North American XP-51F Mustang - The Experimental Lightweight Mustang (I)

[Nostalgistic]

Would you like to see this in-game?

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North American XP-51F Mustang

   Hello all! I’d like to suggest the North American XP-51F Mustang for US aviation in War Thunder. It was the first one of three experimental lightweight Mustang models evaluated by the US Army Air Forces as well as the RAF under a joint development program. In short, the XP-51F was developed as a lightweight version of the P-51D to achieve improved performance with the same V-1650-7 engine and an extensively revised airframe. The USAAF’s experience evaluating the XP-51F ultimately led to the development of the P-51H Mustang.

History

The success of the early Merlin-powered Mustangs led the Allies to appreciate their superior performance compared to the Allison-powered variants. However, concerns arose over the steady weight growth of the Mustang throughout its development into the P-51D/K models. These newer Mustangs found themselves outclimbed by Spitfires (by approximately 1,200 fpm) and outrolled by the Fw 190, which had nearly twice the roll rate. The RAF first approached North American in January 1943 regarding the possibility of a lightweight Mustang design, with the goal of reducing overall gross weight. This request eventually evolved into a joint program when the Army Air Forces formally initiated the contract and program management.

Three XP-51F prototypes, designated NA-105 by North American, were ordered on January 3, 1943, under MX-356 as the formal US Army project designation, before the first P-51D had even been produced. Consequently, the P-51E designation was skipped and never brought to fruition. In June 1943, the XP-51F contract was amended to include five aircraft (43-43332 through 43-43336) powered by the 1,380 hp V-1650-3. This was later changed to the 1,490 hp V-1650-7 while the aircraft were still under construction. The British also agreed to supply five 1,675 hp RM.14SM Merlin engines, which would power the final two aircraft of the amended order, designated XP-51G (NA-105A). The RAF requested one example of each model for its own testing.

The design of the XP-51F was radically different from previous Mustangs. Its airframe was extensively redesigned to eliminate unnecessary structure and equipment. Alternative materials, including plastics, were incorporated where practical. The wings featured smaller wheel wells, while the landing gear used smaller struts and wheels. The radiator housing was redesigned and blended more smoothly into the aft fuselage. The oil cooler was replaced with a heat exchanger. A longer bubble canopy reduced drag but required hydraulic operation and seat adjustment mechanisms. Fuel capacity was reduced by eliminating the fuselage fuel tank located behind the pilot’s seat on the P-51B. A three-bladed hollow-steel Aeroproducts propeller was adopted for the XP-51F. Planned armament consisted of four 0.50-caliber machine guns, while bomb rack capacity was reduced from 1,000 lb to 500 lb, with jettisonable racks retained. Through these measures, the XP-51F successfully shed nearly 2,000 pounds compared to contemporary Mustangs.

The completed XP-51F, serial number 43-43332, made its first flight from Mines Field, Los Angeles, on February 14, 1944. The next two aircraft, 43-43334 and 43-43333, followed on May 20 and May 22, respectively. Aircraft 43-43332 remained with North American Aviation and was later transferred to the NACA Ames Aeronautical Laboratory at Moffett Field, California, as a test aircraft. Aircraft 43-43333 was accepted by the US Army Air Forces on June 30, 1944, and flown to Wright Field on July 3, 1944, for formal evaluation. The third aircraft, 43-43334, was delivered to the United Kingdom on July 11, 1944, for RAF trials under the designation Mustang V, serial number FR409. A dorsal fin extension was later added to the aircraft.

The XP-51F and the other experimental lightweight Mustangs never progressed beyond the prototype stage and were never placed into full-scale production. Nevertheless, testing of the XP-51F directly contributed to the development of the final and most advanced production Mustang, the P-51H.

