The P-51 Mustang: The Fighter that Won World War II

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[@megaprojects9649]

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[@Cassiel75]

I have heard that a p51 mustang broke the soundbarrier in a violent dive.. Anyone is this a fact or is this just a rumour?

[@davidhetzman5821]

Can you do a video for the a1 skyraider from the veitnam war in the roll of a cas prop aircraft

[@genericusername5909]

Is that Music for a forgotten future playing behind Simon in the intro? Clearing that would have to be expensive

[@chrisb9960]

Has the channel ever done a video on the Brooklyn Bridge inclusive of its updates and maintenance?

[@sparky6086]

North American wasn't completely new to the fighter game. Before they were Norrh American, they were a company called Fokker. They were the American branch & spun off from the Dutch company.

[@devonbell6795]

On May 17, 2024, Col Bud Anderson passed away in Auburn, California at the age of 102. Col. Anderson was a WWII triple Ace. The plane he flew was a Mustang named “Old Crow.” Rest easy Colonel…

[@waynesimpson2074]

That's saddening news, I can only say thank you to him and his fellow pilots. The shear aggression and bravery of those young flyers was desperately needed by the Allies at that time, they took the War straight into the Nazi's front garden. They even stopped camouflaging their 'Stangs later in the war, polishing them to a highly visible aluminium sheen to goad the Luftwaffe to come up and fight. We will never see a generation like them again. RIP.

[@fredbishop9434]

Sad to hear. Have a model of his old crow fighter and have many of his interviews in magazines. He was always a fantastic interview and I learned a great deal from that cool old gent. Very classy and humble man.

[@jacktattis]

@@waynesimpson2074 No that was not to goad the Luftwaffe to come up. It was to show the bomber crews that they were on their way. Germans had cammed planes and the Brits only had cammed planes and there had been too many friendly fire incidents.

[@JaimieB.DogJack]

I've heard of Old Crow. Cool to know who flew it.

[@imapopo2924]

O7 Colonel. Rest easy.

[@joenobody5631]

My grandfather was a gunner on a half-track (whenever they could get the thing to run) during WWII and would always glow a little when bringing up the P-51. He says that plane absolutely saved his life. When things looked grim, he heard the Mustangs coming and knew everything was going to be alright. He spoke of the Mustang the way today's soldiers talk about the A-10. High praise.

[@noreply-7069]

A-10 has caused lots of friendly fire incidents despite its reputation.

[@Bidimus1]

@@noreply-7069 All close air support does. A-10 Thunderbolt II was named for the best Fighter/Bomber the USAAF had the P47 Thunderbolt.

[@TheRedneckRoman16]

Only the Mustang has less Blue on Blue.

[@ianbabcock6802]

The OG freedom dispenser.

[@lucasfragoso7634]

​@@Bidimus1 im sprry but whats your source? Because the F16 takes the roll of the US's best CAS aircraft currently. The F111 was the best during the Gulf war. The A10 was never that good and the fact its being replaced by a crop duster proves this

[@keepingitreal6793]

We live near a small airport west of Calgary, Alberta where someone has a P51 Mustang. The owner will fly it often during the summer months. It’s amazing to see and hear! A couple of times I’ve seen the P51 and another plane (I think it’s a Spitfire) playing around and pretending to dog fighting. Very enjoyable to watch while sitting on our deck sipping on a lemonade. Peace.

[@Crioten]

Some are scaled down models that are about 2/3 the size and perfrom amazing... ask if it's a real one and you may get a ride... in the US they have awesome programs for pilots to take kiddos up for free to gain hours etc

[@dbf1dware]

I do especially love the sound the P51 makes.

[@gregedwards1087]

"Another Plane, I think it's a Spitfire", ?????????? How can you not know if it is a Spitfire, one of the most recognisable aircraft on the planet?

[@LeeBrown-zi4bh]

Sophisticated growl of the Merlin

[@MisterKnightly]

Springbank! And you're right, there's a Spitfire out here too.

[@blackace7782]

As an American, my favorite brit plane has to be the Mosquito. That thing was nuts 2 merlin engines and made of a widely available resource at the time. *chef's kiss*

[@wtbanation6268]

For sure man I’m right with you. Wish it had a scarier name, mosquitos are dangerous but don’t conjure images of terror the way the aircraft did

[@Alan-gx8gf]

Canadian Spruce I believe ?

[@SoloRenegade]

When operating at low altitudes, teh Mosquito would have been a far superior design using two Allison V12s (lighter, lower drag, more HP, more fuel efficient, more reliable, easier to manufacture and maintain).

[@CoreyBrisson]

Shit. Canadian? Geneva wants to know your location.... 😂

[@Legitpenguins99]

​@@wtbanation6268 mosquitos have killed more humans than any creature in history. Malaria is a bitch. To me at least mosquito is a scary name

[@goaliechris500]

My late grandpa flew this plane. He loved being in it. He did not talk about the war, but he would talk about this beautiful machine. Thank you for making this video. His plane name is California Coaster.

[@davesanders3744]

As a Brit we were taught that it was the Spitfire that won the air battle over the uk, However it was actually the hurricane which was made in far greater numbers usually flown by pilots whose country was occupied by Axis forces, at the break out of the battle of Britain we had over 18 squadrons also by the end of production in July 1944, 14,487 units had been built.

[@darkraven8103]

Sorry to say but you are just straight up wrong. The Spitfire was built in much higher numbers (around 5000 more) and at least during the battle of Britain it is true that the Hurricane got more kills than the Spitfire but the thing is there were WAY more Hurricanes compared to Spitfires and even then their kill ratios were about the same. Also I'm pretty sure Hurricanes were often sent after the bombers and Spitfires after the fighters which just goes to show what plane was better at dealing with the enemy fighters. Though I will say obviously it was important to stop all the Axis planes not just the bombers or fighters but all types.

[@JC-fz2pv]

@@darkraven8103 So 5000 more Spitfires were built, but there were "WAY more hurricanes"? Not being a smart ass but im confused.

[@kendutchess]

My Uncle who flew them in WW2 Swore by them. He loved them until he passed.

[@jacoblongbrake8230]

And the p fifty one finished it

[@darkraven8103]

@@JC-fz2pv Dude surely you are not that dumb. What I mean is during the battle of Britain there were more Hurricanes compared to Spitfires but ultimately by the end of the war around 5k more Spitfires were built compared to the Hurricane. (roughly 20k Spitfires vs 15k Hurricanes)

[@JakeOrion]

I want to thank our British allies for help making that airplane what it is today. Without the Merlin, I do not believe the Mustang would be NEARLY as successful and legendary as it is held to today. That pairing of the Merlin with an US airframe makes it just as much as your aircraft as it is ours. Be proud!

[@4literv6]

Nope read the story on the Packard built licensed Merlin engines! Us Americans took it, simplified it AND mass fkn produced it=winning! 😎 And at low altitude as others have said the A-36 kicked ass!

[@conroypawgmail]

@@4literv6- ...and if the Brits didn't let Packard build the Merlin, the P-51 would have had what? Packard built Alison engines?

[@ald1144]

​@@4literv6Packard improved it, sure, and mass produced it. Still a Brit engine though. We would have been stuck with the Allison otherwise.

[@GankbotShuk]

We did what we always do. They gave us a solid engine, we took a look at it and slapped a turbocharger on it for MOAR. If you go through WW2 planes more than a few times our solution was just to strap a bigger engine on it. Kinda amusing but does not take away from the joint effort to make the P51 a monster.

[@waynesimpson2074]

@@GankbotShuk Please look up the Merlin engine development when you get a moment, its a great way to spend your time. The Merlin had a supercharger not a turbocharger. In fact it morphed into a 2 speed, 2 stage supercharged engine with outstanding performance and efficiency which owed a great deal to the supply of high octane fuel from the USA. The Packard built Merlins were superior to the Rolls Royce units due to improved pressurized Bendix carbs, excellent main bearings using improved US metalurgy and unhindered( by Nazi bombing) production runs. Commonality between different RR engineered parts was rare whereas the US war machine could school Heinz on rapid, high volume, mass produced, production engineering; hence the P51 gaining the nick-name Spam Can.

[@healerf18]

One of the great ironies of history is that North American Aviation had its roots in Fokker, the Dutch aircraft manufacturer for Germany in WWI, and the lead engineer for the P-51 was German immigrant Ed Schmued. Amazing.

[@rodrigorincongarcia771]

Not such a great irony if you think the dutch (fokker planes included) were fighting against the german in WWII

[@talltale9760]

And Russians. P-35 and P-47 along with a lot of our helicopters.

[@steveperreira5850]

I was told by Greg’s airplanes and others. No possibility of finding the truth here on this channel. Boiler plate lobster, that’s all timing is good for

[@bobsakamanos4469]

@@steveperreira5850 LOL, take Greg's info with a grain of salt.

