Originally posted by Guppy35
Just to clarify. Mustang IA was the Allison engined version. No 51Bs with 4 Hispanos in combat.
AVG didn't have F,K,M or N P40s. F model had the Merlin and was used extensively in the MTO with the 57th, 33rd, and 79th FGs. Very few in the Pac.
23rd would have had the Allison engined birds.
Dan/Slack
I wasn't sure if the Mustang IA was a P-51B or not, to be honest. thanks for clarifying.
When I said the AVG, that included its later incarnation as an actual AF unit in the 14th AF. Sorry for not being clear on that.
The P-40F was powered by the Packard V-1650-1, generating 1300 hp, as was the P-40L ("Gypsy Rose Lee"). I don't list the L as a plane I'd want because it was a stripped down version. I really don't prefer the N either, due to it's lower top speed.
That leaves the K (1325 hp Allison V-1710-73) or the M (1200 hp V-1710-18) as the two next fastest P-40s, and my variants of choice.
In my opinion, if you're gonna have a P-40, it's GOTTA have the sharkmouth paint.
