spitfire plane vs p51 mustang

Many top E.T.O. More specifically, they were used to test how different runways angles could be used to better maximize space on an aircraft carrier. Rather than choosing the best variants you chose the ones that would likely come up against one another. Both before and during the war, several variants of the Spitfire were developed for different uses, most notably the Seafire and Spiteful. The Merlin engine powered two of the greatest fighters of World War II, the Supermarine Spitfire and the North American P-51 Mustang. These included Captain Don Gentile (35 victories), Captain John Godfrey (31 victories), Colonel Eagleston (23 victories), Major James Howard (the only American ace in both theaters of the war--6 victories in China flying P-40's and 6 victories in Europe flying P-51's), Chuck Yeager (who later became the first man to break . Opinions will differ on which warplane was more effective. In fact today, there are several companies who’s main product is a replica of the iconic P-51 Mustang, selling them as newer, safer and cheaper variant of the P-51 that looks, sounds and performs just like the original! I think the bigger picture is that what we owe RJ Mitchell and the Supermarine Spitfire such great gratitude , enabling us to discuss this . Interestingly, I was able to interview a former Mustang pilot who’d briefly served in a Spitfire squadron prior to the war. The P-51 Mustang and Supermarine Spitfire were both brilliant Allied fighters during WW2, but which one was the best? Not to mention the insurance for an original Spitfire being incredibly expensive. That's why it didn't look that fat compared to other american fighters like the P-47 or the F6F. The wings on the Spitfire are a The original Mustang was produced to an RAF specification and fitted with the Alison engine. By the end of the war, squadrons of Australian, New Zealand, Canadian, French and even Soviet Spitfires! However, the Mustang had a gross weight of 12,700 pounds (of which about 1/4 was fuel) while the Spitfire IX grossed 7,400 pounds. A replica on the other hand can set you back roughly $65,000 (£51,000). RTFPlane.com presents " RC Plane Spitfire / Mustang P-51 / Thunderbolt P-47 / Yak 54 - Nine Eagle Warbirds RTF Airplanes ", it's all about Ready-to-Fly Airplanes However, many Spitfires went on to help train the next generation of fighter pilots, with many becoming incredibly familiar with the handling of the Spitfire. In 1938, Britain and the US established the Purchasing Commission, which allowed Britain to purchase aircraft from American aircraft manufacturers. They were designed with different parameters in mind. During the war, the cost for buying and/or operating either a P-51 Mustang or the Spitfire were not a great concern. Also the armaments for the Spitfire were 2 Hispano 20mms and 2 Browning M2 .50 cals, not 4 20mms and 4 .303s. The NA-73X first flew on October 24 1940. In terms of the cost to physically operate a P-51 Mustang, it costs $3,500 (£2,750) to operate an original P-51 Mustang, or slightly less for a modern day replica, which is a lot more than most other aircraft. Here is a quoted text out of "WWII: Luftwaffe Combat Planes & Aces' This is how a German ace thought about the P-51 and P-47 + their pilots. Tell me in the comments! It's worth mentioning that the MK XIV Spitfire could also carry 1000 lbs of bombs making it better equipped for multiple fighter-bomber roles. Side-by-side comparison of the North American P-51 Mustang against the Supermarine Spitfire. Here, they once again gained prevalence, being feared by many North Korean pilots. Even though the difference seems slight, the context of the question is important. North American P-51 Mustang. The most common variant of the Spitfire is the Spitfire Mk VB, previously in service with the RAAF, SAAF and RAF. Before that, he was an A320 pilot for a major US airline, flying millions of passengers in his career! In 1939, Supermarine Aircraft, then a division of Vickers-Armstrong, listed the price for one Supermarine Spitifre at £12,604. As usual, we asked several different groups about their opinions on the matter of “Mustang vs Spitfire?”. During WWII, both the North American P-51 Mustang and the Supermarine Spitfire dominated the skies over Europe. Well done. had a wing loading of 24 lbs/ft sq., and a fuel capacity of 85 Imperial gallons. Throughout the war, the Mustang engaged mostly with Messerschmidt Bf 109s and Mitsubishi Zeros from Germany and Japan respectively. Like the Spitfire, the Mustang proved itself on multiple fronts. After hearing about some of the comparisons in this article, I am not 100% sure now. Because the Spitfire arrived a good 3 years prior to the Mustang, and the Mustang took another full year to mature into the "C" model, I'm being selective, and picking late 1943 as the year for comparison. In the following article, I evaluate the two on the basis of six rectally extracted parameters… The Mustang is equivalent to General William Tecumseh Sherman's Military Division of the Mississippi which went deep into the enemy's territory and broke the back of the enemy's industrial and agricultural infrastructure and contributed to their capitulation. Found