North American P-51 Mustang: Books - History (3/4)

P-51 Mustang - Rare photographs from Naval Archives

Today, the Mustang is a living legend and is remembered as probably the finest long-range single-seat piston-engined fighter ever built.
Here, in words and images, the esteemed aviation historian Martin Bowman tells the story of an aircraft that continues to provoke enthusiastic praise.
We look at the Mustang's involvement in the Second World War and the Korean War, as well as other conflicts and engagements.

This new addition to the Images of War series serves as a tribute to an aircraft with a particularly impressive wartime record, the legacy of which is still felt today.

P-51 Mustang vs Fw 190 - Europe 1943-45

Discover the history of a classic duel as the finest American and German pilots are pitted against each other in the war-torn skies over Europe, in two of the most advanced fighter planes of the age, the P-51 Mustang and the Fw 190.

This book describes the design and development of these rivals and analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of each fighter through an examination of the key elements of airframe, engine, armament and flying characteristics.
Also explored is the training the combatants received, providing an insight into the lives of the pilots. Cockpit digital artwork allows the reader to relive the thrill and terror of a dogfight as these two evenly matched opponents battled for supremacy in the skies above Europe.

Contents: Introduction - Chronology - Strategic situation: A discussion of the situation facing Nazi Germany and the Allies in the final three years of the war - Design & Development - Technical Specifications - Combatants - Combat: A review of specific combat actions accompanied by biographical detail, first-hand accounts and photographs - Analysis: Statistical data showing the numbers of P-51s and Fw 190s lost in battle - Conclusion - Bibliography and further reading list.

Me 262 vs P-51 Mustang : Europe 1944-45

Arguably two of the finest fighters built during the course of World War II, the Me 262 and P-51 Mustang heralded new dawns in aircraft performance. Making its operational debut in the summer of 1944, and powered by the Jumo 004 jet engine, the Me 262 outclassed Allied planes in terms of speed and firepower ratio, offering a formidable punch with four 30 mm MK 108 nose-mounted cannons.

However, in the P-51, fitted with the Rolls-Royce (Packard) Merlin engine and drop tanks, the USAAF finally had a fighter that had the 'legs' to escort its heavy bombers deep into Reich airspace and back.
If flown to its strengths, the P-51 was more than capable of taking on the feared Me 262 on an equal footing, despite the differences in power and top speed.
Indeed, the Mustang proved to be the Luftwaffe fighter arm's nemesis. When the P-51D sortied over Germany from the summer of 1944 onwards, it shredded through the ill-trained and depleted Gruppen of the Luftwaffe's defence wings.

This book examines the two fighters in detail, exploring their history and development and containing accurate descriptions of the combats between the P-51 Mustang and the Me 262 in what were some of the most bitter and large-scale aerial actions fought over Europe in 1944-45.

P-51 Mustang - Missions de combat

"P-51 Mustang, missions de combat" embarque le lecteur aux commandes de l'un des meilleurs chasseurs de la Seconde Guerre mondiale. Les tactiques des pilotes de chasse américains sont ici décrites, faisant revivre la violence et la tension présentes lors des missions sur le théâtre des opérations européennes.

Contenu:
- Plus de 70 témoignages de pilotes de P-51 Mustang, parmi lesquels des as renommés.
- Des comptes-rendus détaillés de chaque type d'opération du P-51, depuis les missions d'escortede bombardiers à haute altitude volant au-dessus du Reich jusqu'aux mitraillages d'aérodromes de la Luftwaffe en France occupée.
- Des explications officielles sur le développement et les caractéristiques techniques du P-51.
- Plus de 300 photographies d'archives.