The one true advantage the Mustang had was range and it was also cheaper. Range is always important, but was it a decisive factor in Korea?
Where did you hear it was cheaper?Did you know that Packard had to pay royalties to rollsroyce of $5000.00 US per merlin built under licence?That was a boatload of money that did not stay here in America whereas Pratt&Whitney was an American company that supplied the engines for the P-47s as well as the Corsair,P-61,Hellcat,B-26 and on and on and on. Maintainence was also better on the thunderbolt than the mustang.Just ask any mechanic that works on them today.
Sorry,I didnt answer your question fully.All the range in the world does you no good at all if the motor craps out on you on the way home.Round motors brought alot of guys home.Mustangs didnt fair that well in korea as they were not used for what they were designed for.It was politics pure and simple.