The Mustang was a great plane but I agree with you for ground attack, it would not be my first choice either. The Mustang was meant for air to air combat and escort, which the P-47 could do as well. However, the P-47 is a much beefer plane suited for ground attack as well and don’t forget, the P-51 was watercooled, if you take out the radiator, you’ll have problems, at least the P-47 being aircooled did not have that problem. If I had to choose a WWII type plane to bomb bad guys with, fight space aliens or take out jihadi’s, I’d choose the P-47 or maybe the Corsair, I want something more beefy.
The F4U Corsair was essentially the navalized version of the P-47. Both planes were built around the same engine -- the Pratt & Whitney R-2800 18-cyl Double Wasp.
The powerful engine mounted such a large propeller that the Corsair employed gull wings to a.) allow for shorter, sturdier landing gear for carrier landings and b.) provide clearance for the propeller. This design feature was unnecessary for the P-47.
And, indeed, in the hands of the U.S. Marines, the F4U Corsair was one of the pre-eminent ground attack aircraft of its time -- its effective combat life extending from WW II thru Korea. It continued to be active as a ground attack aircraft in the French colonial wars thru the mid-fifties.
Nah, B-25. Carries a nice big bomb load, lots and lots and lots of .50 cal machine guns and does a heck of an impression of a heavy fighter in a pinch.
Agreed.