P-51D-20-NA

P-51D-20-NA

P-51D-20-NA

USA

IV Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
4.0	4.0	5.0

Class:

PREMIUM

Fighter

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This page is about the aircraft P-51D-20-NA. For other uses, see P-51 (Disambiguation)

Description

The 'P-51D-20 NA Mustang is a gift Rank IV American fighter with a battle rating of 4.0 (AB), 4.7 (RB), and 5.0 (SB). It was added to the game in Update 1.33.

General info

Flight Performance

Characteristics
Stock
Max Speed (km/h at 7,620 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
683	665	12,700	23.3	23.8	13.7	15.6	396
Upgraded
Max Speed (km/h at 7,620 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
740	710	12,700	20.7	22.0	26.2	18.9	396

Details

Features
Combat flap	Take-off flap	Landing flap	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
✓	✓	✓	X	X

Limits
Wing-break speed (km/h)	Gear limit (km/h)	Combat flap (km/h)	Max Static G
			+	-
880	281	651	~15	~8

Optimal velocities
Ailerons (km/h)	Rudder (km/h)	Elevators (km/h)	Radiator (km/h)
< 460	< 425	< 440	> 257

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
2,591 m	1,580 hp	1,728 hp
Setting 2
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
6,401 m	1,310 hp	1,433 hp

Survivability and armour

• 19.05 mm Steel - Propeller hub armor plate
• 6.35 mm Steel - Fore cockpit armor plate
• 8 mm Steel - Pilot's seat back plate
• 11 mm Steel - Pilot's headrest
• 38 mm Bulletproof glass - Windscreen

Armaments

Offensive armament

The P-51D-20-NA is armed with:

• 6 x 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine guns, wing-mounted (500 + 270 + 270 rpg each wing = 2,080 total)

Suspended armament

The P-51D-20-NA can be outfitted with the following ordinance:

• Without load
• 6 x 127 mm HVAR rockets
• 2 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (2,000 lb total)
• 6 x 114 mm M8 rockets

Usage in the battles

Offense
Probably the best asset P-51D has is its speed and its ability to achieve it and maintain it. Like with all planes, higher attitude should be achieved. Although its climb rate is nice, there are enough planes with better and therefor pilots of P-51D should plan ahead and not wait for the last second to climb. Best way to climb at start is to climb towards corner of map, so enemy will be encountered later, when P-51D is already high enough. When enemy is spotted, heading in other direction than P-51D, this aircraft can enter mild dive and go for strafe run. After that, it is important to continue heading in the same direction, so speed is maintained. Even the most agile fighters won't be able to turn quickly enough to fire just one shot at you. If feeling confident or sure about kill, P-51D should get at least +2 km away from enemy and then start to turn towards him, depending on its speed. If speed is under 500 kph, bigger distance should be achieved before attempting turn. This ensures that turn will be completed before enemy gets to 1 km distance, so you won't give your enemy opportunity for the first shot. However, head on assault should be done only against weaker opponents, since 50 cal does not have the punch of 20 mm or 30 mm that same tiered planes carry. Salvo of 50 cal rounds from tracer belt can easily and often does ignite enemy engines upon impact, but few hits from 30 mm will tear wings of P-51D, while fire can be taken out.

When engaging enemy bombers, aim for their engines. When engine catches on fire, focus on another engine until it also burns and so on. It is likely that fire will be taken out, but damage done by 2 to 4 burning engines will be so severe that enemy bomber will either crash within next minute even without one more hit or he will lose altitude so much that it will be an easy target for lower flying teammates. Bigger bombers like B-17 should not be followed for more than few seconds, as engine of P-51D is too fragile and often will turn red upon first few hits, which gives you about 1 to 2 minutes before its engine dies completely. It is especially important to engage B-17 from relative higher altitute, gain little more speed and aim for engines. Well aimed burst of tracer belt rounds should be enough to ignite 1 or 2 engines during this. Keep in mind that B17 can fly even with just one single engine and maintain its attitude and speed. Do not attempt to cut off wings of bomber like with bigger guns, as it is quite hard to do so with 50 cal. When engaging bomber with huge glass cockpit like on He 111, front assault with salvo of 50 cal rounds has high chance to kill its pilot with the amount of rounds that will be fired.

