[investigateworld]

The whole story about the P-51 is kinda confusing. North American was playing around with a dive bomber; the A-36 which was the basis of the P-51.

General Motors was a major stock holder in North American then and obviously wanted more markets for the Allison V-1710 which powered the P-39 and the P-38 plus the P-40. At some point, someone bit the bullet = did the right thing and married the P-51 to the Rolls Royce Merlin V-1650, then being produced by Packard Motors.

I've talked with retired executives with NA, and even they didn't have a clear picture.

But I KNOW on FR, someone can straighten it out for me.

[PzLdr]

The P 51 was initially manufactured with a different engine [underpowered], and was used as a ground attack aircraft because of its poor handling at altitude. The Rolls Royce Merlin engine gave it the potential to be the greatest piston engine fighter ever built. But it was putting the extra gas tank in the fuselage behind the pilot that put it over the top, giving it the range needed to escort the bombers into the Reich and out.