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Home > Fact Sheets > North American P-51
NORTH AMERICAN P-51
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 December 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 and 1945, the AAF ordered 14,855 Mustangs (including A-36A dive bomber and F-6 photo recon versions), of which 7,956 were P-51Ds. During the Korean War, P-51Ds were used primarily for close support of ground forces until withdrawn from combat in 1953.
The National Museum of the United States Air Force has a P-51D on display in its Air Power Gallery.
| Type |
Number built/
converted |
Remarks |
| XP-51 |
2 |
Model NA-73; developed for UK |
| P-51 |
150 |
Prod. model; four 20mm cannon |
| P-51A |
310 |
Fitted with bomb racks; four .50-cal. mgs. |
| XP-51B |
2 (cv) |
Improved P-51; was XP-78 |
| P-51B-NA |
1,988 |
Prod. model; Blocks 1-15; Inglewood |
| P-51C-NT |
1,750 |
Dallas plant; Blocks 1-11 |
| P-51D-NA |
6,502 |
Bubble canopy; Blocks 1-30 |
| P-51D-NT |
1,454 |
Blocks 5-30; six .50-cal. mgs. |
| TP-51D-NT |
10 |
Two-place trainer variant |
| P-51E |
0 |
Designation not assigned |
| XP-51F |
3 |
Exp. lt. weight test model |
| XP-51G |
2 |
Modified XP-51F with new engine |
| P-51H-NA |
555 |
Prod. model; Blocks 1-10 |
| XP-51J |
2 |
Modified XP-51F with new engine |
| P-51K-NT |
1,337 |
Improved D; Aeroprop; Blocks 1-15 |
| P-51L-NA |
1 |
Improved H with new engine |
| P-51M-NT |
1 |
Improved H with new engine |
TECHNICAL NOTES (P-51D):
Armament: Six .50-cal. machine guns and 10 5-in. rockets or 2,000 lbs. of bombs
Engine: Packard-built Rolls-Royce Merlin V-1650 of 1,695 hp
Maximum speed: 437 mph
Cruising speed: 275 mph
Range: 1,000 miles
Service ceiling: 41,900 ft.
Span: 37 ft. 0 in.
Length: 32 ft. 3 in.
Height: 13 ft. 8 in.
Weight: 12,100 lbs. maximum
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