North American P-51 Mustang 1

North American P-51 Mustang

P-51 Mustang

P-51 Mustangs of the 375th Fighter Squadron, 361st Fighter Group, summer 1944. The aircraft second from the camera has therecently introduced dorsal fin.

Role Fighter

National origin United States

Manufacturer North American Aviation

First flight 26 October 1940

Introduction 1942

Status Retired from military service 1984, still in civil use

Primary users United States Army Air ForcesRoyal Air Force, numerous others (see below)

Number built 16,766

Unit cost US$50,985 in 1945[1] ($616360 in current value)

Variants North American A-36North American Mustang Mk.XCavalier Mustang

Developed into F-82 Twin MustangPiper PA-48 Enforcer

The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range single-seat World War II fighteraircraft. Designed and built in just 117 days, the Mustang first flew in Royal Air Force (RAF) service as afighter-bomber and reconnaissance aircraft before conversion to a bomber escort, employed in raids over Germany,helping ensure Allied air superiority from early 1944.[2] The P-51 was in service with Allied air forces in Europe andalso saw limited service against the Japanese in the Pacific War. At the start of Korean War the Mustang was theUnited Nations' main fighter but the role was quickly shouldered by jet fighters, including the F-86, after which theMustang became a specialised ground-attack fighter-bomber. In spite of being superseded by jet fighters theMustang remained in service with some air forces until the early 1980s.

North American P-51 Mustang 2

As well as being economical to produce, the Mustang was a fast, well-made, and highly durable aircraft. Thedefinitive version, the P-51D, was powered by the Packard V-1650, a two-stage two-speed supercharged version ofthe legendary Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, and was armed with six .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machineguns.After World War II and the Korean War, many Mustangs were converted for civilian use, especially air racing. TheMustang's reputation was such that, in the mid-1960s, Ford Motor Company's Designer John Najjar proposed a newyouth-oriented coupe automobile be named after the fighter.[3]

Design and development

Genesis

XP-51 41-039

In April 1938, shortly after the German Anschluss against Austria, theBritish government established a purchasing commission in the UnitedStates, headed by Sir Henry Self.[4] Self was given overallresponsibility for Royal Air Force (RAF) production and research anddevelopment, and also served with Sir Wilfrid Freeman, the "AirMember for Development and Production". Self also sat on the BritishAir Council Sub-committee on Supply (or "Supply Committee") andone of his many tasks was to organize the manufacturing and supply ofAmerican fighter aircraft for the RAF. At the time, the choice was verylimited; no U.S. aircraft already flying met European standards, withonly the Curtiss P-40 Tomahawk coming close. The Curtiss-Wright plant was running at capacity, so even P-40swere in short supply.[5]

North American Aviation (NAA) was already supplying their Harvard trainer to the RAF, but were otherwiseunderutilized. NAA President "Dutch" Kindelberger approached Self to sell a new medium bomber, the B-25Mitchell. Instead, Self asked if NAA could manufacture the Tomahawk under license from Curtiss.Kindelberger replied NAA could have a better aircraft with the same engine in the air in less time than it would taketo set up a production line for the P-40. The Commission stipulated armament of four .303 in (7.7 mm) machineguns, Allison V-1710 liquid-cooled engine, cost no more than $40,000, and delivery of the first production aircraftby January 1941.[6] 320 aircraft had were ordered in March 1940 by Sir Wilfred Freeman, who had become theexecutive head of Ministry of Aircraft Production (MAP), and the contract was promulgated on 24 April.[7]

The design, known as the NA-73X, followed the best conventional practice of the era, but included two newfeatures. One was a new NACA-designed laminar flow wing, which was associated with very low drag at highspeeds.[8] [9] The other was a new radiator design that used the the "Meredith Effect", in which heated air exited theradiator as a form of jet thrust. Because NAA lacked a suitable wind tunnel, it used the GALCIT 10 ft (3.0 m) windtunnel at Caltech. This led to some controversy over whether the Mustang's cooling system aerodynamics weredeveloped by NAA's engineer Edgar Schmued or by Curtiss, although NAA had purchased the complete set of P-40and XP-46 wind tunnel data and flight test reports for US$56,000.[10]

The prototype NA-73X was rolled out in early August and first flew on 26 October 1940,[7] just 117  and 178 days,respectively, after the order had been placed: this was an uncommonly short gestation period. The prototype handledwell and the internal arrangement allowed for an impressive fuel load. The aircraft’s two-section, semi-monocoquefuselage was constructed entirely of aluminium alloy to save weight. It was armed with four .30 in (7.62 mm)M1919 Browning machine guns in the wings and four .50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns: two in thewings and another two mounted under the engine and firing through the propeller arc using gun synchronizing gear.

North American P-51 Mustang 3

While the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) could block any sales it considered detrimental to the interests ofthe United States, the NA-73 was considered to be a special case because it had been designed at the instigation ofthe British. In September 1940 a further 300 NA-73s were ordered by MAP.[6] To ensure uninterrupted deliveryColonel Oliver P. Echols arranged with the Anglo-French Purchasing Commission to deliver the aircraft, while NAAprovided two free examples to the USAAC for evaluation.[11]

Allison-engined Mustangs

Mustang Mk I/P-51/P-51A

A Mustang I in British camouflage and Americanmarkings on a test flight from the Inglewood,

California factory in October 1942.

It was quickly evident that the Mustang's performance, althoughexceptional up to 15000 ft (4600 m), was markedly reduced at higheraltitudes. The single-speed, single-stage supercharger fitted to theAllison V-1710 engine had been designed to produce its maximumpower at a low altitude. Above 15,000 feet, the supercharger's criticalaltitude rating, the power dropped off rapidly. Prior to the Mustangproject, the USAAC had Allison concentrate primarily onturbochargers in concert with General Electric; the turbochargersproved to be reliable and capable of providing significant powerincreases in the P-38 Lightning and other high-altitude aircraft, inparticular in the Air Corps's four-engine bombers. Most of the otheruses for the Allison were for low-altitude designs, where a simpler supercharger would suffice. Fitting aturbocharger into the Mustang proved impractical, and Allison was forced to use the only supercharger that wasavailable. In spite of this, the Mustang's advanced aerodynamics showed to advantage, as the Mustang Mk I wasabout 30 mph (48 km/h) faster than contemporary Curtiss P-40 fighters using the same engine (the V-1710-39producing 1220 hp (910 kW) at 10500 ft (3200 m), driving a 10 ft 6 in (3.20 m) diameter, three-bladeCurtiss-Electric propeller).[12] The Mustang Mk I was 30 mph (48 km/h) faster than the Spitfire Mk VC at 5000 ft(1500 m) and 35 mph (56 km/h) faster at 15000 ft (4600 m), despite the British aircraft's more powerful engine.[13]

The first production contract was awarded by the British for 320 NA-73 fighters, named Mustang Mk I by theBritish (the name being selected by an anonymous member of the British Purchasing Commission). Two aircraft ofthis lot delivered to the USAAC for evaluation were designated XP-51.[14] About 20 Mustang Mk Is were deliveredto the RAF, making their combat debut on 10 May 1942. With their long range and excellent low-altitudeperformance, they were employed effectively for tactical reconnaissance and ground-attack duties over the EnglishChannel, but were thought to be of limited value as fighters due to their poor performance above 15000 ft (4600 m).A second British contract called for 300 more (NA-83) Mustang Mk I fighters. In September 1940, 150 aircraft,designated NA-91 by North American, were ordered under the Lend-Lease program. These were designated by theUSAAF as P-51 and initially named Apache, although this was soon dropped, and the RAF name, Mustang, adoptedinstead. The British designated this model as Mustang Mk IA. The Mustang Mk IA was identical to the MustangMk I, except that the wing-mounted machine guns were removed and replaced with four long-barrelled 20 mm(.79 in) Hispano Mk II cannon.A number of aircraft from this lot were fitted out by the USAAF as F-6A photo-reconnaissance aircraft. The Britishwould fit a number of Mustang Mk Is with similar equipment. Also, two aircraft of this lot were fitted withPackard-built Merlin engines.[15] These were identified as the Model NA-101 by North American and XP-78 by theUSAAF, later redesignated XP-51B.

North American P-51 Mustang 4

P-51 Mustang on a test flight, October 1942; thisparticular aircraft (41-37416?) may have been

allocated to the RAF as a Mustang 1A.

On 23 June 1942, a contract was placed for 1,200 P-51As (NA-99s),later reduced to 310 aircraft. The P-51A was the first version to beprocured as a fighter by the USAAF and used a new AllisonV-1710-81 engine, a development of the V-1710-39, driving a10 ft 9 in (3.28 m) diameter three-bladed Curtiss-Electric propeller.The armament was changed to four wing-mounted .50 in (12.7 mm)Browning machine guns, two in each wing, with a maximum of 350rounds per gun (rpg) for the inboard guns and 280 rpg for the outboard.Other improvements were made in parallel with the A-36, including animproved, fixed air duct inlet replacing the movable fitting of previousMustang models and the fitting of wing racks able to carry either 75 or150 U.S. gal (284 or 568 l) drop tanks, increasing the maximum ferryrange to 2,740 mi (4,410 km) with the 150 gal (568 l) tanks. The topspeed was raised to 409 mph (658 km/h) at 10000 ft (3000 m). A total of 50 aircraft were shipped to England,serving as Mustang Mk IIs in the RAF.[16]

A-36 Apache/Invader

On 16 April 1942, Fighter Project Officer Benjamin S. Kelsey ordered 500 A-36 Apaches, a redesign that includedsix .50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns, dive brakes, and the ability to carry two 500 lb (230 kg) bombs.Kelsey would rather have bought more fighters but was willing instead to initiate a higher level of Mustangproduction at North American by using USAAC funds earmarked for ground-attack aircraft.[11]

The 500 were designated A-36A (NA-97). This model became the first USAAF Mustang to see combat. One aircraftwas passed to the British who gave it the name Mustang Mk I (Dive Bomber).

Merlin-engined Mustangs

P-51B and P-51C

P-51B assigned to the 14th AF / 23rd FG China

In April 1942, the RAF's Air Fighting Development Unit (AFDU)tested the Mustang and found its performance inadequate at higheraltitudes. As such, it was to be used to replace the Tomahawk in ArmyCooperation Command squadrons, but the commanding officer was soimpressed with its maneuverability and low-altitude speeds that heinvited Ronnie Harker from Rolls-Royce's Flight Test establishment tofly it. Rolls-Royce engineers rapidly realized that equipping theMustang with a Merlin 61 engine with its two-speed two-stagesupercharger would substantially improve performance and started converting five aircraft as the Mustang Mk X.Apart from the engine installation, which utilized custom-built engine bearers designed by Rolls-Royce and astandard 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m) diameter, four-bladed Rotol propeller from a Spitfire Mk IX,[17] the Mustang Mk X wasa straightforward adaptation of the Mustang Mk I airframe, keeping the same radiator duct design. The Vice-Chief ofthe Air Staff, Air Marshal Sir Wilfrid R. Freeman, lobbied vociferously for Merlin-powered Mustangs, insisting twoof the five experimental Mustang Mk Xs be handed over to Carl Spaatz for trials and evaluation by the U.S. 8th AirForce in Britain.[18] The high-altitude performance improvement was remarkable: the Mustang Mk X (serial numberAM208) reached 433 mph (697 km/h) at 22000 ft (6700 m), and AL975 tested at an absolute ceiling of 40600 ft(12400 m).[19]

North American P-51 Mustang 5

The Mustang Mk X AM203

Two XP-51B prototypes[20] were adapted from P-51 airframes; thesewere a more thorough conversion than the Mustang X, with atailor-made engine installation and a complete redesign of the radiatorduct. The airframe itself was strengthened, with the fuselage andengine mount area receiving more formers because of the greaterweight of the Packard V-1650-3, 1690 lb (770 kg), compared with theAllison V-1710's 1335 lb (606 kg). The engine cowling wascompletely redesigned to house the Packard Merlin, which, because ofthe intercooler radiator mounted on the supercharger casing, was 5 in

(130 mm) taller and used an updraught induction system, rather than the downdraught carburetor of the Allison.[21]

The new engine drove a four-bladed 11 ft 2 in (3.40 m) diameter Hamilton Standard propeller that featured cuffs ofhard molded rubber.[22] To cater for the increased cooling requirements of the Merlin a new fuselage duct wasdesigned. This housed a larger radiator, which incorporated a section for the supercharger coolant, and, forward ofthis and slightly lower, an oil cooler was housed in a secondary duct which drew air through the main opening andexhausted via a separate exit flap.[23]

It was decided that the armament of the new P-51B (NA-102) would permanently omit the previously nose-mountedmachine guns used on earlier P-51 versions, and only the four wing-mounted .50 in (12.7 mm) M2/AN Browningmachine guns (with 350 rpg for the inboard guns and 280 rpg for the outboard) of the P-51A would be used for itsgun armament. The bomb rack/external drop tank installation, adapted from the A-36 Apache attack version, wouldalso be used; the racks were rated to be able to carry up to 500 lb (230 kg) of ordnance and were also capable ofcarrying drop tanks. The weapons were aimed using an N-3B optical gunsight fitted with an A-1 head assemblywhich allowed it to be used as a gun or bomb sight through varying the angle of the reflector glass.[24] Pilots werealso given the option of having ring and bead sights mounted on the top engine cowling formers. This option wasdiscontinued with the later P-51Ds.[25]

N3B gunsight with A-1head assembly.

