HOME | DD

Description

The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II , the Korean War and other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by North American Aviation (NAA) in response to a requirement of the British Purchasing Commission . The Purchasing Commission approached North American Aviation to build under license Curtiss P-40 fighters . Rather than build an old design from another company, North American Aviation designed a new plane. The prototype NA-73X airframe was rolled out on 9 September 1940, 102 days after the contract was signed and first flew on 26 October.
The Mustang was originally designed to use the Allison V-1710 engine, which, in its earlier variants, had limited high-altitude performance. It was first flown operationally by the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a tactical-reconnaissance aircraft and fighter-bomber (Mustang Mk I). The addition of the Rolls-Royce Merlin to the P-51B/C model transformed the Mustang's performance at altitudes above 15,000 ft, matching or bettering that of the Luftwaffe 's fighters. The definitive version, the P-51D , was powered by the Packard V-1650-7 , a license-built version of the Rolls-Royce Merlin 66 two-stage two-speed supercharged engine, and was armed with six .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2/AN Browning machine guns .
From late 1943, P-51Bs (supplemented by P-51Ds from mid-1944) were used by the USAAF's Eighth Air Force to escort bombers in raids over Germany , while the RAF's 2 TAF and the USAAF's Ninth Air Force used the Merlin-powered Mustangs as fighter-bombers, roles in which the Mustang helped ensure Allied air superiority in 1944. The P-51 was also used by Allied air forces in the North African, Mediterranean and Italian theaters, and also served against the Japanese in the Pacific War . During World War II, Mustang pilots claimed 4,950 enemy aircraft shot down.
At the start of the Korean War, the Mustang was the main fighter of the United Nations until jet fighters such as the F-86 took over this role; the Mustang then became a specialized fighter-bomber. Despite the advent of jet fighters, the Mustang remained in service with some air forces until the early 1980s. After World War II and the Korean War, many Mustangs were converted for civilian use, especially air racing , and increasingly, preserved and flown as historic warbird aircraft at airshows.

Role: Fighter
National origin: United States
Manufacturer: North American Aviation
First flight: 26 October 1940
Introduction: January 1942 (RAF)
Status: Retired
Primary users: United States Army Air Forces ,Royal Air Force ,Chinese Nationalist Air Force ,numerous others
Number built: More than 15,000
Unit cost: US$50,985 in 1945
Variants: North American A-36 Apache ,Rolls-Royce Mustang Mk.X ,Cavalier Mustang
Developed into: North American F-82 Twin Mustang ,Piper PA-48 Enforcer

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 sq ft (21.83 m²)
Airfoil : NAA/NACA 45-100 / NAA/NACA 45-100
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 V-12, with a 2 stage intercooled supercharger , 1,490 hp (1,111 kW) at 3,000 rpm;[114] 1,720 hp (1,282 kW) at WEP
Propellers: constant-speed , variable-pitch Hamilton Standard , propeller
Propeller diameter: 11 ft 2 in (3.40 m)
*Maximum fuel capacity: 419 US gal (349 imp gal; 1,590 l)
Zero-lift drag coefficient : 0.0163
Drag area: 3.80 sqft (0.35 m²)
Aspect ratio : 5.83
Performance
Maximum speed : 437 mph (380 kn , 703 km/h) at 25,000 ft (7,600 m)
Cruise speed : 362 mph (315 kn, 580 km/h)
Stall speed : 100 mph (87 kn, 160 km/h)
Range : 1,650 mi (1,434 nmi , 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/sqft (192 kg/m²)
Power/mass : 0.18 hp/lb (300 W/kg)
Lift-to-drag ratio : 14.6
Recommended Mach limit 0.8
Armament
Guns: 6 × 0.50 caliber (12.7mm) AN/M2 Browning machine guns with 1,840 total rounds (380 rounds for each on the inboard pair, and 270 rounds for each of the outer two pair)
Rockets: 6 or 10 × 5.0 in (127 mm) T64 H.V.A.R rockets (P-51D-25, P-51K-10 on)[nb 10]
Bombs: 1,000 lb (453 kg) total on two wing hardpoints
Each hardpoint : 1 x 100 lb (45 kg) bomb, 1 x 250 lb (113 kg) bomb or 1 x 500 lb (226 kg) bomb)
Other Images of this aircraft:

Documentary on this aircraft:
Great Planes North American P-51 Mustang

Be sure to follow me on Dailymotion !

