The P-51 Mustang was a fighter plane developed in the astonishing speed of just 117 days under a contract signed between the British Aircraft Purchasing Board and North American Aircraft Corporation in April 1940 .
It was initially exported to Britain, but when America entered the war it was also adopted by the United States Army Air Corps, which was cold towards the P-51 .
The D-type was a model with a lowered rear fuselage top and a rear-sliding bulb canopy to improve rear visibility over the B/C-types . The early models did not have a dorsal fin in front of the vertical stabilizer, but one was added during production to improve directional stability.
The reason why the Mustang is said to be one of the best planes during World War II is proven in actual combat, but the secret to its excellence lies in its design, which was one step more advanced than its peers, and its overall well-balanced design.
- Crew: 1
- Width: 11.28m
- Length: 9.83m
- Height: 3.71m
- Weight: 5,262kg
- Engine: Packard Marine V-1650-7
- Power: 1,450hp
- Maximum speed: 703km/h/7,620m
- Fixed armament: 6 x 12.7mm machine guns
- First flight: Prototype 1940.10.26