P-51D-30 Mustang
Contents
General info
The P-51D-30 Mustang is a Rank IV American fighter with a battle rating of 4.7 (AB), 5.0 (RB), and 5.3 (SB). It was in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.29.
The main purpose, usage and tactics recommendations
General play style
- Use this plane as a boom 'n zoom fighter. Altitude and speed are your biggest friends in combat.
- The P-51D has a laminar flow wing. Hence it is fast and very agile at high speeds, due to the laminar flow wing reducing drag when going fast. That means that you turn best at high speeds.
- The P-51D outdives nearly all opponents at 5.0, and is also very agile at high speeds.
- The plane has a great endurance with it's 1880 rounds of ammo and 27 minutes of fuel minimum. Use this to your advantage.
- It has a very high stall speed. You'd be better off to not stall in this plane. Only do it when necessary and when you know you're safe to do it.
- .50cals are extremely effective and long range head-on shots are very viable.
- The P-51D-30 is not a turn fighter, but is definitely maneuverable enough to dogfight at high speed.
- Optimal climb speed is 250 kph IAS.
- It's recommended to use Manual Engine Control with the P51D-30. The D-30 has indefinite WEP and Meredith Effect modeled so radiator drag at high speeds is not an issue
- If using MEC, Supercharger Gear 2 should be engaged at 3300m.
Vehicle characteristics
The P-51D was a further development of earlier Allison-engined P51s in that it received the excellent Rolls-Royce Merlin engine which gave it excellent high-altitude performance. This, combined with excellent endurance, made the P51 well-suited for bomber escort duties.
Ingame, the P51D-30 runs a 75" boost that allows it to outspeed nearly every single vehicle at 5.0 BR. It possesses an excellent climb rate and good high speed handling which makes it extremely well suited for Boom and Zoom. Additionally, bombs and rockets can be carried making the P51 a good ground striker in Ground RB.
Tactics
Offense
Probably the best assets the P-51D has are its speed, weaponry, and energy retention. Ingame and IRL the P51D achieves ideal performance above 7km; however, even at low altitudes the P51 is still incredibly fast. If one climbs at the ideal speed of 250 kph IAS side climbing is not necessary- a high enough altitude will be achieved by the time first contact is initiated that the P51D30 can simply evade incoming fire and speed away, untouchable.
When an enemy is spotted moving away from the P51-D, enter a mild dive and go for a strafe run. After that, it is important to continue heading in the same direction so speed is maintained. Doing this, even the most agile fighters won't be able to turn quickly enough to fire on you. If you miss on your strafe run or have an enemy behind you, you should get at least 2+km from the enemy and then start to turn towards him, depending on his speed. If your speed is under 500km/h, a bigger distance should be achieved before attempting a turn. This ensures that your turn will be completed before the enemy gets within 1km distance before you can line up your shot. Head-ons are actually very effective against fragile/lightly gunned vehicles such as the A6M and Spitfire. The high RoF and velocity of the 50cals make long-range sniping very viable.
When engaging enemy bombers, aim for engines and wings. A good burst will rip off wings with ease and/or start several fires.
Defense
Shallow dives and altitude are your friend- at 5.0 there is no vehicle short of an Fw190 D13 that can catch a P51D30 above 5km. Furthermore, the P51D30 is near untouchable in a dive- careful, however, as planes such as the G55S can and will catch a P51 in a steep dive. In such a case, initiate a shallow dive which will make use of your superior energy retention and top speed.
Defensive dives are a strong suit of the P51D as the flaps and airframe are very durable- spiral dives can easily rip the wings of more fragile BF109s and Spitfires.
Specific enemies worth noting
5.7 Griffon/LF Spitfires, Fw190 Ds, and Ta152H-1s are all vehicles of concern. They are also at a significantly higher BR and will not be encountered particularly often.
Griffon/LF Spitfires can be outrun, Fw190Ds can be outturned, and Ta152Hs can be outdived.
Most other vehicles can be outrun at reasonably high altitudes.
Counter-tactics
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Outstanding Boom and Zoom capability.
- Great performance at altitude.
- Excellent .50 caliber machine guns
- Very fast at all altitudes.
- Very agile at high speeds.
- Good turn radius at high speeds.
- Good cockpit visibility.
- Plenty of ammo.
- Useful close-support capability (ground attack).
- Refueling isn't something to worry about (27min).
