![Charles Daniels Collection Photo North American P-51 Mustang (15268781585)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/Charles_Daniels_Collection_Photo_North_American_P-51_Mustang_%2815268781585%29.jpg)
Over twenty variants of the
North American P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team headed by James ...
fighter were produced from 1940, when it first flew, to after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, some of which were employed also in the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
and in several other conflicts.
Allison-engined Mustangs
NA-73X
![NA-73X-NX19998-](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/NA-73X-NX19998-.jpg)
The prototype of the Mustang, designated NA-73X, was rolled out by
North American Aviation on 9 September 1940, albeit without an engine, and was first flown the following 26 October. The Mustang was originally designed to use a low-altitude rated
Allison V-1710 engine. Unlike later models, Allison-powered Mustangs were characterized by the carburetor air intake placed on the dorsal surface of the nose, immediately behind the propeller.
Mustang Mk I (NA-73 and NA-83)
The first production contract was awarded by the British for 320 NA-73 fighters, named Mustang
Mk I by an anonymous member of the
British Purchasing Commission The British Purchasing Commission was a United Kingdom organisation of the Second World War. Also known at some time as the "Anglo-French Purchasing Board", it was based in New York City, where it arranged the production and purchase of armaments fr ...
; a second British contract soon followed, which called for 300 more (NA-83) Mustang Mk I fighters. Contractual arrangements were also made for two aircraft from the first order to be delivered to the USAAC for evaluation; these two airframes, 41-038 and 41-039 respectively, were designated XP-51. The first RAF Mustang Mk Is were delivered to
26 Squadron at
RAF Gatwick in February 1942 and made their combat debut on 10 May 1942. With their long range and excellent low-altitude performance, they were employed effectively for tactical reconnaissance and ground-attack duties over the
English Channel
The English Channel, "The Sleeve"; nrf, la Maunche, "The Sleeve" (Cotentinais) or ( Jèrriais), (Guernésiais), "The Channel"; br, Mor Breizh, "Sea of Brittany"; cy, Môr Udd, "Lord's Sea"; kw, Mor Bretannek, "British Sea"; nl, Het Kana ...
, but were thought to be of limited value as fighters due to their poor performance above .
RAF Mustangs (Mk Is, which were not drop tank capable) made history on October 22, 1942 when they escorted 22
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by metr ...
bombers on a daylight raid to Germany, thus becoming the first RAF single-seat fighters to fly over the country during World War II.
P-51/Mustang Mk IA (NA-91)
The first American order for 150 P-51s, designated NA-91 by North American, was placed by the Army on 7 July 1940. This was on behalf of the RAF in a Lend Lease deal.
[Chorlton, p. 22.] All but the last 57 went to the British. After the
attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii ...
, the USAAF 'held back' these Mustang Mk IAs for their own use.
[Chorlton, p. 26.] 55 of these so-called P-51-1s were outfitted with a pair of K.24 cameras in the rear fuselage for tactical low-level reconnaissance and re-designated F-6A (the "F" for photographic, although confusingly also still referred to as the P-51 or P-51-1
). Two kept their P-51-1 designation and were used for testing by the USAAF.
Two XP-51s (41-038 and 41-039) set aside for testing arrived at Wright Field on 24 August and 16 December 1941 respectively. The small size of this first order reflected the fact that what had been known as the USAAC
up until late June 1941 was still a relatively small, underfunded peacetime organization. After the late-June 1941 reorganization of the USAAC into the
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
, roughly six months before the attack on
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the Naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the R ...
changed the outlook for the United States regarding involvement in global hostilities against the
Axis
An axis (plural ''axes'') is an imaginary line around which an object rotates or is symmetrical. Axis may also refer to:
Mathematics
* Axis of rotation: see rotation around a fixed axis
* Axis (mathematics), a designator for a Cartesian-coordinat ...
literally overnight, priority had to be given to building as many existing fighters – P-38s, P-39s, and P-40s – as possible while simultaneously training pilots and other personnel, which meant evaluation of the XP-51 did not begin immediately. However, this did not mean it was neglected, or testing and evaluation mishandled.
The 150 NA-91s were designated P-51 by the newly formed USAAF and were initially named Apache, although this was soon dropped and the RAF name, Mustang, adopted instead. The USAAF did not like the mixed armament of the British Mustang Is and instead adopted an armament of four long-barrelled 20 mm (.79 in)
Hispano Mk II cannon, deleting the .50 cal "nostril"-mounted weapons. The British designated this model as Mustang Mk IA, and would fit a number with similar equipment.
It was quickly evident the Mustang's performance, although exceptional up to (the supercharger's
critical altitude
Critical or Critically may refer to:
*Critical, or critical but stable, medical states
**Critical, or intensive care medicine
*Critical juncture, a discontinuous change studied in the social sciences.
* Critical Software, a company specializing in ...
rating), was markedly reduced at higher altitudes. This was because the single-speed single-stage
supercharger fitted to the V-1710 had been designed to produce maximum power at low altitude; above that, power dropped off rapidly. Prior to the Mustang project, the USAAC had Allison concentrate primarily on
turbocharger
In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (often called a turbo) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to pro ...
s in concert with
General Electric
General Electric Company (GE) is an American multinational conglomerate founded in 1892, and incorporated in New York state and headquartered in Boston. The company operated in sectors including healthcare, aviation, power, renewable en ...
; the turbochargers proved to be reliable and capable of providing significant power increases in the
P-38 Lightning
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is an American single-seat, twin piston-engined fighter aircraft that was used during World War II. Developed for the United States Army Air Corps by the Lockheed Corporation, the P-38 incorporated a distinctive tw ...
and other high-altitude aircraft, in particular in the Air Corps' four-engine bombers. Most of the other uses for the Allison were for low-altitude designs, where a simpler supercharger would suffice. Fitting a turbocharger into the Mustang proved impractical, and Allison was forced to use the only supercharger available. In spite of this, the Mustang's advanced aerodynamics showed to advantage, as the Mk I was about faster than contemporary
P-40
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground-attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and ...
s using the same V-1710-39 (producing at , driving a diameter, three-blade Curtiss-Electric propeller). The Mk I was faster than the
Spitfire Mk VC at and faster at , despite the British aircraft's more powerful engine (the
Merlin 45, producing at .
Although it has often been stated that the poor performance of the Allison engine above was a surprise and disappointment to the RAF and USAAF, this has to be regarded as a myth; aviation engineers of the time were fully capable of correctly assessing the performance of an aircraft's engine and supercharger. As evidence of this, in mid-1941, the 93rd and 102nd airframes from the NA-91 order were slated to be set aside and fitted and tested with
Packard Merlin
The Packard V-1650 Merlin is a version of the Rolls-Royce Merlin aircraft engine, produced under license in the United States by the Packard Motor Car Company.Gunston 1995, p. 144. The engine was licensed to expand production of the Rolls-Ro ...
engines, with each receiving the designation XP-51B.
P-51A/Mustang II (NA-99)
![North American P-51A 061023-F-1234P-011](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bb/North_American_P-51A_061023-F-1234P-011.jpg)
On 23 June 1942, a contract was placed for 1,200 P-51As (NA-99s). The P-51A used the new Allison V-1710-81 engine, a development of the V-1710-39, driving a -diameter three-bladed Curtiss-Electric propeller. The armament was changed to four .50 in (12.7 mm) Browning machine guns, two in each wing, with a maximum of 350 rounds per gun (rpg) for the inboard guns and 280 rpg for the outboard. Other improvements were made in parallel with the A-36, including an improved, fixed air duct inlet replacing the movable fitting of previous Mustang models and the fitting of wing racks able to carry either drop tanks, increasing the maximum ferry range to with the tanks. The top speed was raised to at . The USAAF received 310 and the RAF 50 (as the Mustang II) before production converted to producing the Merlin-powered P-51B.
