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OVERVIEW

NORTH AMERICAN P-51D MUSTANG

1943
 
FIGHTER
  
   
 

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OVERVIEW

  
 

Even though later designs were lighter and faster the P-51D is consider by many as the definitive Mustang design of World War Two. The D model was the first aircraft capable of flying from England to Berlin nonstop, a feat no other aircraft could do at that time. This model finally answer the Allies' prayers for a long distance escort fighter capable of escorting bombers to-and-fro their intended targets, including Berlin. Not only was it capable of flying long distances, once the aircaft dropped its wing mounted fuel tanks, it could fight on equal terms with anything the Luftwaffe could put into the air. It has been said that when Hermann Göring, the Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe, saw the Mustangs flying over Berlin that the war for Germany was over.

…More to come

  
     
 

DATA

  

NORTH AMERICAN P-51D MUSTANG
(P-51D-5)

CLASSIFICATION

CLASS :

 FIGHTER

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN :

 UNITED STATES

MANUFACTURER :

 NORTH AMERICAN AVIATION INC

FIRST FLIGHT :

 1943

SERVICE DELIVERY :

 1944

NUMBER BUILT :

 6,502 - P-51D-NA

 

 1,454 - P-51D-NT
   

SPECIFICATION

SPAN :

 37 ft

LENGTH :

 32 ft 3 in

HEIGHT :

 13 ft 8 in

WING AREA :

 233 sq ft

WEIGHT EMPTY :

 7,125 lbs

WEIGHT LOADED :

 10,100 lbs

WEIGHT MAX :

 11,600 lbs

ARMAMENT :

 6 x .50cal Fixed Machine Gun in Wings

(OPTIONAL) 

 6 x 4.5 in Rockets, Hung Under Wing in 3 Tube Clusters

 

 10 x 5 in Wing Mounted Rockets

 

 110 gal (416 L) Metal Drop Tank

 

 75 gal (283 L) Metal Drop Tank

 

 108 gal (408 L) Reinforced Paper Drop Tank

BOMB LOAD :

 2,000 lbs

POWER PLANT :

 One 1,490 hp Packard Merlin V-1650-7

 

 Two-Stage Suppercharged Liquid-Cooled

 

 12-cylinder Vee Piston Engine

CREW :

 1 - Pilot
   

PERFORMANCE

LANDING SPEED :

 100 mph

CRUISING SPEED :

 362 mph

MAXIMUM SPEED :

 437 mph @ 25,000 ft

CLIMB RATE :

 3,475 per min, 30,000 ft in 13 mins

RANGE :

 950 miles, 2,300 miles Max

SERVICE CEILING :

 41,900 ft

 

 
 

REFERENCES

  
 

Gunston, Bill. The Illustrated Directory of Fighting Aircraft of World War II, New York: Prentice Hall Press. 1988. ISBN 0-13-450454-2.

Gunston, Bill. JANE'S Fighting Aircraft of World War II, New Jersey: Crescent Books, 1992. ISBN 0-517-67964-7.

Taylor, Michael J.H. JANE'S American Fighting Aircraft of the 20th Century, New York: Mallard Press, 1991. ISBN 0-7924-5627-0.

Wagner, Raymond. American Combat Planes, Third Enlarged Edition New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc, 1982. ISBN 0-385-13120-8.

Angelucci, Enzo. & Bowers, Peter. The American Fighter, New York: Orion Books, 1987. ISBN 0-517-56588-9.

Davis, Larry. P-51 Mustang In Action. Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, Inc. 1981. ISBN 0-89747-114-8.

  
     
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