Username Protected wrote:
[youtube]https://youtu.be/cW-PPgYgYuc[/youtube]
The Fischer XP-75 was the desired USAAC Fighter when in development. To the point that the USAAC was slow to want the P-51 Mustang. The Mustang was not a product of the US Army procurement system. NAA had shopped the design to the Army and they said no thank you.
When WWII started the British were running around the US to get needed war supplies. They approched NAA and asked them to build the Curtiss P-40 under license. NAA said they had something better and the Mustang was born. Since most engineering had already been accomplished NAA built the prototype NA-73X is around 120 days. That is from cutting the 1st metal. Allison was slow to deliver an engine as they said no way could they do that so NAA borrowed an engine from the Army.
Because of this development outside the Army norms the P-51 was treated as a Red Headed Step Child and could've been in use sooner. When the XP-51 made it to NACA at Langley they were as very impressed.
Hard to think off aviation without the P-51 in it.
