The North American P-51 Mustang is an American single-engine long-range fighter and attack aircraft with a classic tail and all-metal construction. The flight of the prototype took place on October 26, 1940. The P-51 Mustang earned a reputation as one of the best, if not the best, fighter jet of World War II. Replacing the Allison V-1710-39 engine from the first project with a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine (a version of the P-51 Mustang Mk.Ia) made a Mustang that had never before achieved perfection. The single-seat fighter impressed with its maximum speed, flight range, maneuverability and powerful weapons. The combination of all the most important parameters for the purpose of evaluating the aircraft allowed the "Mustang" to show itself in every role assigned to it: gaining air dominance, escorting, performing reconnaissance tasks, and striking ground targets. The class of the design is evidenced by the fact that the Mustang remained in service until the 70s! One of the most important versions was the R-51D, created with the R-51B in mind. It received a drop cowl fairing for excellent visibility and a new Packard V-1650-7 engine that greatly improved performance. Technical data (version R-51D): length: 9.83m, wingspan: 11.28m, height: 4.08m, maximum speed: 703km/h, rate of climb: 16.3m/s, maximum range: 2755km, practical ceiling : 12800 m, Armament: stationary - 6 12.7-mm M2 machine guns, suspended - up to 908 kg of bombs or 10 127-mm KhVAR rocket launchers.
