The B model Pony

[Zigrat]

hangtime

the p51b we have now uses teh same engine as the aces high spitfire F.ix

you will often see the rafwobbles whining for a lf.ix, well that one is using the p51 d engine, tahts why you see the difference in performance..


just like between the spitfires, the b should be slower and worse climbing than the d below 10k, but between 10-20k it whoops some d stang butt (just like the f.ix would whoop some lf.ix butt in that same alt range..)

[juzz]

It seems obvious that HTC used the earlier engine in order to make the P-51B significantly different from the P-51D. If you think about it, this should make P-51B vs P-51D fights more interesting since the performance advantage changes with altitude.

Hangtime; there were 350 P-51C-1-NT produced which had the V-1650-3. Out of the total 3738 P-51B/C produced, around 40% had the -3 engine, so it was quite common. I think the ultimate argument though, is that the P-51B as depicted in AH is Don Gentile's "Shangri-La" - s/n 44-6913, a P-51B-5-NA(It may well have had a Malcolm hood fitted though, anyone know?).

Looks like you may have to wear roundels in order to fly the Mustang you expected.