Cons:
- Can't sustain much damage.
- Sluggish at low speeds.
- High stall speed.
- Average climb rate.
- Minimum fuel load is rather big.
- High repair cost in RB for a 4.7 plane (over 20K lions as of patch 1.73)
Specification
Armaments
Offensive armaments
- 6 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun, wing-mounted (400 rpg inner, 270 outer x2 = 1,880 total)
M2/early Browning USA
Pros
- More powerful than the .30cals.
- High rate of fire, though lower than the .30cals.
- Accurate.
Cons
- Weaker than cannons
- Like the .30cals, default belts usually contain ball ammunition.
- Rate Of Fire ~ 750.00 rounds per minute
Maximum dispersion at 500m = 3.05m Time to high chance of jamming = 13.70sec |
Maximum dispersion at 500m = 1.83m Time to high chance of jamming = 14.70sec |
| Belt name | Caliber | Tracer | Sensitivity | Delay | 100m | 250m | 500m | 750m | 1000m | Damage Rating |
Fire Rating |
Damage Rating |
Radius | Damage Rating |
Radius |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Properties | Fuse [ min : max ] | Maximum penetration in mm | Physical projectile | High explosive | Fragmentation | ||||||||||
| ⌛∫Default | 12.7mm | yes | [0.10 : 0.10] mm | [0.00 : 0.00] m | 25.00 | 21.63 | 16.00 | 14.00 | 12.00 | 22.71 | 19.77 | 0.03 | 0.10m | 5.40 | 0.20m |
| ⌛∫universal | 12.7mm | yes | [0.10 : 0.10] mm | [0.00 : 0.00] m | 25.00 | 21.63 | 16.00 | 14.00 | 12.00 | 24.39 | 45.99 | 0.03 | 0.10m | 5.40 | 0.20m |
| ⌛∫ground targets | 12.7mm | yes | [0.10 : 0.10] mm | [0.00 : 0.00] m | 26.53 | 24.67 | 18.00 | 15.50 | 13.00 | 27.98 | 16.48 | 0.03 | 0.10m | 4.50 | 0.20m |
| ⌛∫tracers | 12.7mm | yes | [ : ] mm | [ : ] m | 25.00 | 21.63 | 16.00 | 14.00 | 12.00 | 22.34 | 10.93 | 0.00 | 0.00m | 0.00 | 0.00m |
| ⌛∫stealth | 12.7mm | no | [0.10 : 0.10] mm | [0.00 : 0.00] m | 26.53 | 24.67 | 18.00 | 15.50 | 13.00 | 21.45 | 39.54 | 0.06 | 0.10m | 10.80 | 0.20m |
| Type | Caliber | Tracer | Velocity | Mass | Sensitivity | Delay | 100m | 250m | 500m | 750m | 1000m | Damage Rating |
Fire Rating |
Optimal | Damage Rating |
Radius | Pen | Damage Rating |
Radius | Pen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Projectile properties | Fuse | Penetration in mm | Physical projectile | High explosive | Fragmentation | |||||||||||||||
| t ball M1 | 12.7mm | yes | 832m/s | 43.8g | 0.00mm | 0.00m | 8.00 | 7.63 | 7.00 | 6.50 | 6.00 | 26.80 | 0.00 | 1100m | 0.00 | 0.00m | 0.00mm | 0.00 | 0.00m | 0.00mm |
| ball M2 | 12.7mm | no | 867m/s | 45.2g | 0.00mm | 0.00m | 8.00 | 7.63 | 7.00 | 6.50 | 6.00 | 39.10 | 0.00 | 1100m | 0.00 | 0.00m | 0.00mm | 0.00 | 0.00m | 0.00mm |
| i ball M1 | 12.7mm | no | 944m/s | 41g | 0.10mm | 0.00m | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.70 | 44.40 | 1100m | 0.20 | 0.10m | 2.50mm | 36.00 | 0.20m | 2.50mm |
| ap i ball M8 | 12.7mm | no | 887m/s | 40.3g | 0.00mm | 0.00m | 25.00 | 21.63 | 16.00 | 14.00 | 12.00 | 44.70 | 87.40 | 1100m | 0.00 | 0.00m | 0.00mm | 0.00 | 0.00m | 0.00mm |
| ap ball M2 | 12.7mm | no | 867m/s | 46g | 0.00mm | 0.00m | 26.53 | 24.67 | 18.00 | 15.50 | 13.00 | 50.20 | 0.00 | 1100m | 0.00 | 0.00m | 0.00mm | 0.00 | 0.00m | 0.00mm |
Payloads
100 lbs = 50kg for ingame purposes
Armour
- 38 mm Bulletproof glass in front of the pilot.
