Mustang
and the Air Force
: a love story
The impact of the French requirements on developing
u hunter North
-
American
(Excerpt from the book of Stephen hawk,
History of the Air Force in World War
World
Ed. Docavia, Pari
s 1997)
The Air Force had in the second quarter 1941 a very urgent need for a chass
eur
air superiority. At that time, his material has become primarily
méricain, the
French equipment that can not be renewed e
Great t
-
de Bretagne
Sirant serve
its first
own units with the best fighter of the moment, the Supermarine Spitfire V
Entered into
Service in March 1941.
But the only American aircraft immediately available fl
have the Curtiss Hawk
-
81 (P
-
40 B and C for the USAAC / USAA
F, Tomahawk RAF) and its successor the Hawk
-
87
(P
-
40 D and E or Kittyhawk). The first Hawk
-
87 production, belonging to a contract
British, made its first flight May 22, 1941.
Alas
The Hawk
-
87 was not very promising
As Hunter
air superiority. Heavier than the Hawk
-
81 and slightly more powerful,
he rode more slowly and was
less maneuverable. In fact,
version
s
improved
of
dewoitine
D.5
20, the
s
and D.520M
D.5
23 forestay
in
t top
s
in all these areas both
plane
Curtiss s ... But we could not hope to emerge from the ground a Dewoitine factory
make the
D.5
23 in series.
To improve the P
-
40, we contemplated the replacement of the engine Allison V
-
1710 by a
Merlin 28 built by Packard (Packard V
-
1650
-
1). The P
-
40E made its first flight on 30
June 1941 and deliveries to the RAF began in January 1942. But
engine
not enough to give the P
-
40 talent against the best aircraft of the Luftwaffe.
The P
-
40E
-
5 reached 364 mph (586 km / h) to 2
0
000 feet (6
100
m) against 362 mph (582
m / h) 15
000 feet (4
575
m) P
-
40E
-
1. A feeble progress ...
The states
-
States also proposed the Bell P
-
39D. Alas, with the same engine as Allison
Hawk
-
87 performance of this airplane yet very
innovative also were not
better than those of Curtiss, with a speed of 360 mph at 15
000 feet and poor
rate of climb.
Finally, the Lockheed P
-
38 was very promising at high altitude with its turbo
-
compressor,
but the French
could only, in 1941, to procure what equip their Wing
Hunting long range, to escort their B
-
24. Furthermore, a twin-engine had its
own limitations as an air superiority fighter.
This was to force the Ar
Mee Air to choose a different path
: Support early on
development of an advanced variant of the hunter North
-
American NA
-
73, first developed
on British funds and not yet adopted by the USAAF. With the same m
otor Allison
the Hawk
-
87
/ P
-
40
E
The NA
-
73 had much better performance, reaching
615
km / h (382 mph) in
3
965 m (1
3
000 feet)
and 629 km / h at 4
700m, against 582 km / h in
4
575
m for the H
-
87
. Maneuverability, tau
x rise and ease of control were very
higher ceu
x P
-
40 (all versions) or P
-
39. Although a little less maneuvering
the Spitfire V, NA
-
73 had much better wings (it is true that those of Spitfire
were notoriously poor).
The French invested in the NA program
-
73 in
intends to develop a
variant with a Merlin engine two-stage / two compression rates (in
Series
60). Rolls
-
Royce is already overloaded, the engine should be produced by Packard, who
Merlin already manufactured 28 (with
single stage compressor) as the Packard
V
-
1650
-
1 for the P
-
40E. The French Government advanced the funds to
enlarge the Packard plant and have it produce the new Merlin (referred Packard
V
-
1650
-
3 and 7) as well as to create u
NA not new production line
-
73 (Dallas, Tx). In
exchange, the US government promised to repay the government françai
s if
USAAF adopted the new fighter.
As interim measures, the Air Force decided to acquire NA
-
73 motor
Allison, then V engine
-
1650
-
1.
Thus the French capital significantly accelerated the deve
opment of
Mustang compared to what it would have been without them.
Mustang and "
French Mustang
"
: Versions
-
N / A
-
73
:
varia
Initial nt with 4 x 12.7
mm and 4 x 7.62
mm
. Delivered from February 1942
the Air Force
.
-
N / A
-
83
: Slightly modified variant (Army of 4 x 12.7
mm). Delivered from April 1942
as the Mustang I and later referred to as P
-
51 by the USAAF.