The first XP-51B flew on 30 November 1942.[26] Although flight tests confirmed thepotential of the new fighter, with the service ceiling being raised by 10,000 feet and thetop speed improving by 50 mph at 30000 ft (9100 m), it was soon discovered that theradiator duct airflow was breaking up at high speeds, generating a rumble as the exitshutter was closed. Testing at the Ames Aeronautical laboratory led to a redesign of theradiator scoop culminating in a forward slanted upper lip.[27] After sustained lobbying atthe highest level, American production was started in early 1943 with the P-51B(NA-102) being manufactured at Inglewood, California, and the P-51C (NA-103) at anew plant in Dallas, Texas, which was in operation by summer 1943.[28] The RAFnamed these models Mustang Mk III. In performance tests, the P-51B reached 441 mph(709.70 km/h) at 30000 ft (9100 m).[29] [30] In addition, the extended range madepossible by the use of drop tanks enabled the Merlin-powered Mustang to be introduced as a bomber escort with acombat radius of 750 miles using two 75 gal tanks.[29]

The range would be further increased with the introduction of an 85 gal (322 l) self-sealing fuel tank aft of the pilot'sseat, starting with the P-51B-5-NA series. When this tank was full, the center of gravity of the Mustang was moveddangerously close to the aft limit. As a result, maneuvers were restricted until the tank was down to about 25 U.S. gal(95 l) and the external tanks had been dropped. Problems with high-speed "porpoising" of the P-51Bs and P-51Cswith the fuselage tanks would lead to the replacement of the fabric-covered elevators with metal-covered surfacesand a reduction of the tailplane incidence.[31] With the fuselage and wing tanks, plus two 75 gal drop tanks, thecombat radius was now 880 miles.[29]

Despite these modifications, the P-51Bs and P-51Cs, and the newer P-51Ds and P-51Ks, experienced low-speedhandling problems that could result in an involuntary "snap-roll" under certain conditions of air speed, angle of

North American P-51 Mustang 6

attack, gross weight, and center of gravity. Several crash reports tell of P-51Bs and P-51Cs crashing becausehorizontal stabilizers were torn off during maneuvering. As a result of these problems, a modification kit consistingof a dorsal fin was manufactured. One report stated:

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

The dorsal fin kits became available in August 1944, and were fitted to P-51Bs and P-51Cs, and to P-51Ds andP-51Ks. Also incorporated was a change to the rudder trim tabs, which would help prevent the pilot over-controllingthe aircraft and creating heavy loads on the tail unit.[32]

A Malcolm Hood-equipped Mustang Mk IIIflown by Wing Commander Tadeusz Nowierski,C/O of 133(Polish) Fighter Wing, RAF Coolham,

July 1944

One of the few remaining complaints with the Merlin-powered aircraftwas a poor rearward view. The canopy structure, which was the sameas the Allison-engined Mustangs, was made up of flat, framed panels;the pilot gained access, or exited the cockpit by lowering the port sidepanel and raising the top panel to the right. The canopy could not beopened in flight and tall pilots especially, were hampered by limitedheadroom.[31] In order to at least partially improve the view from theMustang, the British had field-modified some Mustangs with clear,sliding canopies called Malcolm hoods (designed by Robert Malcolm).The new structure was a frameless plexiglas moulding[33] whichballooned outwards at the top and sides, increasing the headroom and allowing increased visibility to the sides andrear.[31] Because the new structure slid backwards on runners it could be slid open in flight. The aerial mast behindthe canopy was replaced by a "whip" aerial which was mounted further aft and offset to the right. Most British MkIIIs were equipped with Malcolm hoods. Several American service groups "acquired" the necessary conversion kitsand some American P-51B/P-51Cs appeared with the new canopy, although the majority continued to use theoriginal framed canopies.[31]

P-51Bs and P-51Cs started to arrive in England in August and October 1943. The P-51B/P-51C versions were sent to15 fighter groups that were part of the 8th and 9th Air Forces in England and the 12th and 15th in Italy (the southernpart of Italy was under Allied control by late 1943). Other deployments included the China Burma India Theater(CBI).Allied strategists quickly exploited the long-range fighter as a bomber escort. It was largely due to the P-51 thatdaylight bombing raids deep into German territory became possible without prohibitive bomber losses in late 1943.A number of the P-51B and P-51C aircraft were fitted for photo reconnaissance and designated F-6C.

North American P-51 Mustang 7

P-51D and P-51K

P-51D-25 possibly flown by Lieutenant Urban L.Drew.[34] The new canopy structure with the

associated modified rear fuselage, and theincreased "kinked" wing area inboard of the gun

positions are well shown in this photo.

Following combat experience the P-51D series introduced a "teardrop",or "bubble", canopy to rectify problems with poor visibility to the rearof the aircraft. Originally developed as part of the Miles M.20 project,these newer canopies were being adapted to most British designs,eventually appearing on Typhoons, Tempests and later-built Spitfires.In America new moulding techniques had been developed to formstreamlined nose transparencies for bombers. North Americandesigned a new streamlined plexiglass canopy for the P-51B whichwas later developed into the teardrop shaped bubble canopy. In late1942 the tenth production P-51B-1-NA was removed from theassembly lines. From the windshield aft the fuselage was redesigned bycutting down the rear fuselage formers to the same height as thoseforward of the cockpit; the new shape faired in to the vertical tailunit.[35] Wind tunnel tests of a wooden model confirmed that theaerodynamics were sound. A new simpler style of windscreen, with an angled bullet-resistant windscreen mountedon two flat side pieces improved the forward view while the new canopy resulted in exceptional all-roundvisibility.[35]

A common misconception is that the cutting down of the rear fuselage to mount the bubble canopy reduced stability,requiring the addition of a dorsal fin to the forward base of the vertical tail. In fact, as described, stability problemsaffected the earlier P-51Bs and P-51Cs, as well as the subsequent P-51D/P-51K models; this was partly attributableto the 85 U.S. gal (322 l) fuselage fuel tank that had been installed during production of the P-51B-5-NA and causedthe center of gravity to move back too far when filled. Other factors were the switch from the three-blade propellerof the Allison-powered series to the four-blade propeller, causing increased destabilization due to the four-bladedpropeller's greater side area effect, and, on the P-51D and P-51K, the bubble canopy causing some turbulence aheadof the fin.Among other modifications, armament was increased with the addition of two more M2 machine guns, bringing thetotal to six. The inner pair of machine guns had 400 rpg, and the others had 270 rpg, for a total of 1,880.[36] Inprevious P-51s, the M2s were mounted at an extreme side angle to allow access to the feed chutes from theammunition trays. This angled mounting had caused problems with the ammunition feed and with spent casings andlinks failing to clear the gun-chutes, leading to frequent complaints that the guns jammed during combatmaneuvers.[37]

The new arrangement allowed the M2s to be mounted upright, remedying most of the jamming problems. The .50 in(12.7 mm) Browning machine guns, although not firing an explosive projectile, had excellent ballistics and provedadequate against the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 and Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters, which were the main USAAFopponents at the time. The wing racks fitted to the P-51D/P-51K series were strengthened and were able to carry upto 1000 lb (450 kg) of ordnance, although 500 lb (230 kg) bombs were the recommended maximum load.[38] Latermodels had removable under-wing 'Zero Rail' rocket pylons added to carry up to ten T64 5.0 in (127 mm) H.V.A.Rrockets per plane. The gunsight was changed from the N-3B to the N-9 before the introduction in September 1944 ofthe K-14 or K-14A gyro-computing sight.[39] [40]

Early P-51Ds without fuselage fuel tanks could be fitted with either the SCR-522-A or SCR-274-N Command Radiosets and SCR-695-A, or SCR-515 radio transmitters, as well as an AN/APS-13 rear-warning set;[41] P-51Ds and Kswith fuselage tanks used the SCR-522-A and AN/APS-13 only.[42]

Alterations to the undercarriage up-locks and inner-door retracting mechanisms meant that there was a change to the shape of the inner-wing leading edge, which was raked forward slightly, increasing the wing area and creating a

North American P-51 Mustang 8

distinctive "kink" in the leading edges of the wings.[43]

P-51K 44-15672 (Lt. Jessie R. Frey of the 362ndFighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group) shows

the Aeroproducts propeller unit with the"uncuffed" blades; an AN/APS-13 antenna arraycan just be seen on the vertical fin and there is an

orange formation light in the center of thefuselage star.

The P-51D became the most widely produced variant of the Mustang.A Dallas-built version of the P-51D, designated the P-51K, wasequipped with an 11 ft (3.4 m) diameter Aeroproducts propeller inplace of the 11.2 ft (3.4 m) Hamilton Standard propeller.[44] Thehollow-bladed Aeroproducts propeller was unreliable, due tomanufacturing problems, with dangerous vibrations at full throttle andwas eventually replaced by the Hamilton Standard.

By the time of the Korean War, most F-51s were equipped with"uncuffed" Hamilton Standard propellers with wider, blunt-tippedblades. The photo reconnaissance versions of the P-51D and P-51Kwere designated F-6D and F-6K respectively. The RAF assigned thename Mustang Mk IV to the P-51D model and Mustang Mk IVA toP-51K models.

The P-51D/P-51K started arriving in Europe in mid-1944 and quicklybecame the primary USAAF fighter in the theater. It was produced in larger numbers than any other Mustangvariant. Nevertheless, by the end of the war, roughly half of all operational Mustangs were still P-51B or P-51Cmodels.Concern over the USAAF's inability to escort B-29s all the way to mainland Japan resulted in the highly classified"Seahorse" project, an effort to "navalize" the aircraft. In late 1944, naval aviator (and later test pilot) Lieutenant BobElder flew carrier suitability trials aboard the carrier USS Shangri-La using P-51D 44-14017, which had been fittedwith an arrestor hook.[45] The project was canceled after U.S. Marines secured the Japanese island of Iwo Jima andits airfields, making it possible for standard P-51D models to accompany B-29s all the way to the Japanese homeislands and back.[46] [47]

During 1945–48, P-51Ds were also built under licence in Australia by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation.

XP-51F, XP-51G and XP-51J

An XP-51F (one of three built) with thethree-bladed Aeroproducts propeller unit

The USAAF required airframes built to their acceleration standard of8.33 g (82 m/s²), a higher load factor than that used by the Britishstandard of 5.33 g (52 m/s²) for their fighters. Reducing the load factorto 5.33 would allow weight to be removed, and both the USAAF andthe RAF were interested in the potential performance boost. A subtlechange made in the lightweight Mustangs was the use of an improvedNACA 66 series airfoil and a slightly thinner wing than that used byearlier Mustangs.[48]

In 1943, North American submitted a proposal to redesign the P-51Das model NA-105, which was accepted by the USAAF. Modifications included changes to the cowling, a simplifiedundercarriage with smaller wheels and disc brakes, and a larger canopy and an armament of four .50 Brownings. Intotal the design was some 1,600 pounds lighter than the P-51D. In test flights the XP-51F achieved 491 mph at21,000 feet. The designation XP-51F was assigned to prototypes powered with V-1650 engines (a small number ofXP-51Fs were passed to the British as the Mustang V), and XP-51G to those with reverse lend/lease Merlin RM 14SM engines.[49]

A third lightweight prototype powered by an Allison V-1710-119 engine was added to the development program.This aircraft was designated XP-51J. Since the engine was insufficiently developed, the XP-51J was loaned toAllison for engine development. None of these experimental lightweights went into production.[50]

North American P-51 Mustang 9

P-51H

A P-51H-10-NA showing the longer, slightlydeeper fuselage and the lightweight undercarriage

with smaller wheels. A taller tailfin was lateradopted by the P-51H series.

The P-51H (NA-126) was the final production Mustang, embodyingthe experience gained in the development of the XP-51F and XP-51Gaircraft. This aircraft, with minor differences as the NA-129, came toolate to participate in World War II, but it brought the development ofthe Mustang to a peak as one of the fastest production piston-enginefighters to see service.

The P-51H used the new V-1650-9 engine, a version of the Merlin thatincluded Simmons automatic supercharger boost control with waterinjection, allowing War Emergency Power as high as 2,218 hp(1,500 kW). Differences between the P-51D included lengthening thefuselage and increasing the height of the tailfin, which greatly reduced the tendency to yaw. The canopy resembledthe P-51D style, over a raised pilot's position. Service access to the guns and ammunition was also improved. Withthe new airframe several hundred pounds lighter, the extra power and a more streamlined radiator, the P-51H wasamong the fastest propeller fighters ever, able to reach 487 mph (784 km/h or Mach 0.74) at 25,000 ft (7,600 m).

The P-51H was designed to complement the P-47N as the primary aircraft for the invasion of Japan, with 2,000ordered to be manufactured at Inglewood. Production was just ramping up with 555 delivered when the war ended.Additional orders, already on the books, were canceled. With the cutback in production, the variants of the P-51Hwith different versions of the Merlin engine were produced in either limited numbers or terminated. These includedthe P-51L, similar to the P-51H but utilizing the 2270 hp (1690 kW) V-1650-11 engine, which was never built; andits Dallas-built version, the P-51M, or NA-124, which utilized the V-1650-9A engine lacking water injection andtherefore rated for lower maximum power, of which one was built out of the original 1629 ordered, serial number45-11743.Although some P-51Hs were issued to operational units, none saw combat in World War II, and in postwar service,most were issued to reserve units. One aircraft was provided to the RAF for testing and evaluation. Serial number44-64192 was designated BuNo 09064 and used by the U.S. Navy to test transonic airfoil designs and then returnedto the Air National Guard in 1952. The P-51H was not used for combat in the Korean War despite its improvedhandling characteristics, since the P-51D was available in much larger numbers and was a proven commodity.Many of the aerodynamic advances of the P-51 (including the laminar flow wing) were carried over to NorthAmerican's next generation of jet-powered fighters, the Navy FJ Fury and Air Force F-86 Sabre. The wings,empennage and canopy of the first straight-winged variant of the Fury (the FJ-1) and the unbuilt preliminaryprototypes of the P-86/F-86 strongly resembled those of the Mustang before the aircraft were modified withswept-wing designs.

Experimental MustangsIn early 1944, the first P-51A-1-NA, 43-6003. was fitted and tested with a lightweight retractable ski kit replacingthe wheels. This conversion was made in response to a perceived requirement for aircraft that would operate awayfrom prepared airstrips. The main oleo leg fairings were retained, but the main wheel doors and tail wheel doorswere removed for the tests. When the undercarriage was retracted, the main gear skis were housed in the space in thelower engine compartment made available by the removal of the fuselage .50 in (12.7 mm) Brownings from theP-51As. The entire installation added 390 lb (180 kg) to the aircraft weight and required that the operating pressureof the hydraulic system had to be increased from 1,000 psi (6,897 kPa) to 1,200 psi (8,276 kPa). Flight tests showedthat ground handling was good, and the Mustang could take off and land in a field length of 1000 ft (300 m); themaximum speed was 18 mph (29 km/h) lower, although it was thought that fairings over the retracted skis wouldcompensate.[51]

North American P-51 Mustang 10

On 15 November 1944, a navalized P-51D-5-NA, 44-14017, started flight tests from the deck of the carrierShangri-La. This Mustang had been fitted with an arrestor hook, which was attached to a reinforced bulkhead behindthe tail wheel opening; the hook was housed in a streamlined position under the rudder fairing and could be releasedfrom the cockpit. The tests showed that the Mustang could be flown off the carrier deck without the aid of a catapult,using a flap setting of 20° down and 5° of up elevator. Landings were found to be easy, and, by allowing the tailwheel to contact the deck before the main gear, the aircraft could be stopped in a minimum distance.[52]

While North American were concentrating on improving the performance of the P-51 through the development ofthe lightweight Mustangs, in Britain, other avenues of development were being pursued. To this end, two MustangMk IIIs (P-51Bs and P-51Cs), FX858 and FX901, were fitted with different Merlin engine variants. The first ofthese, FX858, was fitted with a Merlin 100 by Rolls-Royce at Hucknall; this engine was similar to the RM 14 SMfitted to the XP-51G and was capable of generating 2,080 hp (1,550 kW) at 22,800 ft (7,000 m) using a boostpressure of +25 lbf/in2 (170 kPa; 80 inHg) in war emergency setting. With this engine, FX858 reached a maximumspeed of 453 mph (729 km/h) at 18,000 ft (5,500 m), and this could be maintained to 25,000 ft (7,600 m). The climbrate was 4,160 ft/min (21.1 m/s) at 14,000 ft (4,300 m).FX901 was fitted with a Merlin 113 (also used in the de Havilland Mosquito B. Mk 35). This engine was similar tothe Merlin 100, but it was fitted with a supercharger rated for higher altitudes. FX901 was capable of 454 mph(730 km/h) at 30,000 ft (9,100 m) and 414 mph (666 km/h) at 40,000 ft (12,200 m).[53]

Operational history

U.S. operational service

P-51D-5NA 44-13357 of 8th AF / 361st FG /374th FS Tika IV, assigned to Lt. Vernon R.