[@jacktattis]

@@steveperreira5850 Yes and take Gregs with a cup of Epson Salts

[@BJ-ze8hn]

While everyone first thinks of the F-14 when the Top Gun movies come up, the epilogue of Top Gun Maverick is probably the best epilogue anyone could have made (in Hollywood) for the P51. Like him or not, Tom Cruise is one lucky SOB to own and be flying one of those remaining, operational Mustangs...

[@ashman8891]

The impact of the Merlin engine on the P-51's development is understated here. Up until then it couldn't compete at the higher altitudes that the Western Front required. It was only after the installation of the licensed Merlin engine with its two stage two speed supercharger that the Mustang actually became viable as a high altitude, long range escort fighter

[@ratchet2505]

the engine gave the performance, what the Americans gave was the detachable fuel tanks which led to such an increase in range it was a cheat code.

[@SoloRenegade]

With the Allison engine, the P-51 was the single fastest fighter of WW2. down low, no other fighter could catch it. Compared to the Merlin, the Allison was $6k cheaper, 300lb lighter, more fuel efficient, had fewer parts, was easier to maintain and more reliable, was smaller and lower drag, and was putting out more than 1800HP in 1942, and over 2200HP by 1944. The Mustang flew to Berlin with the Allison (doing Recon) before the P-51B was ever ready. The P-51 with Allison was the first allied fighter plane to enter German airspace in WW2, and operated with the RAF for a full year prior to the P-47 showing up, and the RAF only lost 8 Allison Mustangs to enemy fire in its first 18months of combat. The P-38 proved that with a proper high altitude forced induction system, the Allison was a far more powerful engine than the Merlin at high altitude, which is why they never put Merlins in the P-38 (they did think about it, but the studies quickly showed it was a waste of time to try, as the airplane would be slower and less fuel efficient).

[@gregsutton2400]

@@ratchet2505 It is the Mustangs internal fuel that is incredible, anything can carry drop tanks.

[@LeeBrown-zi4bh]

Bladder tank under the pilot seat gave it even more range. #P 51D

[@robertpatrick3350]

@@SoloRenegadethe first sentence is incorrect

[@Eric-gu2rs]

I had an old neighbor who told me about his time as a mechanic servicing American fighters flying missions out of Britain. He called the P-51 a “thoroughbred racing horse”, and the P-47 a “solid draft horse”. He said if you were a pilot who wanted to impress his girlfriend, you got your picture taken in a P-51. But if you were a husband wanting to convince your wife you’d be returning home, you got your picture taken in a P-47.

[@jeffmcdonald4225]

I guess it's a matter of preference. As a boy, all my dad's friends said the Corsair was the best plane we had during the entire war. Years later, though, I met a pilot who said the Lightning was (he flew one). 😁

[@Maverick8t88]

My grandfather was a mechanic on both 47’s and 51’s. He said much the same about the planes.

[@jedimasterdraco6950]

I personally favor the Corsair as well, rugged as the P-47, but one of the only planes that could outfly the Ki-84. The fact that they were still being built into the 50s should tell ya something.

[@darthmarvin247]

@@jeffmcdonald4225 -"As a boy, all my dad's friends said the Corsair was the best plane we had during the entire war. Years later, though, I met a pilot who said the Lightning was (he flew one). " I think this just goes to show that many times the correct answer is just "it depends". It depends on the mission, the overall conditions, the opponents you expect to be facing, etc. I think difficulty also played a role. The Corsair and the P 51 were quite difficult to fly (or so I've heard, take this with a huge grain of salt), while something like the Hellcat or even the Yak 3 was more beginner friendly. Important when you have new recruits.

[@Chaosmech]

​@@darthmarvin247the Corsair, though a beautiful and capable aircraft, was, I believe, called "The Ensign Killer" because of how difficult it was to fly and especially land.

[@piedpiper1172]

Amazing thing about the Mustang is that it’s one of the few things in life that lives up to the hype. I recently got to watch, and more importantly hear, a pair of Mustangs at the MCAS Cherry Point Airshow, and they were even more breathtaking than I’ve always heard. It really is the ultimate in mechanically beautiful sound and design in person. Everyone you’ve ever heard talk and rave about it is right. They are beautiful, and they sound even better.

[@Person-sq3xz]

My grandfather flew p-51s and was an ace in WWII. This was a pleasure to watch

[@AniwayasSong]

The real beauty was the combination of the plane/platform, and England's outstanding Merlin engine!

[@user-zv8ph5du5t]

My uncle, Langdon Badger, was an avid non-commercial pilot, as well as a successful businessman. In his 30s he bought a Mustang and used to fly it from Parafield Airport near Adelaide in South Australia. After a couple of years, being a father of three and knowing the dangers of flying such a plane, he reluctantly sold it. The new owner flew it in an air show in Queensland (I think) and tragically suffered a catastophic high-speed crash into the terra firma, completely destryong the Mustang and killing himself. My industrious uncle also recovered a wrecked Spitfire from Papua New Ginuea which he restored (with minor assistance from my cousins and me on weekends). From a serial number he located the pilot who was flying the Spitfire when it ran off the runway upon landing, Alec Chomley, who lived in Melbourne. The two familes became good friends. Alec came over to see the unveiling of the completed plane and it was all on the local news. Upon squeezing his somewhat portly frame into the cockpit Alec quipped "You've done everything else right Langdon, but you made the cockpit too small". My uncle recently passed away but his Spitfire remains here in the South Australian Aviation Museum at Port Adelaide.

[@45CaliberCure]

I swear, that name is so baller. And I'm old as hell, so I don't usually use that term. Thank you for the great interjection of personal experience. Really cool that you lived with a legend.

[@basilmcdonnell9807]

Wow, great stuff. Thanks for posting.

[@skyden24195]

There's a local hobby air group here that operates near/from March ARB in California that performs on certain holidays such as Memorial Day and Independance Day, as well as USAF air shows. The group consists of two or three P-51 Mustangs as well as (if I remember correctly) a Spitfire and a Zero. It is a spectacular sight to see these iconic aircraft of WWII flying together in peaceful formation.

[@user-vj2wt7jh7j]

The Mustang and the Corsair were not only high-performance with good range but were beautiful planes. Some like the Hellcat, but it was not the same beautiful machine, although beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If one was a Navy aviator whose life had been saved by a Hellcat, they would find it beautiful. Goering said it all when he first saw a Mustang over Berlin. He knew the war was over for Germany.

[@jacktattis]

Capt. Eric Brown said of the Corsair. A mixture of the Good the Mediocre and the Bad.

[@scottinohio701]

That is a myth!!!! It was NOT a 51!!!!!! Where do you people pick this stuff up??? Send me to where you saw this!!!! LOL

[@jacktattis]

@@scottinohio701 You will not change them. It has been all over U/tube for years

[@user-vj2wt7jh7j]

@@scottinohio701 From USAFE Air Intelligence Summary of Göring's interrogation: Long-range fighters were credited by Göring with delivering a major strategic blow to German planning, and he considered them collectively as one of the most decisive factors in the ultimate outcome of the war. The man who once boasted that no enemy bomber would ever attack Berlin "or my name is Meyer," admitted that he was stunned by the first evidence that British and US fighters as well as bombers were flying over German soil for hours at a time. He said he was convinced that deep bomber penetrations were possible only with long-range escort, and that the latter potentiality came as a complete surprise to him. Göring went so far as to say that when fighters actually appeared over Berlin for the first time, he knew that the eventual results would be "tragic." Some claim it was a p38 but they didn't have the reliability to make it to Berlin. That is why the P51 was a game changer the first fast fighter with the range/reliability to make it into the heart of Germany. The P-38 performed usefully but suffered from a number of problems. Its Allison engines consistently threw rods, swallowed valves and fouled plugs, while their intercoolers often ruptured under sustained high boost and turbocharger regulators froze, sometimes causing catastrophic failures. It was a handful to fly for even skilled pilots. After P-51 Mustangs replaced the Lightning, the kill ratio went from 1.5: 1 to 7:1 over Europe better over Japan when major bugs were fixed.

[@scottinohio701]

@@user-vj2wt7jh7j I dont know what rag you read this erroneous info in,but you are out in left field without your glove!!!!! First of all your kill ratios are totaly wrong!!! P-47s had cleared the skys of 75% of german aces before 51s arrived,and so the kill ratio would naturaly go up because all that was left were low hour replacement pilots!!!! The first fighters over Berlin were 47s,because the 51s got lost on that mission!!!! I dont have to read crap from some paper back book!! My father flew 104 missions with the 358th FG from sept 43 to sept 44!!! If you want real dope,go to Gregs airplanes and automobiles on YT!!!! 7 of the top ten American aces,including the top 2 flew 47s and this was ALL done against the top German aces BEFORE 51s arrived!!! When 47s were finally allowed to have drop tanks they had long range!!!! Go see Gregs VIDS!!!!!!!!!!

