North American P-51 Mustang
by: RLindsey
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Word Count: 211
“The fighter that won the war.” The P-51 Mustang is called by many the best all-around plane of World War II. Originally ordered by the British to be build in the United States in 1940, several were delivered before Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. The first engine, an Allison V-1710, was moderately successful, but when a Rolls Royce Merlin was installed, the full potential of the Mustang was realized.
Recognizable by the air intake under the body, the P-51 Mustang was one of the most aerodynamic fighter bodies of World War II. They even used flush rivets other fasteners to improve airflow. This really helped improve the distance that a fighter plane could cover.
The Mustang’s big contribution to the war effort was escorting long range bombers. They did this in both theaters, over Germany, Japan and China/Burma. In all, P-51s scored over 5,000 kills. There were active Mustangs in use until 1984 in Latin America. Over 18,000 were built and over 100 are still flying.
Type: Fighter
County: United States and United Kingdom
Length: 32feet 3 inches (9.83m)
Wingspan: 37 feet (11.28m)
Speed: 437 mph (703 km/h)
Ceiling: 41,900 feet (12,770m)
Range: 1,650 miles (2,655km)
Engines: one 1,450 hp Packard-built Rolls-Royce Merlin V-1650 12-cylinder water-cooled
Crew: one
Armament: six .50 caliber Browning machine guns, 2,000 lbs (907 kg) bombs
About the Author
Robert M. Lindsey http://lindseyfreelancing.com/
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