A-36 Apache/Invader/Mustang (NA-97)
The A-36A was the first aircraft based on the 'Mustang' airframe ordered by the U.S. Government specifically for use by the USAAF. NAA found an unfilled 'Dive Bomber' USAAF contract, which they got mainly by their own initiative. In so doing, NAA was able to keep the production bays open with the hope the USAAF would place orders for it as a fighter.
On 16 April 1942, Fighter Project Officer
Benjamin S. Kelsey
Benjamin Scovill Kelsey (March 9, 1906 – March 3, 1981) was an American aeronautical engineer and test pilot. Serving as America's chief fighter projects officer, he helped bring success in World War II to the United States Army Air Forces ...
ordered 500 A-36 Apaches, a redesign that included six .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 Mustang production at North American by using USAAF funds earmarked for ground-attack aircraft when pursuit aircraft funding had already been allocated.
["P-51 History: Mustang I."]
''The Gathering of Mustangs & Legends''. Retrieved: 26 March 2009. It was the first airframe of the Mustang "family" (Apache, Invader, or Mustang) to be drop-tank capable. (A 1939 USAAC prohibition prevented manufacturers from making fighters capable of carrying external fuel stores; the Navy had no such restriction.)
The 500 aircraft were designated A-36A (NA-97). This model became the first USAAF Mustang to see combat. One aircraft (''EW998'') was passed to the British who gave it the name Mustang Mk I (Dive Bomber).
Merlin-engined Mustangs
Mustang X
![Mustang X2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/Mustang_X2.jpg)
In April 1942, the
RAF
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
's
Air Fighting Development Unit
The Air Fighting Development Unit (AFDU) was an air technical intelligence part of the Royal Air Force which developed tactics and tested captured enemy aircraft. It was based at Royal Air Force Stations Northolt, Duxford and Wittering.
The AF ...
(AFDU) tested the Mustang and found its performance inadequate at higher altitudes. As such, it was to be used to replace the P-40 in
Army Cooperation Command
The RAF Army Co-operation Command was a short-lived command of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, comprising the army cooperation units of the RAF.
The command was formed on 1 December 1940 when No. 22 (Army Co-Operation) Group, ...
squadrons, but the commanding officer was so impressed with its maneuverability and low-altitude speeds, he invited Ronnie Harker (from
Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce (always hyphenated) may refer to:
* Rolls-Royce Limited, a British manufacturer of cars and later aero engines, founded in 1906, now defunct
Automobiles
* Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, the current car manufacturing company incorporated in ...
's Flight Test establishment) to fly it. Rolls-Royce engineers rapidly realized equipping the Mustang with a Merlin 61 engine with its two-speed two-stage supercharger would substantially improve performance. The company started converting five aircraft as the
Mustang Mk X. Apart from the engine installation, which utilized custom-built engine mounts designed by Rolls-Royce and a standard -diameter four-bladed
Rotol
Dowty Propellers is a British engineering company based in Brockworth, Gloucestershire that specialises in the manufacture, repair and overhaul of propellers and propeller components for customers around the world. It is owned by General Elect ...
propeller from a
Spitfire Mk IX, the Mk X was a straightforward adaptation of the Mk I airframe, keeping the same radiator duct design. The Vice-Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sir
Wilfrid R. Freeman, lobbied vociferously for Merlin-powered Mustangs, insisting two of the five experimental Mustang Xs be handed over to
Carl Spaatz for trials and evaluation by the U.S. Eighth Air Force in Britain.
[Bridgman 1946, pp. 248–249.] The high-altitude performance improvement was remarkable: the Mk X (
serial number AM208) reached at , and ''AL975'' tested at an absolute ceiling of .
P-51B and P-51C
![P-51B 356FS 354FG 1944](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/P-51B_356FS_354FG_1944.jpg)
The two XP-51Bs were a more thorough conversion than the Mustang X, with a tailor-made engine installation and a complete redesign of the radiator duct. The airframe itself was strengthened, with the fuselage and engine mount area receiving more
formers because of the greater weight of the
Packard V-1650-3 compared with the V-1710. The engine cowling was completely redesigned to house the Packard Merlin, which, because of the intercooler radiator mounted on the supercharger casing, was taller and used an updraft
carburetor, rather than the downdraft variety of the Allison. The new engine drove a four-bladed -diameter
Hamilton Standard
Hamilton Standard was an American aircraft propeller parts supplier. It was formed in 1929 when United Aircraft and Transport Corporation consolidated Hamilton Aero Manufacturing and Standard Steel Propeller into the Hamilton Standard Propeller C ...
propeller that featured cuffs of hard molded rubber. To cater for the increased cooling requirements of the Merlin, a new fuselage duct was designed. This housed a larger radiator, which incorporated a section for the supercharger coolant, and, forward of this and slightly lower, an oil cooler was housed in a secondary duct which drew air through the main opening and exhausted via a separate exit flap.
A "duct rumble" heard by pilots in flight in the prototype P-51B resulted in a full-scale wind-tunnel test at
NACA
The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was a United States federal agency founded on March 3, 1915, to undertake, promote, and institutionalize aeronautical research. On October 1, 1958, the agency was dissolved and its assets ...
's
Ames Aeronautical Laboratory
The Ames Research Center (ARC), also known as NASA Ames, is a major NASA research center at Moffett Federal Airfield in California's Silicon Valley. It was founded in 1939 as the second National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) laborat ...
. This was carried out by inserting the airplane, with the outer wing panels removed, into the 16-foot wind tunnel. A test engineer would sit in the cockpit with the wind tunnel running and listen for the duct rumble. It was eventually found that the rumble could be eliminated by increasing the gap between the lower surface of the wing and the upper lip of the cooling system duct from . They concluded part of the boundary layer on the lower surface of the wing was being ingested into the inlet and separating, causing the radiator to vibrate and producing the rumble. The production P-51B inlet was lowered even further, to give a separation of from the bottom of the wing. In addition, the shelf above the oil cooler face was removed and the inlet highlight swept back.
[Lednicer, 1991.]
![N3B gunsight](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/N3B_gunsight.jpg)
It was decided new P-51Bs (NA-102s) would continue with the same armament and ammunition load of the P-51A, while the bomb rack/external drop tank installation was adapted from the A-36 Apache; the racks were rated to carry up to of ordnance and were also piped for drop tanks. The machine guns were aimed using the electrically illuminated N-3B
reflector sight
A reflector sight or reflex sight is an optical sight that allows the user to look through a partially reflecting glass element and see an illuminated projection of an aiming point or some other image superimposed on the field of view. These sig ...
fitted with an A-1 head assembly which allowed it to be used as a gun or bomb sight through varying the angle of the reflector glass. Pilots were also given the option of having ring and bead sights mounted on the top engine cowling formers. This option was discontinued with the P-51D.
[Gruenhagen 1980, pp. 104–105.]
The first XP-51B flew on 30 November 1942. Flight tests confirmed the potential of the new fighter, with the service ceiling being raised by , with the top speed improving by at . 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 a new plant in Dallas, Texas, which was in operation by summer 1943. The RAF named these models Mustang Mk III. In performance tests, the P-51B reached at .
