The North American P-51 Mustang

The P-51 was designed as the NA-73 in 1940 at Britain's request. The design showed promise and AAF purchases of Allison-powered Mustangs began in 1941 primarily for photo recon and ground support use due to its limited high-altitude performance. But in 1942, tests of P-51s using the British Rolls-Royce "Merlin" engine revealed much improved speed and service ceiling, and in Dec. 1943, Merlin-powered P-51Bs first entered combat over Europe. Providing high-altitude escort to B-17s and B-24s, they scored heavily over German interceptors and by war's end, P-51s had destroyed 4,950 enemy aircraft in the air, more than any other fighter in Europe.	North American P-51A
Mustangs served in nearly every combat zone, including the Pacific where they escorted B-29s to Japan from Iwo Jima. Between 1941-5, the AAF ordered 14,855 Mustangs (including A-36A dive bomber and F-6 photo recon versions), of which 7,956 were P-51Ds. During the Korean War, P-51Ds were used primarily for close support of ground forces until withdrawn from combat in 1953.  SPECIFICATIONS Span: 37 ft. 0 in. Length: 32 ft. 3 in. Height: 13 ft. 8 in. Weight: 12,100 lbs. max. Armament: Six .50-cal. machine guns and ten 5 in. rockets or 2,000 lbs. of bombs. Engine: Packard built Rolls-Royce "Merlin" V-1650 of 1,695 hp. Cost: $54,000 Serial Number: 44-74936 Displayed as (S/N): 44-15174 PERFORMANCE Maximum speed: 437 mph. Cruising speed: 275 mph. Range: 1,000 miles Service Ceiling: 41,900 ft. A-36 Dive Bomber

First High altitude P-51Bs in China

By:  Max Noftsger

When I arrived in China in June 1 943 All our Squadrons had the P-40 which was a rugged plane but was not as fast as we would have liked. Also it was a low level plane. The Japanese Zero was faster on the straight and level and could gain altitude faster and go higher.

In October1943 the 76th received some used P-51A planes. these were powered by the Allison engine and gave us the speed we wanted but still was essentially a low level fighter.

On February 12 the 14th Air Force ordered 1st Lts. Edward W. Burbank, Richard J. Templeton, Glen B. Beneda, and me Max Noftsger to proceed with Col. Casey Vincent, our Wing Commander to Karachi, India to pick up our first P-5 lBs.

Arriving in Karachi, Col. Vincent said he had some friends to meet and asked us to check ride his plane for him when we checked ours and we would meet when it was time for us to fly back. He

also said they would take good care of us while in Karachi. Some one must have missed his orders because we stayed in tents, something we never did in China.

The P-5 lB with the Merlin engine, built by Packard in the U.S. flew beautifully and we knew the Squadron would be pleased. The 76th now would have a plane that could look down on the Zeros if we wanted to.

Karachi was a pleasant change for us. We had American food in the mess halls, there was a theater we could attend, and all in all it was a nice change. One day we ran into Col. Vincent in the PX. He was buying stars for his uniform. He said he thought he would make B. General the next go around. He did and at 28 became the youngest General in the Air Corps.

Flying back across the hump we had a chance to use our new high altitude P-5 lB and found it easy to go over the thunderheads that built up over the mountains. When we arrived in Kunming, Col. Vincent thanked us for going with him and opened his ammunition trays and gave each of us a bottle of Scotch. He said he filled his ammunition trays with Liquor and foods for his friends and knew if the Zeros jumped us we would protect him. I think we were afraid to tell him we had done the same thing.

For a little while we had a mixture of planes, but soon had all high altitude P-51Bs, the first squadron in China to get them.