That pilot was talking about the North American P-51 _Mustang_. He was not exaggerating when he made his remark, for there has been no fighter in action that could equal its speed. In the _Mustang_ we see streamlining at its best. Its in-line, liquid-cooled engine offers only a very small frontal area and allows the _Mustang_ to have the narrow fuselage of the fastest racing plane. This narrow fuselage and the high-speed wing practically eliminate all drag that reduces speed. The landing gear retracts completely into the fuselage and also eliminates drag. Even the airscoop is placed far back under the fuselage where it offers practically no resistance. The reduction of drag to a minimum eliminates vibration to such an extent that the pilot of a _Mustang_ flies at terrific speeds with no ill effects. [Illustration: THE P-51 MOUNTS SIX 4.5-INCH ROCKETS IN TUBES UNDER THE WINGS FOR ATTACKS ON GROUND TARGETS.] [Illustration: 1942-1945 WINGSPAN 37 FEET LENGTH 32 FEET THE NORTH AMERICAN P-51 _MUSTANG_ IS THE FASTEST AND DEADLIEST FIGHTER PLANE THAT HAS YET BEEN IN ACTION IN WORLD WAR II. POWER ONE 12-CYLINDER 1,520-HP. V-TYPE ENGINE THE P-51 IS POWERED WITH THE AMERICAN-BUILT, ROLLS-ROYCE _MERLIN_ ENGINE. IT IS AN IN-LINE, V-TYPE, 12-CYLINDER, LIQUID-COOLED, SUPERCHARGED ENGINE. SPEED ONE HOUR 425+ MILES THE _MUSTANG_ IS THE FASTEST GASOLINE-POWERED FIGHTER IN THE AIR TODAY. RANGE 600+ MILES WHILE THE NORMAL RANGE OF THE P-51 IS 600 MILES IT CAN BE EQUIPPED WITH DROPPABLE AUXILIARY GASOLINE TANKS THAT INCREASE ITS RANGE TO 1,500 MILES FOR LONG-RANGE ESCORT MISSIONS. CEILING 40,000+ FEET IT IS CAPABLE OF FLYING AND FIGHTING AT ALTITUDE ABOVE EIGHT MILES IN THE AIR. IT IS EQUALLY EFFECTIVE WHEN USED AS A FIGHTER-BOMBER AT LOW ALTITUDES. PAYLOAD ONE PILOT, TWO 1,000-LB. BOMBS, AND SIX .50-CALIBER GUNS. THE P-51 _MUSTANG_ WAS DESIGNED AND DEVELOPED FROM A THOROUGH STUDY OF AËRIAL WARFARE IN THE EARLY MONTHS OF WORLD WAR II. IN THE P-51 WE SEE _DRAG_ REDUCED TO A MINIMUM AND STREAMLINING REACHING PERFECTION. THEREIN LIES THE SECRET OF THE EIGHT-MILES-A-MINUTE SPEED OF THE P-51.] [Illustration] [Illustration: BULLET-PROOF SEAT BACK OXYGEN SUPPLY FULL-VISION COCKPIT ENCLOSURE 1,520-HORSEPOWER V-TYPE ENGINE FOUR-BLADED PROPELLER SUPER-SPEED LAMINAR-FLOW WING 1,000-POUND BOMB UNDER EACH WING THREE .50-CALIBER MACHINE GUNS IN EACH WING AIR SCOOP FOR ENGINE COOLANT SELF-SEALING SAFETY GAS TANKS]