Richards

American pre-war doctrine held that large formations of heavily-armedB-17s flying at high altitudes and using the Norden bombsight wouldbe able conduct precision daylight bombing of factories and otherpinpoint targets, while at the same time avoiding heavy civiliancasualties. It was also believed that using tightly grouped bomberformations, which allowed bombers to mutually protect one anotherwith heavy defensive firepower, would mean that the bombers wouldbe able to defend themselves against enemy interceptors without theneed for fighter escort. The British viewed this doctrine withscepticism because direct operational experience during the firstmonths of the war showed that unescorted RAF heavy bomber formations attacking targets in daylight werevulnerable to fighters; after formations of Wellingtons took heavy casualties, the RAF switched mostly to nightattacks for the duration of the war. During the Battle of Britain the Luftwaffe had discovered that even escortedbomber formations were open to daylight attack and eventually resorted to night raids during the Blitz of 1940/41.Regardless of these experiences the Americans continued to believe in the efficacy of daylight precision bombingand, once the US had entered the war, the USAAF began to build up a strategic bomber force based in Britain.

The 8th Air Force started operations from Britain in August 1942; at first, because of the limited scale of operations, there was no conclusive evidence that the American doctrine was failing. In the twenty-six operations which had been flown to the end of 1942 the loss rate had been under 2%.[54] In January 1943, 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. 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 8th Air Force's heavy-bombers 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% in an October 14 attack on the German ball-bearing industry. This made it too costly to continue such long-range raids without adequate fighter

North American P-51 Mustang 11

escort.The Lockheed P-38 Lightning had the range to escort the bombers, but was available in very limited numbers in theEuropean theater due to its Allison engines proving difficult to maintain. With the extensive use of the P-38 in thePacific Theater of Operations, where its twin engines were deemed vital to long-range "over-water" operations,nearly all European-based P-38 units converted to the P-51 in 1944. The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt was capable ofmeeting the Luftwaffe on more than even terms, but did not at the time have sufficient range. The Mustang changedall that. In general terms, the Mustang was at least as simple as other aircraft of its era. It used a single,well-understood, reliable engine and had internal space for a huge fuel load. With external fuel tanks, it couldaccompany the bombers all the way to Germany and back.

P-51D 44-14888 of the 8th AF/357th FG/363rdFS, named Glamorous Glennis III, is the aircraft

in which Chuck Yeager, the future test pilot,achieved most of his 12.5 kills

Enough P-51s became available to the 8th and 9th Air Forces in thewinter of 1943-44, and, when the Pointblank offensive resumed inearly 1944, matters changed dramatically. The P-51 proved perfect forthe task of escorting bombers all the way to the deepest targets, thuscomplementing the more numerous P-47s until sufficient Mustangsbecame available. The Eighth Air Force immediately began to switchits fighter groups to the Mustang, first exchanging arriving P-47 groupsfor those of the 9th Air Force using P-51s, then gradually converting itsThunderbolt and Lightning groups until, by the end of the year, 14 ofits 15 groups flew the Mustang.[55]

Luftwaffe Experten were confident that they could out-manoeuvre theP-51 in a dogfight. Kurt Bühlingen, the third-highest scoring Germanfighter pilot of the Second World War on the Western Front, with 112victories, later recalled that "We would out-turn the P-51 and the other American fighters, with the (Bf)109 or the(Fw)190. Their turn rate was about the same. The P-51 was faster than us but our munitions and cannon werebetter”.[56] Robert S. Johnson, the second-highest scoring U.S. fighter pilot in European theatre flew the P-47 againstGerman fighters. Johnson pointed out “Generally speaking, I’d say the best (Focke-Wulf) 190s and the P-51 werevery close in performance; the difference was probably in the pilot in these combats.” [57]

Usually Luftwaffe pilots attempted to avoid U.S. 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. The need toinflict heavy casualties on the American bombers was now more pressing than ever. To do this, the German fightersneeded to carry very heavy armament. The weight of this armament decreased performance to the point where theiraircraft were sitting ducks if caught by the P-51s, likely to appear in large numbers anywhere over Germany. TheLuftwaffe answer was the Gefechtsverband (battle formation). It consisted of a Sturmgruppe of heavily armed andarmoured Fw 190s escorted by two Begleitgruppen of light fighters, often Bf 109Gs, whose task was to keep theMustangs away from the Fw 190s attacking the bombers. This scheme was excellent in theory but difficult to applyin practice. The massive German formation took a long time to assemble and was difficult to manoeuvre. It wasoften intercepted by the escorting P-51s and broken before reaching the bombers. But when the Sturmgruppeworked, the effects were devastating. With their engines and cockpits heavily armoured, the Fw 190s attacked fromastern and gun camera films show that these attacks were often pressed to within 100 yds.[58]

While not always successful in avoiding contact with the escort (as the tremendous loss of German pilots in thespring of 1944 indicates), the threat of mass attacks, and later the "company front" (eight abreast) assaults byarmored 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-theatertraining of fighter pilots in fall 1944, was a decisive element in Allied countermeasures against the Jagdverbände.

North American P-51 Mustang 12

Pilots of all-African American 332nd FighterGroup (the Tuskegee Airmen) at Ramitelli, Italy.From left, Lt. Dempsey W. Morgran, Lt. Carroll

S. Woods, Lt. Robert H. Nelron, Jr., Capt.Andrew D. Turner and Lt. Clarence P. Lester

Beginning in late February 1944, 8th Air Force fighter units begansystematic strafing attacks on German airfields that picked up infrequency and intensity throughout the spring, with the objective ofgaining air supremacy over the Normandy battlefield. In general, thesewere conducted by units returning from escort missions, but beginningin March, many groups also were assigned airfield attacks instead ofbomber support. On 15 April, VIII FC began Operation Jackpot,attacks on specific Luftwaffe fighter airfields, and on 21 May, theseattacks were expanded to include railways, locomotives, and rollingstock used by the Germans to transport materiel and troops, in missionsdubbed "Chattanooga".[59] The P-51 also excelled at this mission,although losses were much higher on strafing missions than inair-to-air combat, partially because, like other fighters usingliquid-cooled engines, the Mustang's coolant system could bepunctured by small arms hits, even from a single bullet.

The numerical superiority of the USAAF fighters, superb flying characteristics of the P-51 and pilot proficiencyhelped cripple the Luftwaffe's fighter force. As a result, the fighter threat to US, and later British bombers, wasgreatly diminished by July 1944. Reichmarshal Hermann Göring, commander of the German Luftwaffe during thewar, was quoted as saying, "When I saw Mustangs over Berlin, I knew the jig was up."[60]

P-51s also distinguished themselves against advanced enemy rockets and aircraft. A P-51B/P-51C with 150 octanefuel was fast enough to pursue the V-1s launched toward London. The Messerschmitt Me 163 rocket interceptorsand Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighters were considerably faster than the P-51, but they were not as maneuverable asthe Mustang, furthermore they were vulnerable on take-off and landing (as all aircraft are). Chuck Yeager, flying aP-51D, was one of the first American pilots to shoot down a Me 262 when he surprised it during its landingapproach. On 7 October 1944, Lt. Urban Drew of the 365th Fighter Group went him one better. During a fightersweep, he surprised and shot down two Me 262s taking off. On the same day, Hubert Zemke, now flying Mustangs,shot down what he thought was a Bf 109, only to have his gun camera film reveal it to be an Me 262.[61] On 1November 1944, the Mustang pilots once again demonstrated that the threat could be contained with numbers. Whileflying as escorts for B-17s, the 20th Fighter Group was attacked by a lone Me 262, which destroyed a solitary P-51.The Me 262 then attempted to attack the bombers, only to be cut off by a mixed formation of P-51s and P-47s. Thefighter groups competed for the kill. Eventually, a P-47 pilot of the 56th, and Mustang pilots Lts. Gerbe and Groce ofthe 352nd Fighter Groups, shared the kill.[62]

P-51Cs and P-51Ds of 118 Tac/R Squadron,Laohwangping, China, June 1945 (Fred Poats

photo)

By 8 May 1945,[63] the 8th, 9th and 15th Air Forces' P-51 groups [64]

claimed some 4,950 aircraft shot down (about half of all USAAFclaims in the European theater), the most claimed by any Allied fighterin air-to-air combat,[63] and 4,131 destroyed on the ground. Losseswere about 2,520 aircraft.[65] The 8th Air Force's 4th Fighter Group,was the overall top-scoring fighter group in Europe, with 1,016 enemyaircraft claimed destroyed. This included 550 claimed in aerial combatand 466 on the ground.[66]

In aerial combat, the top-scoring P-51 units (both of which exclusivelyflew Mustangs) were the 357th Fighter Group of the 8th Air Force with595 air-to-air combat victories, and the Ninth Air Force's 354th FighterGroup with 701, which made it the top scoring outfit in aerial combat of all fighter groups of any type. Martin

North American P-51 Mustang 13

Bowman reports that in the European Theater of Operations, Mustangs flew 213,873 sorties and lost 2,520 aircraft toall causes. The top Mustang ace was the USAAF's George Preddy, whose tally stood at 27.5, 24 scored with the P-51when he was shot down and killed by friendly fire on Christmas Day 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge. [63] TheP-51s were deployed in the Far East later in 1944, operating in close-support and escort missions as well as fortactical photo reconnaissance.

An Allied test-pilot's opinionChief Naval Test Pilot and C.O. Captured Enemy Aircraft Flight Capt. Eric Brown, CBE, DSC, AFC, RN, tested theMustang in RAE Farnborough, and noted: "The Mustang was a good fighter and the best escort due to its incrediblerange, make no mistake about it. It was also the best American dogfighter. But the laminar flow wing fitted to theMustang could be a little tricky. It could not by no means out-turn a Spitfire. No way. It had a good rate-of-roll,better than the Spitfire, so I would say the plusses to the Spitfire and the Mustang just about equate. If I were in adogfight, I’d prefer to be flying the Spitfire. The problems was I wouldn’t like to be in a dogfight near Berlin,because I could never get home to Britain in a Spitfire!” [67]

Post-World War II

F-51 Mustang taxis through a puddle in Korea,laden with bombs and rockets

In the aftermath of World War II, the USAAF consolidated much of itswartime combat force and selected the P-51 as a "standard"piston-engine fighter, while other types, such as the P-38 and P-47,were withdrawn or given substantially reduced roles. However, asmore advanced jet fighters (P-80 and P-84) were being introduced, theP-51 was relegated to secondary status.In 1947, the newly-formed USAF Strategic Air Command employedMustangs alongside F-6 Mustangs and F-82 Twin Mustangs, due totheir range capabilities. In 1948, the designation P-51 (P for pursuit)was changed to F-51 (F for fighter), and the existing F designator forphotographic reconnaissance aircraft was dropped because of a new

designation scheme throughout the USAF. Aircraft still in service in the USAF or Air National Guard (ANG) whenthe system was changed included: F-51B, F-51D, F-51K, RF-51D (formerly F-6D), RF-51K (formerly F-6K), andTRF-51D (two-seat trainer conversions of F-6Ds). They remained in service from 1946 through 1951. By 1950,although Mustangs continued in service with the USAF after the war, the majority of the USAF's Mustangs had beensurplussed or transferred to the Air Force Reserve (AFRES) and the Air National Guard (ANG).

USAF F-51D dropping napalm on a target inNorth Korea

During the Korean War, F-51s, though obsolete as fighters, were usedas close ground-support aircraft and reconnaissance aircraft until theend of the war in 1953.[68] Because of its lighter structure and lessavailability of spare parts, the newer, faster F-51H was not used inKorea. With the aircraft being used for ground attack, theirperformance was less of a concern than their ability to carry a load.