In addition, the extended range made possible by the use of drop tanks enabled the Merlin-powered Mustang to be introduced as a bomber escort with a combat radius of using two 2-piece, sheet-metal stamped construction drop tanks.
[Gruenhagen 1980, p. 192]
The range would be further increased with the introduction of an self-sealing fuel tank aft of the pilot's seat, starting with P-51B-5-NA ("block 5"). When this tank was full, the
center of gravity
In physics, the center of mass of a distribution of mass in space (sometimes referred to as the balance point) is the unique point where the weighted relative position of the distributed mass sums to zero. This is the point to which a force ma ...
of the Mustang was moved dangerously close to the aft limit. As a result, maneuvers were restricted until the tank was down to about and the external tanks had been dropped. Problems with high-speed "porpoising" of the P-51Bs and P-51Cs with the fuselage tanks would lead to the replacement of the fabric-covered elevators with metal-covered surfaces and a reduction of the tailplane incidence.
With the fuselage and wing tanks, plus two drop tanks, the combat radius was .
![311th Fighter Group P-51 Mustang](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/311th_Fighter_Group_P-51_Mustang.jpg)
Despite these modifications, the P-51Bs and P-51Cs, and the newer P-51Ds and P-51Ks, experienced low-speed handling problems that could result in an involuntary "snap-roll" under certain conditions of air speed, angle of attack, gross weight, and center of gravity. Several crash reports tell of P-51Bs and P-51Cs crashing because horizontal stabilizers were torn off during maneuvering. As a result of these problems, a modification kit consisting of 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 when attempting a slow roll. The horizontal stabilizer will not withstand the effects of a snap roll. To prevent recurrence, the stabilizer should be reinforced in accordance with T.O. 01-60J-18 dated 8 April 1944 and 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 available as retrofits for P-51Bs and P-51Cs (but rarely used on the "razorback" -B and -C Mustangs), and to early P-51Ds and P-51Ks that had not already been built with them. Also incorporated was a change to the rudder
trim tabs
Trim tabs are small surfaces connected to the trailing edge of a larger control surface on a boat or aircraft, used to control the trim of the controls, i.e. to counteract hydro- or aerodynamic forces and stabilise the boat or aircraft in a pa ...
, which would help prevent the pilot over-controlling the aircraft and creating heavy loads on the tail unit.
One of the few remaining complaints with the Merlin-powered aircraft was a poor rearward view. The canopy structure, which was the same as the Allison-engined Mustangs, was made up of flat, framed panels; the pilot entered or exited the cockpit by lowering the port side panel and raising the top panel to the right. The canopy could not be opened in flight and tall pilots especially were hampered by limited headroom.
[Gruenhagen 1980, p. 91.] In order to at least partially improve the view from the Mustang, the British had field-modified some Mustangs with clear, sliding
canopies called
Malcolm hoods (designed by Robert Malcolm), and whose design had also been adopted by the U.S. Navy's own F4U-1D version of the
Corsair in April 1944.
![Mustang III Nowierski1-1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Mustang_III_Nowierski1-1.jpg)
The new structure was a frameless
plexiglas
Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) belongs to a group of materials called engineering plastics. It is a transparent thermoplastic. PMMA is also known as acrylic, acrylic glass, as well as by the trade names and brands Crylux, Plexiglas, Acrylite ...
moulding which ballooned outwards at the top and sides, increasing the headroom and allowing increased visibility to the sides and rear.
Because the new structure slid backward on runners, it could be slid open in flight. The aerial mast behind the canopy was replaced by a "whip" aerial which was mounted further aft and offset to the right. Most British Mk IIIs were equipped with Malcolm hoods. Several American service groups "acquired" the necessary conversion kits and some American P-51B/P-51Cs appeared with the new canopy, although the majority continued to use the original framed canopies.
P-51Bs and P-51Cs started to arrive in England in August and October 1943. The P-51B/P-51C versions were sent to 15 fighter groups that were part of the
8th
8 (eight) is the natural number following 7 and preceding 9.
In mathematics
8 is:
* a composite number, its proper divisors being , , and . It is twice 4 or four times 2.
* a power of two, being 2 (two cubed), and is the first number of t ...
and
9th
9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding .
Evolution of the Arabic digit
In the beginning, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bottom dot. The Kshatrapa, Andhra and ...
Air Forces in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
and the
12th
12 (twelve) is the natural number following 11 and preceding 13. Twelve is a superior highly composite number, divisible by 2, 3, 4, and 6.
It is the number of years required for an orbital period of Jupiter. It is central to many systems ...
and
15th in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
(the southern part of Italy was under
Allied control by late 1943). Other deployments included the
China Burma India Theater (CBI). The first group to fly the P-51 on operations was the
354th Operations Group
The 354th Operations Group is a component of the 354th Fighter Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces. The group is stationed at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.
Overview
The 354th Operations Group provides air-bridge su ...
; their first long-distance escort mission was flown on January 15, 1944.
Allied strategists quickly exploited the long-range fighter as a bomber escort. It was largely due to the P-51 that daylight 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.
P-51D and P-51K
Following combat experience the P-51D series introduced a "teardrop", or "
bubble
Bubble, Bubbles or The Bubble may refer to:
Common uses
* Bubble (physics), a globule of one substance in another, usually gas in a liquid
** Soap bubble
* Economic bubble, a situation where asset prices are much higher than underlying funda ...
", canopy to rectify problems with poor visibility to the rear of the aircraft. In America, new moulding techniques had been developed to form streamlined nose transparencies for bombers. North American designed a new streamlined plexiglass canopy for the P-51B which was later developed into the teardrop shaped bubble canopy. In late 1942, the tenth production P-51B-1-NA was removed from the assembly lines. From the windshield aft the fuselage was redesigned by cutting down the rear fuselage formers to the same height as those forward of the cockpit; the new shape faired in to the vertical tail unit.
[Gruenhagen 1980, p. 96.] A new simpler style of windscreen, with an angled bullet-resistant windscreen mounted on two flat side pieces improved the forward view while the new canopy resulted in exceptional all-round visibility. Wind tunnel tests of a wooden model confirmed that the aerodynamics were sound.
The new model Mustang also had a redesigned wing; alterations to the undercarriage up-locks and inner-door retracting mechanisms meant that there was an additional fillet added forward of each of the wheel bays, increasing the wing area and creating a distinctive "kink" at the
wing root
The wing root is the part of the wing on a fixed-wing aircraft or winged-spaceship that is closest to the fuselage
The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, o ...
's leading edges.
![375th Fighter Squadron North American P-51D-5-NA Mustang 44-13926](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/375th_Fighter_Squadron_North_American_P-51D-5-NA_Mustang_44-13926.jpg)
Other alterations to the wings included new navigation lights, mounted on the wingtips, rather than the smaller lights above and below the wings of the earlier Mustangs, and retractable landing lights which were mounted at the back of the wheel wells; these replaced the lights which had been formerly mounted in the wing leading edges.
The engine was the
Packard V-1650-7, a
licence-built Licensed production is the production under license of technology developed elsewhere. The licensee provides the licensor of a specific product with legal production rights, technical information, process technology, and any other proprietary compo ...
version of the
Rolls-Royce Merlin 60 series, fitted with a two-stage, two-speed
supercharger.
