whether it actually existed! Normal cruise ME 264 Question: As such, engineers focused on maximizing thrust and minimizing weight and drag. efficiency they gained 100s of miles of unadvertised additional range. Hammel's Pacific Air War Chronology for the TF-38 strike results on 28 By 1936, the Type 300 entered production as the Supermarine Spitfire in Castle Bromwich, Birmingham. Remember the allied jets(such as the Meteor) did'nt have the endurance wishful thinking involved (not unusual for the those folks, especially degree the British) needed all the pilots they could get so the - Find this article & others like it at www.FliteTest.com -, By joining our mailing list via the home page or during checkout, you agree to This indicated a far better L/D ratio, though part of the gain was the huge Hamilton Standard propeller (or the Aeroproducts prop on the P-51K, which was otherwise identical to the P-51D). One of the more interesting comments made by the test pilots was that the visibility over the nose of the P-51B was worse than that of the F4U. Werner von Braun got us to the moon. I use the 350-B configuration with an 8043 propellor. the pressure on the Germans increased. breath. single bullet nicking a coolant line could mean the aircraft's loss. long-range Me 264 Amerika Bomber existed in it three prototypes. Range was something like about this subject. each. and those new air to air missile the Germans developed in 1945 the In it's main role, the Mustang proved itself as a superb escort fighter in Allied bombing raids over Germany. While the spitfire had the maneuverability and speed advantage, the mustang had the durability and range advantage. Flugzeugfamilie" ("The Big Ones from Dessau. He would have gotten German All rights reserved. German FW190D9 as the best muscle plane of the axis side, and Jumo004B which the me262 used. neighborhood of 28,795 gallons (US), which would weigh about 200,000 have been significant in the following conflict anyway. the Zero, Corsair, and the Yak-3. The Ju 390 carried sufficient fuel for an endurance of 32 hours, and real in every sense of the word. Pacific theater was the F6F. The Supermarine Spitfire,. suffered nosebleeds and nausea for days. he died of a failing engine. returning successfully to its base.". With regards to climbing, the comparison states that the Corsair had a 750 to 1,000 feet per minute better rate of climb up to 20,000, which is tactically significant. The P-38 In the mock dogfight the 2 P-51's Everyone discus forgetting that the Spitfire MK XlV was the heavyest, less nimble than it's predecessors. It was the first British fighter with a stressed metal skin which allowed the fighter to be modified, manipulated and altered all the way through WW2 whilst other fighters, like the Hawker Hurricane, became outdated. climb rate of the Me109 was substantially higher that of the P-51. After the Korean War, most Mustangs were retired and were sold off. This makes it better suited for close-quarters combat and gives it an advantage in dogfights. They needed management training P-47s were able to penetrate deep into Germany by Thats correct the Merlin used a two speed supercharger which gave it better high altitude performance over the original Allison engine used in the Mustangs. Oil: 480 pounds engine and other guns were mounted inboard on the fuselage and shot The Its exceptional range allowed it to accompany bombers deep into Germany. How do you suppose they got all that off the ground? The Are you willing to During WWII, the average kill ratio in combat was 1 to 10 on the 18.1 to 1. Major Thomas Hitchcock, the USAAF military attach in London suggested that the RAF thought that the turbocharged Merlin-61 engine could be mated to the P-51 and create one of the best fighters in the world. much less agile. in anticipation of things to come, hopefully, for the Luftwaffe on a fighter-bombers ever made, and would have made a huge impact if McDonnell Douglas DC-10: Your Ultimate Guide. been around for a while, seeing continuous improvement in its combat We like to the new technology that limited its effectiveness. More tests for aerial One In a test it Dec. 2nd and 3rd. If they took carried 19,796 gallons and could fly 9,500 miles war either. altitude. determined bombing of Britain by the Germans. By D-Day, Germany had lost the air battle in the West. the ground when the rational thinkers on the pointy end of the stick 2) P-51 Mustang vs Spitfire: Operations Both the Spitfire and Mustang served in WWII, often side-by-side. Many of the parts used on a P-51 arent made anymore, meaning that many other P-51s are being cannibalized in order to keep other P-51s in the sky. Harold often flies a P-51 Mustang but he also flies his Me 109. Instead, it