North American Mustang - Single-Seat Fighter

AIRCRAFT SPECIFICATIONS

Full Name:

North American NA-73 Mustang

Variants:

P-51 to P-51L, A-36, F-6, Cavalier 750 to 2500, Piper Enforcer and F-82 Twin Mustang

Type:

(P51) single-seat fighter; (A-36) attack bomber; (F-6) reconnaisance; (Cavalier and Piper models) Co-In; (F-82) night fighter

Country of Origin:

United States

Manufacturer:

North American Aviation Inc.

First Flight:

(NA73X prototype) 26 October 1940; (production RAF Mustang 1) 1 May 1941; (Merlin conversion) 13 October 1942; (P51-B) December 1942; (XP-82A) 15 April 1945

Engine(s):

(P-51, A, A-36, F-6A) one 1,150 hp Allison V-1710-F3R or 1,125 hp V-1710-81 V12 liquid-cooled; (P-51B, C, D and K, F-6C) one Packard V-1650 (licence-built R-R Merlin 61-series), originally 1,520 hp V-1650-3 followed during P-51D production run by 1,590 hp V-1650-7; (P-51H) 2,218 hp V-1650-9; (Cavalier) mainly V-1650-7; (Turbo-Mustang III) 1,740 hp Rolls-Royce Dart 510 turboprop; (Enforcer) 2,535 hp Lycoming T55-9 turboprop; (F-82F, G, H) two 2,300 hp (wet rating) Allison V-1710-143/145

Wingspan:

37 feet 0.5 inches (11.29 m); (tip-tanked Cavalier models) 40 feet 1 inch; (F-82) 51 feet 3 inches (15.61 m)

Length:

32 feet 2.5 inches (9.81 m); (P51-H) 33 feet 4 inches; (Turbo Mustang and Enforcer) 38 feet 6 inches; (F-82E) 39 feet 1 inch (11.88 m); (F-82F) 42 feet 2 inches

Height:

(P-51, A, A-36, F-6)12 feet 2 inches (3.72 m); (other P-51) 13 feet 8 inches (4.1 m); (F-82) 13 feet 10 inches (4.2 m)

Weights:

Empty: (P-51 early V-1710 models, typical) 6,300 lb (2,858 kg); (P-51D) 7,125 lb (3,230 kg); (Cavalier 2500) 7,500 lb (3,402 kg); (Turbo Mustang, Enforcer) 6,696 lb (3,037 kg); (F-82E) 14,350 lb (6,509 kg)
Maximum Loaded:(P-51 early) 8,600 lb (3,901 kg); (P-51D) 11,600 lb (5,260 kg); (Cavalier) 10,500 lb (4,763 kg); (Turbo) 14,000 lb (6,350 kg); (F-82E) 24,864 lb (11,276 kg); (F-82F) 26,208 lb (11,887 kg)

Maximum Speed:

(Early P-51) 390 mph (628 km/h); (P-51D) 437 mph (703 km/h); (Cavalier, typical) 457 mph (735 km/h); (F-82, typical) 465 mph (750 km/h)

Initial Climb:

(Early) 30,000 ft (9,144 m); (P-51D) 41,900 ft (12,770 m), (also typical for Cavaliers and F-82's)

Service Ceiling:

(early) 390 mph (628 km/h); (P-51D) 437 mph (703 km/h); (Cavalier, typical) 457 mph (735 km/h); (F-82, typical) 465 mph (750 km/h)

Range:

With maximum fuel: (early) 450 miles (724 km); (P-51D) combat range 950 miles, operational range 1,300 miles with drop tanks and absolute range to dry tanks of 2,080 miles; (Cavaliers) 750-2,500 miles depending on customer choice; (Turbo) 2,300 miles; (F-82E) 2,504 miles; (F-82F) 2,200 miles

Armament:

(RAF Mustang I) four 0.303 inch in wings, two 0.5 inch in wings and two 0.5 inch in lower sides of nose; (Mustang IA) four 20 mm Hispano in wings; (A-36A) six 0.5 inch in wings and wing racks for two 500 lb (227 kg) bombs; (all subsequent P-51 production models) six 0.5 inch Browning MG53-2 with 270 or 400 rounds each, and wing racks for tanks or two 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs; (Cavalier or Turbo, typical) six 0.5 inch with 2,000 rounds, two hardpoints each 1,000 lb and four more each 750 lb; (F-82, typical) six 0.5 inch in centre wing, six or eight pylons for tanks, radars or up to 4,000 lb weapons

AIRCRAFT HISTORY

In April 1940 the British Air Purchasing Commission concluded with "Dutch" Kindelberger, Chairman of North American Aviation, an agreement for the design and development of a completely new fighter for the RAF. Completed in 117 days (and then held up for six weeks by failure of Allison to deliver the engine) this silver prototype was the start of the most successful fighter programme in history.
The RAF received 620 Mustang I, 150 IA and 50 II, while the US Army adopted the type with 500 A-36A and 310 P-51A. In 1942 the brilliant airframe was matched with the Merlin engine, yielding the superb P-51B, bulged-hood C (Mustang III) and tear-drop canopied D (Mustang IV), later C and all D models having six 0.5 inch guns and a dorsal fin. The final models were the K (different propellor) and better-shaped, lighter H, the fastest of all at 487 mph. Total production was 15,586. Mustang and P51 variants variants served mainly in Europe, their prime mission being the almost incredible one of flying all the way from British bases to targets of the 8th AF deep in Germany - to Berlin or beyon - escorting heavy bombers and gradually establishing Allied air superiority over the heart of Germany.
After the war the Mustang proved popular with at least 55 nations, while in 1947-49 the US Air Force bought 272 examples of the appreciably longer Twin Mustang (two Allison-powered fuselages on a common wing), most of them radar night fighters which served in Korea. In 1945-48 Commonwealth Aircraft of Australia made under licence 200 Mustangs of four versions. In 1967 the P-51 was put back into production by Cavalier for the US Air Force and other customers, and the turboprop Turbo III and Enforcer versions were developed for the Pave Coin programme for Forward Air Control and light attack missions. Many of the new or re-manufactured models of 1968-75 were two-seat versions.

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