World War Weapons • Printable Reference
P-51 Mustang vs Bf 109
Escort range and strategic reach versus high-performance interceptor doctrine.
United States • PLANES
P-51 Mustang
North American P-51D Mustang
- Introduced
- 1942
- Manufacturer
- North American Aviation
- Type
- fighter
- Service Window
- 1942 - 1957
The P-51 Mustang is widely considered the best all-around fighter aircraft of WW2. With the introduction of the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, it became the premier Allied escort fighter, turning the tide of the air war over Europe.
Germany • PLANES
Messerschmitt Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 "Gustav"
- Introduced
- 1937
- Manufacturer
- Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (Messerschmitt)
- Type
- fighter
- Service Window
- 1937 - 1945
The Bf 109 was the most-produced fighter aircraft in history with nearly 34,000 built. It was the backbone of the Luftwaffe's fighter force from the Spanish Civil War through the end of WW2.
P-51 Mustang Key Specs
- Crew
- 1
- Max Speed
- 703 km/h
- Range
- 2655 km
- Ceiling
- 12770 m
- Engine
- Packard V-1650-7 Merlin (1,490 hp)
- Armament
- 6× .50 cal M2 Browning machine guns • 10× 5-inch rockets or 2× 1,000 lb bombs
- Production
- 15,586 built
Messerschmitt Bf 109 Key Specs
- Crew
- 1
- Max Speed
- 621 km/h
- Range
- 850 km
- Ceiling
- 11750 m
- Engine
- Daimler-Benz DB 605A (1,475 hp)
- Armament
- 1× 20mm MG 151/20 cannon (engine-mounted) • 2× 13mm MG 131 machine guns
- Production
- 33,984 built
Operational Tradeoff Summary
P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang entered service in 1942 as a fighter and its battlefield value came from sortie tempo, range discipline, and control of air windows.
Messerschmitt Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109 entered service in 1937 as a fighter and its battlefield value came from sortie tempo, range discipline, and control of air windows.