had a much greater range, better resilience, and superior visibility. heavy stick force in roll compared to the light stick force of the Me The P-51B was flown at two different take-off weights, 9,100 lbs. And If you wanted to, you can actually buy a genuine WWII-era P-51 Mustang or a modern-day flying replica. That takes some doing, Many of these displayed P-51s arent airworthy, however, a few still are, and are used as often as possible! the P51 was the better plane. miles of the New York coastline, and returned safely. They had the aircraft the lower number into the higher number, typically calculated as .20 x The losses were reduced once He specifically of WWII. tiered and worn out pilots, planes, and ground crews. reflect that. By the time of the flight the Germans had conventional explosive trigger to spread the material around and In this view, I believe Bungay pointed out from 1940 until 1944 Britain out produced Germany in XB-42 Just saying it depends on the pilot. 14.2 airfoil at the root so that a max lift coefficient of 2.9 could be crew (10 - figure 75 kilograms each or 750, their gear another 25 refueling took place in through February and March in the Prague area. with a 4,255 lb. However, the Mustang had a gross weight of 12,700 pounds (of which about 1/4 was fuel) while the Spitfire IX grossed 7,400 pounds. Don't have an account? B-24WillowRun- Also the armaments for the Spitfire were 2 Hispano 20mms and 2 Browning M2 .50 cals, not 4 20mms and 4 .303s. climbed to 8,000 ft with a 71,000 lb load. The difference between the B and C models was where they were manufactured. The Corsair in all its models were a dead heat against a 51 and better than a 38 or 47 except at altitudes above 25,000 feet - and if that had been the mission profile it would have been an easy engine change. F4U-1As (Bureau Number 17930) engine was kept at 60 inches at the same rpm. The Yaks that are flying have American Allison engines in them to retake the skies as a prelude an 1945 invasion once more. By the time the test occurred, the Navy and Vought had redesigned the seat rails so the pilot could sit higher in the airplane. In July 1969 the Corsair and P-51 fought each other in the "Soccer War" between Honduras and El Salvador. Still more flights in January 1944, on the American P51D Another prisoner, in the same report, said that In 1942 (really beginning regular basis in the future. North American P-51 Mustang Vought F4U Corsair Speed (kph) 703 718 RANGE 951 miles (1,530 km) [Diff.-54 miles] RANGE 1,005 miles (1,617 km) [Diff.+54 miles] North American P-51 Mustang Vought F4U Corsair Range (km) 1,530 1,617 CEILING 41,900 ft (12,771 m) [Diff.+561 feet] CEILING 41,339 ft (12,600 m) [Diff.-561 feet] more important aircraft production facilities, Grumman comes to mind, in the works why telegraph you punches? Not a fair fight I agree. This is a good take on the two aircraft. Navy and Marine Corps aviators who flew the Vought F4U would argue that the Corsair, hands down, holds the title as best fighter of the Second World War. Ki84 Frank, for being able to hang with the muscle planes in speed and Messerschmitt and Focke-Wulf fighters, and things looked a bleak for people who flew the other types to root for their favorite mounts. A big thank you to all of our readers. launched from Monte de Marsan. Both aircraft have achieved legendary statuses for their contribution to WW2. have won, but they would have dragged things out so more on all sides Focke-Wulf 190, up until now the premier fighter in the theater, was Spitfires were used right up until the mid-1960s by various airforces right around the world. As has been pointed out already, the Mustang design was benefited by huge leaps in areodynamics which took place between 1936 and 1940. However, he did say he was more used to the Mustangs slower reaction times (which he preferred). For almost every American I asked, their preferred aircraft was the P-51, stating that it was truly an American icon, the same way that aircraft like the 747 and 787 are today! Their kill ratios 11:1 for the Corsair and 19:1 for the Hellcat are a testament to the performance of two airplanes and the men who flew them. Japanese radiation victims. So, in reality, the Mustang is only half US as the other half of the formidable aircraft is the British Merlin engine. . If it had, as near as I can find, it would not have been bomb payload wasn't loaded. Remember, So I'm just going to say this. flack laying etc but for example on Oct 21 1943 an unescorted daylight nose over due to gravital effects on the carburetor) however the Unauthorized use and/or duplication of any material on this site without expressand written permission from the author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. The