You know that:
- The Mustang, although an American aircraft was created at the request of the RAF.
- When you feel like a task is impossible to accomplish, think of the designers at North American Aviation who, at the request of the RAF in 1940, developed an entirely new aircraft in 120 days that became a true legend.
- The first flight took place on 26 October 1940, 178 days after the order was placed.
- Over time, the Mustang became one of the most successful Allied aircraft.
- The original combat name of the machine was Apache and Invader, but eventually the designation "Mustang" became popular among pilots.
- It was the Mustang pilots who brought a new tactic to protect the bombers. Behind it all was a violation of orders to stay close to the bombers. Instead, the pilots attacked the German fighters as they were forming up to attack. This new strategy definitely reversed the balance of air power over Europe.
- When German Marshal Herman Göring saw Mustang fighters over Berlin one day, he told his aide-de-camp , "We have lost the war".
- Probably the most successful Mustang pilot was the American George Earl Preddy, who was unfortunately shot down by his own air defenses.
- Another ace was William Arthur Shomo, nicknamed "The Gravedigger" after his civilian occupation, who shot down six enemy aircraft in one day.
- The P-51 is the fastest piston-engined fighter ever, with a top speed of 885 km/h.
- A total of 15,875 were produced in various versions.
- Mustangs served in the Dominican Republic until 1984.
- Thanks to its durable construction, there are still many airworthy machines around the world today.
Technical parameters:
- dimensions: wingspan 11.28 m, length 9.83 m, height 4.13 m
- weight 3 232kg empty
- maximum take-off weight 5 488 kg
- powerplant 12-cylinder Packard V-1650-7 (Rolls-Royce Merlin) with 1 265 kW
- fuel tank capacity 1018 l + 2x additional tank 284 l
- range 1 529 km (maximum range 3 701 km)
- range 12 802 m
- climb rate 17,7 m/s
- maximum speed 703 km/h
- crew 1
- armament 6x Browning AN/M2 machine gun 12.7 mm + 907 kg of aerial bombs, or 6 unguided HVAR missiles
From the memoirs of American air ace George E. Preddy:
"It was the perfect aircraft. It was very manoeuvrable, had excellent performance and was very accurate. I was able to shoot down 27 enemy aircraft with it and it became the most successful Mustang fighter. It was adventurous, but it was also sad."
Assembly instructions
