Attention upset P51D pilots, I have solved your problem! Read on if you're interested!
You love you're P-51D. It's fast, it's maneuverable, it's got good guns. Overall it's a beast of a plane but, oh no! ENY has kicked in! Have no fear as there are several other planes that you can take that are equal to or even better than the P-51D! Here is a list of planes that I'd recommend you could try out.
ENY at 5 - So ENY has just gotten high enough to prevent you from upping the 51D? That's ok because at an ENY of 10 the P-47M is a superb plane and somewhat similar to the P-51D. In some cases it's even better! It's got excellent top speeds, superb high speed handling AND low speed handling, even MORE firepower than the 51D, and is just as maneuverable as the P-51D. I think it might even be MORE maneuverable! You can also fly the P-47N, the heavier, but just as beastly, brother of the P-47M! Though it is the heaviest of the Jugs and has the lowest top speed on military power if you take the smaller 8 gun package or even one of the 6 gun packages and 50% fuel MAX, then the 47N becomes just as good or even better than the 47M! Don't like the 47M and N for whatever reason? Maybe you don't like the lose in climbing performance? Don't worry because also at ENY 10 is the Yak-3! Again, this plane is VERY fast, VERY maneuverable, and while it doesn't have a lot of ammo it does pack quite a mean punch when you land hits. Best of all it has an even BETTER climb rate than the 51D!
ENY at 10 - So ENY has gone up some more and you can't fly the 47M/N or Yak3? Don't fret! At ENY 15 we have the 190D9! While not quite as maneuverable as the P-51D it is still very capable. It also boasts the BEST roll rate of any plane in the game! It's also very fast just like the P-51D and has a superb climb rate. In fact, with WEP, the D9 out climbs the 51D, and boy do you have a lot of wep! The firepower is arguably even better than the P-51D as well! If you want to stick with American Steel then there is also the P-38L at 15 ENY! This thing should be perked it's such a beast! Superb guns (all in the nose too!), great speed, but most of all the incredible ability to fight vertically! There are VERY few planes in the game that can match a P-38 in a climb.
ENY at 15 - So those dastardly tower squatters have bumped ENY above 15 now eh? Well that's fine because at ENY 20 we have a whole host of planes to choose from! First is the 109K4. This plane could be called the P-51D of the German airforce! It's FAST! It's climb rate is one of the few that can give P-38's trouble, it's firepower is AMAZING if you can aim the big 30mm on it, and it's crazy maneuverable! I'm sure you've seen what expert K4 pilots can do with this thing in game. There's also the Ki-84 which could be the Japanese P-51D! It's quite fast as well, has an insane climb rate, insanely maneuverable, and it's guns pack a mean punch! Seriously, fly this plane and you'll know why great pilots like INK love it to death. We also have another Jug to choose from too! The D40! Just like all other jugs this thing is amazing! Great speed, superb handling, amazing diving ability, and of course 8 50cals! Best of all about being stuck with 20 ENY planes is you can skip all planes that I have mentioned up to this point and fly the P-51B!! It's a P-51! Just what you want! It may not be the iconic D but it flies exactly the same, in fact, it's even better than the D!
ENY at 20 - So more people are ruining your fun by going afk? Well there are still plenty more planes to choose from! At 23 ENY we have the Yak9u. Just like the Yak 3 at 10 ENY the 9U is FAST! It climbs well, handles well, and packs a big punch with it's limited ammo load. In some ways it's even better than the Yak-3 as it is faster and is a bit more stable at low speeds. At 25 ENY we have a few planes to choose from. There's the 109G14 which is just as much of a powerhouse as the K4 is. Best of all, if you don't like the 30mm then you have the option to remove it on the G14 and take a much more reliable 20mm instead! You just can't go wrong with the G14. If you were a fan of the 190D9 then you're going to LOVE the 190A5! This is regarded as the BEST 190 in the series, and for good reason! It's still got the absurd roll rate that 190s are known for, but it's also surprisingly nimble for a 190! Spitfires will even be shocked to see how well this thing can turn! It's still very fast for being an early 190 as well! If you don't like the gun option of the 190A5 then there's always the A8 with it's much bigger firepower! I'll be honest though, I personally think the A8 is the toughest of the 190's to do well in. It's slower than the A5 and D9, and noticeably heavier but it more than makes up for these short comings with shear raw firepower! SO MANY CANNONS! If you fly your P-51D in a BnZ style then doing the same in the A8 will see planes dying at a much faster rate! Lastly at 25 ENY we have yet another Jug! Huzzah for the Jugs! This time it's the D-25 and it's just as amazing as all the other Jugs! it isn't quite as fast as the later Jugs but it is still fast enough and is just as maneuverable!
ENY at 29 - So those tower queens have completely ruined your fun now by maxing out the ENY, right? WRONG! Because ENY can no longer go any higher and we still have TONS of planes to fly! Some choices for you P-51D pilots that I recommend are the 109F4/G2/G6. Just like the G14 and K4 before them, these 109s are dogfighting monsters! The F4 is quick, and fast enough to catch most planes. It's light weight and incredibly nimble! It also has a very respectable climb rate and with a very powerful engine on such a light plane you can keep the nose up longer than most other planes! Struggling with the speed of the F4? Take the G2! It is in all sense EXACTLY THE SAME as the F4. The only difference is that it's faster! It may lose a little bit of the nimbleness that makes the F4 a beast but it's more than maneuverable enough to beat anything you'll come across. If you just don't like the 7.92mm MGs the G2 and F4 have then take the G6! Again, it's almost exactly the same as the G2 with a few minor differences, most of which you won't even notice. The big upgrade of the G6 is it adds 13mm MGs instead of 7.92! Also at 30 ENY is the last of the Jugs, the D11. This plane should be illegal it's so much fun! It's still got the amazing diving ability that all Jugs have, and the insane 8 50cal gun package, but it's also very lightweight for a Jug! This light weight makes this plane crazy maneuverable! I have made a number of spitfire pilots wet their pants surprised to see a Jug out turning them! You also have the Mossi 6 to fly at 30 ENY. What can I say about the Mossi other than HOLY CRAP! This thing is a MONSTER!!! There are very few things in this world scarier than seeing a Mossi diving on you! The firepower of this thing is so insane that all you have to do is touch your opponent for the briefest of moments and you're likely to be shredding their wing clean off! It's also very fast with great diving and climbing abilities! It may be a bit on the heavy side and you will feel it, but if you keep the plane fast, and keep your hand steady then this thing is one of the beastliest planes there are! Lastly, we have the Yak9t. Just like all yaks, this thing is fast! It's nimble. It's got limited ammunition but anything it hits will be feeling it, especially if you take the 37MM! Nothing is more satisfying than landing a hit with that big gun!
And that's it! Those are planes that I feel are equal to or even superior to the P-51D and ones that I think P-51D pilots will find enjoyable when the ENY kicks in.
