A classic warbird in every sense of the word, the P-51 exuded the confidence of her pilots. Sleek design, speed and firepower combined to create the best Allied aircraft weapons platform of the war.
Originally developed to fulfill a British requirement for an agile, fast fighter, the North American P-51 became an American product and frontline fighter. Given just 120 days to develop the design to first flight, the P-51 Mustang was a design masterpiece.
The P-51 Mustang had tremendous speed and good low-level flight capability, making it a stout close-support battlefield element. First orders (Over 600) went to Britain. The most famous model, the 'D' model, featured six .50 caliber machine guns, all in the wings. There were provisions for external ordnance in the form of bombs or (later) drop tanks for bomber escorts over German-held territory.
The original engine, the Allison-built V-1710-F3F proved to be a bit underpowered. It was not until the British outfitted the Mustang with their own Merlin-built engine that the aircraft's potential truly showed through. The D model also featured a shorter fuselage and the famous 'bubble' or 'tear-drop' canopy giving the pilot a good view of the surrounding airspace.
The drop tanks allowed for the fighters to fly with the bombers all the way to Berlin and back, bestowing upon the group of escorts the name of 'little friends' by the bomber groups. Initially, escort fighters would have to turn back to England at the midpoint of fuel consumption, opening the bomber groups to wave after wave of enemy fighter aircraft.
Overall, the North American P-51 Mustang went down in fighter lore as arguably the best aircraft of the Second World War. Speed, sleek styling, firepower and control all pointed to the success of such an aircraft. In the end, it would earn the title of 'Classic Warbird' from aviation fans and collectors alike - as the P-51 Mustang could do very little wrong in the hands of any capable pilot.
Total production numbers ran over at 15,500.
Specifications for the North American P-51 Mustang:
Designation: P-51D Mustang
Manufacturer: North American
Powerplant: 1 x 1,450 horsepower Rolls Royce Merlin V-1650-7 water-cooled inline engine (produced under Packard in the United States)
Length: 32.25 feet
Wing Span: 37 feet
Weight: 7,635 lbs (empty); 12,100 lbs (maximum take-off weight)
Maximum Speed: 437 mph
Maximum Range: 1,650 miles with drop tanks
Armament: 6 x .50 caliber (.5 inch) machine guns; 2,000 lbs of external ordnance (bombs or fuel tanks).
Crew: 1 Pilot
Models: NA-73X (prototype); Mk I (reconnaissance); MK IA (4 x 20mm cannon); Mk II (long-range); P-51A (more power and 4 x machine guns); F-6/F-6A (Army offshoots); A-36A Apache dive bomber (Army); MK III/P-51B/P-51C (4 x machine guns; original and bubble canopy); F-6C (reconnaissance aircraft); P-51D (classic variant; most built version).
The P-51D Mustang was built in England for England under the designation of British Mustang Mk IV.
Australia received their own models under the designation Mustang Mk 20, Mk 21, Mk 22, Mk 23 and Mk 24.
Other models included the P-51H (lighter version); P-51K (featuring an Aeroproducts propeller); F-6K (reconnaissance version of P-51K).
More Pictures of the P-51 Mustang Fighter Plane