[@Fortunes.Fool.]

FINALLY THE P51 VIDEO! Now the other Mustang please!

[@adelewalsh1377]

lets start with the spitfire with a not packard made under license merlin engine.

[@Fortunes.Fool.]

@@adelewalsh1377 kzbin.info/www/bejne/fl7ZkqKjrZiFapo is Simon’s Spitfire video. Now can I please be excited about the Mustang video?

[@BattleshipOrion]

@@adelewalsh1377 Spitfire is spitfire, moar Mustang!

[@mwdouglas3794]

I'd like a F4U Corsair video.

[@Fortunes.Fool.]

@@mwdouglas3794 You’re welcome to start the campaign. I’ve been in these comments for a few years asking for a Mustang video, either the car or the plane who I love equally.

[@HalRiveria]

Simon: The P-51 was the linchpin of the Air war P-47: Am I a joke to you?

[@SoloRenegade]

yes, the P-47 is overrated, the P-51 is legit superior in so many ways it's not even funny.

[@conroypawgmail]

@@SoloRenegade - I would dare say you have it backwards. The P-51 is overrated and the P-47 doesn't get the recognition it deserves. While the P-51 is superior in many ways, it is also INFERIOR is many ways as well, such as durability and firepower. Unfortunately for Republic, the P-47 was much more expensive to produce than the P-51 Mustang and in a war of attrition, numbers wins.

[@cutl00senc]

@@SoloRenegade nonsense….the thunderbolt was favored by most of the pilots in Europe.

[@SoloRenegade]

@@cutl00senc Not true. Only ETO MoH was a P-51. Zemke hated it, but didn't complain and developed ways to make it work anyways. Many P-47 commanders switched to the P-51 first chance they got. P-38 pilots in PTO got switched to the P-47 and wanted their P-38 back and complained until they did get their P-38 back. A-36 pilots preferred it over the P-47, and fought tooth and nail to avoid getting the P-47. After WW2 the P-47 fell out of favor rather quickly. USA gave them away and few nations really used them. P-51 was faster at all altitudes, faster climb rate, more maneuverable, faster in a dive, longer range, used half the fuel for a any given distance flown, could use shorter airfields closer to teh front lines, were half the price, consumed half the raw material, took less time to produce, took far fewer man hours of maintenance between missions, and were doing CAS, fighter sweeps and recon for a full year in ETO prior to the P-47's first ever combat mission. And the range of weapons the P-51 used was staggering.

[@15wylee]

The F4U Corsair that shot down a Mustang in a dog fight enters chat.

[@johngrantham8024]

Also, North American didn't purchase the design of the P51 from Curtiss. At the behest of the British, they purchased the blueprints of the P40 to study fighter design (as stated, they had no experience in that area) and whilst some broad design concepts were carried over (such as the one piece wing) the P51 owed next to nothing to the P40. It was a homogenous clean paper design. Even then, the early P51's were not that good. Certainly, with the same Alison engine it was on a par with the P40 but no better. It took Rolls Royce trial fitting a Merlin to start the P51's genesis into a truly great fighter.

[@Sakai070]

Came here to say this.

[@SoloRenegade]

Not remotely true. You can read the USAAF test report of the P-51A and it was far superior. The P-40 is underrated, but it was no match for the P-51. With the Allison engine, the P-51 was the single fastest fighter of WW2. down low, no other fighter could catch it, not even a Merlin Mustang. Compared to the Merlin, the Allison was $6k cheaper, 300lb lighter, more fuel efficient, had fewer parts, was easier to maintain and more reliable, was smaller and lower drag, and was putting out more than 1800HP in 1942, and over 2200HP by 1944. The Mustang flew to Berlin with the Allison (doing Recon) before the P-51B was ever ready. The P-51 with Allison was the first allied fighter plane to enter German airspace in WW2, and operated with the RAF for a full year prior to the P-47 showing up, and the RAF only lost 8 Allison Mustangs to enemy fire in its first 18months of combat as a ground attack fighter. The A-36 was the single best dive bomber of WW2, and the ONLY Allied aircraft in all of WW2 allowed to perform Danger Close bomb drops to troops in contact due to its superior accuracy in the dive. The P-38 proved that with a proper high altitude forced induction system, the Allison was a far more powerful engine than the Merlin at high altitude, which is why they never put Merlins in the P-38 (they did think about it, but the studies quickly showed it was a waste of time to try, as the airplane would be slower and less fuel efficient).

[@jfess1911]

The Merlin was early on considered a potential engine for the Mustang. Even before the first one flew, an agreement had been made with Packard, who was tooling up to build the Merlin in the US. At the time the P-51 was being designed, it was not yet clear how future engine development would go, so NAA was always looking out for better engines.

[@Sakai070]

@@SoloRenegade I had the pleasure of watching both a p40 and p51 doing low passes at a small airshow in Maine. They started close in trail, but after about 5 evolutions (high speed pass followed by a climb, then reverse direction and dive into another high speed pass, repeat. A chandelle essentially) the mustang was a full evolution ahead of the p40, both going full out on their passes. It really put the. Increase of aircraft performance Between those two models in high contrast.

[@SoloRenegade]

@@Sakai070 The P-40 is actually quite a beast below 15k ft. I've talked to many pilots and mechanics of the P-40, P-51, etc. And I've talked to many engineers who also redesign parts and engines for them. The Allison is their preferred engine, and the P-40 and p-51 are both great designs according to them. The flight test report by the USAAF of the prototype P-51 was very good, with only the P-40 having a chance against it below 15k ft (and the test report looked at multiple different prominent US fighters in comparison). The P-40 flight test data people cite is based upon the XP-40 at only 1000HP, and yet it was only 10mph slower than the "mighty" P-47. The P-40A had 1400HP. And reports from both US and RAF generals reported RAF and US pilots were pushing their P-51 and P-40 Allison engines to 72-75" MAP, and so Allison tested their engines at 70" MAP and got 1800HP for over 20min continuously and suffered no damage to the engine. This when the engines were only approved for 56" MAP and 1400HP officially. Yet no P-51 nor P-40 has EVER been flight tested at 1800HP with an allison engine. And by 1944, the Allison engine was putting out 2200HP at 70" MAP. Again, No P-40 nor P-51 was EVER flight tested at 2200HP with an Allison engine. All P-51 Allison flight tests were done at 1400HP and no more, and P-40 data is based upon only 1000HP. These two airplanes were FAR more capable than stated, with the 2200HP P-40N going 410mph in level flight. Who knows how fast the P-51A was going in level flight on 2200HP. The P-51B/C/D/K were only getting 1600HP with the Merlin, which was a 300lb heavier engine and a larger less aerodynamic engine too, yet the official top speed with the Merlin is something like 445mph. The Allison P-51s were said to be THE fastest single engine fighters of WW2, and could evade any attackers simply by running away if need be, but no one has ever tested how fast they were actually going at those power levels. The problem with the P-40 was it was designed before the NACA drag study was conducted, and many mistakes in its design were made. North American (NA) learned from the NACA testing and worked closely with NACA on the laminar flow wing. In fact, it was NACA that convinced NA to use it on the P-51. NA had an entire non-laminar flow wing design ready incase the laminar flow wing didn't end up working, as their contract with the RAF was conditional on a fixed timeline, and they couldn't risk the laminar flow wing failing. So they had an entire backup wing with traditional airfoils ready, but the laminar flow wing worked in testing (50% lower drag than any comparable wing ever designed up to that point) and they never used the backup. But I have no records of that wing design, which airfoil they used, etc. NA knew that to fix the problems with the P-40 design meant a new fuselage and a new wing, so no point in trying to fix something and best to go clean sheet. Edgar Schmued, the lead engineer, had been working on the P-51 concept design for many years prior to the RAF reaching out to NA for more P-40s, and so now he had his chance to make it real, but many of its design elements had actually already been worked out in advance and NA was waiting for their chance to make a fighter of their own.

[@user-wi5qw3rs8o]

Claiming which WW2 fighter was the best is a fools errand. It's comparing apples and Oranges. I can name 5 to 7 US fighters that can also claim the badge for different times and assignments it was designed to perform.

[@gregscott9325]

Agree. As this video highlights a liquid cooled engine make a plane being used for ground attack, vulnerable. Hence why the Corsair did well in Korea. But 30,000 ft + radials have issues, add range... the Mustang dominates.... Go to ease of use on carriers to a mass produced civilian airman naval airforce... the Hellcat was the right tool. It may not have been the hottest stick, but it was forgiving, rugged and a beast. The proper tool for each job I say.