At the start of the Korean War, the Mustang once again proved itsusefulness. With the availability of F-51Ds in service and in storage, asubstantial number were shipped via aircraft carriers to the combatzone for use initially by both the Republic of Korea Air Force(ROKAF) and USAF. Rather than employing them as interceptors or"pure" fighters, the F-51 was given the task of ground attack, fitted

North American P-51 Mustang 14

with rockets and bombs. After the initial invasion from North Korea, USAF units were forced to fly from bases inJapan, and F-51Ds could hit targets in Korea that short-ranged F-80 jet fighters could not. A major concern over thevulnerability of the cooling system was realized in heavy losses due to ground fire. Mustangs continued flying withUSAF and ROKAF fighter-bomber units on close support and interdiction missions in Korea until they were largelyreplaced by Republic F-84 and Grumman Panther jet fighter-bombers in 1953. No. 77 Squadron Royal AustralianAir Force (RAAF) operated Australian-built Mustangs as part of British Commonwealth Forces Korea, replacingthem with Gloster Meteor F8s in 1951. No. 2 Squadron South African Air Force (SAAF) operated US-builtMustangs as part of the US 18th Fighter Bomber Wing, suffering heavy losses by 1953, when it converted to theF-86 Sabre.F-51s flew in the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard throughout the 1950s. The last American USAFMustang was F-51D-30-NA AF Serial No. 44-74936, which was finally withdrawn from service with the WestVirginia Air National Guard in 1957. This aircraft is now on display at the National Museum of the United States AirForce at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio. It is, however, painted as P-51D-15-NA Serial No. 44-15174.[69]

West Virginia Air National Guard F-51D. Note:postwar "uncuffed" propeller unit

The final withdrawal of the Mustang from USAF dumped hundreds ofP-51s out onto the civilian market. The rights to the Mustang designwere purchased from North American by the Cavalier AircraftCorporation, which attempted to market the surplus Mustang aircraftboth in the U.S. and overseas. In 1967 and again in 1972, the USAFprocured batches of remanufactured Mustangs from Cavalier, most ofthem destined for air forces in South America and Asia that wereparticipating in the Military Assistance Program (MAP). These aircraftwere remanufactured from existing original F-51D airframes but were

fitted with new V-1650-7 engines, a new radio fit, tall F-51H-type vertical tails, and a stronger wing that could carrysix 0.50 in (13 mm) machine guns and a total of eight underwing hardpoints. Two 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs and six5 in (127 mm) rockets could be carried. They all had an original F-51D-type canopy, but carried a second seat for anobserver behind the pilot. One additional Mustang was a two-seat dual-control TF-51D (67-14866) with an enlargedcanopy and only four wing guns. Although these remanufactured Mustangs were intended for sale to SouthAmerican and Asian nations through the MAP, they were delivered to the USAF with full USAF markings. Theywere, however, allocated new serial numbers (67-14862/14866, 67-22579/22582 and 72-1526/1541).[69]

The last U.S. military use of the F-51 was in 1968, when the U. S. Army employed a vintage F-51D (44-72990) as achase aircraft for the Lockheed YAH-56 Cheyenne armed helicopter project. This aircraft was so successful that theArmy ordered two F-51Ds from Cavalier in 1968 for use at Fort Rucker as chase planes. They were assigned theserials 68-15795 and 68-15796. These F-51s had wingtip fuel tanks and were unarmed. Following the end of theCheyenne program, these two chase aircraft were used for other projects. One of them (68-15795) was fitted with a106 mm recoilless rifle for evaluation of the weapon's value in attacking fortified ground targets.[70] CavalierMustang 68-15796 survives at the Air Force Armament Museum, Eglin AFB, Florida, displayed indoors in WorldWar II markings.The F-51 was adopted by many foreign air forces and continued to be an effective fighter into the mid-1980s withsmaller air arms. The last Mustang ever downed in battle occurred during Operation Power Pack in the DominicanRepublic in 1965, with the last aircraft finally being retired by the Dominican Air Force (FAD) in 1984.[71]

North American P-51 Mustang 15

Non-US serviceAfter World War II, the P-51 Mustang served in the air arms of more than 55 nations.[2] During wartime, a Mustangcost about 51,000 dollars,[1] while many hundreds were sold postwar for the nominal price of one dollar to theAmerican countries that signed the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance, ratified in Rio de Janeiro in1947.[72] Following is a list of some of the countries that used the P-51 Mustang.

 Australia

Australian P-51Ds of 82 Squadron RAAF inBofu, Japan, as part of the British

Commonwealth Occupation Force, in 1947

In November 1944, 3(RAAF) Squadron became the first RoyalAustralian Air Force unit to use Mustangs. At the time of itsconversion from the P-40 to the Mustang the squadron wasbased in Italy with the RAF's First Tactical Air Force. By thistime, the Australian government had also decided to orderAustralian-built Mustangs, to replace its Curtiss Kittyhawks andCAC Boomerangs in the South West Pacific theatre. TheCommonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) factory atFishermans Bend, Melbourne was the only non-U.S. productionline for the P-51.

In 1944, 100 P-51Ds were shipped from the US in kit form toinaugurate production. From February 1945, CAC assembled 80 of these under the designation CA-17Mustang Mark 20, with the first one being handed over to the RAAF on 4 June 1945.[73] The remaining 20were kept unassembled as spare parts. In addition, 84 P-51Ks were also shipped directly to the RAAF from theUSA. However, in the South West Pacific, only 17 Mustangs reached the RAAF's First Tactical Air Forcefront line squadrons by the time World War II ended in August 1945.

In late 1946 CAC was given another contract to build 170 (reduced to 120) more P-51Ds on its own; these,designated CA-18 Mustang Mark 21, Mark 22 or Mark 23, were manufactured entirely in-house, with only afew components being sourced from overseas.[73] The 21 and 22 used the American-built Packard V-1650-3 orV-1650-7. The Mark 23s[74] , which followed the 21s, were powered by Rolls-Royce Merlin 66 or Merlin 70engines. The first 26 were built as Mark 21s, followed by 66 Mark 23s; the first 14 Mark 21s were convertedto fighter-reconnaissance aircraft, with two F24 cameras in both vertical and oblique positions in the rearfuselage, above and behind the radiator fairing; the designation of these modified Mustangs was changed fromMark 21 to Mark 22. An additional 14 purpose-built Mark 22s, built after the Mark 23s, and powered by eitherPackard V-1650-7s or Merlin 68s, completed the production run.[73] All of the CA-17s and CA-18s, plus the84 P-51Ks, used Australian serial numbers prefixed by A68.Several squadrons were issued with P-51s: 76, 77, 82, 83, 84 and 86 Squadrons, converted to P-51s from July1945. 3(RAAF) Squadron, after returning to Australia from Italy, was renumbered 4 Squadron and convertedto CAC-built Mustangs. 76, 77 and 82 Squadrons were formed into 81 Fighter Wing of the BritishCommonwealth Air Force (BCAIR) which was part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF)stationed in Japan from February 1946. 77 Squadron also used P-51s extensively during the first years of theKorean War, before converting to Gloster Meteor jets.[75]

Five reserve units from the Citizen Air Force (CAF) also operated Mustangs. 21 "City of Melbourne"Squadron, based in the state of Victoria; 22 "City of Sydney" Squadron, based in New South Wales; 23 "Cityof Brisbane" Squadron, based in Queensland; 24 "City of Adelaide" Squadron, based in South Australia; and25 "City of Perth" Squadron, based in Western Australia. The last Mustangs were retired from these units in1960 when CAF units adopted a non-flying role.[76]

In October 1953, six Mustangs, including A68-1, the first Australian built CA-17 Mk 20, were allotted to the Long Range Weapons Development Establishment at Maralinga, South Australia, for use in experiments to

North American P-51 Mustang 16

gauge the effects of low-yield nuclear atomic bombs. The Mustangs were placed on a dummy airfield about0.62 mi (1 km) from the blast tower on which two low-yield bombs were detonated. The Mustangs survivedintact. In 1967, A68-1 was bought by a US syndicate, for restoration to flight status and is currently owned byTroy Sanders.[77]

 BoliviaNine Cavalier F-51D (including the two TF-51s) were given to Bolivia, under a program called PeaceCondor.[78]

 Canada

Restored P-51D in the markings of No. 402 "Cityof Winnipeg" RCAF Auxiliary Squadron

Canada had five squadrons equipped with Mustangs duringWorld War II. RCAF No. 400, No. 414 and No. 430 squadronsflew Mustang Mk Is (1942-1944), and Nos. 441 and 442 flewMustang Mk IIIs and IVAs in 1945. Postwar, a total of 150Mustang P-51Ds were purchased and served in two regular (No.416 "Lynx" and No. 417 "City of Windsor") and six auxiliaryfighter squadrons (No. 402 "City of Winnipeg", No. 403 "City ofCalgary", No. 420 "City of London", No. 424 "City ofHamilton", No. 442 "City of Vancouver" and No. 443 "City ofNew Westminster"). The Mustangs were declared obsolete in1956, but a number of special-duty versions served on into theearly 1960s.

 ChinaChina acquired P-51Cs and P-51Ds from the U.S. 10th AF in India by early 1945. These Mustangs wereprovided to the 3rd, 4th and 5th Fighter Groups of the China Air Force (CAF) and used to attack Japanesetargets in occupied areas of China. After the war Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist government used the planesagainst insurgent Communist forces. The Nationalists retreated to Taiwan in 1949. Pilots supporting Chiangbrought most of the Mustangs with them, where the aircraft became part of the island's defence arsenal.Taiwan subsequently acquired additional Mustangs from the USAF and other sources. Some Mustangsremained on the mainland, captured by Communist forces when the Nationalists left.[78]

 Costa RicaThe Costa Rica Air Force flew four P-51Ds from 1955 to 1964.[78]

 CubaIn November 1958, three US-registered civilian P-51D Mustangs were illegally flown separately from Miamito Cuba, on delivery to the rebel forces of the 26th of July Movement, then headed by Fidel Castro during theCuban Revolution. One of the Mustangs was damaged during delivery, and none of them was usedoperationally. After the success of the revolution in January 1959, with other rebel aircraft plus those of theexisting Cuban government forces, they were adopted into the Fuerza Aérea Revolucionaria. Due to increasingUS restrictions, lack of spares and maintenance experience, they never achieved operational status. At the timeof the Bay of Pigs invasion, the two intact Mustangs were already effectively grounded at Campo Columbiaand at Santiago. After the failed invasion, they were placed on display with other symbols of "revolutionarystruggle", and one remains on display at the Museo del Aire (Cuba).[79] [80] [81]

 Dominican RepublicThe Dominican Republic (FAD) was the largest Latin American air force to employ the P-51D, with sixaircraft acquired in 1948, 44 ex-Swedish F-51Ds purchased in 1948 and a further Mustang obtained from anunknown source.[82] It was the last nation to have any Mustangs in service, with some remaining in use as lateas 1984.[78]

North American P-51 Mustang 17

 El SalvadorThe FAS purchased five Cavalier Mustang IIs (and one dual control Cavalier TF-51) that featured wingtip fueltanks to increase combat range and up-rated Merlin engines. Seven P-51D Mustangs were also in service.[78]

They were used during the 1969 Soccer War against Honduras, the last time the P-51 was used in combat.[83]

 FranceIn late 1944, the first French unit began its transition to reconnaissance Mustangs. In January 1945, theTactical Reconnaissance Squadron 2/33 of the French Air Force took their F-6Cs and F-6Ds over Germany onphotographic mapping missions. The Mustangs remained in service until the early 1950s, when they werereplaced by jet fighters.[78]

 GermanySeveral P-51s were captured by the Luftwaffe following crash landings. These aircraft were subsequentlyrepaired and test-flown by the Zirkus Rosarius, or "Rosarius Staffel", for combat evaluation at Göttingen. Theaircraft were repainted with German markings and bright yellow nose and belly for identification. A number ofP-51B/P-51Cs (including examples marked with Luftwaffe codes T9+CK, T9+FK, T9+HK and T9+PK) andthree P-51Ds were captured.[84] Some of these P-51s were found by Allied forces at the end of the war; otherscrashed during testing.[85] The Mustang is also listed in the appendix to the novel KG 200 as having beenflown by the German secret operations unit KG 200, which tested, evaluated and sometimes clandestinelyoperated captured enemy aircraft during World War II.[86]

 GuatemalaThe Fuerza Aérea Guatemalteca (FAG) had 30 P-51D Mustangs in service from 1954 to the early 1970s.[78]

 HaitiHaiti had four P-51D Mustangs when President Paul Eugène Magloire was in power between 1950 and 1956,with the last retired in 1973-74 and sold for spares to the Dominican Republic.[87]

 IndonesiaIndonesia acquired some P-51Ds from the departing Netherlands East Indies Air Force in 1949 and 1950. TheMustangs were used against Commonwealth (RAF, RAAF and RNZAF) forces during the Indonesianconfrontation in the early 1960s. The last time Mustangs were deployed for military purposes was a shipmentof six Cavalier II Mustangs (without tip tanks) delivered to Indonesia in 1972–1973, which were replaced in1976.[88] [89]

 IsraelA few P-51 Mustangs were illegally bought by Israel in 1948 for use in the War of Independence (1948) andquickly established themselves as the best fighter in the Israeli inventory. Further aircraft were bought fromSweden, and were replaced by jets at the end of the 1950s, but not before the type was used in the Suez Crisis,Operation Kadesh (1956). Reputedly, during this conflict, one daring Israeli pilot literally cut communicationsbetween Suez City and the Egyptian front lines by using his Mustang's propeller on the telephone wires.[90]

 ItalyItaly was a postwar operator of P-51Ds; deliveries were slowed by the Korean war, but between September 1947 and January 1951, by MDAP count, 173 examples were delivered. They were used in all the AMI fighter units: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 51 Stormo (Wing), and some in schools and experimental units. Considered a "glamorous" fighter, P-51s were even used as personal aircraft by several Italian commanders. Some restrictions were placed on its use due to unfavorable flying characteristics. Handling had to be done with much care when fuel tanks were fully utilized and several aerobatic maneuvers were forbidden. Overall, the P-51D was highly rated even compared to the other primary postwar fighter in Italian service, the Supermarine Spitfire, partly because these P-51Ds were in very good condition in contrast to all other Allied fighters

North American P-51 Mustang 18

supplied to Italy. Phasing out of the Mustang began in summer 1958.[91] [92]

 JapanThe P-51C-11-NT Evalina, marked as "278" (former USAAF serial: 44-10816) and flown by 26th FS, 51stFG, was hit by gunfire on 16 January 1945 and belly-landed on Suchon Airfield in China, which was held bythe Japanese. The Japanese repaired the aircraft, roughly applied Hinomaru roundels and flew the aircraft tothe Fussa evaluation centre (now Yokota Air Base) in Japan.[78]

 NetherlandsThe Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force received 40 P-51Ds and flew them during the IndonesianNational Revolution particularly the two 'politionele acties': Operatie Product in 1947 and Operatie Kraai in1949.[93] When the conflict was over, Indonesia received some of the ML-KNIL Mustangs.[78]

 NicaraguaFuerza Aerea de Nicaragua (GN) purchased 26 P-51D Mustangs from Sweden in 1954 and later received 30P-51D Mustangs from the US together with two TF-51 models from MAP after 1954. All aircraft of this typewere retired from service by 1964.[78]

P-51D in 3 (Canterbury) Squadron TAF livery,performing at 2007 Wings over Wairarapa

airshow

 New ZealandNew Zealand ordered 370 P-51 Mustangs to supplement its F4UCorsairs in the Pacific Ocean Areas theatre. Scheduled deliverieswere for an initial batch of 30 P-51Ds, followed by 137 moreP-51Ds and 203 P-51Ms.[94] The original 30 were being shippedas the war ended in August 1945; these were stored in theirpacking cases and the order for the additional Mustangs wascancelled. In 1951 the stored Mustangs entered service in 1(Auckland), 2(Wellington), 3 (Canterbury) and 4 (Otago)squadrons of the Territorial Air Force (TAF). The Mustangsremained in service until they were prematurely retired inAugust 1955 following a series of problems with undercarriage and coolant system corrosion problems. FourMustangs served on as target tugs until the TAF was disbanded in 1957.[94] RNZAF pilots in the Royal AirForce also flew the P-51, and at least one New Zealand pilot scored victories over Europe while on loan to aUSAAF P-51 squadron.

