Why is the P-51 called a Mustang?
The vast majority of automotive historians accept that the Mustang was named after the P-51 fighter from WWII. Ford designer John Najjar was involved in the design of the Mustang prototype and was also a big fan of the P-51.
Was the P-51 Mustang a British design?
Read a brief summary of this topic. P-51, also called Mustang, a single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft originally designed and produced by North American Aviation for the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and later adopted by the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF).
Are there any P-51 still flying?
There are only around 175 Mustangs still flying, with roughly 150 of those in the U.S. About 100 other Mustangs are on display in museums. More than 15,000 rolled off North American Aviation assembly lines in California and Texas during World War II. The “P” stood for pursuit.
Was the P-51 A good Dogfighter?
The P-51 dominated air combat in Europe, destroying nearly 5,000 enemy aircraft. It was also a very capable fighter-bomber and could carry 1,000 pounds of bombs and rockets.
Which was better P-51 or Spitfire?
In most cases, the Spitfire had better performance as an all-purpose fighter. The all-important climb rate for a P51D sat at 3200ft per minute whilst the Spitfire could climb at an impressive 3650ft per minute. The maximum speed of a P51D was 437mph whilst the Spitfire was slightly faster at 448mph.
Did Jimmy Stewart own a P-51?
In 1999, Warren purchased what he believed to be a damaged P-51A in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. It was only later that he discovered that what he’d actually acquired were the mortal remains of Thunderbird, the iconic blue P-51C which Jimmy Stewart once flew in the Bendix Air Races just after WWII.
What is the most feared plane in ww2?
Junkers Ju87 Widely known as the “Stuka”, the Ju87 was one of the most feared aircraft during World War Two. It had a fearsome siren which terrified those who heard it. Lockheed Hudson Useful aeroplane. The wooden lifeboat was designed to be dropped by Hudsons to rescue airmen who had ditched.
What plane did German pilots fear the most?
the P-38 Lightning
They called it a ‘fork-tailed devil. ‘ Key point: The P-38 was a forerunner of modern multi-role fighters.
How did the P-51 get the fillet?
The solution was to add a fillet (often called the “dorsal fin”) to the vertical stabilizer that extended down and towards the front. The fillet was also added to other P-51 models already in the field. The engine was the Packard built RR Merlin V-1650-7 (continued from the P-51B line) and the all P-51Ds and Ks would use this workhorse.
What’s the difference between the B/C and P-51D?
The shortcomings of the B/C models were well-known and evolved into a new model of P-51, the P-51D. The B and C models suffered poor rearward visibility and gun jamming during high-G manuevers. The B/C models only had four .50 cal Brownings (2 in each wing).
How many P-51’s were made?
NA-109 was the order placed in July of 1943 for 2,500 P-51s. The first block of P-51D-5NA had 800 aircraft, -10NA another 800, -15NA 400 and -15NA of 500 aircraft. North American Aviation’s production facilities were all at full capacity and expanding.
Why did the P-51D have directional problems?
This caused the P-51D to have directional problems (especially with full fuel in the fuselage tank creating an aft CG) for all but the most proficient pilots. The solution was to add a fillet (often called the “dorsal fin”) to the vertical stabilizer that extended down and towards the front.