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P-51D Mustang

90 TheWarhawk  14 days ago
Auto Credit Based on PIaneMan's North American P-51D Mustang

Following combat experience the P-51D series introduced a "teardrop", or "bubble", canopy to rectify problems with poor visibility to the rear of the aircraft. In the United States, new moulding techniques had been developed to form streamlined nose transparencies for bombers. North American designed a new streamlined plexiglass canopy for the P-51B which was later developed into the teardrop shaped bubble canopy. In late 1942, the tenth production P-51B-1-NA was removed from the assembly lines. From the windshield aft the fuselage was redesigned by cutting down the rear fuselage formers to the same height as those forward of the cockpit; the new shape faired in to the vertical tail unit. A new simpler style of windscreen, with an angled bullet-resistant windscreen mounted on two flat side pieces improved the forward view while the new canopy resulted in exceptional all-round visibility. Wind tunnel tests of a wooden model confirmed that the aerodynamics were sound.[34]The new model Mustang also had a redesigned wing; alterations to the undercarriage up-locks and inner-door retracting mechanisms meant that there was an additional fillet added forward of each of the wheel bays, increasing the wing area and creating a distinctive "kink" at the wing root's leading edges.

General Characteristics

  • Predecessor North American P-51D Mustang
  • Created On Android
  • Wingspan 45.0ft (13.7m)
  • Length 40.3ft (12.3m)
  • Height 15.0ft (4.6m)
  • Empty Weight 14,050lbs (6,373kg)
  • Loaded Weight 16,846lbs (7,641kg)

Performance

  • Power/Weight Ratio 3.361
  • Horse Power/Weight Ratio 59360.048
  • Wing Loading 27.4lbs/ft2 (133.7kg/m2)
  • Wing Area 615.2ft2 (57.2m2)
  • Drag Points 8978

Parts

  • Number of Parts 456
  • Control Surfaces 9
  • Performance Cost 2,361