The armament was increased with the addition of two more .50 in (12.7 mm) AN/M2 "light-barrel"
M2 Browning machine guns, the standard heavy-calibre machine gun used throughout the American air services of World War II, bringing the total to six. The inner pair of machine guns had 400 rounds per gun, and the others had 270 rpg, for a total of 1,880. The B/C subtypes' M2 guns were mounted with an inboard axial tilt, this angled mounting had caused problems with the ammunition feed and with spent casings and links failing to clear the gun-chutes, leading to frequent complaints that the guns jammed during combat maneuvers. The D/K's six M2s were mounted upright, remedying the jamming problems. In addition, the weapons were installed along the line of the wing's
dihedral, rather than parallel to the ground line as in the earlier Mustangs.
The wing racks fitted to the P-51D/P-51K series were strengthened and were able to carry up to of ordnance, although bombs were the recommended maximum load.
[AN 01-60JE-2 1944, pp. 398–99.] Later models had removable under-wing 'Zero Rail' rocket pylons added to carry up to ten T64 5.0 in (127 mm)
HVAR
Hvar (; Chakavian: ''Hvor'' or ''For'', el, Φάρος, Pharos, la, Pharia, it, Lesina) is a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea, located off the Dalmatian coast, lying between the islands of Brač, Vis and Korčula. Approximately long,
wi ...
rockets per plane. The gunsight was changed from the N-3B to the N-9 before the introduction in September 1944 of the K-14 or K-14A
gyro-computing sight. Apart from these changes, the P-51D and K series retained V-1650-7 engine used in the majority of the P-51B/C series.
![P-51K Frey](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/P-51K_Frey.jpg)
The addition of the 85 US gallon (322 l) fuselage fuel tank, coupled with the reduction in area of the new rear fuselage, exacerbated the handling problems already experienced with the B/C series when fitted with the tank, and led to the same fillet being added to -B, -C and initial -D-series versions in the field, to be quickly standardized as a normal rear-fuselage airframe component on later production blocks of the -D version.
[Kinzey 1997, p. 11.] P-51Ds without fuselage fuel tanks were fitted with either the SCR-522-A or SCR-274-N Command Radio sets and SCR-695-A, or SCR-515 radio transmitters, as well as an AN/APS-13 rear-warning set; P-51Ds and Ks with fuselage tanks used the SCR-522-A and AN/APS-13 only.
[AN 01-60JE-2 1944, p. 336.]
The P-51D became the most widely produced variant of the Mustang. A Dallas-built version of the P-51D, designated the P-51K, was equipped with an diameter Aeroproducts propeller in place of the
Hamilton Standard
Hamilton Standard was an American aircraft propeller parts supplier. It was formed in 1929 when United Aircraft and Transport Corporation consolidated Hamilton Aero Manufacturing and Standard Steel Propeller into the Hamilton Standard Propeller C ...
propeller. The hollow-bladed Aeroproducts propeller was unreliable, due to manufacturing problems, with dangerous vibrations at full throttle and was eventually replaced by the Hamilton Standard.
[Kinzey 1997, p. 10.]
By the time of the Korean War, most F-51s were equipped with "uncuffed" Hamilton Standard propellers with wider, blunt-tipped blades.
The photo reconnaissance versions of the P-51D and P-51K were designated F-6D and F-6K respectively. The RAF assigned the name Mustang Mk IV to the P-51D model and Mustang Mk IVA to P-51K models.
The P-51D/P-51K started arriving in Europe in mid-1944 and quickly became the primary USAAF fighter in the theater. It was produced in larger numbers than any other Mustang variant. Nevertheless, by the end of the war, roughly half of all operational Mustangs were still P-51B or P-51C models.
Australian production
In November 1944 the Australian government decided to order Australian-built Mustangs, to replace its
Curtiss Kittyhawks and
CAC Boomerang
The CAC Boomerang is a fighter aircraft designed and manufactured in Australia by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation between 1942 and 1945. Approved for production shortly following the Empire of Japan's entry into the Second World War, t ...
s in the
South West Pacific theatre
The South West Pacific theatre, during World War II, was a major theatre of the war between the Allies and the Axis. It included the Philippines, the Dutch East Indies (except for Sumatra), Borneo, Australia and its mandate Territory of ...
. The
Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation
The Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) was an Australian aircraft manufacturer. The CAC was established in 1936, to provide Australia with the capability to produce military aircraft and engines.
History
In 1935 the Chief General Manager ...
(CAC) factory at
Fishermans Bend
Fishermans Bend (formerly Fishermen's Bend) is a precinct within the City of Port Phillip and the City of Melbourne. It is located on the south of the Yarra River in the suburb of Port Melbourne and opposite Coode Island, close to the Melbourne ...
,
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
was the only non-U.S. production line for the P-51.
In 1944, 100 P-51Ds were shipped from the U.S. in kit form to inaugurate production. From February 1945, CAC assembled 80 of these under the designation CA-17 Mustang Mark 20, with the first Australian-built aircraft flying on the 29 April 1945 and the first aircraft was handed over to the RAAF on 31 May 1945.
[Anderson 1975, p. 3.] The remaining 20 were kept unassembled as spare parts. In addition, 84 P-51Ks were also shipped directly to the RAAF from the USA.
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 a few components being sourced from overseas.
The 21 and 22 used the American-built Packard V-1650-3 or V-1650-7. The Mark 23s, which followed the 21s, were powered by Rolls-Royce Merlin 66 or Merlin 70 engines. The first 26 were built as Mark 21s, followed by 66 Mark 23s; the first 14 Mark 21s were converted to fighter-reconnaissance aircraft, with two
F24 camera
The F24 camera is a 1920s British camera used for aerial reconnaissance by British and Allied armed forces into the mid-1950s. It is widely and erroneously referred to as F.24 or F-24.
Design and development
The outline design of the F24 camer ...
s in both vertical and oblique positions in the rear fuselage, above and behind the radiator fairing; the designation of these modified Mustangs was changed from Mark 21 to Mark 22. An additional 14 purpose-built Mark 22s, built after the Mark 23s, and powered by either Packard V-1650-7s or Merlin 68s, completed the production run.
All of the CA-17s and CA-18s, plus the 84 P-51Ks, used Australian serial numbers prefixed by A68.
: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
Maralinga, in the remote western areas of South Australia, was the site, measuring about in area, of British nuclear tests in the mid-1950s.
In January 1985 native title was granted to the Maralinga Tjarutja, a southern Pitjantjatjara Aborigi ...
, for use in
experiments to gauge the effects of low-yield atomic bombs. The Mustangs were placed on a dummy airfield about 0.62 mi (1 km) from the blast tower on which two low-yield bombs were detonated. The Mustangs survived intact. In 1967, ''A68-1'' was bought by a U.S. syndicate, for restoration to flight status and is currently owned by Troy Sanders.
After the USAF cancelled orders for P-51H variants, the RAAF followed suit, stopping 250 locally-built CAC CA-21s.
The "lightweight" Mustangs
XP-51F, XP-51G and XP-51J
![North American XP-51F 061023-F-1234P-030](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/North_American_XP-51F_061023-F-1234P-030.jpg)
The lightweight Mustangs had a new wing design. The airfoil was switched to the NACA 66,2-(1.8)15.5 a=.6 at the root and the NACA 66,2-(1.8)12 a=.6 at the tip. These airfoils were designed to give less drag than the previous NAA/NACA 45-100. In addition, the planform was a simple trapezoid, with no leading edge extension at the root.
