The latest of Specialty Press' new books is this rather unique look at an iconic WWII fighter, the P-51 Mustang. While other books concentrate on the plane's fabled combat career, this one has a look at its design and development from the perspective of building the aircraft.

Thanks to the use of hundreds of photographs taken by North American Aviation during the building of the plane, we get to see the entire story of the development of this aircraft from the original drawings for the Allison powered version right up through the Merlin Mustang, the lightweight versions and on to the ultimate build, the postwar P-51H.

As many of you know, the Mustang was contracted by the British who originally wanted NAA to build them P-40s, but the folks at North American felt they could produce a better design, which they did in a remarkably short period of time. The resulting aircraft was a real winner at low altitude thanks to its powerful engine, excellent armament and super strong airframe. It became the mainstay of RAF army cooperation squadrons until the end of the war. Eventually the USAAF begrudgingly acknowledged its superior performance, and ordered several, but as a dive bomber.

The thing that really transformed the plane was the installation of a Rolls Royce Merlin engine, done pretty much simultaneously by NAA and Rolls Royce. This allowed the Mustang to be viable at high altitudes and combined with its long range, finally won over the USAAF into putting the type into mass production as the P-51B/C and the later P-51D.

This book covers all of these factors in the design and development of the Mustang. We get to see factory images of the building of various parts of the plane and we also learn of the innovative construction methods used by NAA. These all were based on simplicity and along with rethinking how planes were built, allowed NAA to be a powerhouse of aircraft production during WWII.

The author has decided to set up the book with the main story threading its way through a multitude of smaller vignettes such as wind tunnel testing, Mustang I tactical deployment, spinning the P-51B, modification centers and stats on the XP-51F. The book also fully covers the development of the light-weight XP-51F and G models, which while fulfilling the requirements of the contract, were never put into service. The book is also set up in landscape format, which enhances the outstandingly crisp and clear photographs used throughout.

It is a book which is really a must have for any Mustang enthusiast and one which will delight historians and modelers alike. Highly recommended.

August 2010

Review book courtesy of Specialty Press, where you can order your copy of this and many other superb aviation and modeling books. Visit their website at the link above or call them at 1-800-895-4585

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