P-51 Mustang - America's Most Famous War Bird | Dogfight Documentary

The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber utilized during World War II, the Korean War and other conflicts. The Mustang was conceived, made and constructed by North American Aviation (NAA) in response to a requirements released directly to NAA by the British Purchasing Commission. The prototype NA-73X airframe was rolled out on 9 September 1940, 102 days after the contract was authorized and, with an engine installed, first flew on 26 October.
The Mustang was initially designed to utilize the Allison V-1710 engine, which had limited high-altitude efficiency. It wased initially flown operationally by the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a tactical-reconnaissance airplane and fighter-bomber (Mustang Mk I). The addition of the Rolls-Royce Merlin to the P-51B/ C version transformed the Mustang's performance at altitudes over 15,000 ft, matching or bettering that of the Luftwaffe's competitors. The clear-cut variation, the P-51D, was powered by the Packard V-1650-7, a license-built version of the Rolls-Royce Merlin 60 collection two-stage two-speed supercharged engine, and equipped with 6.50 quality (12.7 mm) M2 Browning gatling gun.
From late 1943, P-51Bs (supplemented by P-51Ds from mid-1944) were used by the USAAF's Eighth Air Force to escort bombers in raids over Germany, while the RAF's 2 TAF and the USAAF's Ninth Air Force made use of the Merlin-powered Mustangs as fighter-bombers, parts in which the Mustang helped ensure Allied air supremacy in 1944. The P-51 was additionally in service with Allied air forces in the North African, Mediterranean and Italian theaters, and viewed restricted service against the Japanese in the Pacific War. During World War II, Mustang pilots claimed 4,950 enemy plane obliterated.
At the beginning of the Korean War, the Mustang was the major fighter of the United Nations till jet boxers such as the F-86 took control of this function; the Mustang then became a specialized fighter-bomber. In spite of the introduction of jet competitors, the Mustang stayed in service with some flying force up until the very early 1980s. After World War II and the Korean War, lots of Mustangs were converted for noncombatant usage, specifically air racing, and significantly, preserved and flown as historic warbird plane at airshows.