 PhilippinesThe Phillippines acquired 103 P-51D Mustangs after World War II. These became the backbone of the postwarPhilippine Army Air Corps and Philippine Air Force and were used extensively during the Huk campaign, fightingagainst Communist insurgents.

Philippine Air Force P-51D. The tailwheels werefixed in the extended position.

Mustangs were also the first aircraft of the Philippine air demonstrationsquadron, which was formed in 1953 and given the name "The BlueDiamonds" the following year.[95] The Mustangs were replaced by 50F-86 Sabres in the late 1950s, but some were still in service for COINroles up to the early 1970s.

 People's Republic of ChinaSee China above; the Chinese Communists captured a few P-51sfrom the Chinese Nationalists as they were retreating toTaiwan.[78]

 Poland

North American P-51 Mustang 19

During World War II, five Polish Air Force in Great Britain squadrons used Mustangs. The first Polish unitequipped (7 June 1942) with Mustang Mk Is was "B" Flight of 309 "Ziemi Czerwieńskiej" Squadron[96] (anArmy Co-Operation Command unit), followed by "A" Flight in March 1943. Subsequently, 309 Squadron wasredesignated a fighter/reconnaissance unit and became part of Fighter Command. On 13 March 1944, 316"Warszawski" Squadron received their first Mustang Mk IIIs; rearming of the unit was completed by the endof April. By 26 March 1943, 306 "Toruński" Sqn and 315 "Dębliński" Sqn received Mustangs Mk IIIs (thewhole operation took 12 days). On 20 October 1944, Mustang Mk Is in No. 309 Squadron were replaced byMk IIIs. On 11 December 1944, the unit was again renamed, becoming "309 Dywizjon Myśliwski "ZiemiCzerwieńskiej" or 309 "Land of Czerwien" Polish Fighter Squadron.[97] In 1945, 303 "Kościuszko" Sqnreceived 20 Mustangs Mk IV/Mk IVA replacements. Postwar, between 6 December 1946 and 6 January 1947,all five Polish squadrons equipped with Mustangs were disbanded. Poland returned approximately 80Mustangs Mk IIIs and 20 Mustangs Mk IV/IVAs to the RAF, which transferred them to the U.S.government.[98]

 SomaliaThe Somalian Air Force had brought 8 P-51D models in service.

 South AfricaThe South African Air Force operated a number of Mustang Mk Is and Mk IIs (P-51As) in Italy and theMiddle East during World War II. After VE-Day, these machines were soon struck off charge and scrapped. In1950, 2 Squadron SAAF was supplied with F-51D Mustangs by the United States for Korean War service. Thetype performed well in South African hands before being replaced by the F-86 Sabre in 1952 and 1953.[78]

 South Korea

The F-51D in ROKAF service

Within a month of the outbreak of the Korean War, 10 F-51DMustangs were provided to the badly depleted Republic of KoreaAir Force as a part of the Bout One Project. They were flown byboth South Korean airmen, several of whom were veterans of theImperial Japanese Army and Navy air services during WorldWar II, as well as by U.S. advisers led by Major Dean Hess.Later, more were provided both from U.S. and from SouthAfrican stocks, as the latter were converting to F-86 Sabres.They formed the backbone of the South Korean Air Force untilthey were replaced by Sabres.[78]

It also served with the ROKAF Black Eagles aerobatic team, until retired 1954.  Soviet Union

The Soviet Union received at least 10 early-model ex-RAF Mustang Is and tested but found them tounder-perform compared to contemporary USSR fighters, relegating them to training units. Later Lend-Leasedeliveries of the P-51B/C and D series along with other Mustangs abandoned in Russia after the famous"shuttle missions" were repaired and used by the Soviet Air Force, but not in front-line service.[99]

 SwedenSweden's Flygvapnet first recuperated four of the P-51s (two P-51Bs and two early P-51Ds) that had been diverted to Sweden during missions over Europe. In February 1945, Sweden purchased 50 P-51Ds designated J 26, which were delivered by American pilots in April and assigned to the F 16 wing at Uppsala as interceptors. In early 1946, the F 4 wing at Östersund was equipped with a second batch of 90 P-51Ds. A final batch of 21 Mustangs was purchased in 1948. In all, 161 J 26s served in the Swedish Air Force during the late 1940s. About a dozen were modified for photo reconnaissance and re-designated S 26. A few of these aircraft participated in the top secret Swedish mapping of new Soviet military installations at the Baltic coast in

North American P-51 Mustang 20

1946-47 (Operation Falun), an endeavour that entailed many intentional violations of Soviet airspace.However, the Mustang could outdive any Soviet fighter of that era, so no S 26s were lost in thesemissions.[100] The J 26s were replaced by De Havilland Vampires around 1950. The S 26s were replaced by S29Cs in the early 1950s.[78]

 Switzerland

A restored Swiss Air Force P-51D

The Swiss Air Force operated a few USAAF P-51s that had beenimpounded by Swiss authorities during World War II after thepilots were forced to land in neutral Switzerland. After the war,Switzerland also bought 130 P-51s for $4,000 each. They serveduntil 1958.[78]

 United KingdomThe RAF was the first air force to operate the Mustang. Becausethe first Mustangs were built to British requirements these used factory numbers and were not P-51s; the ordercomprised 320 NA-73s, followed by 300 NA-83s, all of which were designated Mustang Mark Is by theRAF.[101] The first RAF Mustangs diverted from American orders were 93 P-51s, designated Mark IA,followed by 50 P-51As used as Mustang IIs.[102]

The first Mustang Mk Is entered service in 1941, wearing the standard RAF fighter markings. Due to poorhigh-altitude performance, the Mustangs were soon transferred to Army co-operation and fighterreconnaissance duties. On 27 July 1942, 16 RAF Mustangs undertook their first long-range reconnaissancemission over Germany. During Operation Jubilee (19 August 1942) four British and Canadian Mustangsquadrons, including 26 Squadron saw action. By 1943/1944, British Mustangs were used extensively to seekout V-1 flying bomb sites. The final RAF Mustang Mk I and Mustang Mk II aircraft were struck off charge in1945.The RAF also operated a total of 308 P-51Bs and 636 P-51Cs[103] which were known in RAF service asMustang Mk IIIs; the first units converted to the type in late 1943 and early 1944. Mustang Mk III units wereoperational until the end of World War II, though many units had already converted to the Mustang Mk IV andMk IVAs (828 in total, comprising 282 P-51D-NAs or Mk IVs, and 600 P-51Ks or Mk IVA).[104] As theMustang was a Lend-Lease type, all aircraft still on RAF charge at the end of the war were either returned tothe USAAF "on paper" or retained by the RAF for scrapping. The final Mustangs were retired from RAF usein 1947.[78]

 UruguayThe Uruguayan Air Force (FAU) used 25 P-51D Mustangs from 1950 to 1960—some were subsequently soldto Bolivia.[78]

 Yugoslavia• The SFR Yugoslav Air Force received 9 Mustangs.

North American P-51 Mustang 21

P-51s and civil aviationMany P-51s were sold as surplus after the war, often for as little as $1,500. Some were sold to former wartime fliersor other aficionados for personal use, while others were modified for air racing.[105]

Charles Blair's Excalibur III at the Steven F.Udvar-Hazy Center (NASM)

One of the most significant Mustangs involved in air racing was asurplus P-51C-10-NT (44-10947) purchased by Paul Mantz, a filmstunt pilot. The aircraft was modified by creating a "wet wing", sealingthe wing to create a giant fuel tank in each wing, which eliminated theneed for fuel stops or drag-inducing drop tanks. This Mustang, calledBlaze of Noon, came in first in the 1946 and 1947 Bendix Air Races,second in the 1948 Bendix, and third in the 1949 Bendix. He also set aU.S. coast-to-coast record in 1947. The Mantz Mustang was sold toCharles F. Blair Jr (future husband of Maureen O'Hara) and re-named Excaliber III. Blair used it to set a NewYork-to-London (c. 3,460 mi/5,568 km) record in 1951. Later that same year, he flew from Norway to Fairbanks,Alaska, via the North Pole (c. 3,130 mi/5,037 km), proving that navigation via sun sights was possible over themagnetic north pole region. For this feat, he was awarded the Harmon Trophy, and the Air Force was forced tochange its thoughts on a possible Soviet air strike from the north. This Mustang now resides in the National Air andSpace Museum at Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.[106]

Miss Helen, a P-51D in its wartime markings asflown by Capt. Raymond H. Littge of the 487 FS,

352 FG, on aerial display in 2007. It is the lastoriginal 352 FG P-51 known to exist

The most prominent firm to convert Mustangs to civilian use wasTrans-Florida Aviation, later renamed Cavalier Aircraft Corporation,which produced the Cavalier Mustang. Modifications included a tallertailfin and wingtip tanks. A number of conversions included a CavalierMustang specialty: a "tight" second seat added in the space formerlyoccupied by the military radio and fuselage fuel tank.

In 1958, 78 surviving RCAF Mustangs were retired from service'sinventory and were ferried from their varied storage locations toCanastota, New York where the American buyers had been located.These aircraft make up a large percentage of the aircraft presentlyflying worldwide.[107]

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, when the United States Departmentof Defense wished to supply aircraft to South American countries and later Indonesia for close air support andcounter insurgency, it turned to Cavalier to return some of their civilian conversions back to updated militaryspecifications.

In the twenty-first century a P-51 can command a price of more than $1 million, even for only partially restoredaircraft.[107] Some privately owned P-51s are still flying, often associated with organizations such as theCommemorative Air Force (formerly the Confederate Air Force).[108]

Variants

North American P-51 Mustang 22

NA-73XThe initial prototype was designated the NA-73X by themanufacturer, North American Aviation.

Mustang Mk IThe first production contract was awarded by the British for 320NA-73 fighters. A second British contract for 300 more MustangMk Is was assigned a model number of NA-83 by North

American.XP-51

Two aircraft of this lot delivered to the USAAF were designated XP-51.P-51

In September 1940, 150 aircraft designated NA-91 by North American were ordered under the Lend/Leaseprogram. These were designated by the USAAF as P-51 and initially named the Apache, although this namewas dropped early-on for Mustang. The British designated this model as Mustang Mk IA. They were equippedwith four long-barrelled 20 mm (.79 in) Hispano Mk II cannon instead of machine guns. A number of aircraftfrom this lot were fitted out by the USAAF as photo reconnaissance aircraft and designated F-6A. The Britishwould fit a number of Mustang Mk I fighters with photographic reconnaissance equipment as well. Also, twoaircraft of this lot were fitted with the Packard-built Merlin engine and were designated by North American asmodel NA-101 and by the USAAF initially as the XP-78, but quickly re-designated to XP-51B.

In early 1942, the USAAF ordered a lot of 500 aircraft modified as dive bombers that were designated A-36A. NorthAmerican assigned the aircraft the model number NA-97. This model became the first USAAF Mustang to seecombat. One aircraft was passed to the British, who gave it the name Mustang Mk I (Dive Bomber).Following the A-36A order, the USAAF ordered 310 model NA-99 fighters that were designated P-51A by theUSAAF and Mustang Mk II by the RAF. A number of this lot of aircraft were equipped with K-24 cameras anddesignated F-6B. All these models of the Mustang were equipped with Allison V-1710 engines except the prototypeXP-51B.Beginning with the model NA-102 Mustang, the Packard V-1650replaced the Allison. In the summer of 1943, Mustang production wasbegun at a new plant in Dallas, Texas, as well as at the existing facilityin Inglewood, California. The model NA-102 was produced as theP-51B in Inglewood, while the NA-103 as the P-51C was produced atDallas. The RAF named these models Mustang Mk III. Again, anumber of the P-51B and P-51C aircraft were fitted for photoReconnaissance and designated F-6C.The prototypes of the bubble canopy change were designated model NA-106 by North American and P-51D by theUSAAF. The production version, while retaining the P-51D designation, was assigned model number NA-109 byNorth American. The P-51D became the most widely produced variant of the Mustang. A variation of the P-51Dequipped with an Aeroproducts propeller in place of the Hamilton Standard propeller was designated the P-51K. Thephoto versions of the P-51D and P-51K were designated F-6D and F-6K respectively. The RAF assigned the nameMustang Mk IV to the P-51D model and Mustang Mk IVA to P-51K models.

North American P-51 Mustang 23

P-51B in flight showing wing planform

As the USAAF specifications required airframe design to a higher loadfactor than that used by the British for their fighters, consideration wasgiven to re-designing the Mustang to the lower British requirements inorder to reduce the weight of the aircraft and thus improveperformance. In 1943, North American submitted a proposal to do there-design as model NA-105, which was accepted by the USAAF. Thedesignation XP-51F was assigned for prototypes powered with V-1650engines and XP-51G to those with reverse lend/lease Merlin 145Mengines. Modifications included changes to the cowling, a simplifiedundercarriage with smaller wheels and disk brakes, and a largercanopy. A third prototype was added to the development that waspowered by an Allison V-1710 engine. This aircraft was designated XP-51J. As the engine was insufficientlydeveloped, the XP-51J was loaned to Allison for engine development. A small number of XP-51Fs were passed tothe British as the Mustang Mk V.The final production Mustang, the P-51H, embodied the experience gained in the development of the lightweightXP-51F and XP-51G aircraft. This aircraft, model NA-126, and, with minor differences, NA-129, came too late toparticipate in World War II, but it brought the development of the Mustang to a peak and was one of the fastestproduction piston-engine fighters to see service. The P-51H used the Merlin V-1659-9 engine, equipped withSimmons automatic boost control and water injection, allowing War Emergency Power as high as 2218 hp (1654kW). Some of the weight savings inherited from the XP-51F and XP-51G were invested in lengthening the fuselageand 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 P-51D 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-47N as theprimary aircraft for the invasion of Japan, and 2,000 were ordered to be built at the Inglewood plant. With thesolution to the problem of yaw control, the P-51H was now considered a suitable candidate for testing as an aircraftcarrier-based fighter; but with the end of the war, the testing was cut short, and production was halted after 555aircraft were built. Although some P-51Hs were issued to operational units, none saw combat. One aircraft wasgiven to the RAF for testing and evaluation. Serial number 44-64192 was re-serialed as BuNo 09064 and used by theU.S. Navy to test transonic airfoil designs, then returned to the Air National Guard in 1952. The P-51H was not usedfor combat in the Korean War despite its improved handling characteristics, due to the lack of experience withdurability of the lighter airframe under combat conditions as well as limited numbers in the USAF inventory.[109]

With the cutback in production, the variants of the P-51H with different versions of the Merlin engine were producedin either limited numbers or terminated. These included the P-51L, similar to the P-51H but utilizing the 2270 hp(1690 kW) V-1650-11 engine, which was never built, and its Dallas-built version, the P-51M, or NA-124, whichutilized the V-1650-9A engine lacking water injection and therefore rated for lower maximum power, of which onewas built out of the original 1629 ordered, AAF Serial Number 45-11743.

