Range of the top 3 fighters in WWII

[Vrenn]

The P-51 had a range of 2,200 miles (more than 3,300 km).

Actually, with drop tanks, it had a 1600 mile range. You are using Ferry Range and not normal flying. Meanwhile the P-38 with the 480 (one 300 and one 180) gallon drop tanks had more than 1600 mile range with closer to 3300 mile ferry range. If you ran your Allisons lean and hot, they could get more than that. The P-38s were normally flown from Newfoundland to Ireland no stop.

The P-51 had the ferry range just barely but if anything happened (like a headwind or storm front) it may not make it. Plus, it used a single engine so the loaded the 51s onto the cargo ships and flew the 38s with the bombers for navigation.

 

[AZrailwhale]

p-51/specifications

The longest range for the 51 goes to the D and K models. With two 110 gallon drop tanks 2055 miles. This is called Ferry Range.

Meanwhile the P-38J had a ferry range of 2900 miles. And the P-47D had a ferry range of slightly more than 2000 miles.

Meaning, when the P-51D was introduced in early 1944, both the P-38J-25 (and L) and the P-47D through N could already do the job of escort duties over Germany. The deciding factor was partially the fact that you could make 2 P-51Ds for the cost of 1 P-38 and the P-47 was somewhere between the two in cost. Quantity was the most important factor.l

The Lightning also had developed a bad reputation over Northern Europe due to problems withthe D,E and G models. Once the late Js and Ls came into service all those problems had been erased, and the Lightning could do anything a Mustang could and more.

 

[AZrailwhale]

When the was started, there wasn't a lot of time to make it perfect or even near perfect. Once it reached a certain point, you tossed it into the manufacturing monster. Then you fixed it in the field or retired it. Funny how the Finns enjoyed a healthy kill rate in their Brewsters.

Their Buffalos were early models without the extra weight of self-sealing tanks and armor that degraded the performance of later model Buffalos. Plus, the Finns were used to dealing with inferior aircraft and modifying them for maximum performance. Over Singapore, the Buffalos did okay after the Brits learned to fly them with partially empty tanks, removed the fifties and replaced them with the lighter thirties and learned to avoid low speed turning fights with IJA or IJN fighters.