Specifications

North American XP-51F Mustang

General Characteristics

• Crew: 1 (Pilot)
• Dimensions:
  • Length: 32 ft 3 in (9.82 m)
  • Height: 13 ft 8 in (4.17 m)
  • Wingspan: 37 ft (11.28 m)
  • Wing Area: 233 sq ft (21.64 sq m)
• Propeller: 1 x three-bladed Aeroproducts propeller
• Powerplant:
  • Type: 1 x Packard Merlin V-1650-7, two-stage supercharged
  • Power Output:
    • @ Takeoff
      • 2-Stage, 2-Speed: 1,490 hp (1,510.67 PS) @ 3,000 rpm @ S.L. @ 61.0 hg
    • @ Combat
      • Low Blower: 1,720 hp (1,743.86 PS)@ 3,000 rpm @ 6,250 ft (1,905 m) @ 67.0 hg
      • High Blower: 1,505 hp (1,525.87 PS)@ 3,000 rpm @ 19,250 ft (5,867 m) @ 67.0 hg
    • @ Military
      • Low Blower: 1,590 hp (1,612.05 PS) @ 3,000 rpm @ 8,500 ft (2,591 m) @ 61.0 hg
      • High Blower: 1,370 hp (1,389.00 PS) @ 3,000 rpm @ 21,400 ft (6,523 m) @ 61.0 hg
    • @ Normal
      • Low Blower: 1,180 hp (1,196.37 PS) @ 2,700 rpm @ 11,300 ft (3,444 m) @ 46.0 hg
      • High Blower: 1,065 hp (1079.77 PS) @ 2,700 rpm @ 23,400 ft (7,132 m) @ 46.0 hg
• Fuel Capacity:
  • 180 US-gal (681 L)
• Weight:
  • Empty: 5,635 lb (2,556 kg)
  • Gross: 7,610 lb (3,452 kg)
  • Max. Takeoff: 9,060 lb (4,110 kg)

Flight Performance

• Power-to-Weight Ratio: 0.23 hp/lb (0.51 ps/kg)
• Wing Loading: 32.7 lb/sq ft (159.7 kg/sq m)
• Max Speed:
  • 466 mph (750 km/h) @ 29,000 ft (8,839 m)
  • 493 mph (793 km/h) @ 21,500 ft (6,553 m)
• Climb Performance:
  • Rate of Climb: 4,000 fpm (20.3 m/s)
  • Time to Altitude: 4.9 minutes to 19,5000 ft (5,944 m)
• Service Ceiling: 42,500 ft (12,954 m)

Armament

• Guns:
  • 4 x 0.50-cal M2 Browning machine guns (250 rpg; 1,000 rds)
• Bombs:
  • 2 x 500-lb bombs
• Drop Tanks:
  • 2 x 75 US-gal drop tanks

Images

Related Suggestions

• XP-51
• P-51A-10
• P-51B-1
• P-51B-5 (Malcolm Hood)
• P-51C-10 (Malcolm Hood + Dorsal Fin)
• XP-51G
• XP-51J

Sources

1. Bert Kinzey, P-51 Mustang Part 3: P-51D and Subsequent Variants, Detail & Scale Series Volume 23 (2026)
2. Malcolm V. Lowe, North American P-51 Mustang, Crowood Aviation Series (2009)
3. Bill Norton, US Experimental & Prototype Aircraft Projects: Fighters 1939-1945 (2008)
4. David McLaren, North American P-51H Mustang: Includes Lightweight Fighters XP-51F, XP-51G, & XP-51J, Air Force Legends Number 209 (2003)
5. William Green & Gordon Swanborough, The Complete Book of Fighters: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Every Fighter Aircraft Built and Flown (2001)
6. Francis H. Dean, America’s Hundred Thousand US Production Fighters of WWII (1997)
7. Robert F. Door, US Fighters of World War Two (1991)
8. F.G. Swanborough, United States Military Aircraft Since 1909 (1989)
9. Enzo Angelucci, The American Fighter: The Definitive Guide to American Fighter Aircraft from 1917 to the Present (1987)
10. P-51 Mustang in Action, Aircraft No. 45, Squadron/Signal Publications (1981)
11. William Green & Gordon Swanborough, World War Two Fact Files - US Army Air Force Fighters Part 2 (1978)
12. William Green, War Planes of the Second World War Fighters Volume Four (1973)
13. WWIIAircraftPerformance.org – XP-51F Performance Chart (Estimated only) (22 January 1943)
14. WWIIAircraftPerformance.org – P-51F @ War Emergency Power Performance Chart
15. North American XP-51F, G, J Mustang