-
N / A
-
89
: First specifically French variant, using the Packard V
-
1650
-
1 P
-
40E. First flight July 27, 1941
(A year earlier, probably,
in the absence of intervention
French)
. First copy output end of March 1942, delivery has
ux first units
line in June 1942. Max. 382 mph (614 km / h) to 11
300 feet (3
444 m) and 395 mph
(635 km / h) to 18,600 feet (5670 m). armament
:
6
x 12.7
mm
300
shots each
(Or 4
x 12.7 mm
with 400 rounds per gun
)
, Carrying capacity
2
bombs of 125 kg or 2 tanks
Additional 65 Imp. Gal. combat radius of action
1
150 mls (1
850 km) with
additional tanks. Some equipped with "Malcolm hood" British re
ndu
famous by the Spitfire.
-
N / A
-
91: variant
4 x 20
mm, called Mustang IA and delivered by the RAF from July
1942, standardized by the USAAF under the name P
-
51A (some
-
each modified for
reco photo as F6).
-
N / A
-
92
: French variant using the Allison V
-
1710
-
81 and armament
developed by the
British 2 x 40
mm Vickers "S" and 2 x
7
, 7
mm (to adjust shooting). fighter aircraft
tanks, initially valued at RAE early 1942, comes from the summer of 1942 for ground attack.
-
N / A
-
93
: Variation of NA
-
89 with wings more rigid
es and two hardpoints for 2
250 kg bombs or 2 additional tanks 125 Imp. Gal. increased operating range
:
1500 miles (2500 km) with maximum cruising speed. Deliveries from December
ember 1942.
Most equipped "Malcolm hood".
-
N / A
-
95
: American variant of the NA
-
89 "French". designated P
-
51B.
-
N / A
-
98
: American variant of the NA
-
93 "French". designated P
-
51B
-
AT
(
Has for
Assault
).
As NA
-
95, all NA
-
98 are
armed
6 x 12.7
mm.
-
N / A
-
102
: French variant using Packar
d V
-
1650
-
3. First flight (with one engine
Merlin imported 61) 26 December 1941. First production copy December 5
1942 delivered to frontline units from early April 1943. Speed m
ax. 440
mph (707 km / h) to 30
000 feet (9
144
m). internal tanks
180 US gallons. armament
:
4
or 6
x 12.7
mm, carrying capacity
2 bombs of 125 or 250 kg or 2 tanks
additional 150 US gallons. cruising speed operating range maxim
ale
1
800
mls (3
000 km) with known reservoirs
Additional Features. Most equipped "Malcolm hood".
-
N / A
-
103
: American variant
NA
-
102
designated P
-
51C, with the Packard V
-
1650
-
7.
reached 439
mph (705 km / h) to 25
000
feet (7
620
m).
Army 6 x 12.7 mm.
shipments
the first line units
From June 1943.
-
N / A
-
105
: French version with a partially redesigned structure to reduce
the
unnecessary weight, and using the Packard V
-
1650
-
3. reviewed Cooling System
: radiator
of oil replaced by a heat exchanger set at
the front of the oil tank and new
input ventral air. This variant corresponds to a request for an interceptor
short
range and was developed parallel to the line of NA
-
106/109/111. although the
project preceded the DN
-
106, required design the important work that made
this variant appeared later that the P
-
51D. Devices with the glass teardrop
expanded and improved and the backbone extending the drift. Delivery
units of
first
E online from June 1944. Max. 466 mph (749 km / h) to 29
000 feet
(8
840
m). armament
4 x 12.7
mm
315
shots each, carrying capacity
2 bombs
125 or 2 additional tanks of 65 US gallons. speed operating range of
cruises
maximum era
1
100 mls (1
800 km) with additional tanks.
-
N / A
-
106
: N / A
-
103 equipped with glass teardrop slide and with the back of
redesigned fuselage. called P
-
51D by the USAAF. Delivery to frontline units
from
January 1944
(Six months earlier
without a doubt
in the absence of French intervention)
.
Max. 466 mph (749 km / h) to 29
000 feet (8
840 m). armament
6 x 12.7
mm. Ray
Action at maximum cruise speed
1
100 mls (1
800 km) with tanks
su
Additional Features.
-
N / A
-
109
: N / A
-
106 with backbone extending the drift to improve stabili
you
directional. called P
-
51E
by the USAAF. Delivery to frontline units from
of April 1944
(Six months earlier
without a doubt
in the absence of in
French intervention)
.
