P-51C "Thunderbird" walk around photos

The British were the first to incorporate the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine in the Mustang airframe, with four existing aircraft being fitted with the UK powerplants as testbeds. Performance gains were remarkable, especially at higher altitudes, and in late November 1942 North American flew its own Merlin-engined XP-51B prototype. This led to the production P-51B, powered by a Packard-built Merlin, the V-1650. Just under 2,000 P-51Bs were built, these being joined by 1,750 similar P-51Cs from the North American plant at Dallas. Merlin-engined aircraft had the carburetor moved to under the nose, and the cooling intake was made deeper, with the lip set at an angle.

The P-51B also was enhanced via the installation of a third fuselage fuel tank (in the P-51B-7 variant), boosting the Mustang's internal capacity by nearly a third. This allowed an even greater range, and with external tanks the B-models could make round trips. the squadrons of the 354th FG at Boxted were the first US units to operate from the UK, and by December 194_ were escorting 8th Air Force bombers deep into the Reich. This was a pivotal development, as previously strategic targets in the heart of Germany could only be hit at night by the RAF. With long-range Mustang cover, B-17s and B-24s could hit them in daylight as well, maintaining round the clock pressure. Although the extra range was important, the additional fuselage fuel affected the Mustang's handling, and in service the tank was not filled to capacity in order to mitigate this condition.

The F-6C-NA designation was applied to 71 P-51Bs fitted for reconnaissance work.

Closeup of P-51C canpopy