F-51Redesignation of all P-51s in 1947 in the U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard followingestablishment of the U.S. Air Force as a separate service.

TF-51DTwin seat/dual control version of the F-51 with four versus six guns.

North American P-51 Mustang 24

Production

P-51D on runway

Source: U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since1909[110]

• NA.73X Prototype: One built• P-51: 150 built• P-51A: 310 built at Inglewood, California• P-51B: 1,988 built at Inglewood• P-51C: 1,750 built at Dallas, Texas• P-51D: A total of 8,156 were built: 6,502 at Inglewood, 1,454 at

Dallas and 200 by CAC at Fisherman's Bend, Australia• XP-51F: Three built• XP-51G: Two built• P-51H: 555 built at Inglewood• XP-51J: Two built

P-51D being assembled, Inglewood,California.[111]

• P-51K: 1,500 built• P-51L: None built - cancelled• P-51M: One built at Dallas• Mustang Mk I: 620 built• Mustang Mk III: 852 built• Mustang Mk IV: 281 built• Mustang Mk IVA: 595 builtTotal number built: 16,766 (most numerous American fighteraircraft)

Scale replicasThe P-51 has been the subject of numerous scale flying replicas; aside from ever-popular R/C-controlled aircraft,several kitplane manufacturers offer ½, ⅔, and ¾-scale replicas capable of comfortably seating one (or even two)and offering high performance combined with more forgiving flight characteristics. Such aircraft include the TitanT-51 Mustang, W.A.R. P-51 Mustang, Linn Mini Mustang, Jurca Mustang, Thunder Mustang, and Loehle 5151Mustang.

SurvivorsAmong the 287 current airframes and the 154 "flying" Mustangs are the following:[112]

• XP-51 41-038 Original prototype on display, Oshkosh• P-51A-1NA Mustang in storage for restoration, Kermit Weeks, Fantasy of Flight, Polk City, Florida• P-51A-10-NA Mustang now flying and marked as Miss Virginia, Planes of Fame, Chino, California[113]

• A-36 Mustang, Planes of Fame, Chino, California• P-51C-10-NT Mustang flying as Ina the Macon Belle of Lt. Lee Archer, the only five-victory ace of the Tuskegee

Airmen 332nd FG, 302nd FS. Kermit Weeks, Tamiami, Florida

North American P-51 Mustang 25

Ina The Macon Belle taxiing at Fantasy of Flightin Polk City Florida.

• P-51D (s/n 44-74936) is on display at the National Museum of theUnited States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio.It was the last P-51 in USAF service as well as the last USAFpropeller-driven fighter in operation. It was obtained from the WestVirginia Air National Guard in January 1957. It is painted as theP-51D flown by Col C.L. Sluder, commander of the 325th FighterGroup in Italy in 1944. The name of this aircraft, Shimmy IV, comesfrom the names of his daughter, Sharon, and his wife, Zimmy.[114]

• P-51D Mustang, Olympic Flight Museum, Olympia, Washington. Inflying condition.

• P-51D Mustang, Indiana Aviation Museum, Valparaiso, Indiana. In flying condition, served with the NorthDakota, Alabama, and Kentucky Air National Guards.

• P-51 Mustang (Mk IV), Vintage Wings of Canada, Gatineau, Quebec.• P-51D Mustang, N167F, Scandinavia Historic Flight, painted as Old Crow, the aircraft of one of the 8th AF aces,

Col. Clarence E. "Bud" Anderson of the 357th Fighter Group, 363rd Fighter Squadron.[115]

• P-51D Mustang, SE-BIL, It's About Time, based in Sweden.[116]

• P-51D Mustang (P-51D-20-NA), Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison, Texas. The aircraft is in flying condition.• P-51D Mustang, Spam Can, Planes of Fame, Chino, California• P-51D Mustang, Wee Willy II, Planes of Fame, Chino, California

Ole Yeller, flown by John Bagley at an airshow inRexburg, Idaho

• P-51D Mustang marked as under restoration, Planes of Fame,Chino, California

• P-51H Mustang 44-64415 Flying, Whittington Bros, FortLauderdale, Florida

• P-51D Old Yeller, formerly owned by Bob Hoover. In flyingcondition. Currently owned by John Bagley of Rexburg, Idaho, anddisplayed at the Legacy Flight Museum.[117]

• CA-17 Mk 20 A68-1, N51WB, 44-74960/A68-1001 Jeannie Too,flying, Wiley Sanders, Troy, Alabama.[118] [119]

• CA-18 Mk 21 A68-104, VH-BOB, suffered wheels-up landing April2008, under repair as of November 2009, Bob Eastgate,Australia.[120]

• CA-18 Mk 22 A68-192, G-HAEC, 44-72218 Big Beautiful Doll, flying, Robert W Davies, Duxford UK.[118] [121]

• P-51D Mustang, G-BTCD Ser. No. 44-73419, painted to resemble 44-13704, Ferocious Frankie, operated by theOld Flying Machine Company, Imperial War Museum Duxford, Cambridgeshire, UK.[122] [123]

• P-51D Mustang, G-SIJJ, 44-72035 - painted to resemble 44-64076 Jumpin Jacques, operated by the Hangar 11Collection, North Weald, UK.[124]

• P-51 Mustang of the Philippine Air Force, painted in original markings with "shark mouth", on display at the AirForce Museum, Villamor Air Base, Pasay City, Philippines

• P-51D Mustang Never Miss at the Salem Airport in Salem, Oregon. Flying condition.• P-51D Mustang Big Beautiful Doll tail number 472218, indoor suspended display at Imperial War Museum,

London, UK.

North American P-51 Mustang 26

Betty Jane sits on the apron at Page Field

• P-51D Mustang N51DH at Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum,McMinnville, Oregon. Flying condition.

• P-51D Mustang Old Crow N451MG at Columbus, Ohio. Formerlyowned by Jack Roush. Flying condition.

• P-51D Mustang Crusader N51JT at Centennial Airport inCentennial, Colorado. Joe Thibodeau owner and pilot. Flyingcondition.

• P-51C Mustang Betty Jane NL25IMX involved in the CollingFoundation's Wings of Freedom tour. Flying condition.

• P-51D-30NA Mustang "Miss America" (USAAF 44-74536) Flyingcondition based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, flown each year in the Reno Air Races by Dr. Brent Hisey. Theextensive race modifications include: 32 feet (clipped) wingspan, empty weight of 7.000 lbs and a max take offweight of 9,600 lbs. Engine is a highly modified Packard Merlin V-1650. Performance include 50 gph in normalcruise and 150 gph during takeoff, cruise Speed: 245 knots, racing speed: 436+ mph and range: 750 nauticalmiles.[125]

South Korea

• F-51D Mustang on display at the War Memorial of Korea, Seoul.

Specifications

P-51D Mustang

Data from Erection and Maintenance Manual forP-51D and P-51K.[126] The Great Book ofFighters,[127] and Quest for Performance[128]

General characteristics• Crew: 1• Length: 32 ft 3 in (9.83 m)• Wingspan: 37 ft 0 in (11.28 m)• Height: 13 ft 4½ in (4.08 m:tail wheel on

ground, vertical propeller blade.)• 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)• Powerplant: 1× Packard V-1650-7 liquid-cooled supercharged V-12, 1,490 hp (1,111 kW) at 3,000 rpm;[129]

1,720 hp (1,282 kW) at WEP• 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 (7,600 m)• Cruise speed: 362 mph (580 km/h)• Stall speed: 100 mph (160 km/h)

North American P-51 Mustang 27

• Range: 1,650 mi (2,755 km) with external tanks• Service ceiling: 41,900 ft (12,800 m)• Rate of climb: 3,200 ft/min (16.3 m/s)• Wing loading: 39 lb/ft² (192 kg/m²)• Power/mass: 0.18 hp/lb (300 W/kg)• Lift-to-drag ratio: 14.6• Recommended Mach limit 0.8

Armament• 6× 0.50 caliber (12.7mm) M2 Browning machine guns with 1,880 total rounds (400 rounds for each on the inner

pair, and 270 rounds for each of the outer two pair)• 2× hardpoints for up to 2,000 lb (907 kg) of bombs• 6 or 10× T64 5.0 in (127 mm) H.V.A.R rockets (P-51D-25, P-51K-10 on)[130]

P-51H MustangData from The Great Book of Fighters[127]

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)• Powerplant: 1× Packard V-1650-9 liquid-cooled supercharged V-12, 1,490 hp (1,111 kW) at 3,000 rpm,

2,220 hp (1,655 kW) at WEP[131]

Performance• Maximum speed: 487 mph (784 km/h) at 25,000 ft (7,600 m)• Range: 1,160 mi (1,865 km) with external tanks• Service ceiling: 41,600 ft (12,700 m)• Rate of climb: 3,300 ft/min (16.8 m/s)• Wing loading: 40.4 lb/ft² (197.4 kg/m²)• Power/mass: 0.23 hp/lb (385 W/kg)

Armament• 6× 0.50 inch (12.7mm) M2 Browning machine guns with 1,880 total rounds (400 rounds for each on the inner

pair, and 270 rounds for each of the outer two pair), or 4 of the same guns with 1,600 total rounds (400 rpg)

North American P-51 Mustang 28

Notable appearances in media

The restored P-51C Mustang associated with theTuskegee Airmen now flown by Red Tail Project

as described in Red Tail Reborn

• Battle Hymn (1956) is based on the real-life experiences of Lt ColDean E. Hess, USAF (played by Rock Hudson) and his cadre ofU.S. Air Force instructors in the early days of the Korean War,training the pilots of the Republic of Korea Air Force and leadingthem in their baptism of fire in F-51D/F-51Ks.

• The Lady Takes a Flyer (1958) features a P-51D prominently in thefinal sequence, when Lana Turner (as Maggie Colby) crashesdramatically at the end of a perilous ferry flight to England.

• The Tuskegee Airmen (1995), the story of how a group ofAfrican-American pilots overcame racist opposition to become oneof the finest U.S. fighter groups in World War II, flying P-51s,although the 99th Squadron would have used P-40 and P-39 during their North African stint.[132]

• Red Tail Reborn (2007), the story behind the restoration of a flying memorial plane.• P-51s have been prominently featured in important scenes from two of director Steven Spielberg's World War II

era-films: Empire of the Sun (1987) and Saving Private Ryan (1998).[133]

See alsoRelated development• Cavalier Mustang• North American A-36• North American Mustang Mk.X• North American F-82 Twin Mustang• North American FJ-1 Fury• North American T-28 Trojan• Piper PA-48 Enforcer• Titan T-51 Mustang

Comparable aircraft• CAC CA-15 Kangaroo• Focke-Wulf Fw 190• Focke-Wulf Ta 152• Martin-Baker MB 5• Republic P-47 Thunderbolt• Supermarine Spitfire• Yakovlev Yak-9

Related lists• List of military aircraft of the United States• List of fighter aircraft• Allied technological cooperation during World War II

North American P-51 Mustang 29

ReferencesFootnotes[1] Knaack 1978.[2] Gunston 1984, p. 58.[3] Najjar was an aviation enthusiast who saw the sleek lines of the original Ford Mustang I concept car as similar to that of the P-51 Mustang.

After public relations and the legal department vetted the project name (they particularly liked the connection to the wild horse of the samename), the name continued onto the Mustang II showcar and later was applied to the production version of the Ford Mustang. Leffingwell2003, p. 43.

[4] Pearcy 1996, p. 15.[5] Pearcy 1996, p. 30.[6] Delve 1999, p. 11.[7] Delve 1999, p. 12.[8] P-51D wingroot section (http:/ / www. ae. uiuc. edu/ m-selig/ ads/ afplots/ p51droot. gif) P-51D wingtip section (http:/ / www. ae. uiuc. edu/

m-selig/ ads/ afplots/ p51dtip. gif) Retrieved: 22 March 2008[9] "Discussion of laminar flow on P-51 wing." (http:/ / yarchive. net/ mil/ laminar_flow. html) yarchive.net/mil. Retrieved: 4 July 2008.[10] Yenne 1989, p. 49.[11] "P-51 History: Mustang I." (http:/ / www. gml2007. com/ history3. asp) The Gathering of Mustangs & Legends. Retrieved: 26 March 2009.[12] Gruenhagan 1980, pp. 178, 180–181.[13] Birch 1987, p. 11.[14] The Wright Field Flight reports are indexed in the External Links, P-51 (Allison Engine).[15] Donald 1997, p. 701.[16] Gruenhagan 1980, pp. 66–67, 178, 182, 196.[17] Gruenhagen, 1980, pp. 81–82.[18] Bridgman 1946, pp. 248–249.[19] Birch 1987, p. 35.[20] The provisional designation XP-78 was dropped after a formal decision had been taken to develop the new engine and airframe combination

and to stop production of any further Allison engined aircraft.Gruenhagen 1980, p. 74.[21] Gruenhagen 1980, pp.72-73.[22] Gruenhagen 1980, p. 73.[23] Gruenhagen 1980, pp. 74, 76–77.[24] Gruenhagen 1980, pp. 78, 104–105.[25] Gruenhagen 1980, pp. 104–105.[26] Gruenhagen 1980, pp. 72–79, 178, 182–183.[27] Gruenhagen 1980, pp. 74, 78–79.[28] The Inglewood manufactured Bs were given the suffix NA (eg P-51B-5-NA) while the Dallas manufactured P-51Cs were given the suffix

NT (eg P-51C-10-NT). P-51Ds used the same NA suffix while the equivalent P-51Ks used the suffix NT.[29] Gruenhagen 1980, p. 192[30] This was exactly ⅔ supersonic speed, or Mach 0.67) "P-51B performance data." (http:/ / www. spitfireperformance. com/ mustang/

mustangtest. html) Retrieved: 27 July 2008.[31] Gruenhagen 1980, p. 91.[32] Gruenhagen 1980, pp. 91, 110–111.[33] The only proper frames housed the runners at the base; because the fore and aft frames were perspex the canopy was able to break apart

should it strike the tail on jettisoning.[34] This Mustang can also be seen in the heading photo of the 375th Fighter Squadron, 361st Fighter Group.[35] Gruenhagen 1980, p. 96.[36] AN 01-60JE-2 1944, p. 386B.[37] Gruenhagen 1980, p. 90.[38] AN 01-60JE-2 1944, pp. 398-399.[39] AN 01-60JE-2 1944, pp. 373, 377-381.[40] The K-14A had range lines for the T64 rockets etched onto the sight reticle.AN 01-60JE-2 1944, p. 373.[41] Command radio equipment was used to communicate with other aircraft or ground stations, while R/T was used between aircraft only. The

AN/APS-13 was fitted to late series aircraft and used four small antenna mounted horizontally on the vertical tail fin.[42] AN 01-60JE-2 1944, p. 336.[43] "Comparison of P-51B/P-51C and P-51D/P-51K undercarriages." (http:/ / www. warbirdinformationexchange. org/ phpBB2/ viewtopic.

php?t=22220& highlight=& sid=329f8f0c2ad6cb29a3e7cf5275bd82b6) warbirdinformationexchange.org. Retrieved: 4 July 2008.[44] AN 01-60JE-2 1944, p. 21.[45] Files 231 sheet 6 World Aircraft Information Files[46] Kaplan 2001, p. 51.