[@gregscott9325]

Gotta give props to the Jug... like the Hellcat, a rugged machine that was a heck of a design. A little short on range but brutal in ground attack and held its own at altitude. Gotta love the piston aircraft....

[@richardmeo2503]

No doubt P51 was a big hit in Europe. But in the Pacific it was the early flyers of F4F, P-38 and P-40 that saved the day in the Solomons and the Carrier battles. Then in 1943 the F6F and Corsair arrived and Japan had NO CHANCE. Both had incredible kill ratios and the F6F shot down the most planes in the war. Unreal how US produced so many different types of planes at the same time.

[@davidmacy411]

It should also be said that the British were so bad at designing Navy aircraft that they still used biplanes in ww2. Then they got their hands on all the Wildcats, Hellcats, and Corsairs (the Brits cracked the code on how to make it a proper carrier fighter btw), and they LOVED all of them. They tried adapting the Spitfire for carrier action, but it didnt work hardly at all.

[@richardmeo2503]

@@davidmacy411 They hate to admit it, but US saved all of the world's free nations

[@josh05683]

The BF-109 had the most kills in wwii

[@richardmeo2503]

@@josh05683 That would make sense as they were in the fight from the beginning of the war in Europe and fought all of the allied air forces.

[@michaelthacker6121]

It's not just the plane that was great it was also the pilots flying this awesome machine. 👏 thank you to all who gave their lives to make sure we never had to see what might have been.

[@katherineberger6329]

A story was told by the Merlin project manager at Rolls-Royce: The Packard representative in the UK came into his office and complained that the car company could not build the engine as it was designed. The Rolls-Royce engineer rather loftily inquired if the engineering tolerances were too tight, to which the American responded that they were not nearly tight enough to accommodate mass production, further explaining that in order to mass produce these engines, every part had to fit every engine without hand-machining on the line because the parts would have to be swappable into any engine of the type. Suitably chastened, the design changes were made - nearly eleven thousand changes throughout the engine, to build the mass-produced, highly scalable engine that Rolls-Royce was producing by the end of the war.

[@krashd]

They were both car companies at that time, the Rolls Royce aviation division was not spun-off from it's parent until the 1960's.

[@philiphumphrey1548]

The Americans also insisted on fitting a pressure carburettor which finally allowed the engine to keep working upside down and in negative gravity.

[@jacktattis]

@@philiphumphrey1548 If that was the Speed Density Carburettor then it was originally a R/R -S/U carburettor

[@jacktattis]

No that was Ford NOT Packard rUBBISH ALL IMPROVEMENT S APPROVED BY r/r PACKARD PRODUCTION ONLY.

[@waynec3563]

@@jacktattis Yes, Ford UK were making the Merlin before Packard was approached.

[@MysteicVoltronus]

I just love that the whatever the secret sauce was so so broken compared to other fighters of the day that tactics devolved into, "Just destroy whatever the hell you want when not on escort duty." And it took an entirely new technology in jet fighters to temporarily put the P-51 in its place.

[@MichaelRacer]

I view the P-51 as being one of the most badass planes of World War II 🇺🇸

[@15wylee]

Hmmmm idk, don't get me wrong absolutely awesome plane but the Corsair. And furthermore a Corsair shot down a Mustang in air to air combat. Corsair was faster, better climb rate, 600 more HP, slower stall speed, tighter turn radius (no flaps) substantially tighter turn radius with flaps and double the payload.

[@jacktattis]

@@15wylee Only the Post war Corsair was faster and had a better climb rate tighter turn Eric Brown has said the Corsair was as manoeuvrable as a bus

[@davidelliott5843]

Mustang only existed in significant numbers because the British wanted a replacement for the Curtis P49 Warhawk/Kittyhawk. North American Aircraft company had the Mustang ready to go with a low altitude Alison engine. A Rolls Royce test pilot suggested it be tried with a two stage Merlin. It took just 6 weeks to engineer the Mustang X complete with air to air intercooler alongside the engine water radiator.

[@ghostinchains664]

Exactly. The original Allison Mustang was almost rejected when it arrived in England. Even the US Air Corp rejected it as a fighter, re-bagded as A-36 Apache, and restricted it to ground attack. Even adding dive brakes. The Brits made the Mustang the plane it became. From the Merlin to the bubble top canopies (yes a British design incorporated by the US)

[@Bidimus1]

I think the P51 was designed from scratch to use Allison or Merlin (one of the first airfames was set aside for this) though only Allison's were available . Merlins were in P40's as well. For fun watch kzbin.info/www/bejne/epTOZKyoZq6GmtU how North American came to be (spoiler it was Fokker USA mostly )

[@ghostinchains664]

@@Bidimus1 the Mustang was built with just the Allison and the Merlin was an after thought by the British. The Brits contracted North American to build a new fighter loosely based on the P-40 and it was built with the Allison. When it arrived overseas, the brits found in underpowered and had poor high altitude performance. It was almost REJECTED until they said "what if....) and the Merlin Mustang was born. Packard was immediately contracted to build the Merlin. It's first engine was shipped to England to be examined by Rolls Royce. Expecting to find an inferior engine because they believed it wasn't possible to build a Merlin in an assembly line, soon discovered that Packard had actually IMPROVED the Merlin. Yes, some P-40s were Merlin powered and those were considered to be almost equal to the Merlin Mustang. Sadly, the government earmarked the Packard Merlin strictly for Mustangs. The poor preforming Allison Mustangs were re-bagded as the A-36 Apache and were assigned strictly to a ground attack platform. They were even modified with dive brakes. So no, the Mustang was never introduced with one or the other, just the Allison. Pure luck that someone by chance, tossed a Merlin in one. BTW, bubble canopies were also adapted from the British

[@rodrigorincongarcia771]

@@ghostinchains664 they asked for the P-40, but almost rejected the obviously better P-51? That sound odd

[@ghostinchains664]

@@rodrigorincongarcia771 they already had the Tomahawk. They wanted North American to IMPROVE the design into a new fighter which led to the Mustang. But when the RAF received the Mustang with the allison, they determined it was no better than what they already had. An RAF test pilot suggested they replace the allison (same engine used by the Tomahawk) with a Merlin and that led to Packard licensing the Merlin. The US had no interest or input into the Mustang program. What they had on inventory with the allison was re-badged the A-36 apache, added air brakes and used it as a ground attack platform. Curtis started using the Merlin in P-40s until the government earmarked all Merlins for mustangs. P-40D I believe are the Merlin Tomahawks. Everything after were Allison. The P-40 Merlin was proven to ALMOST equal the mustang's performance but was still outdated. The bubble canopy was also a British design

[@BNSF39]

The Mustang and the Shelby Cobra are testaments to what happens when you combine British and American engineering. Something fast, scary, and legendary.

[@basilmcdonnell9807]

Yeah but I understand the Shelby Cobra had a terrible combat record over Europe

[@dgott7726]

If i had to choose one U.S. plane that deserves the main credit for defeating the Luftwaffe, I'd choose the P-47. By the time the P-51 got the engine upgrades and entered the fray in large numbers, the majority of the experienced luftwaffe pilots had already been eliminated. The P-51 basically came in and farmed the german rookie pilots for XP and inflated it's air-to-air numbers. At the same time, the P-47 was removed from escort duties & ordered to take on ground attack roles due to its strength and armament. And yes... with drop tanks, the P-47 could reach Berlin and back (range wasn't the issue). Fuel mileage and logistics is what tipped the scales towards the P-51. Still...7 out of 10 of the top U.S. aces in the ETO flew the P-47. If the P-47 had been left in the escort role alongside the P-51, the air-to-air numbers would be less skewed in favor of the P-51.

[@scottinohio701]

100% except the numbers were NOT really skewed to the 51!!!!!

[@tng2057]

During the early deployment of P51s, there were genuine concerns about the silhouette of P51 looked too alike that of Bf109 causing pilots confusion. Fortunately that issue gradually disappeared after better training and also Bf109 moving to Eastern Front.

[@joerarey8496]

it hampered the germans. they frequently mention mistaking ponies for 109s

[@Sacto1654]

A huge advantage of the Mustang was that Packard/Rolls-Royce were able to make the Merlin 61 engine run off 130 octane gasoline that used tetraethyl lead as an additive to allow the engine to generate much more power than equivalent German counterparts. That's why the P-51B/C models had a top speed of 440 mph, way faster than any single-engined _Luftwaffe_ fighter in early 1944, when the Mustangs started to be widely used in combat over Europe.

[@unbindingfloyd]

The P-51 just looks fantastic. Its performance was fantastic as well but I could never get over how good it looked. Especially the polished ones with nose art on them.