inside – Page 13Although both were excellent fighter planes, the need arose for a faster plane ... as compared to the British Spitfire V, which topped out at 340 mph under ... Give us your thoughts in the comments box below. Not bad for an aircraft that only existed due to the eccentric persistence of one man, Sidney Cotton. The Spitfire was More Nimble than a P-51. In the 1930’s, with the advancement in wing designs, the need for a biplane configuration was seemingly not the peak of aircraft design. Wing racks were fitted to some P51D's, but the recommended load was just 500lbs. Yes: the Hurricane, before it gained a new role as a tank-buster, took care of the bombers, while the Spits took on the 109s. A comprehensive look at the history and service of 24 famous fighter planes of World War II including full specifications and cutaway drawings. Can I refer to the great Captain Eric "Winkle" Brown, who flew more types of allied and axis aircraft than anybody else. Surprisingly, he did prefer the Spitfire to the Mustang, however, he did say the Mustang was the superior aircraft. Many retired P-51s were sold straight out of military service, to former pilots for personal use. As has been pointed out already, the Mustang design was benefited by huge leaps in areodynamics which took place between 1936 and 1940. The all-important climb rate for a P51D sat at 3200ft per minute whilst the Spitfire could climb at an impressive 3650ft per minute. Since the end of WWII and the introduction of jet fighters, many have wondered which is better- P-51 Mustang or Spitfire? The Spitfire didn’t see anymore front line action after the end of WWII. Jsapper it was also faster, its called the Griffon engine look it up. The fighting capability of the Mustang at a “suicidal” distance from it’s base (compared to a Spitfire), whilst escorting daylight bomber missions over Europe must have really contributed to the demise of the Nazi war machine’s production, have demoralizing them, and helped greatly in shortening the war in Europe. The maximum speed of a P51D was 437mph whilst the Spitfire was slightly faster at 448mph. This is a good take on the two aircraft. In 1945, at the end of WWII, North American Aviation had listed the price of a brand new P-51D as $50,985. XIV was the definitive Spitfire. Up to 1,000 lbs (454kg) of bombs, rockets or fuel droptanks. Found insideFlying RAF Spitfires and Mustangs in World War II and USAF Sabre Jets in the Korean War Colin Downes. reduced aerodynamic drag at high speed, ... The maximum speed of a P51D was 437mph whilst the Spitfire was slightly faster at 448mph. A Mustang taxis through a puddle at an airbase in Korea. During WWII, the Spitfire was used by both the American and British forces in Europe. P-51 Mustang vs Spitfire- Which was the better aircraft? Mustang hands down. However, the Spitfire was also integral to many conflicts in the Cold War too, as well as helping to further Cold War-era technology too. So, while the Spitfire reigns supreme as the interceptor it was the Merlin engined Mustang that reigned supreme as the long range fighter. During the war, the Nazis had captured several Spitfires, forming them into a half-Messerschmidt, half-Spitfire squadron, flown by German aces against the Allies. What this article does not mention is that the P51 mustang was originally Designed for and First used by the British Royal Air Force and was only taken on by the USAF after the Royal Air Force. A Rolls-Royce Griffon, the engine that powered the MKXIV Spitfire to a top speed of 437mph. A free hand in Russia and Europe! Which do you think was the best fighter and why? Gentile became a flight commander in September 1943, now flying the P-47 Thunderbolt. Having been Spitfire pilots, Gentile and the other pilots of the 4th were displeased when they transitioned to the heavy P-47. As such, they never fought one another. However, the P51D was generally more specialized than the Spitfire. Supermarine Spitfire. SOME OF THE 150 STORIES IN THIS BOOK: · What WWII was all about · How the German Luftwaffe began and ended · Adolph Hitler's Nazi party and the Waffen SS · 8th Air Force raids over Europe · P-51 Mustang battles with Me-109 · 1093's ... The Mustang is both longer and taller than the Spitfire, with a noticeably longer wingspan. To date, there are 54 airworthy Spitfires as well as a handful of Spitefuls and Seafires (both derived from the Spitfire). Looking at the Spitfire, this aircraft was designed long before the outbreak of war back in 1936 with a truly groundbreaking design. Short range as they fought close to their airfields. 19. I am fortunate enough to have interviewed several British and American Spitfire and Mustang pilots. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. The Mustang P51D did not have better visibility than the Spitfire XIV. Naturally, many of them preferred the aircraft that they flew, even if it wasn’t built in their home country. The most common variant of the P-51 Mustang is the P-51D, previously in service with the RAAF, SAAF and USAF. As such, the RAF began looking for a replacement aircraft. Weirdly, both the Cessna Citation Mustang and the Ford Mustang are two of the things who are named in honor of the WWII fighter. If these two got into a dogfight, which one would win? The nose resembles those from an early A or B model North . Already a member? Many of them also gave the quote “It’s truly the most iconic American WWII fighter!”