- 19.05 mm Steel plate in front of the engine.
- 6.35 mm Steel plate between the engine and pilot.
- 15.87 mm Steel plate behind the pilot.
Engine & mobility
Engine
- Cooling type: Water
- Max power: 1297 hp (Stock), 1750 hp (Upgraded)
- Takeoff power: 1667 hp (Stock), 2120 hp (Upgraded)
- Mass: 767 kg
- Cooling type: Water
- Max power: 1281 hp (Stock), 1490 hp (Upgraded)
- Takeoff power: 1651 hp (Stock), 1860 hp (Upgraded)
- Mass: 767 kg
- Cooling type: Water
- Max power: 1281 hp (Stock), 1490 hp (Upgraded)
- Takeoff power: 1651 hp (Stock), 1860 hp (Upgraded)
- Mass: 767 kg
Stats
- Max speed: 689 km/h
- at height: 6,400 m
- Max altitude: 12,700 m
- Turn Time: 21.4 s
- Rate of Climb: 15.8 m/s
- Takeoff run: 396 m
Upgraded
- Max speed: 761 km/h
- at height: 6,400 m
- Max altitude: 12,700 m
- Turn Time: 19.1 s
- Rate of Climb: 33.0 m/s
- Takeoff run: 396 m
- Max speed: 670 km/h
- at height: 6,400 m
- Max altitude: 12,700 m
- Turn Time: 21.8 s
- Rate of Climb: 18.2 m/s
- Takeoff run: 396 m
Upgraded
- Max speed: 721 km/h
- at height: 6,400 m
- Max altitude: 12,700 m
- Turn Time: 20.0 s
- Rate of Climb: 22.7 m/s
- Takeoff run: 396 m
- Max speed: 670 km/h
- at height: 6,400 m
- Max altitude: 12,700 m
- Turn Time: 21.8 s
- Rate of Climb: 18.2 m/s
- Takeoff run: 396 m
Upgraded
- Max speed: 721 km/h
- at height: 6,400 m
- Max altitude: 12,700 m
- Turn Time: 20.0 s
- Rate of Climb: 22.7 m/s
- Takeoff run: 396 m
Performance
Warning this is still in the test phase and is probably incorrect. Take information with a grain of salt (data taken from 1.55)
Supercharger Stage #1: 100%
Supercharger Stage #1: WEP
Supercharger Stage #2: 100%
Supercharger Stage #2: WEP
Modules and improvements
History of creation and combat usage
The North-American P-51 Mustang was an American fighter designed in the early 1940s and is considered the best US fighter of WWII. It was widely exported to countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. The P-51 participated in the Korean War and other post-WWII conflicts.
The most famous Mustang version was the P-51D with teardrop (or bubble) canopy. The main problem for the pilots of the earlier variants was a huge blind spot at the rear of the aircraft due to the canopy design. An earlier attempt to address the issue was a British-designed Malcolm hood, installed on many P-51Bs. It improved rearward visibility, but the search for a better solution continued. In January 1943, USAAF's Colonel Mark Bradley, while stationed in Britain, was introduced to the then-new "bubble" canopy, designed for use on Spitfires and Typhoons. The canopy had no framework and offered near 360-degree vision. To install the new canopy, the rear fuselage section of the Mustang had to lose some height. However, this change required minimal redesign to the airframe. The inaugural flight of the new P-51D took place at Inglewood, California on 17th November 1943. The P-51D-30 was developed soon before the war ended. It mainly served in the Korean war.
Ingame description
The P-51D model Mustangs lacked one of the main flaws of the P-51B and P-51C models – poor visibility from the cockpit, particularly to the rear. The P-51D fighters received a new drop-shaped cockpit canopy without bracing, providing a perfect 360° view.
Over time, the German Luftwaffe's resistance became weaker. Sightings of enemy planes in the sky grew rarer and rarer. This influenced the Mustang's continued evolution. Model P-51D aircraft were no longer painted – camouflage on the ground and in the air came to be considered excessive. The fighters now gleamed with polish metal. Its weight had decreased slightly, and its aerodynamics improved. On average, this resulted in a small addition to its speed.