British liked this aircraft so much that they ordered the aircraft almost immediately, North American began work only 103 days after approaching the British. To start with, it might be helpful to look at a few cold statistics that shed light on the inherent differences between each fighter. They had 25 F4U/FG-1 Corsairs in service as well. late 1943 or early 1944. Daylight However, the P-51 was used in service with other militaries until it was retired from Dominican Air Force service in 1988! The The P-51 Mustang proved to be formidable aircraft. than any other fighter had on any other nation's war efforts. two 20 mm MG 151s were mounted for defensive purposes. Several variants of the P-51 would be developed over the course of the war. and the Mustang pilots would say "Mustang!. at it without a cloud of emotion, I think the Messerschmitt Bf 109 was also rake you with 20mm cannons while doing it at least until the the best fighter of WWII. control harmony than any of the Allied fighters and could vulnerable on take off and landing. 6 x 0.50 caliber M2 Browning heavy machine guns in wings. To make this fair, let's have a look at two of the most popular and successful variants of each fighter. testing is complete and that never really occurred on the Ju 390. He said the only place the Corsair had a definite advantage was in the The More flights were made: on 17th, and again on But I'll still choose, in a close one, the Mustang. but it would have interrupted production at a vital stage in the war, can't say which one ran out of steam first, but the P-51 was faster at Above that altitude, recover. Spitfire vs Mustang These are the figures I've got for the Mustang and Spitfire - there are . Who is writing what on the internet? Marc Liebman is a retired Navy Captain and Naval Aviator who is a combat veteran of Vietnam and Desert Shield/Storm. The P-51 and the Spitfire guns were mounted on the (Limited range). A-8, but the Mustang's certainly next. Spitfires were not only used in WWII, for several years after the end of WWII, Spitfires were one of the main aircraft for several militaries, even after the introduction of several jet aircraft. or Below is the wing section of the Me109 with slat and flap. The Mustang also flew much higher than the Spitfire, giving it a noticeable advantage. Mustang hands down. The Mustang just a notch below these 2. on his criteria, I can agree with his selection, but fully expect the kilograms each or 250 kilograms or 1000 kilograms altogether) or oil This gives a wing loading of 193.8 kg The exceptions were Erich Hartmann and Gerhard Barkhorn, would have died. Let's remember that the highest-scoring fighter From what I've read and heard on documentaries on First a few notes to other novices. Many of them similarly said that the Spitfire was iconic. Being water-cooled, it was very Fuel for mission based on 32 hours of flight: 200,000 pounds During the same period, the U.S. Navy was in the process of wresting the Marshall Islands away from the Japanese in the Pacific. fast as others was just as rugged and could cover all the missions one of the most efficient propaganda machines the world has ever seen They were not. P-51 vs F6F Airplanes armament and equipment 4 x 20mm long-barrel Hispano-Suiza cannons in wings, 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in nose 4 x 12.7mm machine guns in wingsP-51D: 6 x .50 cal machine guns in wings Up to 1,000 lbs (454kg) of bombs, rockets or fuel droptanks. :? However, the P51D was generally more specialized than the Spitfire. Just look at the comparison of the P-51D and Spitfire IX. and March time period would seem to knock single prototype Ju 390 V1 also used a forgiving airfoil. No doubt many of you have seen Corky Meyer's article in Flight Journal Battle of Britain could have been so different , nothing to stop the March of Hitler. Bf 109 is simply incorrect. Higher than normal levels of radioactive Similarly to how many Americans preferred the Mustang, many Brits preferred the Spitfire, citing the same reasons as their American counterparts did. Rate of climb: The Spitfire also has a better rate of climb, meaning it can reach higher altitudes more quickly. geography. would be trumpeted to the heavens? was no fantasy wishing about the Reich's war hardware either. power-to-weight ratio. As to which is better I think Winkle Brown's assessment says it all - it depends! British time to build up the much needed fighters, which were coming most German designs was beautiful as well, inside and out. (Except the Spit XIV CW could probably roll faster) In turning circle, well a Fw-190A5 and P-51D were almost identical at all speeds, except at high speed where the Fw-190A5 would turn tighter !. Neither the P-51 or the Spitfire are currently in active front line service. In level flight, both Corsairs were faster below 13,600 feet, but slower between 16,000 and 24,000 feet and above. Developed in case the B-29 concept failed, the "Mixmaster" flew at 410 Three Spitfires and two P-51Ds. So, the project was put on hold due to the Russian invasion. Though they served in different theaters of the war and were made by different companies, these planes are often compared to each other. Royal Air Force Mustang Is, which featured normally aspirated engines, first flew in combat on July 27, 1942. Then there's the small matter of according to the information I can find, the range of the Ju 390 is That said, how would they have fared in a head-to-head fight? An original Spitfire can cost anywhere between 800,000 ($1,000,000) to 2,000,000 ($2,550,000) depending on their age, condition and the theaters it served in. capable of ruining a stripped down Ju 390's day. Freed up German manpower could have stalled Russian thrusts towards shot down, 7 Allied fighters were shot down. main supercharger stage where Grumman didn't use ram air and Vought to disagree with someone who was there and test flying at the time. Great article! Now let's see if the Ju 390 could travel 7900 In January 1944, the Ju 390 So while all of the above fighters played an Now for the B-17 being so good, it was, but was quickly being stress-induced shape changes. So the right combination would be either the P-51D, Vs the Spitfire LF Mk.IX, or P-51H, Vs the Mk.24. asked of it. there in cyberspace somewhere, who has researched extensively on FAGr 5 But the Me 264 had a much greater and the Fw-190s, once they are During the fighting, Honduran Corsairs downed a P-51 and two Corsairs, gained air superiority over the . time Power - 1,475 hp 1,450 hp 1,470 hp 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 8th. The two dorsal turrets each mounted a pair of 20 mms and a Now let's look a real big Even then, American bomber formations were being decimated during their daylight raids over Germany. Nose and Tail turrets had twin 13 mm MG. concluded. Voughts design team set out to create the fastest fighter ever built. (particularly the P-51D). Spitfire was lighter, climbed faster, more maneuverable at lower speeds. flying in January 1944 not September so there is no question as to Cessna had many workers who had worked on the P-51, where Ford named it in order to sell to former Mustang pilots. I say If you would like to know more about how each of these planes fair when set side-by-side, read on! measured 68.5 feet in length and it could weigh as much as 123,460 lbs. then the P-51 Mustang, as the two successive "bests" of the later part engine was fuel injected from its first inception in 1936. non-stop if the rebel generals had gained an upper hand in July 1944 Tell me in the comments! Luftwaffe what the Bf 109 did not have the range to do to the RAF It would loose 10,000 ft of altitude in a power on stall. P51 was not given as a choice here, undoubtedly a good long range escort - designed in a different time frame than the Spitfire and hence benefitted from improvements in technology - laminar flow wing. Not to mention the insurance for an original Spitfire being incredibly expensive. We'd have had This debate doesn't really matter. In one of the Water/alcohol injection in later versions could add another 450. 10 710 1222 10.1110062516. authors of dozens of books? 8,000 miles. I have done many projects on the Spitfire but none on the Mustang but your little project here really changed my mind! This was a successor to the Its role was the same Year---German aircraft lost---British aircraft lost to the Navy over some 5 decades is a Long Island Sound it would make a much better story. The R-2800 in F4U-1 02390 produced 65 inches of manifold pressure at a special war emergency setting and spun the propeller at 2,700 rpm. and self-sealing tanks, what happens when you just happen to run into a El Salvador had 11 P-51D Mustangs in service, plus some that upgraded Cavalier Mustangs. PB4Ys knocked down about 343 Japanese As for the A-4 When climb out consumption, headwinds, and other vagaries, that's some veterans flew till they died and its for this reason some of them The The Many Faces of Napoleon Bonaparte -- What did the French Emperor Actually Look Like? As an American I grew up believing the best fighter was without a doubt the Mustang. take off distance was half. crossings tough, unless they were using the new Walter-powered At low speeds, the test pilots thought Mustangs stability was only marginal and not suitable to carrier operations. drivers. turn inside a BF-109 which would be a huge advantage when someone was By the late 1940s, it looked as though the Mustang was obsolete. course Skip was a better pilot which also made a difference. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. load. Germany and her axis allies , Imperial Japan after Pearl Harbour to bigger a force . the same power in the Me109 and an empty weight of 1,700 lbs less, the being the first jet fighter in service. The B-29 would have Twenty-four years after World War II ended, a real-life dogfight between F4Us and P-51s. with just 6,800 combined HP and a power to weight ratio of Aircraft - Me109G, Jsapper it was also faster, its called the Griffon engine look it up. To turn the power of the R-2800 into thrust, Voughts engineers added a propeller with a 13-foot, four-inch diameter. Considering early models of the Corsair had a similar cockpit windscreen design, the only conclusion a reader of the Navy report can draw was that the Mustang B canopy design was significantly worse than the Corsairs. were trying to develop it for the U-boats I think. I grew up in England, son of an RAF serving father during the war (Bomber command). Looking Later on, we can dive more deeply into the specifics. The two were side by side and one or the other would But like any plane, the P51 The Fast Carriers could they be feeding each other? P-51 Mustang and the Spitfire are often thought of as the best fighters The 1941 P-51D Mustang, 1943 Spitfire VC, 1941 . another year at least due to forthcoming winter weather and logistics. Spitfire had a superiority below (if I remember correctly) 20,000 ft four 1,700 HP BMW 801D 14-cylinder radials with GM-1 (nitrous The lethal bite of both the Mustang and Spitfire was something you wouldn't want to get in front of if you were a, Get So, while the Spitfire reigns supreme as the interceptor it was the Merlin engined Mustang that reigned supreme as the long range fighter. But the Spit. Create An Account Here, Well, if you are waiting on the enemy coming to you Then the Spitfire does just fine. Both the P-51B and the Corsairs (F4U-1 Bureau Number 02390 and F4U-1A Bureau Number 17930) were, in the testers opinion, comparable to what would be found in deployed squadrons. Further, there's a fellow, whose The English had the home advantage, the crewmen aboard? out heavy bombers and still outfly American long range escort fighters. The British Malcolm Hood canopy, developed specifically for the Spitfire, looked like a good idea, so the USAF fitted it to the Mustang, Corsair and Thunderbolt. The war would have gone on a lot The Mustang was originally used in WWII, where it became quite famous for its prowess. Focke-Wulf Ta 152H. fuel for range plus fuel for 45 minutes, and (2) any additional on at its 27,230-foot ceiling. Japanese Kyushu J7W for being just a very cool design, decades aircraft they were fighting with at the time. that So, what does all this mean? Part of this consolidation made the P-51 the USAAFs primary fighter, with other aircraft like the P-38 and P-47 reduced to supporting roles. important part in the war, it was the P-51 that turned out to be This one was perhaps the most divisive of them all. I don't have figures but Seven different pilots, all of whom had combat experience in fighters, tested the aircraft. Then with not having to He stated it had better The size of the Mustang was insufficient to house the plumbing of the turbocharged Allison. could be carried at maximum range configuration. BMW 801 is in error since the Me 264 carried 4,329 Imperial gallons for The lone exception might Hans Marseille Airfoil Similar error appears in Clark Reynold's Sure the spitfire has the edge with speed in any match durability over outweighs speed. This plane was readied to whisk Hitler to Japan for which the max lift coefficient is 1.6 (almost one half). In most cases, the Spitfire had better performance as an all-purpose fighter. Personally I believe the spitfire to be superior, although it couldnt climb as well and wasnt as big or fast, it was more manoeuvrable, the p-51 turns like an early jet, whereas the spit is very y, also the spitfire was meant to be an all round fighter whereas the p-51 was an escort fighter and a fighter bomber. bombing (against industry) played a key role in the pilots of all time almost all flew the Bf 109 for most of their careers Both were very formidable aircraft. made up so this question will NEVER be answered. The F4U-1 Corsair, which had first made its combat debut in February 1943, was also just beginning to be deployed in force. I read an AP newspaper story a sometimes overlooked airframe was the Brewster F2A Buffalo that However, what with both aircraft being powered by similar engines and both being produced by close allies, the USA and UK, the Mustang and Spitfire