North American designed and built the P-51 in an unbelievable 117 days. An exceptional long range bomber escort and a fast and furious dog fighter, the P-51 qualified 281 allied pilots as Aces, second only to the Hellcat with 307 Aces. Most P-51s were manufactured in Inglewood, CA and tested over Mines Field, now LAX.
The answer to a fighter pilot’s dream, the Mustang had the ability to fly farther and faster than any other combat aircraft of WWII. The D model sported a new bubble canopy, six .50 caliber Browning machine guns and the new Merlin engine improved its high altitude performance. Two other developments improved the capabilities of the P-51, the G-Suit, which applied pressure to the lower body to increased blood flow to the head, and the K-14 gyroscopic gunsight. This P-51 was a well-known racer and won a string of victories in the Bendix Air Races.
It was procured by Yanks in 1987.
| DISPLAY STATUS | COUNTRY OF ORIGIN | CURRENT LOCATION |
|---|---|---|
| Own | United States | Legends Hangar |
| PURPOSE & TYPE | MATERIALS | ERA & DATE RANGE |
| Bomber, Fighter | Steel | World War II 1939 – 1945 |
| PRODUCTION & ACQUISITION |
SPECIFICATIONS | SERVICE HISTORY |
| MFG: North American First Produced: 1941 Number Built: 15,686 total; 7,956 P-51D Models Armament: (6) .50 caliber machine guns in wings, (2) 1,000 lb bombsIt was procured by Yanks in 1987. |
Wingspan: 37’ Wing Area: 233 sq ft Length: 32’3” Height: 12’2” Empty Weight: 6,970 lbs Gross Weight: 10,5000 lbs Powerplant: Packard V1650-7 Merlin 68 Thrust: Cruise Speed: 362 mph Maximum Speed: 437 mph Range: 2,080 miles |
Delivered: July 10, 1945
July 1945 – 2116th AAF Base Unit (ATC), Napier AAF, AL
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