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United States' North American P-51B Mustang fighter1,2,3,4
Mustang Mk III3
North American P-51B Mustang fighter: |
North American P-51B Mustang fighter: |
North American P-51B Mustang fighter: |
Design
First of the Mustangs to have the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine.4
Prototype
The first of four Mustang Is converted flew on October 13, 1942.4
Usage
The P-51B was first used in December 1943 in an operation to Kiel.4 In March 1944 the P-51B escorted a mission to Berlin.4
| North American P-51B Mustang1,2,3,4 Mustang Mk III3 |
|
|---|---|
| Type | Fighter4 |
| Crew | 14 |
| Engine (Type) | Packard Merlin V-16502,3 Packard V-1650-3 Merlin4 |
| OR | Packard V-1650-74 |
| Cylinders | |
| Cooling | |
| HP | -3: 1,5954 -7: 1,7204 |
| Propeller blades | 44 |
| Dimensions | |
| Span | 37'4 11.28 m4 |
| Length | 32' 3"4 9.83 m4 |
| Height | 12' 2"4 3.71 m4 |
| Wing area | |
| Weight | |
| Empty | 7,450 lb4 3,379 kg4 |
| Loaded | 11,200 lb4 5,080 kg4 |
| Performance | |
| Speed @ 15,000' / 4,570 m |
V-1650-3: 424 mph4 V-1650-3: 682 kph4 |
| Speed @ 30,000' / 9,145 m |
V-1650-3: 440 mph4 V-1650-3: 708 kph4 |
| Climb to 30,000' / 9,145 m |
V-1650-3: 12.5 minutes |
| Service ceiling | V-1650-3: 41,800'4 V-1650-3: 12,740 m4 |
| Range with drop tanks | V-1650-3: 1,600 miles4 V-1650-3: 2,575 km4 |
| Armament | |
| Wing | 4 or 6: 0.5" MG4 |
| Bombs | 2: 1,000 lb4 2: 454 kg4 |
Sources:
- Aircraft of WWII, General Editor: Jim Winchester, 2004
- Fighting Aircraft of World War II, Editor: Karen Leverington, 1995
- The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, General Editor Chris Bishop, 1998
- Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