. If that coolant system developed a leak - say, on a nice date w. This one was perhaps the most divisive of them all. By the late 1950’s, the RAF had phased out their Spitfire fighter squadrons, save for the BBMF and trainer squadrons. Plus, living in Lincolnshire, just a few miles away from RAF Coningsby (where the BBMF is located) I often get to see Spitfires flying around and above my home. Type. Which was best? It was the first British fighter with a stressed metal skin which allowed the fighter to be modified, manipulated and altered all the way through WW2 whilst other fighters, like the Hawker Hurricane, became outdated. Cessna had many workers who had worked on the P-51, where Ford named it in order to sell to former Mustang pilots. 8-August-2006 update New Me 109 G Flight Tests. But with all due respect I would like to point out a few errors though. Unlike most "histories", this book tells the story of the 14th Fighter Squadron in the words of the pilots who were there. Filled with riveting accounts of combat flying, this book is a must-have for all aviation buffs. Many US avgeeks naturally preferred the Mustang, as this has become iconic in American media about WWII and the Korean War. Was there a better all-around fighter in WWII? Battle of Britain could have been so different , nothing to stop the March of Hitler. (B) 2 x 20mm Hispano cannons and 4 x 7.7mm Browning machine guns in wings. However, one was developed in the US, where the other was developed in the UK. Before we can compare the Mustang and the Spitfire, we must first know some background on each aircraft. Throughout and after the war, several variants of both the P-51 Mustang and the Spitfire were developed. As Dowding noted above also with respect to the . emergency power, Hurricane as well as Spitfire, expressed variously as; breaking the wire, pulling the plug, pulling the tit, pushing the throttle through the gate, boost overide, boost cut-out, Emergency, Emergency power, etc. Encounter Reports of P-51 Mustang Pilots Helicopter widths include main rotor diameter. Using original RAF 'Pilot's Notes' from the Crécy Publishing archive, this handbook reproduces the unabridged content, typography and illustration of those historic documents. VARIABLE - dependent on production model: (A) 8 x 7.7mm Browning machine guns in wings. Three Spitfires and two P-51Ds. Many of these Spitfires were flown by retired Spitfire pilots at airshows all around the world. Both the Spitfire and Mustang served in WWII, often side-by-side. Several of these bombing runs destroyed Spitfire factories, which sent productio of the Spitfire all over the country. The Spitfire was Better in Combat than a P-51. Over 20,000 Spitfires were produced between 1938 and 1948. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. The P-45 Nokota is reminiscent of many classic WWII-era fighter planes, mainly the North American P-51 Mustang for the overall design, wings and cockpit. For this role, the American aircraft didn't really need the Spitfire's versatile performance. I have also never flown in either one of them. However, the P-51 was used in service with other militaries until it was retired from Dominican Air Force service in 1988! You must mean the P-51B and P-51C. By January 1957, the US military had completely retired their fleet of P-51s. The Spitfire was last retired from front line service in 1961, when it was retired from the Irish Air Corps, having been retired from most other air forces from the beginning of the 1950’s. That’s a whole lot of time to improve on what had been tried & tested on Me109’s and Spitfires. The nose resembles those from an early A or B model North . Found inside... of the P-51 Mustang a year later. The first impression of almost every pilot who sees it is the same: that this new plane seems more like a Spitfire. Found inside – Page 66I should point out that aeroplane engines are not like cars; they needed a degree of ... the Mustang was 'a little bigger plane [compared to the Spitfire], ... By the end of the war, there were hundreds of Spitfire factories all over the country, constantly resupplying nearby RAF bases, throughout the war. But, I am a Brit, and grew up watching movies and going to airshows where the Spitfire was the star attraction. Found inside – Page iThis is as close as you’ll get to a World War II–era P-51 Mustang without flying one yourself. News 16 September 2006 WWII Aircraft Performance Launched. Give us your thoughts in the comments box below. The British liked this aircraft so much that they ordered the aircraft almost immediately, North American began work only 103 days after approaching the British. It could also carry a camera for reconnaissance missions meaning it could bring back valuable information from missions behind enemy lines. I’m fortunate to have flown both in original configuration. North American P-51 Mustang. In a 1-on-1 dogfight, I am fairly sure the Spitfire would win. Great article! Combat