In 1943, North American submitted a proposal to redesign the P-51D as model NA-105, which was accepted by the USAAF. Modifications included changes to the cowling, a simplified undercarriage with smaller wheels and disc brakes, a larger canopy, and an armament of four .50 Brownings. In total the design was some lighter than the P-51D. In test flights, the NA-105 achieved at . The designation XP-51F was assigned to prototypes powered with V-1650 engines (a small number were passed to the British as the Mustang V), and XP-51G to those with
Merlin RM 14 SMs.
A third lightweight prototype powered by an
Allison V-1710-119 was added to the development program. This aircraft was designated XP-51J. Since the engine was insufficiently developed, the XP-51J was loaned to Allison for engine development. None of these experimental lightweights went into production.
P-51H
![P-51H-10-NA side](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/P-51H-10-NA_side.jpg)
The P-51H (NA-126) was the final production Mustang, embodying the experience gained in the development of the XP-51F and XP-51G aircraft. This aircraft, with minor differences as the NA-129, came too late to participate in World War II, but it brought the development of the Mustang to a peak as one of the fastest production piston-engine fighters to see service.
[Kinzey 1997, p. 32.]
The P-51H used the new
V-1650-9 engine, a version of the Merlin that included Simmons automatic supercharger boost control with water injection, allowing War Emergency Power as high as 2,218 hp (1,500 kW). Differences between the P-51D included lengthening the fuselage and increasing the height of the tailfin, which reduced the tendency to yaw. Service access to the guns and ammunition was also improved. The canopy resembled the P-51D style, over a raised pilot's position, and the aircraft was given a new propeller with wider, uncuffed blades and rounded tips to allow the additional power to be better used. This propeller was similar to the one used on some later production P-51Ds and the majority of postwar F-51Ds.
With a new airframe several hundred pounds lighter, extra power, and a more streamlined radiator, the P-51H was faster than the P-51D, able to reach at .
The P-51H was designed to complement the
P-47N as the primary aircraft for the invasion of
Japan, with 2,000 ordered to be manufactured at Inglewood. Production was just gathering speed 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-51H with different versions of the Merlin engine were produced in either limited numbers or terminated. These included the P-51L, similar to the P-51H but utilizing the V-1650-11 engine, which was never built; and its Dallas-built version, the P-51M, or NA-124, which used the V-1650-9A engine lacking water injection and therefore rated for lower maximum power, of which one was built out of the original 1629 ordered, serial number 45-11743.
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
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
for testing and evaluation. Serial number ''44-64192'' was designated BuNo ''09064'' and used by the U.S. Navy to test
transonic
Transonic (or transsonic) flow is air flowing around an object at a speed that generates regions of both subsonic and supersonic airflow around that object. The exact range of speeds depends on the object's critical Mach number, but transoni ...
airfoil designs and then returned to the Air National Guard in 1952. The P-51H was not used for combat in the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
despite its improved handling 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 North American's next generation of jet-powered fighters, the Navy
FJ-1 Fury and Air Force
F-86 Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre, sometimes called the Sabrejet, is a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as the United States' first swept-wing fighter that could counter the swept-wing Sov ...
. The wings, empennage and canopy of the first straight-winged variant of the Fury (the FJ-1) and the unbuilt preliminary prototypes of the P-86/F-86 strongly resembled those of the Mustang before the aircraft were modified with swept-wing designs.
Experimental Mustangs
![North American P-51A-NA, ski modification, side view (SN 43-6003)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/North_American_P-51A-NA%2C_ski_modification%2C_side_view_%28SN_43-6003%29._First_-A_model_built_061023-F-1234P-012.jpg)
In early 1944, the first P-51A-1-NA, ''43-6003''. was fitted and tested with a lightweight retractable ski kit replacing the wheels. This conversion was made in response to a perceived requirement for aircraft that would operate away from prepared airstrips. The main
oleo leg fairings were retained, but the main wheel doors and tail wheel doors were removed for the tests. When the undercarriage was retracted, the main gear skis were housed in the space in the lower engine compartment made available by the removal of the fuselage .50 in (12.7 mm) Brownings from the P-51As. The entire installation added to the aircraft weight and required that the operating pressure of the hydraulic system had to be increased from ). Flight tests showed ground handling was good, and the Mustang could take off and land in a field length of ; the maximum speed was lower, although it was thought that fairings over the retracted skis would compensate.
Concern over the USAAF's inability to escort B-29s all the way to mainland Japan resulted in the highly classified "Seahorse" project (NAA-133), an effort to "navalize" the P-51. On 15 November 1944, naval aviator (and later test pilot)
Lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...
Bob Elder, in a P-51D-5-NA ''44-14017'', started flight tests from the deck of the carrier . This Mustang had been fitted with an arrestor hook, which was attached to a reinforced bulkhead behind the tail wheel opening; the hook was housed in a streamlined position under the rudder fairing and could be released from 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 tail wheel to contact the deck before the main gear, the aircraft could be stopped in a minimum distance. The project was canceled after
U.S. Marines secured the Japanese island of Iwo Jima and its airfields, making it possible for standard P-51D models to accompany B-29s all the way to the Japanese home islands and back.
While North American was concentrating on improving the performance of the P-51 through the development of the lightweight Mustangs, in Britain, other avenues of development were being pursued. To this end, two Mustang Mk IIIs (P-51Bs and P-51Cs), ''FX858'' and ''FX901'', were fitted with different Merlin engine variants. The first of these, ''FX858'', was fitted with a
Merlin 100 by Rolls-Royce at
Hucknall
Hucknall, formerly Hucknall Torkard, is a market town in the Ashfield district of Nottinghamshire, England. It lies 7 miles north of Nottingham, 7 miles south-east of Kirkby-in-Ashfield, 9 miles from Mansfield and 10 miles south of Sutton-i ...
; this engine was similar to the RM 14 SM fitted to the XP-51G and was capable of generating 2,080 hp (1,550 kW) at 22,800 ft (7,000 m) using a boost pressure of +25 lbf/in
2 (170
kPa
KPA may refer to:
* Keele Postgraduate Association, Keele University, UK, formerly Keele Research Association (KRA)
* Kensington (Olympia) station, London, England, National Rail station code
* Kenya Ports Authority
* ''Kiln phosphoric acid'', a ...
; 80
inHg) in war emergency setting. With this engine, ''FX858'' reached a maximum speed of 455 mph (732 km/h) at 17,800 ft (5,425 m), and 451 mph could be maintained to 25,000 ft (7,600 m). The climb rate was 4,500 ft/min (22.9 m/s) at 1,600 ft (486 m) and 4,000 ft/min (20.3 m/s) at 13,000 ft (3,962 m).
''FX901'' was fitted with a Merlin 113 (also used in the
de Havilland Mosquito B.35). This engine was similar to the Merlin 100, 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 at 40,000 ft (12,200 m).
Summary of P-51 variants
![North American NA-73X and Mustang I side-view silhouettes](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/North_American_NA-73X_and_Mustang_I_side-view_silhouettes.png)
;NA-73X
: The initial prototype
;Mustang Mk I (NA-73/83)
: The first production contract was awarded by the British for 320 NA-73 fighters. A second British contract for 300 more Mustang Mk Is was assigned a model number of NA-83 by North American. The RAF mostly used its Allison-engined Mustangs as tactical-photo reconnaissance fighters, fitting many of its Mustang Is, IAs, and IIs with camera equipment.
;XP-51
: Two aircraft of the first production batch, delivered to the USAAF.
