Die mit einem Allison Motor angetriebene P-51A Apache wurde aus dem ursprünglichen RAF Mustang 1 Erdkampf- und Aufklärungsflugzeug abgeleitet. Noch lange bevor irgend jemand etwas von einer Mustang gehört hatte, reifte der Plan, einen Rolls Royce Merlin Motor in diese Zelle einzubauen. Der Merlin trieb einige der besten Kampfflugzeuge Englands an, die Hurricane, die Spitfire und den Avro Lancaster Bomber. Im September 1940 begann die US Packard Motor Company mit der Lizenzproduktion des Merlin V-1650-1 Motors in Detroit, Michigan. Ein neuer V-1650-3 mit einem neuen Aufladegebläse wurde der ersten P-51 B einverleibt. 10 Zellen wurden in den USA auf den Merlin umgerüstet und damit der Grundstock für die erfolgreichste Jagdflieger-Baureihe des Krieges gelegt.

Die ersten P-51B Mustangs trafen in England im September 1943 ein, wobei diese Mustangs an die 354. Jagdstaffel in Boxted gingen und den Krieg mit den meisten Luftsiegen beendeten. Insgesamt wurden 3738 P-51B hergestellt.

Die P-51D Mustangs mit tropfenförmigem Dach

P-51B und P-51D Mustangs 
von Tamiya

Bis Anfang 1944 wurden die P-51B Mustangs werkseitig an der Oberseite Gelbolive ("Drabolive") und an der Unterseite neutral grau lackiert. Schon bald aber begann 1944 die US Flugzeugindustrie, ihre Flugzeuge im unlackierten Zustand auszuliefern, als die Luftüberlegenheit errungen worden war. Die Tragflächen der P-51B’s jedoch wurden grundiert, silbern lackiert und zur Erzielung einer besseren aerodynamischen Laminar-Strömung poliert.

The first Mustang was an A-36A "APACHE"

The A-36A dive bomber was the first AAF version of the "Mustang" developed for Britain in 1940. The A-36 fist flew in Oct. 1942; production of 500 A-36As was completed by March 1943.

Unofficially named "Invaders," A-36As were assigned to the 27th and 86th Bombardment Groups (Dive), later redesignated as Fighter-Bomber Groups. In June 1943, the plane went into action from North Africa. During the Italian campaign, A-36A pilots flew bomber escort and strafing missions as well as ground support bombing attacks. A-36As also served with the 311th Fighter Bomber Group in India. Dive brakes in the wings gave greater stability in a dive, but they were sometimes wired closed due to malfunctions. In 1944, AAF A-36As were replaced by P-51s and P-47s when experience showed that these high-altitude fighters, equipped with bomb racks, were more suitable for low-level missions than the A-36As.

The aircraft on display was obtained in 1971. It was restored by the 148th Fighter-Interceptor Group, Minnesota ANG. It is painted as the A-36A flown by Capt. Lawrence Dye, 522nd Fighter-Bomber Squadron, in Tunisia, Sicily, and Italy during WW II.

SPECIFICATIONS
Span: 37 ft.
Length: 32 ft. 3 in.
Height: 12 ft. 2 in.
Weight: 10,000 lbs. loaded
Armament: Six .50-cal. machine guns; 1,000 lbs of bombs externally
Engine: Allison V-1710 of 1,325 hp.
Cost: $49,000
Serial number: 42-83665
C/N: 97-15883
Other registrations: N39502, N6458C

PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 365 mph.
Cruising speed: 250 mph.
Range: 550 miles
Service Ceiling: 25,100 ft.

P-51B Mustang

Considered by many to be the finest piston engined fighter of World War Two, the North American P-51 was designed in 1940 to meet the requirements of the British Purchasing Commission for a high performance fighter to replace the Curtiss PO-40 Tomahawk. Designed, built and flown in the record time of 117 days, the prototype XP-51 was powered by a 1,150 hp Allison engine, as were the initial production models. Ignored by the U.S. Army Air Corps, which was already preoccupied with the production of its own series of fighters, the Mustang I (600 supplied) first entered RAF operational service with Army Cooperation Command in April 1942; these were soon followed by 150 Mk. IAs and 50 Mk IIs. The Allison engine lacked power at higher altitudes, rendering these early models suitable only for low level armed tactical reconnaissance sorties. Belatedly the U.S. Army Air Force had realised the potential of the Mustang and in 1941 had ordered considerable quantities of the P-51, P-51A and A-36-A Invader models. The type would never have achieved its fame had it not been for the introduction of a new power plant, the more powerful Packard-built Rolls-Royce-Merlin, which was fitted to the P-51B and C models (these were identical, the "B" model being built at Inglewood and the C at Dallas) M; in RAF service they were designated Mustang Ills. At last the Americans and British possessed a superb all-round fighter aircraft, capable of matching the best opposition; when fitted with long range fuel tanks the Mustangs could escort high altitude daylight bomber formations all the way to most targets. For ground attack work up to two 227 kg (500 Ib.) bombs could be carried, while some machines of the 51st Fighter Group in China theatre also used the 63 mm (2.5 in.) bazooka rocket launcher tubes (which were more usually carried by P-47 Thunderbolts). More than 900 Mustang ills were supplied to the RAF, the first ones entering service with No. 19 Squadron in February 1944, while around 1,000 served with the USAAF before production gave way to the superior bubble-canopied P-51D. Powered by a 1,680 hp Packard Merlin V-165o-7 engine giving a maximum Speed of 711 km/h (442 mph) at 7,460 m (24,500 ft.), fixed armament comprised four 12.7 mm (0.5 in.) calibre machine guns.

North American P-51D Mustang
Open Edition Print 33" x 21" 
Order here
The P-51 became one of the aviation world's elite. The total number of 14,819 Mustangs of all types were built for the Army. American Mustangs destroyed 4,950 enemy aircraft in Europe to make them the highest scoring U. S. fighter in the theater.

(Picture: Courtesy of "Mustang" by John Young )

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Fliegertreffen "Hahnweide" 3.-5. September 1999 Kirchheim-Teck
Ray Hanna mit seinem team: "The Old Flying Machine Company"

Mustang-Besuch aus Duxford