North American P-51D Mustang.

by Jaap van den Berg

North American P-51D Mustang.

Civil registration: NL74190.

The P-51 Mustang was designed and built by North American Aviation at the request of the British. The prototype, without engine, was presented on 9 September 1940 This was 102 days after the contract was signed, the prototype flew for the first time on 26 October 1940.

The Mustang was originally designed to use the Allison V-1710 engine, an engine that unfortunately provided limited performance at high altitude. The first Mustangs were used by the Royal Air Force, as tactical reconnaissance aircraft and fighter-bombers.

Putting the Rolls-Royce Merlin in the P-51B and C changed the Mustang's performance at altitudes above 5,000 metres, making it match or even surpass the Luftwaffe's good fighters. The P-51D was powered by the Packard V-1650-7, a licence-built version of the Rolls-Royce Merlin. The aircraft consumed relatively little fuel compared to other aircraft and had a large fuel capacity. This made the aircraft an ideal escort fighter to protect Allied bombers during missions over Nazi Germany.

This photo was taken on 19 October 2019 during the airshow at Fort Worth Alliance Airport.