drgondog
Major
Something you'll have to explain to me - why is it that I keep seeing comments about the P-40's weight?....or rather, overweight.
I think if you averaged out the weight for all the different models of P-40 that existed, I bet you'd find the plane generally found itself around 8500-10000 lbs.
Does this make the P-51, which was like 12500 lbs. by the time the "D" model came around, obese?
If so, why does that fact never seem to come up whenever the 51 is mentioned?
Comparitively, the P-40 seems like a lightweight and yet I see comments written all the time about the plane being overweight.
Elvis
A 51 at 12,500 pounds is one that just took off with two 160 gallon ferry tanks or two 1000 pound bombs, and a full internal load of 270+ gallons of fuel and 1860 rounds of 50 cal... and 200 pounds of pilot.
Yes, that would be obese for air to air combat - but the 51 would still be faster than the P-40K (and light) at 25,000 feet.
The empty airframe weight of both ships were close - the Mustang had the heavier engine and far more internal fuel.