reports, official documents and literature of the period are replete with accounts of pilots using +12 lbs. We're going to wade into a topic full of minefields here by comparing two of the best fighters of World War II. © International Aviation HQ. Commander of the Luftwaffe Hermann Göring was quoted as saying, "When I saw Mustangs over Berlin, I knew the jig was up." This is a good take on the two aircraft. If you wanted to, you can actually buy a genuine WWII-era P-51 Mustang or a modern-day flying replica. Again, let's compare the P51D and Spitfire MK XIV. Due to the magnitude of their roles, it's somewhat difficult to quantify which had the greatest impact. Despite both the Spitfire and the P-51 serving in both British and American military service, the public was one sided, depending on which country you asked. This book examines the two fighters in detail, exploring their history and development and containing accurate descriptions of the combats between the P-51 Mustang and the Me 262 in what were some of the most bitter and large-scale aerial ... Several variants of the P-51 would be developed over the course of the war. A veteran of World War II and the Korean War, North American Aviation's P-51 Mustang was the first U.S. built fighter airplane to push its nose over Europe after the fall of France. After the Korean War, most Mustangs were retired and were sold off. Found inside – Page 29the P - 51 Mustang , stabilizers , fin and wing tips were squared off . ... an ugly aircraft with slab sides and severely clipped wing tips as compared with ... Popular models include the 1200mm F8F-1 Bearcat or P-51 Mustang, 1500mm C-47 Transport, and 1600mm P-38 Lightning or B-17 Flying Fortress. - Find this article & others like it at www.FliteTest.com -, By joining our mailing list via the home page or during checkout, you agree to The Mustang, although having a rocky start, was invaluable in assisting the Allied liberation of Europe. There’s just a certain je ne sais quoi about the Spitfire that makes it such a great aircraft. Which was best? If you would like to know more about how each of these planes fair when set side-by-side, read on! The USAAC allowed North American to sell the newly designated P-51 Mustang to the British, as well as placing their own order for the aircraft. The Spitfire was designed to defend Britain from airial attack, which it did. In it's main role, the Mustang proved itself as a superb escort fighter in Allied bombing raids over Germany. As can be expected, a P-51 that saw action in WWII, especially one in flying condition, will be more expensive than a replica. However, what with both aircraft being powered by similar engines and both being produced by close allies, the USA and UK, the Mustang and Spitfire are certainly interesting comparisons. That pits the Mark VIII Hf against the P-. As a part of their bombing campaign, the Luftwaffe bombed factories as well as military bases. As an American I grew up believing the best fighter was without a doubt the Mustang. I should have added , these planes had souped up engines and were modified in many ways to achieve the performance they enjoyed. This exciting first book in a brand new, innovative series describes the design and development of these rivals and analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of each fighter through an examination of the key elements of airframe, engine, ... Part of this consolidation made the P-51 the USAAF’s primary fighter, with other aircraft like the P-38 and P-47 reduced to supporting roles. NOTES: Shapes below depict aircraft from wingtip-to-wingtip / nose-to-tail assuming aircraft are being viewed from overhead perspective (the nose pointing towards the top of the screen). The P-51 has incredibly high maintenance costs. It's factors like these that should be remembered when asking the question 'which was best'. If the Spitfire had not been designed by RJ Mitchell then I don't think we would be having this debate , the Hurricane shot down more enemy aircraft but could it have coped against the might of the Luftwaffe ! Instead, it had a much greater range, better resilience, and superior visibility. Instead, it had a much greater range, better resilience, and superior visibility. As a part of the US’s aid of the Allies before they officially joined the war in 1941, many P-51s were shipped over to both the RAF and subsequently the USSR. Create An Account Here, Well, if you are waiting on the enemy coming to you... Then the Spitfire does just fine. Found insideWAR PLANES YOUR BELLY TANK IS ON FIRE . ... PC ENTERTAINMENT OAR THROUGH FLAK - FILLED SKIES IN THE COCKPIT OF YOUR SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE . P - 51 MUSTANG . When I asked several avgeeks which aircraft they preferred, I naturally received a mixture of responses as usual. The P-45 Nokota is a fighter aircraft featured in Grand Theft Auto Online as part of the Smuggler's Run update, released on November 7th, 2017, during the P-45 Nokota Week event. Also, the Spit just looks better. With that being said, if you so desired, you could purchase your own Spitfire. As Dowding noted above also with respect to the . The Mustang was designed originally to be used with the