1:48 North American P-51D Mustang - 8th Air Force
ITEM# 61040

DESCRIPTION
About the North American P-51D Mustang 8th Air Force

In April 1940, drawings were sketched in a New York City hotel
room for a new fighter aircraft for the British purchasing
Commission. This fighter, the North American NA73X, became one of
the best fighter aircraft in the U.S. Army Airforce during World
War II, and is known as the P-51 Mustang.

Of the several variations of this famous fighter, the P-51D is
generally accepted as the definitive Mustang and was the first
production version with the "Bubble" canopy. More "D" model
Mustangs were built than all other Mustang variants combined,
with a total of 9,603 coming off production lines. 45 squadrons
of the famed U.S. 8th Airforce, stationed in England were
equipped with the P-51D, which could now escort and protect the
heavy bombers all the way to and from targets on the European
continent.

There were several major changes that set the "D" apart form
earlier Mustangs. One was the change from four .50 caliber
machine guns to six, three in each wing. Another was to mount the
guns upright which helped to eliminate a jamming tendency that
occurred in the four gun system. Ammunition was increased to 400
rounds per inboard gun, and 270 rounds for each of the other
four. Underwing pylons were strengthened to carry the 110 or 165
gallon auxiliary drop tanks or 1,000 lb bomb. P-51D Mustangs went
to fight in the later Korean conflict and it last flew combat in
1956 in the deserts to the Middle East, when Israel used
Spitfires, Messerschimitts and Mustangs together in the Mid East
conflict.