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North American P-51 Mustang

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P-51 Mustang
P-51D of 375th Fighter Squadron, with underwing drop tanks.
Role Fighter
National origin United States
Manufacturer North American Aviation
First flight 26 October 1940
Introduction January 1942 (RAF)[1]
Status Retired from military service 1984 (Dominican Air Force)[2]
Primary users United States Army Air Forces
Royal Air Force
Chinese Nationalist Air Force
numerous others (see below)
Number built More than 15,000[3]
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

The P-51 Mustang was an American fighter made by North American Aviation during World War II. Later versions escorted American bombers over Europe and Japan. There were 5 versions of the Mustang built, called the P-51A, P-51B, P-51C, P-51D, and the P-51H. To provide more power at high altitude, the B, C, D, and H versions had a Packard-built version of the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine instead of the Allison engine used in the P-51A. The Packard Merlin engine featured a more advanced supercharger, allowing much better performance above 15,000 feet when compared to the Allison. The P-51D version had a "bubble" canopy, or one unobstructed by metal supports. After World War II, it was used in the Korean War as a dive bomber and was used by many Central American air forces until the 1970s. Today, P-51 Mustangs are often used in air races.

The P-51 Mustang is an American veteran from World War II and the Korean War. The  P-51 Mustang was the first U.S. built fighter airplane to control Europe after the fall of France. Mustangs met and conquered nearly every German plane from the Junkers bombers to the Messerschmitt 262s. The P-51 was a very successful aircraft, capable of many ground attack and dogfight missions.

References

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  1. "Mustang Aces of the Ninth & Fifteenth Air Forces & the RAF".
  2. Hickman. Kennedy. "World War II: North American P-51 Mustang". Archived 1 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine About.com. Retrieved: 19 June 2014
  3. "North American P-51D Mustang" Archived 22 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine. National Museum of the United States Air Force, 2 April 2011. Retrieved: 22 October 2016.

Other websites

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