Building The Vintage Model Company P-51D Mustang

In 1939 the inevitability of war in Europe had the British government seeking to strengthen the RAF's fighter capability.
In the spring of 1940 they approached North American to build the Curtiss P40 under licence to increase supply. However, North American thought the P40 to be outdated and suggested that they design their own aircraft from scratch.
The British agreed but demanded that the prototype be ready in less than 4 months with flights 6 weeks later. North American duly obliged and the aircraft first flew in October 1940.
Immediately the new aircraft outperformed the Curtiss design, which used the same Allison engine but had an advanced "laminar flow" wing and low-drag, under-belly cooling system.
The British ordered a number of the aircraft, which were pressed into service with 26 Squadron in January 1942 for reconnaissance and ground attack roles, under Army Co-operation Command rather than fighter command. This was due to the restricted high altitude performance afforded by the Allison engine with its single-stage, single-speed supercharger.
However, Rolls Royce test pilot Ronald Harker saw the potential in the aircraft and suggested a trial using the latest variant of the British designed Rolls Royce Merlin engine with two-stage, two-speed supercharger.
The results were spectacular, the potential of the design was finally realised and a legend was born. With constant updates, including the addition of the British-developed bubble canopy, the design evolved into what many consider to be the definitive Mustang - the P-51D.
The all- round visibility, range and speed of later Mustangs proved to be vital to provide fighter escort to the US bombing campaigns later in the war, as well as successfully engaging the early German jet fighters.
Along with its allied counterpart the Spitfire, many consider the Mustang to be the finest piston-engined aircraft of World War Two. The Mustang continued in service until as late as the 1980's in some territories.
Overall, 15,000 Mustangs were built, with more than half of that total being the P-51D.
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)
Maximum fuel capacity: 419 US gal (349 imp gal; 1,590 l)
Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0163
Drag area: 3.80 sqft (0.35 m²)
Aspect ratio: 5.83
Powerplant: 1 × Packard V-1650-7 liquid-cooled V-12, with a 2 stage intercooled supercharger, 1,490 hp (1,111 kW) at 3,000 rpm;[116] 1,720 hp (1,280 kW) at WEP
Propellers: constant-speed, variable-pitch Hamilton Standard, propeller
Propeller diameter: 11 ft 2 in (3.40 m)
Performance
Maximum speed: ~440 mph (383 kn, 708 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 nautical miles (2,656 kilometres)) 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
Guns: 6 × 0.50 caliber (12.7mm) AN/M2 Browning machine guns with 1,840 total rounds (380 rounds for each on the inboard pair and 270 rounds for each of the outer two pair)
Rockets: 6 or 10 × 5.0 in (127 mm) T64 H.V.A.R rockets (P-51D-25, P-51K-10 on)
Bombs: 1,000 pounds (450 kg) total on two wing hardpoints
Each hardpoint: 1 × 100 pounds (45 kg) bomb, 1 × 250 pounds (110 kg) bomb or 1 × 500 pounds (230 kg) bomb)