P-51 Mustang Fuel

[Jaybird180]

I heard that the Mustang had a 7 hour combat endurance. Anyone know if this is true? Anyone know how much the 12 Cylinder Merlin engine burned per hour or the 'Stang's fuel capacity?

 

[Trapper John]

I can't vouch for the accuracy, but here's the first set of specs that popped up on Google:

http://www.mustangsmustangs.com/p-51/p51specs.shtml

I would suspect that the range figures are based on some kind of economy cruise...actual "combat" like dogfighting would raise fuel consumption a lot.

 

[brcase]

I worked on the Thunder Mustang for about 8 years and spent many hours researching Mustangs. Unfortunately it has been about 10 years since I looked at the stuff but I recall the economy cruise speed was 160mph.
This seems to fit well with the numbers above. It shows a 269 gallon fuel capacity divide that by the 7 hours and you get 38 gallons/hr.
The 160mph x 7 hours give 1120 mile range which is really close to what is shown in the spec above.
With the Drop tanks you get 12 hours and 2052 miles range.

Brian

 

[brcase]

To shoot off onto a completely different tangent. A few years ago during the multiengine portion of one of my CFI refresher courses and instructor asked the class which way the propellers turned on a P-38.
The old instructor in the back answered.... "After maintenance got a hold of them, they might turn any direction"

Brian

 

[nddons]

I think it may have had something to do with how soon they had to drop their drop tanks. Drop tanks with fuel = shorter range.

 

[Steve]

different models, different flight parameters, different operating conditions will have different results

H model

http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/mustang/p-51h-8284.html

D model

http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/mustang/p51d-15342.html

B model

http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/mustang/mustangtest.html

(pdf file, see chapter 6)

https://www.afresearch.org/skins/rims/q_mod_be0e99f3-fc56-4ccb-8dfe-670c0822a153/q_act_downloadpaper/q_obj_d1d0fb6b-72fa-4abe-8ec1-1a8b43d032ab/display.aspx?rs=enginespage

a rule of thumb is "economy" cruise ~60 gph with wing tank capacity of anywhere from 180g to 270g, depending on model, plus drop tanks of 150g to 220g each

"normal" cruise ~ 75 gph

"military power" ~ 185 gph (max 15 mins)

"war emergency" ~ 215 gph (max. 5 mins)

http://www.scribd.com/doc/34811808/North-American-P-51-Mustang-Pilot-Training-Manual