Defense
It may seem that agility of P-51D is lacking at first sight, but it is not that bad when used correctly. P-51D has good turn rate at higher speeds and its pilots should try to keep well above 400 kph. When at a speed around 500 kph, even Spitfires will have troubles getting behind you. However, P-51D should avoid these encounters as this will bleed its speed to the point that P-51D will be no longer able to turn with enemy. If window of opportunity arises, for example when opponent starts his turn into wrong direction after attempting to out manoeuvre P-51D, P-51D can enter mild dive and go for run. P-51D can get to its top speed quite fast, especially when in mild dive. Top speed of P-51D is one of the best on its tier. These three speed factors will help you run away from many opponents, giving you a chance to set your own rules of engagement with them. When running away with enemy closing in, try to avoid climb at all. If climb is desired, it is best to wait until it is safe. If climb can not wait, try to climb below 10 degrees. When enemy with much higher speed is catching up with you at higher attitude, mild dive may not get you fast enough to your top speed. In these situations deep dive can be done. During this, enemy will get even closer to P-51D. As top speed of P-51D is quite high, after enemy loses his initial speed advantage, P-51D will probably already start to get away. After this deep dive runaway, start to climb around 10 degrees. P-51D is good at maintaining its speed, so it is likely that while P-51D will continue to move around 800-850 kph after deep dive for couple of seconds, many opponents will quickly slow down to their listed top speed. This should be enough to provide safe escape. If running away is not an option, high speed turn fight can be done for a short while. P-51D shouldn't prolong these encounters and should as soon as possible try to get away as already described in turn fights.

When enemy is going head on, he should be avoided. As already said, 50 cal can not match 20 mm and bigger guns head on. Additionally, such encounter will probably damage engine, which will at start take away the most important asset of P-51D and after few minutes will lead to its failure. Vitality of pilot is average, so he may survive and so is durability of its wings. However, control surfaces of P-51D are quite fragile. Head on should be done only with weaker opponent, who has either much weaker armament or is already critically damaged. If engine turns red, airfield should be sought as fast as possible. With red engine try to climb as much as possible in a way that speed will be at least slowly increasing. When engine dies, glide towards airfield in a way little to none speed is lost to avoid stall. If speed reaches 200 kph and dive is not possible if airfield is to be reached, use flaps as they will keep you in air for little longer even at lower speed. If combat flaps are not enough and even then P-51D starts to stall, raise flaps, open gear, use landing flaps and retract gear. Landing flaps will keep you in air for even longer than combat flaps, but if they are deployed too soon, they will serve as air brake, which is not desired during glide.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Controllable	Not controllable	Not controllable	Not controllable	Separate	Not ontrollable	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage Repair	Radiator		Offensive 12 mm
II		Compressor	Airframe		FRC mk.2
III	Wings Repair	Engine		New 12 mm MGs	Rocket Launcher M10
IV	G-Suit	Engine Injection	Cover		FLBC mk.1

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Outstanding Boom & Zoom capability
• Great performance at altitude
• Very fast at all altitudes
• Very agile at high speeds
• Good turn radius at high speeds
• Good cockpit visibility
• Plenty of ammo
• Refueling isn't something to worry about

Cons:

• Can't sustain much damage
• Sluggish at low speeds
• High stall speed
• Average climb rate
• Machine Guns don't have the punch cannons have
• Minimum fuel load is rather big

History

The history of this plane is when the British ordered P-40's from North American Aviation. North American then promised a better aircraft in less time and the British accepted this. The prototype P-51 had the same engine as the P-40 but was faster do to it's laminar flow wing design which increased range and speed. Afterwards the P-51 mainly served as a ground attack aircraft as it's engine lacked a two stage supercharger and was under powered at high altitude. In the P-51B engineers decided to add the more powerful Rolls-Royce Merlin Engine. The Mustang was able to fly at a much higher altitude at higher speeds and it was at that moment when the Allies realized its true potential as a fighter aircraft. Due to it's long range due to the laminar flow wing it had the range to come along with the B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberator heavy bombers when they attacked targets out of range of P-47 Thunderbolts, British Spitfires and even the twin engine P-38 Lightning.

Media

Jengar Review

Read also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

Screenshots and fan art

• Skins and camouflages for the P-51D-20 from live.warthunder

Top six downloaded:

• North American P-51D Mustang, Luftwaffe
• 26031 Blue N of F16 Swedish Air Force
• VFA-103 Jolly Rogers (Non-Historical)
• 4th Fighter Group , 334th Fighter Squadron
• P-51 Quick Silver
• P-51D-5-NA, U.S. Army Air Force serial number 44-13926, 375th Fighter Squadron, 361st Fighter Group, 8th Air Force Europe, RAF

Sources

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• page on aircraft encyclopedia;
• other literature.