The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and other conflicts. The Mustang was conceived, designed and built by North American Aviation (NAA) in response to a specification issued directly to NAA by the British Purchasing Commission.

• Role: Fighter
• National origin: United States
• Manufacturer: North American Aviation
• First flight: October 26, 1940
• Introduction: 1942
• Status: Retired from military service 1984 (Dominican Air Force)
• Number built: 15,000+

Specifications (P-51D Mustang)

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 32 ft 3 in (9.83 m)
• Wingspan: 37 ft 0 in (11.28 m)
• Height: 13 ft 4½ in (4.08 m:tail wheel on ground, vertical propeller blade.)
• Wing area: 235 sq ft (21.83 m²)
• Airfoil: NAA/NACA 45-100 / NAA/NACA 45-100
• Empty weight: 7,635 lb (3,465 kg)
• Loaded weight: 9,200 lb (4,175 kg)
• Max. takeoff weight: 12,100 lb (5,490 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Packard V-1650-7 liquid-cooled supercharged V-12, 1,490 hp (1,111 kW) at 3,000 rpm; 1,720 hp (1,282 kW) at WEP
• Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0163
• Drag area: 3.80 sqft (0.35 m²)
• Aspect ratio: 5.83

Performance

• Maximum speed: 437 mph (380 kn, 703 km/h) at 25,000 ft (7,600 m)
• Cruise speed: 362 mph (315 kn, 580 km/h)
• Stall speed: 100 mph (87 kn, 160 km/h)
• Range: 1,650 mi (1,434 nmi, 2,755 km) with external tanks
• Service ceiling: 41,900 ft (12,800 m)
• Rate of climb: 3,200 ft/min (16.3 m/s)
• Wing loading: 39 lb/sqft (192 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: 0.18 hp/lb (300 W/kg)
• Lift-to-drag ratio: 14.6
• Recommended Mach limit 0.8

Armament

• 6× 0.50 caliber (12.7mm) M2 Browning machine guns with 1,880 total rounds (400 rounds for each on the inner pair, and 270 rounds for each of the outer two pair)
• 2× hardpoints for up to 2,000 lb (907 kg) of bombs
• 6 or 10× T64 5.0 in (127 mm) H.V.A.R rockets (P-51D-25, P-51K-10 on)