The early versions of the fast and powerful P-51 Mustang looked very different from the P-51D and later versions. The initial P-51 “razorback” design buried the pilot inside the airplanes for less drag, while the P-51D, while also very efficient aerodynamically, was the first to use a “teardrop” bubble canopy and cut-down rear fuselage. North American Aviation’s agile P-51 was the first single-engine aircraft based in England to penetrate Nazi Germany during World War II. With its superior design, the Mustang outperformed enemy planes and went on to establish an impressive aerial record. Initially designed for the British Royal Air Force for fighter reconnaissance, it first flew in 1941. By war’s end North American built 15,575 P-51 Mustangs. The P-51D had a wingspan of 37 feet and was 32 feet long. Powered by one 1,490- horsepower engine, it flew 437 mph with a range of 2,300 miles.