# Another WWII "What If" -- no P-51 Mustang? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 22, 2010, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-wwii-what-if-no-p-51-mustang/565044 "2010-12-22T05:51:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![notsoheavyd3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/85e7bf/32.png) [@notsoheavyd3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notsoheavyd3)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-wwii-what-if-no-p-51-mustang/565044/41 "2010-12-26T16:59:41Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > If you look at jet engine development between England and Germany they tracked closely in design during the early stages. They both worked on centrifugal and multi-stage compressor designs. The British went with the centrifugal because it was more reliable. Wasn’t one of German’s big problems just getting metals? I mean I thought I read somewhere that the reason German’s jet engines were lousy is they had bad metalurgy and they couldn’t get their hands on the same high temperature metals that the British had. (I’m doing this from memory but I think one of the metals they couldn’t get was chromium which really hurt their alloys for their jets.) ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-wwii-what-if-no-p-51-mustang/565044/42 "2010-12-26T22:38:22Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I interpret it as a “speed limit” while retaining combat maneuverability. So while the P-38 could achieve higher speeds, certainly useful for escape or for a hit and run attack, it had to drop to lower speeds than its opponents to mix it up in a dogfight. Escort fighters can’t leave their bombers, so hit and run attacks aren’t a good option for them. I read one account of a P-38 turning with 2 Focke-Wulfs at high energy – the Lighting withstood the G-forces but the FWs had their wings ripped off trying to turn with it at that speed, and the pilot jokingly put in for 2 kills. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-wwii-what-if-no-p-51-mustang/565044/43 "2010-12-26T23:12:59Z")
> [@notsoheavyd3](#): > > Wasn’t one of German’s big problems just getting metals? I mean I thought I read somewhere that the reason German’s jet engines were lousy is they had bad metalurgy and they couldn’t get their hands on the same high temperature metals that the British had. (I’m doing this from memory but I think one of the metals they couldn’t get was chromium which really hurt their alloys for their jets.) It wasn’t just Germany. I don’t think metallurgy technology was up to the task. As I said before, the British deliberately went with a lesser performing platform with this in mind. The centerfugal design was much sturdier and allowed the transition from propeller to jet without taking the hit of the axial flow reliability problems. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-wwii-what-if-no-p-51-mustang/565044/44 "2010-12-26T23:17:39Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I interpret it as a “speed limit” while retaining combat maneuverability. So while the P-38 could achieve higher speeds, certainly useful for escape or for a hit and run attack, it had to drop to lower speeds than its opponents to mix it up in a dogfight. Escort fighters can’t leave their bombers, so hit and run attacks aren’t a good option for them. Not to discount the dog-fighting characteristics of the Mustang but it is it’s range that made it a bomber escort plane. A P-38 or re-engined Mosquito could have filled the role with the added advantage of being able to engage enemy aircraft at greater distances. Greater distances translates into a wider window of engagement. The pilot would have more time and more firepower available in the mix. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-wwii-what-if-no-p-51-mustang/565044.md?page=2)