This Day in Aviation History
October 26th, 1940
First flight of the North American P-51 Mustang.
 
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and other conflicts. The Mustang was conceived, designed and built by North American Aviation (NAA) in response to a specification issued directly to NAA by the British Purchasing Commission. The prototype NA-73X airframe was rolled out on 9 September 1940, 102 days after the contract was signed and first flew on 26 October.
 
The Mustang was originally designed to use the Allison V-1710 engine, which had limited high-altitude performance. It was first flown operationally by the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a tactical-reconnaissance aircraft and fighter-bomber (Mustang Mk I). The addition of the Rolls-Royce Merlin to the P-51B/C model transformed the Mustang’s performance at altitudes above 15,000 ft, matching or bettering that of the Luftwaffe’s fighters. The definitive version, the P-51D, was powered by the Packard V-1650-7, a license-built version of the Rolls-Royce Merlin 60 series two-stage two-speed supercharged engine, and armed with six .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns.
 
From late 1943, P-51Bs (supplemented by P-51Ds from mid-1944) were used by the USAAF’s Eighth Air Force to escort bombers in raids over Germany, while the RAF’s 2 TAF and the USAAF’s Ninth Air Force used the Merlin-powered Mustangs as fighter-bombers, roles in which the Mustang helped ensure Allied air superiority in 1944. The P-51 was also in service with Allied air forces in the North African, Mediterranean and Italian theaters, and saw limited service against the Japanese in the Pacific War. During World War II, Mustang pilots claimed 4,950 enemy aircraft shot down.
 
Source:
Wikipedia, North American P-51 Mustang: http://gstv.us/2fhnWz6
 
YouTube, WW2: North American P-51 Mustang Fighter: http://gstv.us/2fhnelf
 
YouTube, Flight Characteristics of the North American P-51 Mustang: How to Fly the P-51 Fighter: http://gstv.us/1NuP2KY
 
Please consider supporting Gazing Skyward TV by using our affiliate links when shopping online and becoming a Patron on Patreon. http://gazingskywardtv.com/support/
 
Photo from: http://gstv.us/2eFw9dp
 
#avgeek #NorthAmerican #P51 #Mustang #military #ww2 #warbird #USA #aviation #history #fb