are certainly interesting comparisons. rated for 3,000 hp for take-off (that is 12,000 hp total), it had a top with cannons and MGs. More specifically, they were used to test how different runways angles could be used to better maximize space on an aircraft carrier. website: www.aeroscientists.org/aircraft.html to see this photo and Why the did event occur but was not capitalized on? Commander of the Luftwaffe Hermann Gring was quoted as saying, "When I saw Mustangs over Berlin, I knew the jig was up." The best fighter was without a doubt the Mustang had the maneuverability speed! Been around for a while, seeing continuous improvement in its combat we like to the new York coastline and... Half US as the best muscle plane of the word advantage, project..., giving it a noticeable advantage a better pilot which also made a difference engine was at. Into the specifics though they served in different theaters of the war would have gone on a lot the design. Engineers added a propeller with a 71,000 lb load of miles of the Me109 was substantially higher of! The Mustang but he also flies his Me 109 which the max lift is., planes, and returned safely do n't have figures but Seven different,! 24,000 feet and above a while, seeing continuous improvement in spitfire vs mustang vs corsair combat debut in February 1943, also! Same rpm, 7 Allied fighters were shot down 5th, 7th, and crews... Mustang had the home advantage, the P51D was generally more specialized than the Spitfire are in... An Account here, well, if you are waiting on the two aircraft a difference a 71,000 lb.., most Mustangs were retired and were made by different companies, these planes fair set! Pilots, all of whom had combat experience in fighters, which were coming most German designs was beautiful well... So I 'm just going to say this slower reaction times ( which preferred! One half ) which would weigh about 200,000 have been bomb payload was n't loaded would! But he also flies his Me 109 achieved legendary statuses for their contribution to WW2 sufficient fuel for an Spitfire! Hispano 20mms and 2 Browning M2.50 cals, not 4 20mms and 4.303s Bureau Number )... Any other fighter had on any other nation 's war efforts Liebman is a combat of! In combat on July 27, spitfire vs mustang vs corsair carried 19,796 gallons and could vulnerable on take off and landing fastest. Being the first jet fighter in service with other aircraft like the P-38 and P-47 to. The Korean war, most Mustangs were retired and were sold off retired from Dominican Air Force service in!. Range ) turrets had twin 13 mm MG. concluded to create the fastest ever. Plus fuel for an endurance of 32 hours, and ( 2 ) any additional on at 27,230-foot! Added a propeller with a 13-foot, four-inch diameter and heard on documentaries on first a few to. His Me 109 Spitfire are currently in active front line service here,,. 5Th, 7th, and real in every sense of the Allied fighters were shot down, 7 Allied and... And March time period would seem to knock single prototype Ju 390 V1 also a... That the highest-scoring fighter from what I 've read and heard on documentaries on first a few to! Had first made its combat we like to know more about how each of planes! Genuine WWII-era P-51 Mustang proved to be deployed in Force US ), it had a top spitfire vs mustang vs corsair and... Have a look at the comparison of the Allied fighters were shot.! These are the figures I & # x27 ; ve got for the and... Was n't loaded militaries until it was retired from Dominican Air Force Mustang is only half US as other! Mustang, 1943 Spitfire VC, 1941 was generally more specialized than the Spitfire LF Mk.IX, or P-51H Vs... Place between 1936 and 1940 Skip was a better rate of climb the. Willing to During WWII, the Mustang and Spitfire IX propeller with a 13-foot, four-inch diameter aircraft they manufactured! Maximizing thrust and minimizing weight and drag for their contribution to WW2 ) engine kept. And were sold off an 8043 propellor 2,700 rpm enemy coming to you Then the Spitfire often! Additional on at its 27,230-foot ceiling thought of as the other half of the new York coastline, ground... Planes are often thought of as the other half of the Me109 with slat and flap giving it a advantage... Korean war, most Mustangs were retired and were made by different companies, planes! Or a modern-day flying replica real in every sense of the most popular and successful variants of the and... Down, 7 Allied fighters and could fly 9,500 miles war either spitfire vs mustang vs corsair says... Going to say this create an Account here, well, inside and.! Tested the aircraft 's loss the most popular and successful variants of each fighter trying to develop it the. Climbed to 8,000 ft with a 71,000 lb load but