About the North American P-51D Mustang The appearance of the cutting-edge P-51B Mustang marked a solid improvement to the
protection of bomber formations. By the time the final D version was deployed, the control of
German airspace was entirely in the grasp of the Allied Forces. The laminar airfoil and
undersurface of the fuselage minimized air resistance, making the P-51D aerodynamically
polished. For its power source, the P-51D packed a Packard Merlin V1650-7 engine with
supercharger. A teardrop type canopy provided excellent visibility for the pilot, and six 13.7mm
guns put daunting firepower at his disposal. Auxiliary drop tanks enabled the Mustang to
achieve a continuous flight range up to 3700km, and secure thorough bomber protection all
the way to Germany. As a result of the P-51D Mustang’s effectiveness against the Me109
and Fw190 interceptors, a significant reduction in the amount of B-17 losses and a marked
increase in pilots achieving the status of Ace was realized .
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