North American P-51 Mustang 30

[47] Note: A brief description of this "navalized" P-51D is included under "Experimental Mustangs".[48] P-51H root section (http:/ / www. ae. uiuc. edu/ m-selig/ ads/ afplots/ p51hroot. gif) P-51H tip section (http:/ / www. ae. uiuc. edu/ m-selig/

ads/ afplots/ p51htip. gif) Retrieved: 22 March 2008.[49] Gruenhagen 1980, p. 185.[50] Gruenhagen 1980, pp. 117–125, 185–187.[51] Grunehagen 1980, pp. 128–129.[52] Gruenhagen 1980, p. 129.[53] Gruenhagen 1980, pp. 130–131, 185, 192.[54] Hastings 1979, pp. 214-215.[55] Dean 1997, p. 338.[56] Sims 1980, pp. 134–135.[57] Sims 1980, pp. 197–202.[58] Spick 1983, p. 111.[59] Olmsted 1994, p. 144.[60] Bowen, Ezra. Knights of the Air (Epic of Flight) . New York: Time-Life Books, 1980. ISBN 0-8094-3252-8.[61] Scutts 1994, p. 58.[62] Scutts 1994, p. 59.[63] Glancey 2006, p. 188.[64] All but three of these FGs flew P-38s, P-40s, or P-47s before converting to the Mustang.[65] Dean 1997, p. 339.[66] Global Security. 4th Fighter Wing (http:/ / www. globalsecurity. org/ military/ agency/ usaf/ 4fw. htm) Retrieved: 12 April 2007.[67] Thompson with Smith 2008, p. 233.[68] USAF Fact sheet (http:/ / www. nationalmuseum. af. mil/ factsheets/ factsheet. asp?id=2214)[69] Gunston, Bill. North American P-51 Mustang. New York: Gallery Books, 1990. ISBN 0-8317-1402-6.[70] Wixey 2001, p. 55.[71] Dominican Republic (http:/ / www. acig. org/ artman/ publish/ article_153. shtml)[72] Munson 1969, p. 97.[73] Anderson 1975, p. 3.[74] The prototype of the Mark 23, A68-1001, ex 44-13293, was used as a development aircraft by CAC prior to assembling the CA-17s and was

re-engined with a Rolls-Royce Merlin 70 to assess the suitability of the British built engine.[75] Anderson 1975, pp. 16–43.[76] Anderson 1975, pp. 50–65.[77] Anderson 1975, p. 71.[78] Gunston 1990 p. 39.[79] Hagedorn 1993, p. 147[80] Hagedorn 2006[81] Dienst 1985[82] Gunston and Dorr 1995, p. 107.[83] Gunston and Dorr 1995, pp. 109–110.[84] Smith et al 2004, pp. 78–79, 80, 82.[85] Smith et al. 2004, pp. 108–114.[86] Gilman and Clive 1978, p. 314.[87] Gunston and Dorr 1995, p. 108.[88] Cavalier Mustangs (http:/ / www. mustangsmustangs. net/ p-51/ p51variants/ Cavalier. shtml) Mustangs-Mustangs. Retrieved: 12 April

2007.[89] "Indonesian Air Arms Overview". (http:/ / www. scramble. nl/ id. htm) Scramble: Dutch Aviation Society. Retrieved: 12 April 2007.[90] Yenne 1989, p. 62.[91] Sgarlato[92] Although Somalia is sometimes mentioned as a Mustang operator, this is a mistake for the Italian Air Force Mustangs operated there in the

post-war colonial period. No Mustangs were used by Somalia after independence.[93] Kahin (2003), p.90[94] Wilson 2010, p. 42.[95] "Blue Diamonds: Philippine Air Force." (http:/ / www. webcitation. org/ query?url=http:/ / www. geocities. com/ CapeCanaveral/ Hangar/

7279/ bluedia2. html& date=2009-10-25+ 06:36:49) geocities.com. Retrieved: March 21, 2008.[96] "Ziemi Czerwieńskiej" = "Land of Czerwien", "Warszawski" = "City of Warsaw", "Toruński" = City of Toruń", "Dębliński" = "City of

Deblin", "Kościuszko" = named after Tadeusz Kościuszko; RAF Polish units retained the name and the logo of a squadron from the Polish AirForce which fought the Germans in 1939.

[97] "309 Sqn photo gallery." (http:/ / www. polishairforce. pl/ dyw309zdj. html) polishairforce.pl. Retrieved: 18 February 2010.[98] Mietelski 1981

North American P-51 Mustang 31

[99] Gordon 2008, pp. 448–449.[100] Andersson, Lennart and Leif Hellström. Bortom Horisonten: Svensk Flygspaning mot Sovjetunionen 1946-1952 (in Swedish). Stockholm:

All about Hobbies, 2009. ISBN 978-91-7243-015-0.[101] Gruenhagen 1980, p.193.[102] Gruenhagen 1980, pp. 195–196.[103] Gruenhagen 1980, pp. 199–200.[104] Gruenhagen 1980, pp. 201, 205[105] Swiss Mustangs (http:/ / www. swissmustangs. ch/ 35899. html).[106] Mustang "NA P-51C Mustang." (http:/ / www. nasm. si. edu/ research/ aero/ aircraft/ NAP-51C. htm) NASM. Rerieved: 30 September

2010.[107] "P-51s for Sale." (http:/ / www. mustangsmustangs. net/ p-51/ p51sforsale/ 4473142apr2005. shtml). mustangsmustangs.net. Retrieved: 30

September 2010.[108] "Aircraft rides." (http:/ / www. dixiewing. org/ aircraft_rides/ ) Dixie Wing. Retrieved: 1 September 2010.[109] North American P-51H (http:/ / home. att. net/ ~jbaugher1/ p51_13. html)[110] Andrade, John M. U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Leicester, UK: Midland Counties Publication, 1979, ISBN

0-904597-22-9.[111] Note that all panel lines on the upper wings have been carefully filled, smoothed and primed before application of (on natural metal

Mustangs) final coats of high speed silver lacquer. Even small flaws on the surface of P-51 wings could cut performance.[112] Mustangs-Mustangs. P-51 Survivors (http:/ / www. mustangsmustangs. com/ p-51/ survivors/ index. shtml) Retrieved: 12 April 2007[113] P-51A "Miss Virginia" (http:/ / www. warbirddepot. com/ aircraft_fighters_p51a-pof. asp)[114] United States Air Force Museum 1975, p. 41.[115] Scandinavia Historic Flight of P-51s (http:/ / www. shf. as/ shf_docs/ aircraft. asp) Retrieved: 11 October 2007.[116] Flypast Magazine, August 2007, Key Publishing Ltd.[117] Legacy Flight Museum (http:/ / www. legacyflightmuseum. com/ )[118] Wilson 2010, p. 46.[119] A68-1, N51WB (http:/ / www. mustangsmustangs. net/ p-51/ survivors/ pages/ A68-001. shtml) Retrieved: 4 October 2008[120] Wilson 2010, p.43.[121] A68-192 history to 2005 (http:/ / www. warbirdregistry. org/ p51registry/ ca18-a68192. html) Retrieved 7 February 2010.[122] G-BTCD (http:/ / www. youtube. com/ watch?v=i1EknnzgokQ)[123] YouTube video of "Ferocious Frankie" (http:/ / www. youtube. com/ watch?v=WDDGHC9Y1F4)[124] YouTube video of Jumpin Jacques (http:/ / www. youtube. com/ watch?v=ROuCJ9REAGw)[125] "Miss America." (http:/ / www. missa-racing. com/ ) missa-racing.com. Retrieved: 24 October 2010.[126] AN 01-60JE-2 1944.[127] Green and Swanborough 2001[128] Loftin 2006.[129] "Objects: A19520106000 — Packard (Rolls-Royce) Merlin V-1650-7." (http:/ / collections. nasm. si. edu/ code/ emuseum.

asp?profile=objects& newstyle=single& quicksearch=A19520106000) Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Collections Database.[130] The P-51D and K Maintenance manual notes that carrying 1,000 lb bombs was not recommended because the racks were not designed for

them. Three rockets could be carried on removable 'Zero Rail' launchers with the wing racks installed, ten without wing racks.AN 01-60JE-21944, p. 400.

[131] "Mustang Specifications and Performance." (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070228064018/ www. flightjournal. com/ plane_profiles/p-51_mustang/ p-51_mustang_specifications. asp. ) Flight Journal (archived P-51 webpage).

[132] Johnson, F.A. Airacobra & Kingcobra. Warbird Tech Series Vol. 17, 1998, p. 72.[133] Walker 1988, pp. 63–65.

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North American P-51 Mustang 34

External links• A Fighter From the Ground Up (http:/ / www. popsci. com/ archive-viewer?id=nicDAAAAMBAJ& pg=69&

query=B-25) July 1943 Popular Science one of earliest detailed articles on P-51A• Popular Mechanics, November 1943, Wild Horses of the Sky (http:/ / books. google. com/

books?id=PNcDAAAAMBAJ& pg=PA61& dq=popular+ mechanics+ 1943+ C-87& hl=en&ei=skyQTLrbCo-onQefgtm0DA& sa=X& oi=book_result& ct=result& resnum=1&ved=0CCsQ6AEwAA#v=onepage& q& f=true)

• Joe Baugher, North American P-51 Mustang (http:/ / www. joebaugher. com/ usaf_fighters/ p51. html)• Swiss Mustangs (http:/ / www. swissmustangs. ch/ )• Camouflage and Markings of P-51 Mustang Parts 1-4 USAAF plus Allison engine versions RAF and

Commonwealth (http:/ / ipmsstockholm. org/ magazine/ 1999/ 12/ stuff_eng_profile_mustang1. htm)• P-51 Warbird Registry (http:/ / www. warbirdregistry. org/ p51registry/ p51registry. html); names, serial numbers,

images• Cuban F-51 Mustangs (http:/ / urrib2000. narod. ru/ EqMustang-e. html)• Allison-powered Mustang performance test reports (http:/ / www. wwiiaircraftperformance. org/ mustang/

mustang-I. html); 1940, 1942, 1943, 1944.• P-51B Mustang performance test report, May 1943 (http:/ / www. wwiiaircraftperformance. org/ mustang/

mustangtest. html)• The Mustang XP-51G (http:/ / xp51g. com)• P-51 combat reports (http:/ / www. wwiiaircraftperformance. org/ mustang/ combat-reports. html)• NACA-WR-L-566 "Flying qualities and stalling characteristics of North American XP-51 airplane" (http:/ / ntrs.

nasa. gov/ archive/ nasa/ casi. ntrs. nasa. gov/ 19930092575_1993092575. pdf), April 1943. (PDF)