[@utoob7361]

I have never heard of the P-51 being a Curtiss design. While there is a general similarity to the P-40, (and the Me-109, why not?) the P-51 was an original North American design with a completely different wing and cooling system and many other details. North American no doubt avoided a lot of mistakes by studying the Curtiss design, but that is not the same as saying Curtiss designed it. The P-51 was not outstanding until it got the Merlin engine. Packard made a lot of improvements to the Merlin. One detail that is often left out is that German engines got similar performance while running on low-octane fuel that would choke a Merlin to death. The Merlin would only run on the high-octane fuel that could only be supplied in quantity by the USA. Take that away, and the Merlin would have been scrap metal. The P-40 was a solid airplane that Curtiss was never really able to improve on. Later models received the Packard Merlin engine, which improved performance, but it could not equal the newer design. Also, the range of the P-51 was not that much greater than the P-47, if the P-47 had not been doctrinally forbidden to use drop tanks in combat until very late in the war. This detail was buried by the USAAF because they did not want to admit that such an arbitrary and stupid decision had gotten hundreds of unescorted bombers shot down, their crews killed or captured. Much of the P-51's internal fuel was in a fuselage tank behind the cockpit that, when full, made the plane difficult to fly and nearly impossible to fight in. Of course, an internal tank cannot be jettisoned if you get jumped at an inopportune time.

[@paulferraro1891]

+1 on this. Never, ever heard before that the P51 was a Curtis design and that NAA purchased the design....

[@joshcochran2217]

Yeah, no idea where they got that but they need to correct it.

[@SoloRenegade]

Because the P-51 was not a Curtiss design. North American was forced to evaluate the Curtiss failed design. North American ended up using nothing from Curtiss, as the P-51 concept had already been drawn up and slowly refined by Edgar Schmeud for years prior.

[@ald1144]

It wasn't. NAA was only supposed to build more P-40s. When they saw the blueprints they basically said, "nah, we can do better than this." And they did.

[@ald1144]

The fuselage tank wasn't impossible to fight with-- just really, really tricky. Bud Anderson, may he rest in peace, recounted an occasion in his book when he forgot to burn the fuel out of it and got into a fight. He kept a handle on it, but he never did it again!

[@howardchambers9679]

Came straight to the comments. No one aircraft won the second world war, the P51 made a great addition to an air force that had evolved over the span of the war.

[@joeanon5788]

You not only have to be proud of all the Flyers with their bravery and skills, but also the Engineering effort that goes into creating these marvels of science and engineering. Science gets you the prototype, and the practical flight data gets you the production model. I am so comforted that we, the USA have such a great slew of serious, intelligent and brave people who make this technology happen, in peace and war. Thank you all.

[@darrellid]

Thank you for the video. However, no single aircraft, engine, weapon, or other bit of technology "won the war." Victory over the Axis required the contributions--and sacrifices--of millions of people. Also, the Bf 110 had been phased out of the fighter role well before the Mustang arrived on the scene. Have to credit the Hurricanes and Spitfires for that. That said, I do believe the P-51 to be the most important fighter developed during the conflict, so it is nice to see it get some love as too many revisionists these days seem intent on tearing it down.

[@Tank50us]

BF110s were still used in the bomber intercept role for a bit after that, but frankly, its days were already numbered by that point. However, in the Pacific the Mustang really wasn't as useful as the air war was fought mostly with aircraft who had to worry about the fact that their runway moved. The F-6F Hellcat probably had a greater effect in the Pacific than the Mustang did as it scored more victories over Japanese aircraft, flew for longer (it entered service late 1942 while the P-51D came in late 1944), and was better able to take a hit from Japanese ground fire. Attempts were made to make a Carrier version of the Mustang, but those attempts fell flat, especially since by that point if there was a fleet carrier in need of fighters, there were more than enough Hellcats to fill the role.

[@douglasbuckland8280]

Historians seem to forget that after the US entered the war, prior to the introduction of the Mustang, it was the P-47 and the P-38 doing the heavy lifting (as best the could in those aircraft) against the very best that the Luftwaffe could field. These aircraft thinned the ranks of the Luftwaffe prior to the Mustang seeing action. The P-51 was the superlative fighter, no doubt, but give credit where it is due.

[@steveperreira5850]

Simon is a puffy exaggerator, so seek the truth elsewhere, Such as Greg’s airplanes

[@jacktattis]

No sorry it was the Hurricane and Spitfire which flew against the Best of the Luftwaffe. The Germans had been in Spain honing their skills.

[@playgroundchooser]

I have a friend who has gotten to ride in his uncle's P-51. Even the videos are crazy. So much power.

[@kimmer6]

I rode in Bob Love's P-51D twice in November 1982. Unforgettable! What struck me was that the engine sound inside the cockpit nowhere near what a Mustang sounds like from the ground. It sounds like an old flathead V-8 Ford dune buggy with no mufflers. And from the cockpit, the wings look pathetically short. An optical illusion? This plane changed hands several times since and flew as Miss Bardahl in the last Reno Air Races. It was raced in the same paint scheme and name in the 1960's. I love P-51's.

[@patk8417]

Thank you Mr Whistler for another wonderful presentation on what happens to be my most favorite world war II propeller driven aircraft! My first encounter occurred as I was approaching an air show and one of them flew over my head at the end of the runway that I was walking up to. Like an identify one of these magnificent aircraft just by the sound and not even being able to see it.

[@dwaynne_way]

My second favourite from WW2, my number one being the Spitfire ❤

[@Blinkerd00d]

I'm a F6F fan!

[@jamesdellaneve9005]

Yes. Those are my 2 favorite. BF-109 was great too.

[@ianmacdiarmid1249]

Personally, I like the P-38.

[@mikepatton8691]

My favorite is the P-38, but the P-51 is definitely in my top 5 WW2 aircraft.

[@DK-gy7ll]

Personally I preferred the Corsair, but the Mustang was a more well-rounded airplane.

[@matthewdopler8997]

Saw one at an air show yesterday. They flew it alongside the F-35. Both really impressive planes.

[@_Coffee4Closers]

In the town I live in there is a privet owned P5D Mustang hangered near where I used to work. Several times a year I would get to see it flying around the area when it's owner took it out for a spin. Pretty cool to see.

[@demonorb8634]

I had a flight in a TF-51D Mustang. Fantastic power and agility.

[@jollyroger1009]

I'm from New Zealand: the F4F Wildcat and friends (Dauntless and Devastator-then-Avenger, as well as the US Marines) saved our necks.

[@keithdubose2150]

True.... the P51 hastened Germany's defeat, the F4 wild cat & variants, SBD Dauntless in the Pacfic,, Hawker Hurricane & P47 stemmed the tide of the axis when the Allies did not have overwhelming numbers, quality, and pilot training/experience advantages

[@jacktattis]

That is denigrating your own air-force USMC ate you out and the Aussies had to feed them as well.

[@jollyroger1009]

@@jacktattis Stating the facts: in mid 1942 when the enemy of the day were in the Coral Sea and the Solomon Islands our guys were all in Europe. It was all America in this part of the world fighting for us. I'd say they earned their food a million times over

[@jacktattis]

@@jollyroger1009 Not here in Australia they did not. Voracious in he extreme Our food they got the best . And never paid.

[@Bidimus1]

And lots of P40's kzbin.info/www/bejne/emOVkq2Alsd9ZpY Rex Hanger P40 part 2 Commonwealth Forces SW Pacific

[@TheBongReyes]

Nowadays, people talk about “game changer” weapon systems. But the P-51 was a true game changer. Just like like B-17, B-24 & B-29 bombers. Then there was the ultimate game changer…. Atomic weapons. 😂

[@EricinSoKo]

There’s a compelling argument that this is a retroactive ass covering by the USAAF when they didn’t use P-47s for escorts when they WERE capable of escorting bombers into the heart of Germany.

[@daveray44]

I was really waiting for you to feature the Mustang! You didn't disappoint!

[@briankorbelik2873]

My parents met at tha North American subassembly plant in Pasadena, CA. in 1943. There they made flaps and ailerons for P-51 fighters and B-25 bombers. The North American Field in Culver City is now LAX. Thank you NA for the meeting of my parents, my dad was a lead machinest and my mom was a Rosie the Riveter.

[@jacara1981]

I've seen a lot of prop and jet planes, but the Mustang is definitely in the top 5 of the most beautiful fighters.

[@RogueCylon]

Few are more beautiful and aerobatic than the Spitfire.

[@chillindave1357]

The bubble canopy was so needed

[@SoloRenegade]

the Bubble canopy was slower than the bird cage, but the improved visibility was deemed worth the loss of performance.