;P-51 (NA-91)
: In September 1940, 150 aircraft were ordered by the USAAF. These were designated by the USAAF as P-51 and initially named the Apache, although this name was dropped early-on for Mustang. The British designated this model as Mustang Mk IA. They were equipped with four long-barrelled 20 mm (.79 in)
Hispano Mk II cannon instead of machine guns. Following British practice, a number of aircraft from this lot were fitted out by the USAAF as tactical photo reconnaissance aircraft, designated F-6A.
[Kinzey 1996, p. 7.]
;A-36A Apache (NA-97)
:In early 1942, the USAAF ordered a lot of 500 aircraft modified as dive bombers and designated A-36A. This model became the first USAAF Mustang to see combat. One aircraft was passed to the British, who gave it the name Mustang Mk I (Dive Bomber).
;P-51A (NA-99)
:Following the A-36A order, the USAAF ordered 310 P-51As, fifty of which were delivered to the RAF as Mustang IIs.
35 P-51As were equipped with K-24 cameras and designated F-6B.
All these models of the Mustang were equipped with Allison V-1710 engines except the prototype XP-51B.
:* P-51A-1-NA, 100 built.
:* P-51A-5-NA, 55 built.
:* P-51A-10-NA, 155 built.
:* F-6B-NA, photo reconnaissance variant. 35 converted from P-51As.
![North American Mustang X, P-51B and Mustang III side-view silhouettes](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/North_American_Mustang_X%2C_P-51B_and_Mustang_III_side-view_silhouettes.png)
:
;P-51B
:Beginning with this model the Packard V-1650 replaced the Allison V-1710.
[Kinzey 1996, p. 56.]
:* XP-51B (NA-101), two prototypes converted from P-51s. Originally designated XP-78.
:* P-51B-1-NA (NA-102), initial production block with V-1650-3. 400 built.
:* P-51B-5-NA (NA-104), with alternate air source grill on each side of the nose.
800 built.
:* P-51B-7-NA (NA-104), with 85 gal fuel tank behind the pilot's seat.
550 converted from B-5-NAs.
:* P-51B-10-NA (NA-104), with V-1650-7 late in production run.
400 built.
:* P-51B-15-NA (NA-104), V-1650-7 as standard. 390 built.
:* F-6C-NA, photo reconnaissance conversions.
;P-51C
:In the summer of 1943, Mustang production was begun at a new plant in Dallas, Texas, as well as at the existing facility in Inglewood, California. The P-51C version mainly used the medium-altitude rated V-1650-7. The RAF named these models Mustang Mk III. 1,750 P-51Cs were built.
The RAF also used P-51Bs and Cs, designating them Mustang IIIs.
:* P-51C-1-NT (NA-103), initial production block. 350 built.
:* P-51C-3-NT (NA-103), same as B-7-NA. Unknown number converted from C-1-NAs.
:* P-51C-5-NT (NA-103), same as B-15-NA.
450 built.
:* P-51C-10-NT (NA-103/111), 793 built.
:* P-51C-11-NT, 127 built.
:* F-6C-NT (NA-111), photo reconnaissance conversions.
:* TP-51C, two-seat trainer conversions. Five converted in wartime plus another in the early 2000s.
;P-51D (NA-109/110/111/122/124)
:As well as the modified fuselage and new canopy the production P-51Ds had modified wings compared with the P-51B/C series and became the most widely produced variant of the Mustang, with 6,502 being built at Inglewood and 1,600 at Dallas - a combined total of 8,102.
280 were used by the RAF and designated Mustang Mk IV.
:* XP-51D (NA-106), One P-51B-1-NA and two B-10-NAs modified and tested with a cut down rear fuselage and clear-blown canopy structure.
[Kinzey 1996, p. 9.] Originally designated XP-51D, the designation was later changed to P-51D-NA.
:* P-51D-1-NA (NA-110), initial production block of 100 unassembled aircraft sent to Australia. 80 were assembled under the designation CA-17 Mustang Mk 20, while the rest were used for parts. The first four aircraft reportedly had the razorback canopy of the P-51B/C.
:* P-51D-5-NA/NT (NA-109/111), initial production block for the USAAF. 800 NA and 200 NT aircraft built.
:* P-51D-10-NA (NA-109), with dorsal fin to improve stability (earlier Ds and some B/Cs were modified with this).
800 built.
:* P-51D-15-NA (NA-111/122), 900 built.
:* P-51D-20-NA/NT (NA-111/122), with K-14 gun sight.
1,600 NA and 400 NT aircraft built.
:* P-51D-25-NA/NT (NA-122/124), with underwing racks. 1,600 NA and 800 NT aircraft built.
:* P-51D-30-NA/NT (NA-122/124), 800 NA and 200 NT aircraft built.
:* F-6D-NA/NT, photo reconnaissance conversions. 147 NA and 136 NT aircraft converted.
Later redesignated RF-51D.
:* TP-51D, two-seat trainer conversions. Later redesignated TF-51D.
:* ETF-51D, prototype for a carrier-based version of the P-51. One modified from a D-5-NA.
:* CA-18 Mustang Mk 21, Australian-built variant with V-1650-7. 26 built.
:* CA-18 Mustang Mk 22, Australian-built photo reconnaissance variant. 14 converted from Mk 21s and an additional 14 new aircraft built.
:* CA-18 Mustang Mk 23, Australian-built variant with Merlin 66 or 70. 66 built.
:*CA-21 Mustang Mk 24, planned two-seat trainer variant. Orders canceled.
;P-51K (NA-111)
:A Dallas-built variation of the P-51D equipped with an Aeroproducts propeller in place of the Hamilton Standard propeller was designated P-51K; 1,500 of these were built.
The RAF received 594 P-51Ks and assigned them the name Mustang Mk IVA.
:*P-51K-1-NT, initial production block. 200 built.
:* P-51K-5-NT, 400 built.
:* P-51K-10-NT, similar to D-25-NA/NT. 600 built.
:* P-51K-15-NT, 300 built.
:* F-6K-NT, photo reconnaissance conversions. 163 converted.
;P-51F (NA-105)
:As the USAAF specifications required airframe design to a higher load factor than that used by the British for their fighters, consideration was given to re-designing the Mustang to the lower British requirements in order to reduce the weight of the aircraft and thus improve performance. In 1943, North American submitted a proposal to do the re-design as model NA-105, which was accepted by the USAAF. The designation XP-51F was assigned for prototypes powered with V-1650 engines. A small number of P-51Fs were passed to the British as the Mustang Mk V.
;P-51G (NA-105)
:XP-51G was assigned to those variants with reverse lend/lease Merlin 14.SM engines. Modifications included changes to the cowling, a simplified undercarriage with smaller wheels and disk brakes, and a larger canopy.
;P-51J (NA-105)
![North American XP-51J 061023-F-1234P-033](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/North_American_XP-51J_061023-F-1234P-033.jpg)
:A third prototype was added to the development that was powered by an Allison V-1710 engine. This aircraft was designated XP-51J. As the engine was insufficiently developed, the XP-51J was loaned to Allison for engine development.
