P-51 Mustang
Arguably the most iconic American fighter of WWII, the Mustang is a testament to America’s ingenuity and industrial capabilities. North American Aviation designed the Mustang in 1940 to satisfy a British order, the prototype’s first flight taking place just 149 days after contract signing. The P-51 emerged from a set of British specifications, which also nicknamed the new aircraft as the Mustang. The original variant, the Mustang Mk.I, was powered by an Allison V-1710 engine. However, the Allison struggled at higher altitudes, which prompted the British to experiment with the design, swapping out the V-1710 for their more capable Rolls-Royce Merlin. This engine-airframe combination proved to be a game changer, providing the Mustang with a top speed of over 400 mph...