Thank you for taking the time to read my suggestion! 😃

[iegaatdao]

Putting american props on a diet is abuse :(

+1

[BACKRAGE44428-live]

+1 for the tech tree its needed

[BasherBenDawg8]

@Nostalgistic

Max Speed:

• 466 mph (750 km/h) @ 29,00 ft (8,839 m)
• 493 mph (793 km/h) @ 21,500 ft (6,553 m)

That is one FAST Mustang, only bad thing about it is the 4x 50 cals instead of 6x. Really hope to see this someday, +1

[oom1992]

Battle rating 6.7 (Air AB, Air RB) & 7.0 (Air SB)

Place after P-51H-5 ?

[Nostalgistic]

@oom1992

Place after P-51H-5 ?

Absolutely not. It should be placed before the P-51H-5.

It was built before the P-51H-5 existed, and you have to factor in its fewer guns and limited ammo capacity into the BR.

[Pvt_Wade]

North American Aviation XP-51F - "Mishandled Menace"

poll poll [image] XP-51F s/n 43-43334 is seen here in British markings with drop tanks and .50 caliber machine guns installed. Its position next to its sibling, XP-51F s/n 43-43333, and the Mustangs in the background imply the aircraft is still in the United States, which makes the new camouflage scheme somewhat puzzling. By the time it had been transferred to Britain, the XP-51F appears to have lost its armament. Introduction       The story of the North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is…

[Nostalgistic]

Yes, and…

[RDXRooster63]

P-51 being so fast the A21RB(jet) rips its wings trying to catch it ahh

+1

[SchwerPanzer]

Would be a cool addition to the ever-growing Mustang family. On another note, it would interesting to see the P-51D (then F-51D) M40 testbed which had two mustangs outfitted with M40 Recoilless rifles on each wingtip.

[iegaatdao]

Did it keep the 50cals? Because those recoiless rifles must 100% single shot

Spoiler

[BACKRAGE44428-live]

watch this get made premium and locked behind a paywall while being super OP

[SchwerPanzer]

Yeah it retained the 50 cals because the recoiless is a single shot. They already were upgraded P-51s that went through Cavalier to be made into Cavalier II spec mustangs. This meant increased performance out of the Merlin V-12’s plus a strengthened airframe to carry heavier ordinance loads.

[CharAznable3]

If I remember right the lightweight mustang project was one of the inspirations for the GM Light Armor in Gundam as the GM was based off of the Sherman tank and P-51 by the writers. Basically strip everything off as armor and heavy weapons wont save you speed and mobility wins battles. Its nice to see such a modification of the famous P-51 going all in on performance but at what cost?

[CharAznable3]

.50cal even the aircraft one is heavy likely not the only thing they removed but this plane will be a “at what cost?” There are also more of them. A6M players know the cost better then others getting pilot sniped by a 7.7 at almost 2km is not enjoyable. Or when the game lags when you doing the head on loop trick and you explode.

[CharAznable3]

The M40 was 1950 or was this a earlier version what on earth where they planning on hunting with them? The M40 hits hard.

[Gridt]

Tanks

[BasherBenDawg8]

Survivability is a much lesser necessity when you know how to play a fast plane. The zero is notoriously slow, making it easy to damage and kill. Lag thing isn’t for everyone, I’ve never experienced it myself

[CharAznable3]

USA players like there head ons and the knowledge there airframe can eat a round or two with little issue. Just saying this aircraft may be gameplay wise something a bit more complex then the regular P-51 over speeding will be a issue with the control compression. Boom and zoom only works if you can manage speed or you risk wing rips or challenging the earth that the earth has not lost yet.

Still should be added since there are a few one can be event GE or squadron which we do need low tier squadron vehicles this would be ideal.

[CharAznable3]

I know that M40 is a bit overkill its meant to kill tank from the side / front. What monster did they think this was needed for the Landkreuzer P. 1000 “Ratte”?