;P-51H
:The final production Mustang, the P-51H, embodied the experience gained in the development of the lightweight XP-51F and XP-51G aircraft. This aircraft, model NA-126, and, with minor differences, NA-129, came too late to participate in World War II, but it brought the development of the Mustang to a peak and was one of the fastest production piston-engine fighters to see service. The P-51H used the Merlin V-1650-9 engine, equipped with Simmons automatic boost control and
water injection, allowing
War Emergency Power
War emergency power (WEP) is a throttle setting that was present on some American World War II military aircraft engines. For use in emergency situations, it produced more than 100% of the engine's normal rated power for a limited amount of time ...
as high as , and was given a wider-bladed propeller to utilize this power. Some of the weight savings inherited from the XP-51F and XP-51G were invested in lengthening the fuselage and 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 the primary aircraft for the invasion of Japan, and 2,000 were ordered to be built at the Inglewood plant. With the solution to the problem of yaw control, the P-51H was now considered a suitable candidate for testing as an
aircraft carrier-based fighter; but with the end of the war, the testing was cut short, and production was halted after 555 aircraft were built. Although some P-51Hs were issued to operational units, none saw combat. One aircraft was given to the
RAF
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
for testing and evaluation.
Serial number 44-64192 was re-serialed as BuNo 09064 and used by the
U.S. Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...
to test
transonic
Transonic (or transsonic) flow is air flowing around an object at a speed that generates regions of both subsonic and supersonic airflow around that object. The exact range of speeds depends on the object's critical Mach number, but transoni ...
airfoil designs, then returned to the
Air National Guard in 1952. The P-51H was not used for combat in the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
despite its improved handling characteristics, due to the lack of experience with durability of the lighter airframe under combat conditions as well as limited numbers in the USAF inventory.
:*P-51H-1-NA (NA-126), initial production block with short tail of the P-51D. 20 built.
:* P-51H-5-NA (NA-126), with tall tail (some H-1s were retrofitted with this tail). 280 built.
:* P-51H-10-NA (NA-126), 255 built.
:* NA-133, proposed navalized variant with folding wings and wingtip fuel tanks. None built.
;P-51L (NA-129)
:The Dallas-built version of the P-51H, the P-51L, was to utilize the V-1650-11 engine. Orders for 1,445 aircraft were canceled before any were built.
;P-51M (NA-124)
:The P-51M-1-NT was based on the P-51D-30-NA/NT, but utilized the V-1650-9A engine lacking water injection and therefore rated for lower maximum power than the -7. One was completed out of the original 1629 ordered,
AAF Serial Number 45-11743.
;F-51
: Redesignation of all P-51s in 1947 in the
U.S. Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Sign ...
,
Air Force Reserve and
Air National Guard following establishment of the U.S. Air Force as a separate service.
;
F-82 Twin Mustang
The North American F-82 Twin Mustang is the last American piston-engined fighter ordered into production by the United States Air Force. Based on the North American P-51 Mustang, the F-82 was originally designed as a long-range escort fighter ...
: Very long-range (VLR) development of the Mustang obtained by coupling two highly modified P-51H fuselages to a single wing. First flown in June 1945, it was to be the last American piston-engine fighter ordered into production by the USAF, with 272 built, and was subsequently deployed in the Korean War.
;P-51XR
![25 P 51XR Mustang N6WJ Precious Metal Reno Air Race 2014 photo D Ramey Logan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/25_P_51XR_Mustang_N6WJ_Precious_Metal_Reno_Air_Race_2014_photo_D_Ramey_Logan.jpg)
: Designation of the custom-built Reno Air Racer "
''Precious Metal''", which was newly built using parts from various P-51s. Powered by an estimated 3,200 horsepower Griffon. The P-51XR designation, created by the race crew, signifies the specially designed contra-rotating 3-Blade
propellers
A propeller (colloquially often called a screw if on a ship or an airscrew if on an aircraft) is a device with a rotating hub and radiating blades that are set at a pitch to form a helical spiral which, when rotated, exerts linear thrust upon ...
. ''Precious Metal'' is the only P-51 of its kind. Two other Griffon powered Mustangs included "
''Red Baron''" (RB-51) and "''Miss Ashley II''" (P-51R), which has a heavily modified airframe and cockpit,
Learjet wings, and an F-86 tail.
;
Trans-Florida (Cavalier) Executive Mustang
:Conversions of P-51Ds into two-seat personal transports.
:* Cavalier 750, with approx. range of 750 miles.
:* Cavalier 1200, with approx. range of 1,200 miles.
:* Cavalier 1500, with approx. range of 1,500 miles.
:* Cavalier 2000, with approx. range of 2,000 miles.
:* Cavalier 2500, with approx. range of 2,500 miles.
;Cavalier F-51D
:Re-manufactured P-51Ds for export.
;Cavalier Mustang II
:Version of the Cavalier F-51D for
close air support and
counter-insurgency operations.
:
;
Piper PA-48 Enforcer
The Piper PA-48 Enforcer is an American turboprop-powered light close air support aircraft built by Piper in the 1970s. It is a development of the World War II-era North American P-51 Mustang fighter. The Enforcer concept was originally crea ...
![Piper PA48 Enforcer USAF](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Piper_PA48_Enforcer_USAF.jpg)
:Losing contender in the Light Armed Reconnaissance Aircraft (LARA) tri-service competition, won by the
North American OV-10 Bronco
The North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco is an American twin-turboprop light attack and observation aircraft. It was developed in the 1960s as a special aircraft for counter-insurgency (COIN) combat, and one of its primary missions was as a f ...
. A highly modified Cavalier modification powered by a
Rolls-Royce Dart
The Rolls-Royce RB.53 Dart is a turboprop engine designed and manufactured by Rolls-Royce Limited. First run in 1946, it powered the Vickers Viscount on its maiden flight in 1948. A flight on July 29 of that year, which carried 14 paying passe ...
turboprop engine, it was originally designated Cavalier Turbo Mustang III before the project was taken over by
Piper Aircraft.
Dimensions and performance
The basic dimensions of the P-51/A-36 variants remained consistent from the XP-51 through to the experimental "lightweight" P-51s, although there were relatively minor variations in height and wing area. The P-51H was the first production version of the Mustang to feature a lengthened fuselage and taller tailfin.
Power ratings
The power rating for the engines could vary according to the type of
supercharger fitted, the size of the compressor impeller(s), and the gear speeds selected.
In the case of the
V-1650, used from the P-51B on, two sets of power ratings can be quoted because these engines were fitted with two-stage, two-speed
superchargers; the maximum power generated by the V-1650-3 was at the
critical altitude
Critical or Critically may refer to:
*Critical, or critical but stable, medical states
**Critical, or intensive care medicine
*Critical juncture, a discontinuous change studied in the social sciences.
* Critical Software, a company specializing in ...
of in ''low blower'' using of
mercury (61" Hg) "boost".
[Gruenhagen 1980, p. 183.] The "boost" is the pressure to which the air–fuel mixture is compressed before being fed through to the engine's
cylinders (
manifold pressure
Manifold vacuum, or engine vacuum in an internal combustion engine is the difference in air pressure between the engine's intake manifold and Earth's atmosphere.
Manifold vacuum is an effect of a piston's movement on the induction stroke and t ...
). Because air pressure and air density decrease with altitude, the efficiency of a piston engine drops because of the reduction in the amount of air that can be drawn into the engine; for example, the air density at is ⅓ of that at
sea level
Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardise ...
, thus only ⅓ of the amount of air can be drawn into the cylinder and only ⅓ of the fuel can be burnt.
In the case of the Mustang the air being forced through the supercharger air intake was first compressed by the supercharger's first stage, or ''low blower''. The intercooler stopped the compressed mixture from becoming too hot and either igniting before reaching the cylinders or creating a condition known as
knocking.