[@politicsuncensored5617]

25 years ago I was playing golf with 3 friends at a course next to Craig airfield in Jax, FL. We were on the 9th hole a long par 5 that ran parallel to runway. Everything & everyone came to a stop because of the engine noise of a P-51 taxiing to take off and then flying over the golf course. The sound and sight was something special of that aircraft. Shalom

[@kimmer6]

In 2018, the B-17, B-24, and B-25 showed up at Buchanan Field in Concord, California along with an A-D Skyraider. This was a summer Warbird Weekend held every June. I was in the shower getting ready to go to the airfield after hearing radial engines flying around all morning. I had the window open and heard a P-51 approaching my street rapidly. With no time to lose at all, I darted out to the roof deck buck naked dripping wet in time to watch the P-51 pass up our street maybe 500 feet away just above the treeline behind the house across the street. I did jumping jacks out of pure joy and saw the fellow in the back seat looking at me as it passed. Lets just say the pass was lower than regulations allowed but worth every broken rule. Later I went to the airfield and spoke to the pilot gushing praise all over him for my private flyby. He laughed and said that the fellow who paid for the Mustang ride mentioned some goofy guy jumping naked on the roof deck. The plane was named Toulouse Nuts. Had I delayed 3 seconds more, the Mustang would have already passed. The sound was magnificent! The Mustang rides were booked so I sent my son and daughter in law up in the Skyraider for their ride.

[@bobsakamanos4469]

P-51 was ultimately the most aerodynamic piston fighter of the war. A wonderful and needed long distance fighter that was the best in that role, designed with contributions from many international sources. True synergy by engineers, aerodynamicists, scientists and NAA managers.

[@ignitionfrn2223]

1:00 - Mid roll ads 2:35 - Chapter 1 - Building the mustange 7:25 - Chapter 2 - One hell of a warbird 12:00 - Chapter 3 - (Wrong title card)

[@meikasroom851]

Ahh the P-51. Began life as the A-36, which under 15k feet was lethal. Wasn't until the Rolls Royce/Merlin engine that the airframe really showed its potential. She was fast, nimble at high speeds and could dive faster than most airframes at the time. Remaining controllable at speeds no zero could could dive to. She really was leaps and bounds ahead of its time in terms of airframe design. It's crazy.

[@nickdanger3802]

Packard Merlin

[@SoloRenegade]

Wrong. The RAF used the MkI and MKII Mustangs beofre the A-36 came along. And the P-51 and P-51A also preceded the A-36. With the Allison engine, the P-51 was the single fastest fighter of WW2. down low, no other fighter could catch it, not even a Merlin Mustang. Compared to the Merlin, the Allison was $6k cheaper, 300lb lighter, more fuel efficient, had fewer parts, was easier to maintain and more reliable, was smaller and lower drag, and was putting out more than 1800HP in 1942, and over 2200HP by 1944. The Mustang flew to Berlin with the Allison (doing Recon) before the P-51B was ever ready. The P-51 with Allison was the first allied fighter plane to enter German airspace in WW2, and operated with the RAF for a full year prior to the P-47 showing up, and the RAF only lost 8 Allison Mustangs to enemy fire in its first 18months of combat as a ground attack fighter. The A-36 was the single best dive bomber of WW2, and the ONLY Allied aircraft in all of WW2 allowed to perform Danger Close bomb drops to troops in contact due to its superior accuracy in the dive. The P-38 proved that with a proper high altitude forced induction system, the Allison was a far more powerful engine than the Merlin at high altitude, which is why they never put Merlins in the P-38 (they did think about it, but the studies quickly showed it was a waste of time to try, as the airplane would be slower and less fuel efficient).

[@ALittleSnowFairySaga]

This guy is everywhere. Good work! Keep it up!

[@waynec3563]

"The Fighter that Won World War Ii" is a bit of a stretch. By the time the P-51B arrived the war had well and truly turned agains the Germans and Japanese. It is true that the P-51B was vital in defeating the Luftwaffe, helping the success of D-Day. The Mustang I (the original P-51 meant for the RAF) started operations only in mid 1942. Some of the early Mustangs that landed in Britain were sent for performance testing, where one test pilot suggested that the Mustang be fitted with the Merlin 61, which had recently been introduced in the Spitfire IX. Rolls-Royce converted a couple to the Merlin for testing. Meanwhile NAA redesigned the P-51 to fit the Merlin - the P-51B. Teh P-51B was about 30mph faster than the Spitfire IX, which had, basicallym the same engine. The P-51B only started arriving in Britain in the last few months of 1943. It wasn't available in significant numbers until the first few months of 1944 (similarly for the P-38J). The Spitfire XIV started in service around the same time as the P-51B. It was fitted with the Griffon, and was just as fast as the P-51B. Bomber losses did not suddely fall when the escorts were able to go with the bombers to the target. Bombers were being lost in roughly the same numbers with escorts in early 1944 as they were without escorts in mid-late 1943. However, the Luftwaffe was losing more aircraft and pilots, and by D-Day the Luftwaffe was much less a threat.

[@sabre_phoenix5996]

This and the spitfire were my favorite prop fighters from ww2

[@philiphumphrey1548]

I don't think it turned the tide. Germany was already doomed to lose the war by early 1944 when the Packard Merlin engined Mustang appeared in large numbers. And the P47 Thunderbolt was already successfully escorting bombers by then. The new Mustangs took over that job, allowing the P47s to move on to doing the much needed role of ground attack fighter bombers. Being much more robust and damage resistant than the Mustang, the P47 excelled in that role.

[@richdurbin6146]

I think it's an interesting factoid that after the B-17 and B-24 the P-47 dropped the highest tonnage of bombs in the European theater of all American planes.

[@bobsakamanos4469]

P-47's couldn't escort bombers all the way, which is why the US bombers took such a pasting in 1943. P-47's weren't capable of long range escort until about mid 1944 with the P47D-25 with more internal fuel. By then, yes they were valuable being able to reach far into germany to help in a ground attack role to destroy the remnants of the LW.

[@opatrick1961]

NAA designed the Mustang from scratch. They purchased the P40 design, but did not build it. Curtiss continued to build and update the P40. The Mustang name came much later, and it was not a curtiss design.

[@gstlb]

There are a few of these in the Commemorative Air Force here in the states. I can attest that driving on the interstate highway and seeing one of these and a B-17 flying along the freeway toward me produces instant goosebumps.😮

[@ianhoag6675]

Do the F-86 sabre next!!

[@johngrantham8024]

No it didn't. Win the war, that is. It was truly an excellent aircraft when married to the Packard Merlin and made continued daylight bombing by the army air force a possibility. However, it was just one element amongst many.

[@stevedownes5439]

USAAF doctrine changes regarding drop tanks, rules of engagement, escort shuttling tactics, and the attrition of experienced German pilots, made a good plane legendary.

[@ianmorris7485]

There is nothing quite like the P-51D Mustang. The original versions were not the best but the D with the bubble canopy and the Merlin engine was superb. There used to be one based at Jandakot Airport near Perth and we lived under the approach to the runway. Watching and listening to it fly overhead was always a joy, such a distinctive and distinguished warbird. Arguably the best American fighter of all time.

[@charlesmoss8119]

Oooo brave title - the P47 fans will be spitting feathers on this. I actually agree though that the hurricane with spitfire support stopped the allies losing but in terms of sweeping the skies the p47/51 were invaluable

[@steveperreira5850]

Either the P 51 or the P 47 could have won the war in Europe without the other. As you well know, I think you know, the P 47 had the range, but the army screwed up. See Greg’s airplanes, P 47 Series , on range.

[@bobsakamanos4469]

@@steveperreira5850 LOL, do some research instead of taking Greg's propaganda at face value. P-47's didn't have the range as an escort fighter until mid 1944 with the P-47D-25. More internal fuel was necessary for that role.

[@kylestickley8096]

P47 gang rise up!

[@ellisvener5337]

As truly beautiful a flying machine as the P-51 is, I prefer the P-47.

[@andrewmetcalfe9898]

18:42- the lols aspect of the 1944 ‘air superiority’ campaign by the 8th airforce was that P47s (which at that stage HAD received the go ahead to use drop tanks) actually accounted for more german aircraft destroyed than the Mustang.

[@bobsakamanos4469]

sounds like another Greg fan. Range for fighters can only be effective with increased internal fuel, which didn't occur until Republic redesigned and produced the P-47D-25 that reached ETO in mid 1944. Dive flaps were also installed (D-30 IIRC). Only then, were Jugs effectively used for long range escort. Those upgrades were likely the reason that Schilling was told to stick with the P-47 when all other FG's converted to Mustangs.

[@tabbyplays930]

The German jet fighters had a very short flight time

[@SmashedGlass]

The Jumo lasted less than 100 flight hours. It was garbage.

