Whew! I bet you're hell on wheels at the local air shows. :-)
The most I can do is go "look at the pretty plane".
>>> Joe Curry <spitlist@gte.net> 02/14/02 10:51AM >>>
Testing of the Merlin engine in the P-51 was begun in April 1942 with 4 planes
retrofitted with the engine. (serial numbers AM203, AM208, AL963 and AL975)
These were made specifically for British testing. The concept was also
recognized as worthwhile by the USAAF and they installed Packard built Merlins
in two of their own planes for testing July 25, 1942.
The first flight of one of these Merlin equipped Mustangs was on Oct. 13, 1942
by the RAF. The American tests began a month later. Results were outstanding
and convinced the powers that be of the worthiness of the engine as the
preferred power plant. The first orders for the Merlin based Mustang were by
the USAAF (2000 planes). They were the P-51B. Some were the reconnaissance
variation of the plane.
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