Description

The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II , the Korean War and other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by North American Aviation (NAA) in response to a requirement of the British Purchasing Commission . The Purchasing Commission approached North American Aviation to build under license Curtiss P-40 fighters . Rather than build an old design from another company, North American Aviation designed a new plane. The prototype NA-73X airframe was rolled out on 9 September 1940, 102 days after the contract was signed and first flew on 26 October.
The Mustang was originally designed to use the Allison V-1710 engine, which, in its earlier variants, had limited high-altitude performance. It was first flown operationally by the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a tactical-reconnaissance aircraft and fighter-bomber (Mustang Mk I). The addition of the Rolls-Royce Merlin to the P-51B/C model transformed the Mustang's performance at altitudes above 15,000 ft, matching or bettering that of the Luftwaffe 's fighters. The definitive version, the P-51D , was powered by the Packard V-1650-7 , a license-built version of the Rolls-Royce Merlin 66 two-stage two-speed supercharged engine, and was armed with six .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2/AN Browning machine guns .
From late 1943, P-51Bs (supplemented by P-51Ds from mid-1944) were used by the USAAF's Eighth Air Force to escort bombers in raids over Germany , while the RAF's 2 TAF and the USAAF's Ninth Air Force used the Merlin-powered Mustangs as fighter-bombers, roles in which the Mustang helped ensure Allied air superiority in 1944. The P-51 was also used by Allied air forces in the North African, Mediterranean and Italian theaters, and also served against the Japanese in the Pacific War . During World War II, Mustang pilots claimed 4,950 enemy aircraft shot down.
At the start of the Korean War, the Mustang was the main fighter of the United Nations until jet fighters such as the F-86 took over this role; the Mustang then became a specialized fighter-bomber. Despite the advent of jet fighters, the Mustang remained in service with some air forces until the early 1980s. After World War II and the Korean War, many Mustangs were converted for civilian use, especially air racing , and increasingly, preserved and flown as historic warbird aircraft at airshows.

Role: Fighter
National origin: United States
Manufacturer: North American Aviation
First flight: 26 October 1940
Introduction: January 1942 (RAF)
Status: Retired
Primary users: United States Army Air Forces ,Royal Air Force ,Chinese Nationalist Air Force ,numerous others
Number built: More than 15,000
Unit cost: US$50,985 in 1945
Variants: North American A-36 Apache ,Rolls-Royce Mustang Mk.X ,Cavalier Mustang
Developed into: North American F-82 Twin Mustang ,Piper PA-48 Enforcer

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 sq ft (21.83 m²)
Airfoil : NAA/NACA 45-100 / NAA/NACA 45-100
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 V-12, with a 2 stage intercooled supercharger , 1,490 hp (1,111 kW) at 3,000 rpm;[114] 1,720 hp (1,282 kW) at WEP
Propellers: constant-speed , variable-pitch Hamilton Standard , propeller
Propeller diameter: 11 ft 2 in (3.40 m)
*Maximum fuel capacity: 419 US gal (349 imp gal; 1,590 l)
Zero-lift drag coefficient : 0.0163
Drag area: 3.80 sqft (0.35 m²)
Aspect ratio : 5.83
Performance
Maximum speed : 437 mph (380 kn , 703 km/h) at 25,000 ft (7,600 m)
Cruise speed : 362 mph (315 kn, 580 km/h)
Stall speed : 100 mph (87 kn, 160 km/h)
Range : 1,650 mi (1,434 nmi , 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/sqft (192 kg/m²)
Power/mass : 0.18 hp/lb (300 W/kg)
Lift-to-drag ratio : 14.6
Recommended Mach limit 0.8
Armament
Guns: 6 × 0.50 caliber (12.7mm) AN/M2 Browning machine guns with 1,840 total rounds (380 rounds for each on the inboard pair, and 270 rounds for each of the outer two pair)
Rockets: 6 or 10 × 5.0 in (127 mm) T64 H.V.A.R rockets (P-51D-25, P-51K-10 on)[nb 10]
Bombs: 1,000 lb (453 kg) total on two wing hardpoints
Each hardpoint : 1 x 100 lb (45 kg) bomb, 1 x 250 lb (113 kg) bomb or 1 x 500 lb (226 kg) bomb)
Other Images of this aircraft:

Documentary on this aircraft:
Great Planes North American P-51 Mustang

Be sure to follow me on Dailymotion !