P51 Mustang

The P51 is the Sara Lee of aircraft:
Everybody doesn't like some plane; nobody doesn't like a Mustang.

The first time I saw one in the flesh was in a hangar at Corpus Christi, Texas. I was about 10 years old, in the late 50's when I guess there were still a lot of them around. My first impression was that it was so BIG!. As an airport kid in training, I was used to Cessnas and Pipers. I had of course seen pictures of Mustangs, but had no frame of reference for the actual beast.

I turned a corner in the hangar and there it was. I was stunned. I still am.

Technical stuff:

Specifications (AEC-CUNY) Baugher Gustin(Elevon)

Saying you like the P51 is a bit like saying you like Baskin Robbins Rocky Road ice cream. You're not going to get a whole lot of argument on the basic concept.

The Mustang's unfair advantage is its sleek and beautiful appearance, which would earn it fame as aluminum sculpture alone, without regard for aerodynamic excellence.

These six images are from Michael Brunk's original Flightline.

P51_1 (78K)

P51_2 (88K)

P51_3 (36K)

P51_4 (62K)

P51_5 (140K)

P51_6 (52K)

Of course, it takes some horses to push a Mustang. OK, that's a pretty dumb metaphor, but it does lead to a picture of the prime mover:

Not only does the Merlin have a great name, it also has a great sound! merlin.wav

These three images came from various other places on the net.

P51_7 (39K)

P51_8 (89K)

P51_9 (39K)

P51 Links

MustangsMustangsVery Nice!

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