Mustangs then began to attack ground targets more often than air targets. They received rocket equipment to increase their efficiency as fighter-bombers and attack aircraft.
The P-51D-30 could carry a “cluster” of three “tubes” – directional M10s, M14s or M15s for launching unguided M8 rockets. In place of these, it could also carry clips for the suspension of unguided 127 mm HVAR rockets. The P-51D was able to carry up to six heavy rockets along with suspended fuel tanks, and up to ten rockets without them. The aircraft's rocket armament significantly increased its ability to damage small moving targets.
The P-51D became the most mass-produced Mustang model, a symbol of American aviation and one of the best fighters of World War II. In total, 8,156 of them were built.
Apart from the RAF and USAAF, the P-51 was in service with France, China, Australia and the Netherlands during World War II.
Screenshots and fan art
Skins and camouflages for the P51-D series from live.warthunder.com.
Additional information (links)
References
| Horsepower graph | Sidebar |
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| P-51D-30 | |
| Nation | USA |
| Type | Escort Fighter |
| Fighting style | Boom & Zoom Ground Attack |
Metric✓ Imperial
Metric Imperial✓
| Characteristics | |
| Empty Weight | ~3589 kg |
| Empty Weight + fuel | ~4092 kg |
| Takeoff Weight | ~4400 kg |
| Wing Area | ~21 m² |
| # Flap Positions | 3 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Air Breaks | no |
| Arrestor Gear | no |
| Statistics | |
| Power per Engine | 1490 hp |
| WEP Duration | infinite |
| top speed | ~720.97 kph at 6400 m |
| Climb Rate | ~22.70 m/s |
| Optimal climb velocity | ~285.12 kph |
| Turn Time | ~20.00 s |
| Wing loading (Empty) | ~170.00 kg/m² |
| Characteristics | |
| Empty Weight | ~7912 lb |
| Empty Weight + fuel | ~9021 lb |
| Takeoff Weight | ~9700 lb |
| Wing Area | ~227 ft² |
| # Flap Positions | 3 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Air Breaks | no |
| Arrestor Gear | no |
| Statistics | |
| Power per Engine | 1490 hp |
| WEP Duration | infinite |
| Top speed | ~447.99 mph at 20997 m |
| Climb Rate | 74.48 ft/s |
| Optimal climb velocity | ~177.17 mph |
| Turn Time | 20.00 s |
| Wing loading (Empty) | ~34.82 lb/ft² |
| Main Weapons | |
| 4 x M2/late Browning | 270 RPG |
| 2 x M2/late Browning | 400 RPG |
| Payload Option 1 | |
| Nothing Loaded | Clean Plane |
| Payload Option 2 | |
| 6 x 🚀 173mm, 20.6kg | HVAR rocket |
| Payload Option 3 | |
| 2 x 💣 1000 lbs | AN-M65A1 Bomb |
| Payload Option 4 | |
| 6 x 🚀 114mm, 17.2kg | M8 rocket |
| Limits | |
| Max Speed limit | 880 kph |
| Gear lmit | 281 kph |
| Combat Flaps | 651 kph |
| Max static +G's | ~16 |
| Max static -G's | ~8 |
| Optimal Velocities | |
| Ailerons | <460 kph |
| Rudder | <425 kph |
| Elevators | <440 kph |
| Radiator | >257 kph |
| Limits | |
| Max Speed limit | 547 mph |
| Gear lmit | 175 mph |
| Combat Flaps | 405 mph |
| Max static +G's | ~16 |
| Max static -G's | ~8 |
| Optimal Velocities | |
| Ailerons | <286 mph |
| Rudder | <264 mph |
| Elevators | <273 mph |
| Radiator | >160 mph |
| Manual Control | |
| Mixer | is not controllable |
| Pitch | is controllable no automatic pitch |
| Radiator (water) | is controllable |
| Radiator (oil) | is not controllable |
| Oil and water | uses combined radiator control |
| Supercharger | is controllable |
| Turbocharger | is not controllable |
| Compressor settings 1 | |
| Optimal Altitude | 2591 m 8501 ft
|
| 100% Enginepower | 1640 hp |
| WEP Enginepower | 2047 hp |
| Compressor settings 2 | |
| Optimal Altitude | 6401 m 21001 ft
|
| 100% Enginepower | 1310 hp |
| WEP Enginepower | 1635 hp |
