Mustangs do not account for any unique combat record, but that does not diminish its incredible impact on combat operations, including the first engagements against jet fighters over Germany. They were critical in the Korean War, once again being heavily used for ground attack as jets now ruled the skies. After the war P-51 was retained while all the other land-based piston fighters were decommissioned. ![]() While most well known for missions in Europe, they were also critical in escorting B-29's over Japan. One can write books on the exploits of the P-51 but for here will just hit the high points. By early 1943 the Merlin powered P-51B/Mustang Mk III was rolling off the assembly line and into history. The British were more than eager to show the Americans the new fighter and pushed for the US company Packard to build the Merlin (Packard V-1650-3 Merlin). When the first USAAF bombing missions from England against Nazi German started it did not take long to realize they had to change bombing tactics. After Pearl Harbor more resources went to naval aircraft and bombers. The generals stubbornly believed a heavily armed bomber was better, and if they did need escorts then the P-38 and P-47 were a better choice. Meanwhile across the Atlantic the USAAC was not that enthusiastic about their recent addition, the newly designated P-51. The Mk X proved the hypothesis and the push was on to put a British engine in a fighter built and paid for the British. While it looked funny, the performance was anything but, exceeding expectations and leaving the legendary Spitfire in the rear view. Fitting the engine was not difficult, but an extra chin radiator was needed because the existing radiator was insufficient for the more powerful and hotter engine. In April 1942 Rolls-Royce was invited to test the Mk 1, they did not take long to see its potential, installing a much better Merlin 61 engine and naming it the Mustang Mk X. Unfortunately the installed Allison V-1710 engine of the Mark I's had poor high altitude performance, so missions were relegated to low altitude recon and ground attacks, which was actually a poor mission type for the laminar flow wing! Despite this the Mustang was seen as winning design by pilots and engineers so effort was made to improve it. Although the purchase was before the Blitzkrieg and Battle of Britain, it was not until October 1941 when they were delivered in UK with the first Mustang Mk Is entering service in January 1942. Pleased with the new fighter, on 24 April 1940 the British commission purchased 320 NA-73s, plus 300 updated units labelled NA-83s, all of which were designated "North American Mustang Mark I" by the RAF. Much to relief of NAA the finished aircraft performed well and orders were put in (one of the prototype NA-73X provided to the USAAC (XF-51) still exists today! BuNos 41-038, NX51NA). Kindelberger gambled the company on this new airfoil delivering the performance desired, since the airfoil data was mostly theoretical. The NAA/NACA 45–100 airfoil was a brand new invention that promised significantly reduced turbulence, thus drag, at high speed. 2 key differences on the NA-73X compared to contemporary fighters were moving the oil and water radiators to the rear of the aircraft with extensive duct work, and new "laminar flow" wing airfoils. In just 102 days after the agreement the NA-73X rolled out of the factory, flying 47 days later, an incredibly short time. ![]() NAA President James Howard "Dutch" Kindelberger proposed he could design a new, better fighter in less time than getting licenses for the P-40. Britain and France quickly realized they were well behind the manufacturing capacity of Germany and looked to American manufacturing to catch up.īritain wanted the Curtiss P-40 fighter but they were at production capacity so instead asked North American Aviation (then known for the B-25 "Mitchell" bomber and AT-6 "Harvard" trainer also purchased for the RAF) about making the P-40. Germany had built up enormous production capabilities and was churning out aircraft using the latest technology. ![]() 2.1 Who is the manufacturer of the Mustang?.
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