[@davidbeattie4294]

The Merlin engined Mustang entered European combat late in 1943, a little more than 4 years after the commencement of hostilities. Was it a great aircraft, most certainly. Did it win the war? Not even close. It barely arrived in time to participate in the war. By the time the Merlin Mustang reached its stride in 1944 the Luftwaffe was a shadow of it former self, suffering from poor pilot training andfuel shortages. A huge contributor to its success was Jimmy Doolittle, who in late 1943 allowed bomber fighter escorts to range ahead of the bomber streams to attack the Luftwaffe on far more favorable terms. He also permitted the long range fighter escort to attack targets of opportunity on the return trip. This typically meant shooting up airfields and Luftwaffe stragglers, increasing the rate of the its destruction. If the Mustang hadn't been born its role would have been filled by legions of P-47 and P-38's, both of which hugely improved over the course of the war.

[@bobsakamanos4469]

P-47's didn't have the range until mid 1944. It had to be redesigned to carry more internal fuel.

[@neilbodwell9172]

One of my favorite piston fighters. Hard to say which one I like most. My top 3, with no particular order in mind, are the Mustang, the Hellcat, the Corsair, and the Thunderbolt.

[@TheMeepster72]

"If you want to get the girls, fly a P-51. If you want to make it home, fly a P-47."

[@steveskouson9620]

Tomohawk does NOT equal Warhawk. This rates right there with quarterHOUSE! Simon, you not reading the script? Or not. "P-40 Warhawk was the name the United States Army Air Corps gave the plane, and after June 1941, the USAAF adopted the name for all models, making it the official name in the U.S. for all P-40s. The British Commonwealth and Soviet air forces used the name Tomahawk for models equivalent to the original P-40, P-40B, and P-40C, and the name Kittyhawk for models equivalent to the P-40D and all later variants." steve

[@fraserhenderson7839]

3 times in 10 seconds! Tomahawk is a familiar American hook, Warthawk is completely unfamiliar unless you are a warbird buff. His brain slipped.

[@SoloRenegade]

Tomahawk does equal warhawk as you proved. ALL P-40 in US service were Warhawks, and so they were the same as Tomahawks.

[@bobsakamanos4469]

@steveskouson9620, Well said.

[@MAACotton]

Greg's Airplanes and Automobiles had entered the chat

[@mastathrash5609]

In before people start yelling.

[@dalebob9364]

I love how we ignore the hurricane, hellcat, wildcat etcetera that actually did all the work. All so the beauty pageant P-51 could show up for the awards ceremony after all the hard work was done😊

[@mastathrash5609]

​@dalebob9364 don't forget the p38! the plane that shot down yamamoto To be fair p51 Was doing work in it's earlier iterations. But won the war is a bit of streeetchex

[@johnburns4017]

please, no!

[@Captain_Deadstick]

Finally the Mustang! Love the P-51. Love the episode.

[@Stevesautopartsify]

"It was good why it lasted!" Hermann Goering after seeing P-51s over Berlin!

[@steeljawX]

To be honest, the P-51 was kind of the M4 Sherman of the skies. Not in a literal sense, but in the sense that it was American made, stood its ground, and was sent to every war front. Regardless of your opinion on the USA during WWII or currently, you do have to give it to us that we did at least make those two vehicles generally universal. I don't know of many, if any, other tank or fighter that fought on both theaters to the extent the Sherman and the Mustang did and were as pivotal through out their time there. Churchill, Matilda, Cromwell, T-34's, IS-2's, BT tanks, Panzer II's-IV's, Panthers, Tigers, Stugs; they all fought hard and were ever present in vast quantities on the battlefield, but the majority of those were relegated only to the European theater and were never island hopping. The Sherman and the Mustang weren't the best flat out machines of WWII, but they were the some of the most environmentally adaptable. Do note I'm referring to best as the ambiguous over arching category that it is. The power creep of jets knocked it down from it's air superiority role, it wasn't the best bomber fighter, it wasn't the most nimble fighter. On average, it was the most capable, but on the ever morphing subjective context of "best", you can argue the J3 Piper Cub was a more capable aircraft and not be wrong. Nothing was over arching "THE BEST" but there was definitively ones that performed better than others. So before you tirade on me about how this, that, or the other was such a better tank or plane or that there's no better tank or plane, just know that you're right on your subjective perspective, but on an objective obscure level, you're just being biased rather than giving an actual argument. There were better performing tanks than the M4 Sherman. There were better performing fighters than the P-51 Mustang. But those two did excel in their jobs above other options at the same time in more than just 1 job. That doesn't make them the best, it makes them versatile. Also, leave it up to the US military brass to see something working and try to stop it until they can't deny it any longer. P-51 escorts the best out of everything out there. The Mk 14 torpedo sucks rock salt. The 76mm really doesn't do much more than the 75mm on the Sherman with what they're facing currently because if the 76mm can only punch through the side armor, the 75mm will also do that. If it bounces off the front armor, the 75mm will also do that. Once the 76mm is out of ammo, the 75mm should have a few rounds left, lastly the 76mm round has a smaller amount of explosives in its HE rounds than the 75mm so it's debatable if it's actually a "better" gun. But the top brass is going to push that all out anyways like a PT Belt. It's all going to solve issues THEY see as issues.

[@F4Wildcat]

Well the thing is, in many ways the M4 & P-51 were better than their axis counterparts, but not in the ways we see it. An M4 had the highest survivability of any tank in ww2, especially late war ones. The tank was easily repaired. Its 75mm gun was not the best anti-tank cannon out there, but it Was the best anti-anything not a tank for its size. Guess what infantry encounter the most? Other infantry, machine guns, bunkers, you name it. In that way the M4 was excellent. And the same goes for the P-51. The D model had excellent visibility, it had great high altitude performance, it had good survivability for its pilot, it could fly to berlin & back and have fuel to spare. Its guns would shred & ignite any fighter it touches, the guns had ALOT of ammo. It was not as manouverable as a Late BF 109...but it was manouverable enough. Its endurance defeated it in every way. It had great landing specs, it could be easily serviced. Sure the BF109 & FW190 had 20mm guns, but it didnt matter in fighter combat as who landed the first hits won. The 30mm MK was a devestating weapon vs bombers, but in fighter combat it was more of a hinderance than an advantage. On paper, gun/armor? sure the german tanks were better. Manouverability and guns? Sure the Axis aircraft were better....in theory. And in practice other specs is what made the M4&P-51 prevail.

[@jaquigreenlees]

As said in the vid: the industrial might of the US would be critical in winning the war. It was putting together military equipment that was "good enough" in massive quantities that was the critically important contribution. And the Japanese shortened the war drastically one December morning with the mistake of attacking Pearl Harbour. With the US only providing goods the allied forced would still have won, just taken even longer. By attacking Pearl the Japanese brought the US fully into the war as a combatant.

[@1pcfred]

No the P-47 was a tank with wings. You couldn't shoot one down.

[@keithdurose7057]

The 76mm was designed to generate thick armour. It was a British 17 pounder designed in response to the very thick armour on German tanks. The 75 mm was a great all purpose gun. Much better than the earlier 2 pounder or 40mm gun. Fitted into earlier British tanks. Due to flawed doctrine. The 2 pounder didn't have an HE shell. Only anti armour solid shot. Even the later 75mm British gune only had solid shot too. So the US 75mm HE issued with the M3 Grant tanks. To the British 8th Army, we're adopted. Eventually, the British did produce HE shells for these and the 6 pounder or 57mm anti tank guns.these were very effective weapons. The US also used these. Theirs had longer barrels and so a slightly better generating performance then those in British service. These were also fitted into the Mosquito, but the 60-pound rockets were found to be more effective.

[@mastathrash5609]

Despite the narrative british beef plus american air frame = chef kiss

[@matthewgubbins8515]

That merlin engine. That thing was a beast

[@Wolfdancer4859]

I've been in love with the Mustang ever since I saw it on Dogfights at 11 years old. Never gets old.

[@DShadowWolf]

The P-51D was entirely builr in the Inglewood, CA plant. The P-51C (specifically the P-51C-NT variant), which can look identical to the P-51D (it is, basically, the same aircraft) was built at North American Aviations Dallas, TX plant. Those were some of the few not shipped as kits (such as those sent to Australia) that were not built at the Inglewood plant.

[@ditzydoo4378]

Wow... Hubris, they name is Megaprojects. 0~o Yes there were some facts sprinkled in amongst all that P-51 stroking. Simon, your fact checkers need to check their facts first.

[@MH_1-9-9-6]

It didn’t win the war but it definitely shortened it

[@zoltankaparthy9095]

Great presentation.

[@harrisonnightingale6600]

I can only imagine if Britain hadn't had some involvement in the P-51s creation, how the war would have gone whether the plane entered production much later in to the war or never saw production.

[@manricobianchini5276]

Good video. However, the F4u Corsair was the best fighter of WW2. Simon, would you consider making a video on the Corsair?

