P-51 Mustang

Considered by many to be the nest piston engined aircraft of World War II, North American Aviation’s P-51 Mustang had a long range and often utclassed P-51 Mustang Considered by many to be the finest piston engined aircraft of World War II, North American Aviation’s P-51 Mustang was originally commissioned by Britain to increase the RAF’s fighter strength. The first batch of 320 planes were used for low-level tactical reconnaissance and ground attack, while later models, upgraded to the supercharged Rolls Royce Merlin engine, had greatly improved high-altitude performance. The most successful of all variants, the P-51D, was equipped with a license-built Packard-Merlin engine, six .50 caliber Browning machine guns and a tear drop canopy. When the USAAF equiped their squadrons in Britain with the Mustang in the second half of the war, the tide began to turn. Due to the Mustang’s long range and ability as a bomber escort, it was once again possible to conduct crippling daytime bombi