Allison V-1710 engine - making it a very good aircraft. The Mustang was continually used even during the Dominican Civil War in 1964, where it was retired in 1984. I would be psyched to fly either one! . years ago, which I still have. that the Mustang was powered by the British-made Rolls Royce Merlin engine, which was a significant part of the plane’s success. Today, this $50,985 is worth $730,210 (£570,000) in 2019 pounds. There are stats on this page for German aircraft: North American P-51 Mustang --- The plane that went all the way. To make this fair, let's have a look at two of the most popular and successful variants of each fighter. (Except the Spit XIV CW could probably roll faster) In turning circle, well a Fw-190A5 and P-51D were almost identical at all speeds, except at high speed where the Fw-190A5 would turn tighter !. aces flew the P-51 Mustang. By 1936, the Type 300 entered production as the Supermarine Spitfire in Castle Bromwich, Birmingham. By the time George Loving completed his 151st, and final, combat mission on August 21, 1944, he had risen from a lowly second lieutenant and untested wingman to captain, group leader, and Mustang ace. receive periodic yet meaningful email contacts from us and us alone. )- stating that it was a British icon from a bygone era. A man Neil Armstrong looked up to. The Mustang was also much quicker than the Spitfire, with a much longer combat range. The P-51 Mustang was originally designed for the RAF. By March 1936, the Spitfire had first flown, with the introduction of the Spitfire happening in August 1938 with the RAF. We are comparing the Royal Air Force's Supermarine Spitfire and the United States Army Air Force's North American Aviation P-51D. SPEED. For interception, this was clearly quite important. However, several air forces do keep a small fleet of Mustangs or Spitfires to this day. Do you mean the WW2 fighter planes? I totally agree with you my friend.Great comment. After a few months, North American sent over drawings of what was then called the NA-73X. The all-important climb rate for a P51D sat at 3200ft per minute whilst the Spitfire could climb at an impressive 3650ft per minute. Found inside – Page 17Extensive testing of AG346 revealed that up to 20,000ft the Mustang was faster than any other fighter in service with the RAF at the time. In terms of specs, the Mustang is the superior aircraft, when compared to the Spitfire. Answer has 11 votes. Spitfire vs. Mustang. Was there a better all-around fighter in WWII? The P-51 had an inline engine, which was cooled with coolant that ran to a radiator in its belly air intake. A replica can cost anywhere between £30,000 ($38,000) and £50,000 ($64,000). P-51s were not only used in WWII, however, it is the conflict that made them famous. Now, that was the best reply I've read. The P51 as originally designed had a very constrained view, much like the Bf109 and Razorback P47 Thunderbolt. 1 x Packard V-1650-7 Merlin liquid-cooled inline piston engine developing 1,590 horsepower driving four-bladed propeller unit at the nose. Put the Merlin in the Mustang and it would actually out run the spitfire. Focke Wulf 190 A8 flown by Klaus Plasa chasing a Supermarine Spitfire Mk.18 flown by Rob Davies. Spitfire vs. Mustang. However, the P51D was generally more specialized than the Spitfire. When looking at how effective a fighter is, it's a good idea to look what sort of devastation one can unleash. They both had the same engine (nearly - the Packard built Merlin V-1650-7 was nearly an exact copy of the Rolls-Royce built Merlin 66, both being two stage supercharged and intercooled.) Mustang Designer tells the story of American wartime fighter development, including engines and armaments, as part of a nationwide program of aircraft builders and fliers, focusing on Edgar Schmued, the designer of the Mustang. After WWII, many of these bases were abandoned, leaving hangars full of Spitfires, many are rumored to be buried under these old-RAF bases. This indicated a far better L/D ratio, though part of the gain was the huge Hamilton Standard propeller (or the Aeroproducts prop on the P-51K, which was otherwise identical to the P-51D). The first were 5 P-51Cs that were converted during the war and were designated as TP-51Cs. Copyright ©2021 Flite Test. 2 x Allison V-1710-111 water-cooled inline piston engines developing 1,425 horsepower driving three-bladed propeller units. With the superb range of the P-51B and subsequent variants, the USAAF was able to provide its bombers with protection for the duration of raids. For interception, this was clearly quite important. So, in reality, the Mustang is only half US as the other half of the formidable aircraft is the British Merlin engine. Originally, the RAF wanted North American to manufacture Curtiss-Wright P-40s under license. The P-51 is (in my opinion) a mediocre-looking aircraft. I must agree with the writer. Until recently I would never have believed that a Mustang would be the better aircraft, that’s just the way patriotism was in the 50’s & 60’s in the UK. Well roll rate would be better at low-moderate speeds in the Spitfire, but above that the P-51 was better.

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