[@SoloRenegade]

P-51 was the F-22, F4U was teh F-35. F4U was amazing, but the P-51 was the better dive bomber, better high altitude fighter, longer ranged fighter, carrier capable if need be, multirole ground attacker, ertc. F4U was tougher, carrier capable, carried night hunting radar, etc. P-51 was faster too.

[@alexius23]

When Herman Goering was being interrogated after WWII he said he first time he knew that the War was lost was when he saw P-51’s over Berlin.

[@SoloRenegade]

the first P-51 to fly over Berlin was actually an Allison V12 powered low level recon plane.

[@gerryroush8391]

Göring caused the Deutsch to lose the war to begin with , Adolf Hitler replaced a competent air Marshall with him😢

[@alexius23]

@@gerryroush8391 Hitler only fired Goering in the final days of the War. The Luftwaffe chief tried to grab power since the Fuhrer was in Berlin surrounded by the Red Army.

[@jfess1911]

The "turning the tide" was already done by the time the Merlin-powered P-51 got to Europe, although the P-51 was indeed an excellent aircraft. The Hurricane, Spitfire, P-38, and P-47 had largely gained air supremacy and shot down Germany's more experienced pilots before the Mustang took over and finished the job. The P-51 was much less expensive to buy and operate (better fuel economy) than the P-47 or P-38, so it became the obvious choice once available. For example, 5 Mustangs could be bought and operated for the cost of about 3 P-47's. The comment about the "mental block of US Wartime leaders" is true, unfortunately, at least in Europe. For some reason, the US planners for Europe had decided to not build and issue large drop tanks like those being used in the Pacific theater by mid-September 1943. The technical issues had all been solved, but implementation for Europe had not been a priority until too late. Prior to the disaster with the unescorted bombers of the second Schweinfurt raid, P-47's in the Pacific theater had been using Australian-built 200 gallon drop tanks which increased their range dramatically. Even with the then-available 100 gallon drop tanks, the P-47's could have escorted the bombers in Europe farther than they did, especially if they had used the tactic of allowing some fighters to fly slower to conserve fuel while being protected by another group of fighters for part of the journey. This tactic was indeed used later.

[@lukevaxhacker7762]

Tom Cruise's P51 flying at the end of Top Gun: Maverick is probably one of the most famous P-51s in private ownership, except maybe for the Reno Air Races ones…

[@michaeltierney104]

The thunderbolt was the wok horse

[@dalebob9364]

Finally, someone who actually knows the P-51 barely showed up for the last year! All the p-40s and wildcats, hellcats, and the hawker hurricane did all the work and the P-51 pageant princess showed up for the awards ceremony🎉

[@mastathrash5609]

Don't forget the p38 to. And I love the jug .Don't get me wrong

[@jameshaxby5434]

The truth is that this bird was a latecomer, earlier models who were just as good had already done the dirty work of winning the war.

[@thewrongbike7709]

That's right.The air war in WW2 was a war of attrition. Even before the USA seriously entered the war in 1942, the RAF has the advantage of training away from the conflict in USA, Canada and South Africa. In Germany, nowhere was safe. The P41 was the US aircraft that killed many of the Luftwaffe's experiences pilots. The P51 didn't enter the war until December 1943. It had different rules of engagement from the P41. They were allowed to give chase and kill the enemy instead of merely driving them away. The Luftwaffe ran out of good pilots.

[@fantabuloussnuffaluffagus]

@@thewrongbike7709 TF is a P41?

[@gregkelly2145]

I believe you're somewhat correct, but the supposed quote from Hermann Göring to the effect that when he saw P-51s flying over Berlin he knew the war was over definitely had some truth to it. When the P51 came online in force, bomber losses plummeted and German interceptor shoot-downs dramatically increased.

[@thewrongbike7709]

@@gregkelly2145 The biggest change was General Dolittle. He changed the strategy from "Bomb Germany" to Destroy the Luftwaffe". Before that the escort pilot weren't encouraged to chase and shoot down fighters. Also, the P47 was not originally provided with drop tanks. The P47 COULD and did fly to Berlin and back. Its just that I took a shit ton of fuel to do it. When the P51 arrived in numbers the P41 was retasked to ground attach roles. The 47 and 51 fought at different times to different rules. I'm not saying that the P47 was a better aircraft. Just that the P51s success was in part due to the work done by the P47. So was the P51 the aircraft that won the war, if the P47 had already taken out 3700 of the Luftwaffe's best pilots?

[@mike-mz6yz]

there is just something about the P-51 that no other plane, excluding perhaps the spitfire, have. There is just something about it that you can take someone who knows nothing of fighter aircraft and show them it sitting in a barn and they will know its a badass. It just looks like its meant to be in the air. I remember seeing a picture of it as a kid and not knowing what it was but instantly thinking "wow thats cool"

[@jerrykornfield1223]

The skywarden is a crop duster!!! Great job as always!!!!

[@erasmus_locke]

Crying Russians in the comments can keep crying No one remembers the name of a single red plane.

[@ianmacdiarmid1249]

Not to mention more than 50% of their aviation fuel was provided by the US.

[@SmashedGlass]

The Russians built very ....agricultural....war machines.

[@stephenmonaghan6030]

Ilyushin II-2 Sturmovik for the uneducated among you. And I am not Russian.

[@nightwishlover8913]

Simon: you need a noise gate on your mic setup to get rid of that seriously annoying intake of breath!!!!

[@dannyboyy31]

Spitfire was an interceptor - great at its job of defending Britain, but lacked the range to escort Allied bombers all the way to Germany and take the fight to Hitler's doorstep.

[@HartsPerformance]

Thanks now I can't "unhear" it 😡 😂😂

[@jonathanwyman3869]

My great uncle flew the P51. He told me it was by far his favorite fighter of all time. He had three confirmed kills, two smokers and two kills that didn’t count cause he tricked Germans into crashing their planes (these were with the P38) because dive flaps were new on his aircraft and they couldn’t pull out of the dive. One mission he found himself shot up pretty good, he claimed there was a German just above him that didn’t know he was there. He said that if he trusted his hydraulics he would noses up and took him out but was worried he’d lose control of the plane. He then took the fighter to the deck to avoid anti aircraft fire, and he’d planned to ditch out over the Chanel. Once he made it to the Chanel he figured since he’d made it that far he’d go ahead and see if he could make it back to Britain and make his date with his future wife (my aunt Margret). He made it back but had to crash land due to his landing gear being unable to release. When he crashed, the propeller on his P-38 came off and rolled along side of him for a moment, he told me he thought it was turn in come in the cockpit, but luckily it rolled to opposite way. We still have a pic of his crashed P-38. His commander was quoted as saying “Only Zell could land that damned thing”.

[@PaulO-qt6sq]

both the P-51 and the Corsair are beautiful airplanes

[@billr6983]

I think the fighters that won the war were more correctly the Spitfire and the Hurricane. If those fighters had not beaten back the Luftwaffe and British Isles had subsequently been taken, the allies would have had no stepping stone and rallying point in Europe. They would have had to invade Europe from somewhere in northwestern Africa. It would have been much more difficcult to arrange from there, who knows how that would have gone.

[@nickdanger3802]

After losses in the Norway campaign the Kreigsmarine had about the same number of destroyers as the RN did battleships.

[@Wild_Bill57]

Those planes were not key to the defense of the British isles, it was the development of radar that made the difference,allowing air command to move fighter to where they were needed. For a number of reasons, the US probably would never have dropped the atomic bomb on Germany, So support of long range bombing through P-51 escorts were key to the German surrender. There’s always other contributors to a cause, and although not fair, it’s usually the standouts that get noticed. It would be easy to credit the DC-3/C-47 as the flying workhorse of WWII, in my book. But what about the P-38’s role in the assignation of Yamamoto? Or the B-29 bombing of Japan including dropping the only 2 atomic bombs in anger. Everyone has their favorites. Frankly, when I see people get bent out of shape about it, I think it’s not a good look for them.

[@farmerned6]

The Fighter that Won World War II? are you seriously having a laugh? a LOT of other fighters did a lot of heavy lifting until the p-51 B's and D were available in numbers to win air superiority for the US bomber force over Germany but spitfires and Lightnings had pushed the Luftwaffe WELL BACK before then

[@SmedleyDouwright]

It was the fighter that saved the 8th Airforce.

[@AlanRoehrich9651]

​@@SmedleyDouwright A fighter didn't save the 8th AF. What saved the 8th AF was Jimmy Doolittle. He completely changed the tactics of the 8th AF.

[@seanlander9321]

Australia made Mustangs during the war which were then relocated to their occupation of Japan. When the Korean War started the first United Nations action was by Australian pilots flying their Mustangs to attack North Korean troop trains, it was carnage for the invaders.

[@jacktattis]

North Korean invaders in Korea ? /

[@73FPV]

Great video and edit.. loved it.. tu.