Two-stage refers to the use of two
impellorson a common driveshaft in effect constituting two superchargers in series; a
Bendix-Stromberg pressure carburetor injected fuel at through a nozzle direct into the supercharger where the first-stage impellor compressed the air/fuel mixture. This was then fed to the smaller second-stage impellor which further compressed the mixture. The impellors were driven by a hydraulically operated two-speed gearbox. At low to medium altitudes, the supercharger was in ''low blower'' (this referred to the speed at which the impellors were operating). Once the aircraft reached and climbed through the set critical altitude ( for the -3) the power would start to drop as the atmospheric pressure, hence the weight of air dropped. As the critical altitude was passed a pressure-operated
aneroid capsule operated the gearbox which changed up to ''high blower'', driving the impellors faster, compressing a greater volume of the air-fuel mixture. This second stage blower required approximately to drive it. As a result, the maximum power generated by the V-1650-3 in ''high blower'' was at , using 61" Hg.
[Smallwood 1995, pp. 132–136.]
The V-1650-7 used in later P-51B/Cs and in the P-51D/K produced slightly more power but, because of the use of slightly different
gear ratio
A gear train is a mechanical system formed by mounting gears on a frame so the teeth of the gears engage.
Gear teeth are designed to ensure the Pitch circle diameter (gears), pitch circles of engaging gears roll on each other without slipping, pr ...
s for the impellers, the critical altitude ratings of the supercharger stages were lower, and , respectively, since experience showed most
air-to-air combat
Air combat manoeuvring (also known as ACM or dogfighting) is the tactical art of moving, turning and/or situating one's fighter aircraft in order to attain a position from which an attack can be made on another aircraft. Air combat manoeuvres ...
over Europe was taking place between these altitudes.
The power of the engine could also change according to the
octane rating of the
aviation fuel being used. Higher octane fuels allowed boost pressures to be increased without the risks of pre-ignition or knocking.
Rather than use inches of mercury, the British measured boost pressure in psi. A reading of +6 meant the air/fuel mix was being compressed to 20.7 psi (6 psi more than
one atmosphere) before entering the engine; +25 meant the air/fuel mix was being compressed to 39.7 psi.
Reliability of performance figures
When reading performance figures it should always be borne in mind that weight, the
aerodynamic drag generated by different external fittings, the condition of the
airframe and/or engine, and all sorts of other factors could influence how an aircraft performed. For example, the P-51's
laminar flow wings needed to be kept as clean and smooth as possible; even relatively minor damage on the wing leading edges could drastically reduce top speed. The most accurate performance figures for the P-51 came from tests carried out at facilities such as the
USAAF
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
's ''Flight Test Engineering Branch'', based at
Wright Field
Wilbur Wright Field was a military installation and an airfield used as a World War I pilot, mechanic, and armorer training facility and, under different designations, conducted United States Army Air Corps and Air Forces flight testing. Lo ...
near
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater D ...
and, for the RAF, the
Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment
The Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) was a research facility for British military aviation from 1918 to 1992. Established at Martlesham Heath, Suffolk, the unit moved in 1939 to Boscombe Down, Wiltshire, where its work ...
(A&AEE), based at
Boscombe Down
MoD Boscombe Down ' is the home of a military aircraft testing site, on the southeastern outskirts of the town of Amesbury, Wiltshire, England. The site is managed by QinetiQ, the private defence company created as part of the breakup of the Def ...
. North American Aviation carried out their own performance tests, as did the only other manufacturer of the P-51, the
Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation
The Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) was an Australian aircraft manufacturer. The CAC was established in 1936, to provide Australia with the capability to produce military aircraft and engines.
History
In 1935 the Chief General Manager ...
(CAC) of
Australia.
References
Notes
Citations
Bibliography
* Anderson, Peter N. ''Mustangs of the RAAF and RNZAF''. Sydney, Australia: A.H & A.W Reed PTY Ltd, 1975. .
* Chorlton, Martyn. ''Allison-Engined P-51 Mustang''. Long Island City, NY: Osprey Publications, 2012.
*
* Gruenhagen, Robert W. ''Mustang: The Story of the P-51 Fighter (rev. ed.)''. New York: Arco Publishing Company, Inc., 1980. .
* Knaack, Marcelle Size. ''Encyclopedia of U.S. Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems: Volume 1 Post-World War II Fighters 1945-1973''. Washington, D.C.: Office of Air Force History, 1978. .
* Kinzey, Bert. ''P-51 Mustang in Detail & Scale: Part 1; Prototype through P-51C''. Carrollton, Texas: Detail & Scale Inc., 1996.
* Kinzey, Bert. ''P-51 Mustang in Detail & Scale: Part 2; P-51D thu P-82H''. Carrollton, Texas: Detail & Scale Inc., 1997.
* Lednicer, David A. and Ian J. Gilchrist. "A Retrospective: Computational Aerodynamic Analysis Methods Applied to the P-51 Mustang." ''AIAA paper 91-3288,'' September 1991.
* Lednicer, David A. "Technical Note: A CFD Evaluation of Three Prominent World War II Fighter Aircraft." ''Aeronautical Journal'', Royal Aeronautical Society, June/July 1995.
* Lednicer, David A. "World War II Fighter Aerodynamics." ''EAA Sport Aviation'', January 1999.
* Lowrey, Joseph
"A Case For Standardisation: Puzzle of the Boost Gauge; British Unit an Anachronism: "Centibar" Suggested" (article and images).''
Flight and the Aircraft Engineer'' No. 1823, Vol XLIV, 2 December 1943.
* Matthews, H.F. "Elimination of Rumble From the Cooling Ducts of a Single-Engine Pursuit Airplane," NACA WR A-70, August 1943.
* North American Aviation. ''AN-01-60JE-2: Erection and Maintenance Instructions for Army Models P-51D-5, -10, --15, -20, -25 P-51-K-1, -5, -10, -15 British Model Mustang IV Airplanes.'' Inglewood, California: North American Aviation Inc., 1944.
"Rolls-Royce Griffon (65)" (article and images).''
Flight and the Aircraft Engineer'' No. 1917, Vol.XLVIII, 20 September 1945.
* Smallwood, Hugh. ''Spitfire in Blue''. Oxford, UK: Osprey Aerospace, 1996. .
* Smith, G. Geoffrey
"A British Masterpiece." (article and images). ''
Flight and the Aircraft Engineer'' No. 1731, Volume XLI, 26 February 1942.
*
External links
"A Fighter From the Ground Up." ''Popular Science'', July 1943, one of earliest detailed articles on P-51A"Wild Horses of the Sky," ''Popular Mechanics'', November 1943Swiss Mustangs*
ttp://www.warbirdregistry.org/p51registry/p51registry.html P-51 Warbird Registry: names, serial numbers, imagesCuban F-51 Mustangs*
ttp://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/mustang/mustangtest.html P-51B Mustang performance test report, May 1943The Mustang XP-51GNACA-WR-L-566 "Flying qualities and stalling characteristics of North American XP-51 airplane", April 1943. (PDF)Information on P-51 versions and survivorsNorth American P-51D on display at the RAF Museum, LondonNorth American P-51 profile, photos and technical details for each mkFourth Fighter Group Association WWII
{{DEFAULTSORT:P-51
North American P-51 variants
Over twenty variants of the North American P-51 Mustang fighter were produced from 1940, when it first flew, to after World War II, some of which were employed also in the Korean War and in several other conflicts.
Allison-engined Mustangs
NA ...
Variants
Variant may refer to:
In arts and entertainment
* ''Variant'' (magazine), a former British cultural magazine
* Variant cover, an issue of comic books with varying cover art
* ''Variant'' (novel), a novel by Robison Wells
* "The Variant", 2021 e ...