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World War 2 Weekend 2005 Museum of Flight, East Fortune, June 5th 2005
The masterstroke came when the Mustang airframe was fitted with the Rolls-Royce Merlin 61 engine. The Merlin significantly improved the aircraft's performance at high altitude, as well as giving it the endurance to carry out long-range escort missions over Europe. The Merlin engine for the Mustang was then produced under licence by car manufacturer Packard, as the V-1650. The aircraft seen here is a P-51D, which had a maximum speed of 437mph, a service ceiling of 41,900 feet and an operational range of 1,300 miles with underwing drop tanks.
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