I have a great affection for the P51.. and have had some very good rides in it. It is however; fraught with weaknesses; and your opponents are aware of them all. To get the best out of it; try to keep as many options as possible open.. don't get backed into an on the deck situtaion. Down there yer options are damn few.. or none.
All the advice I've seen here has been outstanding and I have only one thing to add...
Tactics: Use the one-circle fight. We'll assume you are merging with your opponent. If you both break in opposite directions; yer in a two circle fight; and you will be looking at another HO at best in 6 seconds. At worst; he'll get well inside you and hammer you at about 15 degrees off before you can even get yer guns on him.
Suggestion: At the merge; start a pre turn.. a little nose low; and at close to corner speed.*** (@325ias at 10k) Which ever way he turns.. GO THAT WAY. Now yer inna one-circle fight; following him around the turn.. If he goes up; hold yer nose down a bit longer to keep the e building; then pull up after him to tag him on the top. I call this 'gettin in the saddle'. One you've got him in front of you manuvering; you have all the chips.. and can cash them as necessary.
If he's getting angles; you can always break away and dive out.. and drag him to yer pals.
*** Most common mistake at a merge where u intend to turn with your opponent is to come in waaaay to fast. This leaves only going UP as your first move; and your opponent will no doubt be looking for you to do just that. You meet one of these new spits or 109's with that move and find out too late he was fast too, then compound the error by pulling back towards him instead of gettin outta Dodge.. well then; you may have your head handed to you.
Remember.. if it is your intent to manuver.. come to the merge at your best manuver speed; and turn the way he does.. not opposite.
One move that has worked for me repeatedly is the FAST merge. On this one I do it 'all wrong'.. I come to the guy at 500IAS and pull up at the merge into a climbing left hander.. this puts me well above the opponent if he flat turns; and I'm 'on the perch' as was described earlier in the thread. If he has a lot of E and goes up too; then I'm back to a second HO developing.. and then it's either the 'slow merge' scenario.. I can opt to dodge his HO shot and at the break swing around with him, again avoiding a two-circle fight. Or; if he's shown he's got the inside track; I can roll away; dive and run like a screamin little girl.
Hope this helps...
Hang
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PALE HORSES
"I looked, and behold; a Pale Horse, and it's riders name was Death, and Hell followed with him" Rev 6.8