-
N / A
-
111
"French" variant (factory Dallas) NA
-
109 with 4 x 12.7
mm only,
but all supplied with 490 rounds per gun. Delivery from March 1944.
-
N / A
-
115
: American variant of the NA
-
105 "French", called P
-
51F.
-
N / A
-
126
: Variant developed specifically for Far
-
East, using the V
-
1650
-
9
with water injection and referred to as P
-
51H by the Americans. armament
6 x 12.7
mm.
Maximum speed
487 mph (783 km / h) at 25
000 feet. Delivery from
September 1944
(Six months earlier
without a doubt
in the absence of French intervention)
.
It is interesting to compare the maximum speed NA
-
89 entering service in May
-
June 1942 with its allies and contemporary opponents.
N / A
-
89
3
82 mph to 11
300 feet and 395 mph to 18
600 feet.
Spitfire V
: 374 mph to 13
000 feet.
Spitfire LF IX
: 384 mph to 10
500 feet and 404 mph at 21
000 feet.
P
-
38F
-
15
-
LO
: 351 mph to 10
000 feet and 395mph 25
000 feet.
FW
-
190A8
: 408 mph to 21
000 feet.
Bf.10
9F3
: 390 mph to 22
000 feet (23 to 387mph
000 feet to the G6 version, more
late).
Macchi MC.202
: 364 mph to 13
120 feet and 370 mph to 16
400 feet.
Overall, NA Performance
-
89 were intermediate between those of the Spitfire V and
IX. Enga
Ge from June 1942, he helped to restore balance compromised by Bf
-
109F and above
very dangerous Focke
-
Wulf 190A. the ray
is exceptional action of the
Pearl North
-
American favored maintaining an offensive posture in the Mediterranean during
has seco
ndia
half of 1942.
From summer 1942, the USAAF Mustang going on, even shortening life
operational
P
-
40, whose production was reduced
at
the fall of 1942 and stopped a year later, after the
Construction 11
000. Thereafter, has
rrivée P
-
47 in the arsenal of the USAAF
did not have the importance it would probably have covered if the Mustang had
developed more
tardily.
NA
-
89/95 and 93/98 (P
-
51B) were some time in parallel with the products 102/103
(P
-
51C) and 10
6/109/11 (P
-
51D) because the V engine
-
1650
-
1 was cheaper and easier to
build than in 1650
-
3, 7 and 9. In late 1942 / early 1943, the P
-
51B replaced the last P
-
40
in RAF squadrons and the Commonwealth, was then used
increasing c
ike a
fighter ground attack, with the increasing number of P
-
51C and D.
Production of Allison engines could be concentrated on the P
-
39, his successor P
-
63 and
obviously
on the P
-
38 turbo
-
compressor.
The French purchases
I
-
variants
Allison engine (800 aircraft)
N / A
-73 200 (to replace D.520), October 1941 to January 1942. Called deliveries
"Mustang I". 15 converted for photo reconnaissance (Mustang IP). Furthermore, on the
es 320
aircraft delivered to the RAF from August 1941, the Brits will donate
300
the Air Force as an emergency measure rather than using them for combat support.
N / A
-83: 300 deliveries from February to May 1942. Called "Mustang IA". 30 converted to the
Photo reconnaissance (Mustang IPA).
N / A
-92 300 ( "tank destroyers" for the ground attack and support tac
tick), deliveries
from September 1942 to February 1943. Called "Mustang IC".
II - engine variants Packard V-1650-1 (1 200 aircraft)
N / A
-89 800 (to fit most of the GC of the Air Force), April deliveries
November 1942. Called "Mustang II". 50 converted for photo reconnaissance (Mustang
IPI).
N / A
-93: 400, deliveries from December 1942 to March 1943. Called "Mustang IIA".
III - Variants engine Packard V-1650-3 or 7 (2495 aircraft)
N / A
-102
1
000 (for the final re-equipment of the Air Force during the war), deliveries
March-May 1944. Called "Mustang III". 50 converted for photo reconnaissance
(Mustang IIIP).
N / A
-105: 400 (special order "interceptor"), from April to August 1944. Called deliveries
"Mustang IV".
N / A
-111
1
000, 795 only actually delivered, from March 1944 to October 1944.
Called "Mustang IIIA".
N / A
-126: 300 (for the Far East), levied on deliveries of orders of the USAAF
November 1944 to March 1945. Called "Mustang V".
The Air Force used in any 4495 Mustang of all types, nearly a quarter
of the
total production.
In total,
19500 Mustang
were built