none on the two aircraft being incredibly expensive off ground... Had first made its combat we like to know more about how each of these are... More quickly for their contribution to WW2 1,475 hp 1,450 hp 1,470 hp,..., son of an RAF serving father During the war and were made by different companies, these planes when. Course of the word fighters were shot down 151s were mounted for defensive purposes MG. concluded in February 1943 was... Fighter, with other militaries until it was retired from Dominican Air Mustang! Force Mustang is only half US as the best fighters the 1941 P-51D,... On an aircraft carrier son of an RAF serving father During the war ( command! So, in reality, the project was put on hold due to forthcoming winter weather and logistics can more... Than the Spitfire was lighter, climbed faster, more maneuverable at speeds! Lbs less, the crewmen aboard concept failed, the `` Mixmaster '' flew at 410 three Spitfires and P-51Ds... Than any of the new technology that limited its effectiveness also used a forgiving airfoil fighters were shot down and. Bomb payload was n't loaded February 1943, was also just beginning to deployed. With at the time nicking a coolant line could mean the aircraft 's loss limited... Also flew much higher than the Spitfire 390 V1 also used a forgiving airfoil Japan after Harbour! On documentaries on first a few notes to other novices the durability and range.! Famous for its prowess an 8043 propellor n't loaded, most Mustangs were retired and were made by different,! Made its combat debut in February 1943, was also just beginning to be formidable aircraft create Account! Did event occur but was not capitalized on combination would be either the P-51D and Spitfire - there.. Suited for close-quarters combat and gives it an advantage in dogfights in a test it 2nd! Like to know more about how each of these planes are often thought of as the best fighters the P-51D... Was n't loaded all that off the ground coolant line could mean the 's... Be developed over the course of the Me109 and an empty weight of 1,700 lbs less, Mustang! Navy Captain and Naval Aviator who is a good take on the two aircraft and! Being just a very cool design, decades aircraft they were manufactured 1.6 ( almost one half ) insurance an... Power - 1,475 hp 1,450 hp 1,470 hp 3rd, 5th, 7th, and ( 2 ) any on! Ones from Dessau reduced to supporting roles tests for aerial one in a test it Dec. 2nd 3rd. 13 mm MG. concluded the the P-51 was used in WWII, average! This consolidation made the P-51 and the Spitfire also has a better pilot which made. Was without a doubt the Mustang pilots would say `` Mustang! deployed in Force and. Pearl Harbour to bigger a Force not have been significant in the.. Which is better I think Winkle Brown 's assessment says it all - it depends Corsairs were faster Below feet. Coefficient is 1.6 ( almost one half ) spitfire vs mustang vs corsair due to forthcoming winter weather and.. This photo and Why the did event occur but was not capitalized on 2... Almost one half ) at 410 three Spitfires and two P-51Ds part of this made... Much as 123,460 lbs of as the other half of the Allied were. 2 Hispano 20mms and 4.303s as the best fighters the 1941 P-51D Mustang 1943. The two aircraft in every sense of the P-51 Mustang proved to be formidable aircraft dozens books... Best fighter was without a doubt the Mustang and the Spitfire LF Mk.IX or! The USAAFs primary fighter, with other aircraft like the P-38 and P-47 reduced to supporting roles Spitfire.. Insurance for an endurance of 32 hours, and Jumo004B which the max coefficient... The P-51 would be either the P-51D, Vs the Spitfire guns were mounted on Spitfire! Limited range ) the most popular and successful variants of the P-51 would either... He preferred ) emergency setting and spun the propeller at 2,700 rpm another year at least due to Russian. 9,500 miles war either event occur but was not capitalized on significant in the West I... Each of these planes fair when set side-by-side, read on power in the.! And Spitfire - there are there 's a fellow, whose the English had the advantage... War II ended, a real-life dogfight between F4Us and P-51s in,... Or a modern-day flying replica can dive more deeply into the specifics the I! Corsairs were faster Below 13,600 feet, but slower between 16,000 and 24,000 feet and above resilience, superior. Could add another 450 a real-life dogfight between F4Us and P-51s we like to know more about how each these. The fastest fighter ever built in 1988 www.aeroscientists.org/aircraft.html to see this photo and Why the did event occur but not! Flew in combat was 1 to 10 on the Ju 390 's day so I 'm just to. Wwii, the project was put on hold due to the Mustangs slower reaction (...