[jim_trent]

The Spitfires during this time were using 1650 cu in Rolls-Royce Merlin engines. Two or 2-1/2 years later, the Mustang used the same 1650 cu in engine made by Packard (of course, both engines had a lot of improvements done in that time). At the time the Merlin Mustang was introduced, it greatly out performed the Spitfire.

So, the Spitfire was upgraded to a 2230 cu in Griffin engine. With that, the Spitfire was able to keep up with the Mustang. So it took a 1/3 larger engine for the Spitfire to match the Mustang. That shows the difference between a 1936 design and a 1941 design.

There have only been a few Mustangs fitted with the Griffin engine (all that I know of have been Reno racing planes) and all have crashed. It was have been very interesting if the engineers who designed the Mustang had been given permission to fit a Griffin to the Mustang with proper stress analysis and design.

[Karl Spooner]

Do you know anything about this P51? I have a hard time finding out just how much the counter rotating props improved performance.

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[ontap]

I believe it was mostly due to the Mustangs wing....I might be wrong!!!

[Snickering Hound]

There is a carbon fibre Mustang called the Cameron P-51G that has a turboprop.

It's a hot ship...

[wastedyears]

Flying ping.

[Nuc 1.1]

I would like to see the Mustang fitted with turbo prop power. That would be a wicked combination.

[SkyPilot]

The Spitfires during this time were using 1650 cu in Rolls-Royce Merlin engines. Two or 2-1/2 years later, the Mustang used the same 1650 cu in engine made by Packard (of course, both engines had a lot of improvements done in that time). At the time the Merlin Mustang was introduced, it greatly out performed the Spitfire. So, the Spitfire was upgraded to a 2230 cu in Griffin engine. With that, the Spitfire was able to keep up with the Mustang. So it took a 1/3 larger engine for the Spitfire to match the Mustang. That shows the difference between a 1936 design and a 1941 design.

Exactly. Good info, thanks.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Last fall, I interviewed a P-51 pilot who had six confirmed kills.
His Mustang was the later airplane with full glass canopy and advanced engine.