P-51 D Mustang - Aircraft overview - history and configuration

Oct 29, 2026

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P-51 D Mustang aircraft profile covering its development, designers, and operational record. Highlights include RAF commissioning in April 1941, first prototype delivery within 120 days, and combat effectiveness in Europe with 14,819 built for the US Army. The document summarizes airframe configuration: fuselage, gear, NACA 6-series wing, tail design, armament, and Merlin V-1650 propulsion with ducted cooling. It further lists key wing/tail geometry and representative aerodynamic and performance metrics such as drag coefficients, minimum drag/power conditions, and range and endurance with and without drop tanks.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryTechnology

FormatPDF

Pages14

Reading Time35 min

AccessFree to download

History

Configuration

Fuselage, gear, wing, tail

Weapons and propulsion system

Wing Geometry and Tail Geometry

Engine and Aerodynamic Drag

Performance: Range and Endurance

North American Aviation P-51 D Mustang Trisha Basuray Matthew Janeway William Walker • Commissioned by Royal Air Force in April 1941 to North American Aviation Inc. • Designers – Edgar Schmued (Project Lead Designer) – Lee Atwood (Chief Engineer) – Ed Horkey (Aerodynamicist) – James“Dutch” Kindleberger (General Manager: North American Aviation) • 120 days from contract to prototype History • First fighter capable of full length bomber escort missions • 14,819 P-51’s built for US Army in WWII • Highest scoring US aircraft in European theater – 4950 air victories – 4131 aircraft destroyed on the ground – Only 840 lost P-51’s Configuration • Fuselage – Slender design – Length 32.25 ft – Bubble Canopy • Gear – Tail-dragger • Wing – NACA 6-series airfoil – Low, tapered wing • Tail – Low, conventional tail – Strake on vertical stabilizer • Weapons – Six 0.50 caliber M2 machine guns – Under-wing rockets (later models) • Propulsion System – 1695 hp Merlin V-1650 engine – Radiator Cooling Duct • Provided thrust with duct system similar to a jet. • Boundary Layer “gutter” Wing Geometry • Dimensions – Area: S = 233 ft2 – Span: b = 37 ft – Chord: Cr = 8.48 ft Ct =3.87 ft – AR = 5.9 • First production use of NACA 6-series Tail Geometry • Horizontal – Area: 45.4 ft2 – Span: 13.1 ft – Chord: Cr =4.6 ft, Ct =2.3 ft • Vertical – Area: 14.8 ft2 – Span: 4.7 ft – Chord: Cr = 4.7 ft, Ct = 1.6 ft Engine • Packard-Merlin V-1650-7 – Liquid-cooled, supercharged V12 – 5.4 in bore, 6 in stroke – Displacement: 1,647 in 3 (27 L) – 1695 hp • Drag – CDo = 0.0055 (cruise) – Aspect Ratio = 5.876 – CDi = 0.002549 – Di = 198.396 lb (cruise) – Dtotal = 626.4 lb (cruise) • Minimum Drag – CD min drag = 0.0051 – CL min drag = 0.2938 – Vmin drag = 385.59 ft/s – Airfoil L/Dmax = 91 • Minimum Power •CD min power = 0.022 •CL min power = 0.5088 •Vmin power = 293.05 ft/s • Airfoil L/Dmin power = 78.8 Performance Range and Endurance • Range – 950 miles – 2003 miles (with drop tanks) • Endurance – 3.0218 hours (constant altitude) – 2.6289 hours (constant velocity) – 6.4667 hours (constant altitude with drop tanks) – 5.5427 hours (constant velocity with drop tanks)

FAQs

Who were the key designers and engineers listed for the P-51 D Mustang?

The document names Edgar Schmued as Project Lead Designer, Lee Atwood as Chief Engineer, Ed Horkey as Aerodynamicist, and James “Dutch” Kindleberger as General Manager of North American Aviation.

What historical claims are made about the P-51’s combat record?

It states the aircraft was the first fighter capable of full length bomber escort missions, that 14,819 P-51s were built for the US Army in WWII, and that it was the highest scoring US aircraft in the European theater.

What performance and range figures are provided?

The document lists range of 950 miles and 2003 miles with drop tanks, plus endurance values including 3.0218 hours at constant altitude and 6.4667 hours at constant altitude with drop tanks.

Oct 29, 2026

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