United States' North American P-51D Mustang fighter, Mustang Mk IV

Photos

North American P-51D Mustang fighter:	North American P-51D Mustang fighter:	North American P-51D Mustang fighter:	North American P-51D Mustang fighter:
North American P-51D Mustang fighter:	North American P-51D Mustang fighters on Iwo Jima:

Design

The Royal Air Force (RAF) installed a Malcolm hood which greatly improved visibility for the pilot.⁵ North American took the design and started production on the P-51D.⁵

Engine

The engine was a United States built Rolls-Royce Merlin 61.¹

The engine powered an Aeroproducts propeller.³
The engine powered a Hamilton Standard propeller.⁴

Cockpit

The bubble canopy allowed the pilot to have an exceptional view.^1,3,4,5 Behind the cockpit the fuselage was cut down for better rearward views.^3,4,5

Tail

A fin fillet compensated for the reduced rear fuselage.⁴

Prototype

Production

• North American P-51D: 7,956⁵
  • Manufacturer: North American Aviation Inc.⁵

Variants

• North American P-51D:

Usage

P-51Ds escorted bombers over Tokyo for the first time in April 1945 from bases on Iwo Jima.⁴

Royal Air Force (RAF)

The RAF received 215 P-51Ds.⁴

Specifications

	North American P-51D Mustang1,2,3,4,5, Mustang Mk IV2,3,4
Type	Fighter1,2,3,5, Fighter bomber1,4
Crew	11,3,4,5
Engine (Type)	Packard V-1650-7 piston1,5 Packard V-1650-7 Merlin4 Packard Rolls-Royce Merlin V-1650-7 piston2,3
Cylinders	Inverted V Inline 121 Inline2 V 123,4,5
Cooling	Liquid5, Water1
HP	1,4902,3, 1,5901, 1,7204
Propeller blades	41,4
Fuel capacity - internal
Fuel capacity - drop tanks	2: 108 gallon1 2: 491 liter1
Dimensions
Span	37'1,4,5, 37' 0.25"2,3 11.28 m2,3,4, 11.29 m1
Length	32' 3"1,4,5, 32' 3.25"2, 32' 3.75"3 9.83 m1,4, 9.85 m2,3
Height	12' 2"1,2,3,4,5 3.71 m1,2,3,4
Wing area	233.2 ft2 2,3, 235 ft2 1 21.65 m2 2,3, 21.83 m2 1
Weight
Empty	7,125 lb1,2,3, 7,635 lb4 3,232 kg1,2,3, 3,463 kg4
Loaded	11,600 lb2,3,5, 11,607 lb1, 12,100 lb4 5,252 kg2, 5,262 kg3, 5,488 kg4, 5,625 kg1
Performance
Speed @ 5,000' / 1,525 m	395 mph4 636 kph4
Speed @ 25,000' / 7,620 m	437 mph2,3,4,5, 445 mph1 703 kph4, 704 kph2,3, 716 kph1
Climb	3,475'/minute4 1,059 m/minute4
Climb to 20,000' / 6,096 m	7.3 minutes4
Climb to 30,000' / 9,145 m	13 minutes2,3
Service ceiling	41,900'1,2,3,4,5 12,770 m1,2,3,4
Range	850 miles4, 950 miles5, 2,080 miles2,3 1,368 km4, 3,347 km2,3
Range - internal fuel	326 miles1 535 km1
Range - fuel tanks	752 miles1, 1,650 miles4 1,210 km1, 2,655 km4
Armament	6: MG5
Wings	6: 0.5" MG4 6: 12.7 mm Browning MG1,2 6: 12.7 mm MG3
Bombs	2: 500 lb1, 2: 1,000 lb2,3, 2,000 lb4,5 2: 227 kg1, 2: 454 kg2,3, 907 kg4
OR
Rockets	8: 75 mm1 6: 5"2,3,4 6: 127 mm2,3,4