Article Sources and Contributors 35

Article Sources and ContributorsNorth American P-51 Mustang  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=398765868  Contributors: -Majestic-, 12jchristensen, 13aceofspades13, 61.9.128.xxx, 71Demon, A380 Fan,A75, AMCKen, Acepilot117, Ackillez, Acpls, Adam smith's ghost, Aerobird, Aeroweanie, Ahoerstemeier, Akradecki, Aldis90, Alex Kov, Alton.arts, Andres, Andries, Andykatib, Animagi1981,Anradt, Antheii, Antidisestablishmentarianism12804, Aodhdubh, Arabani, Archolman, Armeria, Arpingstone, Askari Mark, Attilios, BCube, Barnaby the Scrivener, Beefmyneaf, Beeline23,Bellagio99, Bender235, Beninho, Berean Hunter, Betacommand, BigFatBuddha, Bigdumbdinosaur, BilCat, Bill37212, BillC, Binksternet, Bjmullan, Blackmoreten, Bobblewik, Bobnorwal,Bomarc99, Borgx, Brainhell, BrokenSphere, Buckboard, Bully84, Bwmoll3, Bzuk, CMBJ, CRIPES A MIGHTY, CSWarren, CStyle, Calmer Waters, CanadianPhaedrus, Canglesea, Captain Kirk,Caranorn, Cbh, Chairboy, Charles Matthews, Chick Bowen, Chiefmanyrabbitguteat, Chilcoot, Chitrapa, Chris the speller, Chrislk02, Chucksimon, Chuunen Baka, Chwyatt, Circeus, Circlingsky,Clarityfiend, Classicrockfan42, Cmdrjameson, Coasting, CommonsDelinker, Conversion script, Corbeaulieu, Custardninja, Czyrko, DOHC Holiday, Danceswithzerglings, Danleo, Dapi89,Dave1185, Davegnz, Davehi1, David H. Flint, David Newton, Dawkeye, DeadlyWraith, Deanpemberton, DeansFA, Deathbunny, Delirium, Denniss, DerHexer, DerHossMeister, Derek Ross,Dieu2005, Dirkbb, Discospinster, DocWatson42, DrNegative, Duran, Dycedarg, Dysepsion, ERcheck, Eaglestrikef16, Ed Fitzgerald, Ehangar, Elipongo, Emt147, Ennerk, EoGuy, Ergative rlt,Ericg, Esradekan, Evil Merlin, FastLizard4, Fedallah, FlugKerl, Foofbun, Forest Garner, Forsavious, Fred Fury, GCW50, GDW13, Gaetanmarie, Gaius Cornelius, Garybel, Gene Nygaard,Ghewgill, Gian piero milanetti, Go229, Gobbleswoggler, Gogo Dodo, GraemeLeggett, Grant65, Gray wolf lover, GregorB, Greyengine5, Groyolo, Gurkha, Gzuckier, H27kim, HJ32, Hacker15e,Hailey C. Shannon, HarryHenryGebel, Harryurz, Hebrides, Hede2000, Heron, Highonhendrix, Hooperbloob, Hu12, Humbaband, Ian Dunster, Ian Pitchford, Iceberg3k, Ironass, Istvan, Iwant123,IxK85, J.delanoy, JHunterJ, JLaTondre, Jackehammond, Jan Arkesteijn, Jayden54, Jcw69, JeremyA, Jeronimo, JetLover, JimDunning, Jj137, John, Jonomacdrones, JosephOrmond, Joshua06,Jpogi, JustinSmith, KCX, Kage-yojimbo, Kaiwhakahaere, Karl Dickman, Katiekittytalk, Keithh, Keithwood, Ken keisel, Kguirnela, Kingpin13, Kirrages, Koala51d, Koalorka, Krellis, Kross,Ktr101, Kurtkratchman, Kznf, LWF, LanceBarber, Leandrod, Lessthanthree, Lightmouse, LilHelpa, Lommer, LoneFox, Loren.wilton, Lorus77, Luckystrike76, MBK004, Macintosh User,Madmaxie, Magus732, Mahanga, Makasi, Mark Sublette, Markus Becker02, Marsian, MatthewTStone, Maury Markowitz, Mav, McNeight, McSly, MediaNexus, Mentor397, Merenta, MetalSnake, Michael Zimmermann, MikeSims, Mikulec, MilborneOne, MilesVorkosigan, Minesweeper, Minimac, Minorhistorian, MisterBee1966, MoRsE, MoriSeiki1003, Morio, Moriori, Morven,Mostergr, Mrinck, Mustangpurele, NFS Freak, Nativeborncal, Ndunruh, Nehrams2020, Nekhbet, Neutrality, NewEnglandYankee, Nick-D, Nickptar, Nigel Ish, Nimbus227, Noahbjr, Noisy,Nono64, Nukes4Tots, Oberiko, OldakQuill, Oldlaptop321, Ormers, Oxymoron83, P47Guy, PIrish, PRRfan, Palmiped, Panzertank, PapayaSF, Parsecboy, Patrick, Paul A, Paul Richter, Pd THOR,Pearle, Pepperrell, PeterWD, Petri Krohn, Phichanad, Philip Baird Shearer, Phthinosuchusisanancestor, Pilar Fuerte, Pjbflynn, Potato44, Primal Curve, R Purdey, R. E. Mixer, Radomil, Rafajs77,Raguil79, Rama, RareAviation, Raven4x4x, Raymondwinn, Rdfox 76, RedarmyBoro, Reddi, Retired username, RexNL, Rich Farmbrough, Richard David Ramsey, Rjwilmsi, Rklawton,Rlandmann, Rmackenzie, RobbWiki, Robert Merkel, Rogerd, Rosarinagazo, RottweilerCS, Ruingaraf, Rusty razor blade, S2grand, SENIRAM, Saga City, Sam8, SamBlob, SamMichaels,Sandstein, Satsuki72, Sc147, Sc42, Schaengel89, Scoop100, Sevans21, Shalom Yechiel, Shlomke, Signaleer, Signalhead, Simon Lieschke, Sintaku, SkyWalker, Snowmanradio, Somebody111,Sovxx, Spot87, Squids and Chips, Srajan01, Stefanomencarelli, Stevek427, Stinger2009, Stonnman, Strangerer, Styrofoam1994, Suisui, Sylvain Mielot, TAG.Odessa, TDogg310, Tabletop,TabooTikiGod, TallNapoleon, Taloch, Tamino, Tannin, Tban, Template namespace initialisation script, Teratornis, Tex423, Tgies, Thatguy96, The PIPE, Theboogeyman, Thingg,Thomasabounader, ThurnerRupert, Tommyt, TonyTheTiger, Topherwhelan, Towpilot, TraceyR, Trax28, Trekphiler, Trevor MacInnis, Tronno, Truthanado, Ulflarsen, Uriyan, V Brian Zurita,VengeancePrime, Vgy7ujm, Vladsinger, Wabernat, Wayne Miller, Wik, Wikchip, Wiki Raja, Wiki4d, Winstonwolfe, Woohookitty, Wsk, Wulf Jaeger, Wwoods, Wysprgr2005, Xxtvolunteersxx,Yabba50, Yezterdae, Yllosubmarine, Zahid Abdassabur, Zeno303, Zleitzen, 692 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and ContributorsFile:Bott4.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Bott4.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: USAAF, photographed for a series of U.S. 8th Air Force publicity pictures forwidespread distribution (photos were taken from B-17G bombers of the 91st Bomb Group) .File:XP-51, serial number 41-039.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:XP-51,_serial_number_41-039.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: United States Air ForceImage:P-51-October1942.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:P-51-October1942.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Mark Sherwood, photographerFile:P-51A.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:P-51A.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: USAAFFile:NorthAmericanP-51BMustang.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:NorthAmericanP-51BMustang.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: Bilou, Davegnz, Emt147,PMGFile:Mustang X2.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Mustang_X2.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: Photograph taken in 1942 by British government photographerFile:N3B gunsight.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:N3B_gunsight.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: North American Aviation/USAAFFile:Mustang III Nowierski1-1.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Mustang_III_Nowierski1-1.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Polish Air ForceFile:021002-O-9999G-006.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:021002-O-9999G-006.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: Anynobody, PMG, Radomil, Roo72, 1anonymous editsFile:P-51K Frey.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:P-51K_Frey.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: USAAF; Lieutenant Jessie R. Frey.File:XP-51F.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:XP-51F.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: USAAFFile:P-51H-10-NA side.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:P-51H-10-NA_side.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: USAAFFile:P-51-361.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:P-51-361.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: USAAF/361st FG Association (via Al Richards).File:P51-1 300.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:P51-1_300.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Original uploader was signaleer at en.wikipediaFile:Pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Pilots_of_the_332nd_Fighter_Group.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: Original uploaderwas Signaleer at en.wikipediaFile:P51s-118.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:P51s-118.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: USAAF 118 Tac/R Squadron (via Fred Poats).File:F-51 in Puddle, Korean War.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:F-51_in_Puddle,_Korean_War.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: United States Air ForceFile:P-51 Mustang bombs NKorea HD-SN-98-07611.jpeg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:P-51_Mustang_bombs_NKorea_HD-SN-98-07611.jpeg  License: unknown Contributors: USAFFile:P-51 WV ANG.jpeg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:P-51_WV_ANG.jpeg  License: unknown  Contributors: West Virginia Air National Guard; Original uploaderwas 71Demon at en.wikipedia, 2007-01-13 (original upload date)File:Flag of Australia.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Australia.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Ian FieggenFile:82 Sqn RAAF (P02032-023).jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:82_Sqn_RAAF_(P02032-023).jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Not stated ('Donor D.Hurst')File:Flag of Bolivia.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Bolivia.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: User:SKoppFile:Flag of Canada.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Canada.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: User:E Pluribus Anthony, User:MzajacImage:402 Squadron Mustang.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:402_Squadron_Mustang.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Cobatfor, PMG, RadomilFile:Flag of the Republic of China.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_the_Republic_of_China.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: 555, Bestalex,Bigmorr, Denelson83, Ed veg, Gzdavidwong, Herbythyme, Isletakee, Kakoui, Kallerna, Kibinsky, Mattes, Mizunoryu, Neq00, Nickpo, Nightstallion, Odder, Pymouss, R.O.C, Reisio, Reuvenk,Rkt2312, Rocket000, Runningfridgesrule, Samwingkit, Shizhao, Sk, Tabasco, Vzb83, Wrightbus, Zscout370, 72 anonymous editsFile:Flag of Costa Rica.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Costa_Rica.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: User:Gabbe, User:SKoppFile:Flag of Cuba.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Cuba.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: see belowFile:Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_the_Dominican_Republic.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors:User:NightstallionFile:Flag of El Salvador.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_El_Salvador.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: user:NightstallionFile:Flag of France.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_France.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: User:SKopp, User:SKopp, User:SKopp, User:SKopp,User:SKopp, User:SKoppFile:Flag of Nazi Germany (1933-1945).svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Nazi_Germany_(1933-1945).svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: -File:Flag of Guatemala.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Guatemala.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: User:Denelson83, User:Vzb83

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors 36

File:Flag of Haiti.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Haiti.svg  License: unknown  Contributors: User:Chanheigeorge, User:Denelson83, User:Lokal_Profil,User:Madden, User:Nightstallion, User:Vzb83, User:Zscout370File:Flag of Indonesia.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Indonesia.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: User:Gabbe, User:SKoppFile:Flag of Israel.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Israel.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: AnonMoos, Bastique, Bobika, Brown spite, CaptainZizi, Cerveaugenie, Drork, Etams, Fred J, Fry1989, Himasaram, Homo lupus, Humus sapiens, Klemen Kocjancic, Kookaburra, Luispihormiguero, Madden, Neq00, NielsF, Nightstallion, Orenneu dag, Patstuart, PeeJay2K3, Pumbaa80, Ramiy, Reisio, SKopp, Technion, Typhix, Valentinian, Yellow up, Zscout370, 31 anonymous editsFile:Flag of Italy.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Italy.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: see belowFile:Flag of Japan.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Japan.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: VariousFile:Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_the_Netherlands.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: User:Zscout370File:Flag of Nicaragua.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Nicaragua.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: User:NightstallionFile:P51 Mustang Wairarapa.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:P51_Mustang_Wairarapa.jpg  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.5  Contributors:Dean S. PembertonFile:Flag of New Zealand.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Adambro, Arria Belli, Bawolff,Bjankuloski06en, ButterStick, Denelson83, Donk, Duduziq, EugeneZelenko, Fred J, Fry1989, Hugh Jass, Ibagli, Jusjih, Klemen Kocjancic, Mamndassan, Mattes, Nightstallion, O, Peeperman,Poromiami, Reisio, Rfc1394, Shizhao, Tabasco, Transparent Blue, Väsk, Xufanc, Zscout370, 35 anonymous editsFile:Flag of the Philippines.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_the_Philippines.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Aira CutamoraFile:PAF Mustang.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:PAF_Mustang.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: BrokenSphere, Kguirnela, WJBscribe, 2 anonymouseditsFile:Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_the_People's_Republic_of_China.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors:User:Denelson83, User:SKopp, User:Shizhao, User:Zscout370File:Flag of Poland.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Poland.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: User:Mareklug, User:WantedFile:Flag of Somalia.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Somalia.svg  License: unknown  Contributors: Anakin101, Anime Addict AA, Anonymous101, Flad,Fry1989, Gdgourou, Homo lupus, JLogan, Klemen Kocjancic, Mattes, Permjak, SKopp, ThomasPusch, Tvdm, Ultratomio, Vzb83, 11 ,1ةيطع.دمحا anonymous editsFile:Flag of South Africa 1928-1994.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_South_Africa_1928-1994.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors:User:Denelson83, User:Denelson83File:Flag of South Korea.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_South_Korea.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: VariousFile:ROKAF F-51D.JPEG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:ROKAF_F-51D.JPEG  License: unknown  Contributors: U.S. Air Force photographerFile:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: A1, Alex Smotrov, Alvis Jean,Art-top, BagnoHax, Denniss, EugeneZelenko, F l a n k e r, Fred J, G.dallorto, Garynysmon, Herbythyme, Homo lupus, Jake Wartenberg, MaggotMaster, Ms2ger, Nightstallion, Pianist, R-41,Rainforest tropicana, Sebyugez, Solbris, Storkk, Str4nd, Tabasco, ThomasPusch, Toben, Twilight Chill, Zscout370, Серп, 55 anonymous editsFile:Flag of Sweden.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Sweden.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: User:Jon Harald SøbyFile:Flag of Switzerland.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Switzerland.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: User:-xfi-, User:Marc Mongenet,User:Zscout370File:Swiss Air Force P-51 Mustang side view.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Swiss_Air_Force_P-51_Mustang_side_view.jpg  License: Public Domain Contributors: User:SandsteinFile:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: User:Zscout370File:Flag of Uruguay.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Uruguay.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: CommonsDelinker, Fry1989, Homo lupus,Huhsunqu, Kineto007, Klemen Kocjancic, Kookaburra, Lorakesz, Mattes, Neq00, Nightstallion, Pumbaa80, Reisio, ThomasPusch, Zscout370, 6 anonymous editsFile:Flag of FR Yugoslavia.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_FR_Yugoslavia.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Original uploader was Milan B. aten.wikipediaFile:P-51C - Excalibur III.JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:P-51C_-_Excalibur_III.JPG  License: Public Domain  Contributors: User:IronassFile:p51-d mustang 472216 arp.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:P51-d_mustang_472216_arp.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Arpingstone, CobatforFile:Avp51 1 2.png  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Avp51_1_2.png  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Bilou, Blleininger, Cobatfor, Liftarn, PMGFile:Avp51 2 2.png  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Avp51_2_2.png  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Bilou, Cobatfor, Liftarn, PMG, PerhelionFile:P-51A in Flight.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:P-51A_in_Flight.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: U.S. Army Air ForceFile:P-51D.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:P-51D.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: AFHRAImage:Musas 2.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Musas_2.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: Original uploader was Minorhistorian at en.wikipediaFile:P-51C - Ina The Macon Belle (1).jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:P-51C_-_Ina_The_Macon_Belle_(1).jpg  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike3.0  Contributors: User:DerHossMeisterImage:HooverMustang.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:HooverMustang.jpg  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0  Contributors: Original uploaderwas Chiefmanyrabbitguteat at en.wikipediaImage:TP-51C Mustang at KFMY.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:TP-51C_Mustang_at_KFMY.jpg  License: GNU Free Documentation License  Contributors:User:MediaNexusFile:North American P-51D EG-0068-01.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:North_American_P-51D_EG-0068-01.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: TomTschidaFile:P-51C-18.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:P-51C-18.jpg  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0  Contributors: Max Haynes - MaxAir2Air.com

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