995-2002
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