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OVERVIEW
NORTH AMERICAN P-51D MUSTANG
1943
 
FIGHTER
  
     
   
 
 
 
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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