26th October 1940

[antarmike]

First flight of the P-51 Mustang.

Originally built with a single stage turbo charged Allinson engine, the advanced lamina flow wing gave this fighter a 30 mph edge over the Curtis P-40 Hawk, fitted with the same engine, but the fighters perforamnce fell away sharply over 15,000 feet.

The RAF were the first to order the new fighter, and they liked it enough to order a second batch, but that found it best to use it on low level patrols and ground attack.

 

The British had a lot of influence over the Mustangs development. They originally chose to call it Mustang, the US originally knew it as Apache, but went on to adopt the British Name. Flying along side the Mark V spitfire the british found it to be 30 - 35 mph faster despite having a less powerful engine, Someone at the RAF Air Fighting Development Unit suggest that Rolls Royce fly the plane. They did and they decided that the Merlin 61 should be tried.

 

Rolls Royce converted 5 Allison engined Mustangs to Merlin power, adding the four blade Rotol propeller from the Spitfire IX. The were known as Mustang X in the RAF,

 

The new design was impessive, vastly improving the high altitude performance due to the Merlins two stage compressor.

 

The Vice-Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sir Wilfrid R. Freeman, lobbied vociferously for Merlin-powered Mustangs, insisting two of the five experimental Mustang Xs be handed over to Carl Spaatz for trials and evaluation by the U.S. 8th Air Force in Britain.

 

The US was impressed too and development in the US led to future Mustangs being Merlin Powered.

 

Edited October 26, 2008 by antarmike

[antarmike]

The next problem to be addressed was the poor rearward vision from the Mustang, Originally this was helped by keeping the high back of the early Mustang and adding a bulged sliding canopy. Known as the Malcolm hood this was better but not perfect.

An RAF Mustang III flown by Wing Commander Tadeusz Nowierski, C/O of 133(Polish) Fighter Wing, RAF Coolham, July 1944. The sliding, clear "Malcolm" hood was a standard fitting on RAF Mustangs of the 2nd TAF.

 

The final solution came by lowering the fuselage behind the cockpit and adding a full blister canopy.

Above Blister Canopied Mustang. in RAF service with 112 Squadron.

The Spitfire and the P-47 Thunderbolt all followed a similar genesis.

Edited October 25, 2008 by antarmike

[antarmike]

The Mustang alongside The North American lightening were the planes to enable the US to continue its daylight bombing campaign over occupied Europe and Germany. Being able to stay with the bomber throughout the whole of the missions, and cutting the horrendous losses to german fighters.

 

The Mustang stayed infront line service throughout the Korean war, initially as an air supremacy fighter, but as the communists started to fly jets the Mustang was forced into a ground attack role.

 

The RAF was the first air force to operate the P-51 which was originally designed to meet RAF requirements. The first P-51As (RAF Mustang Is) entered service in 1941, wearing the standard RAF fighter markings. Due to poor high-altitude performance, the Mustangs were soon transferred to Army co-operation and fighter reconnaissance duties. On 27 July 1942, sixteen RAF Mustangs undertook their first long-range reconnaissance mission over Germany. During Operation Jubilee, the Dieppe Raid (19 August 1942), four British and Canadian Mustang squadrons, including No. 26 Squadron RAF saw action. By 1943/1944, British Mustangs were used extensively to seek out V-1 flying bomb sites. The final RAF Mustang I and Mustang II machines were struck off charge in 1945,

 

The RAF operated several Mustang III (P-51B/C) machines, the first units converting to the type in late 1943/1944. Mustang III units were operational until the end of World War II, though many units had already converted to the

Mustang IV (P-51D/K). RAF pilots preferred the Mustang III (with Malcolm hood), but the RAF re-equipped with Mustang IVs. As the Mustang was a Lend-Lease type, all aircraft still on RAF charge at the end of the war were either returned to the USAAF "on paper" or retained by the RAF for scrapping. The final Mustangs were retired from RAF use in 1947.

Edited October 25, 2008 by antarmike

[antarmike]

 

[antarmike]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Degsy]

Some brilliant footage there Mike, thanks for posting.

[antarmike]

I lost my extra hour in bed today watching through it myself!

[Enigma]

I like the lines of the Mustangs (the RR engined one).

Great info on its developement, thanks!