P51 Mustang Airplane Model

P51 Mustang Airplane ModelThe P 51 was designed as the NA 73 in 1940 at Britain's request. The design showed promise and AAF purchases of Allison powered Mustangs began in 1941 primarily for photo recon and ground support use due to its limited high altitude performance. But in 1942, tests of P 51s using the British Rolls Royce "Merlin" engine revealed much improved speed and service ceiling, and in Dec. 1943, Merlin powered P 51Bs first entered combat over Europe. Providing

The P-51 was designed as the NA-73 in 1940 at Britain's request. The design showed promise and AAF purchases of Allison-powered Mustangs began in 1941 primarily for photo recon and ground support use due to its limited high-altitude performance. But in 1942, tests of P-51s using the British Rolls-Royce "Merlin" engine revealed much improved speed and service ceiling, and in Dec. 1943, Merlin-powered P-51Bs first entered combat over Europe. Providing high-altitude escort to B-17s and B-24s, they scored heavily over German interceptors and by war's end, P-51s had destroyed 4,950 enemy aircraft in the air, more than any other fighter in Europe.

Mustangs served in nearly every combat zone, including the Pacific where they escorted B-29s to Japan from Iwo Jima. Between 1941-5, the AAF ordered 14,855 Mustangs (including A-36A dive bomber and F-6 photo recon versions), of which 7,956 were P-51Ds.