Messerschmitt Bf 109 vs P-51 Mustang
Top speed, range, size and history side by side. Each was built for its own job, so this shows how they differ, not which is better.
The P-51 Mustang is faster: 703 km/h against 640 km/h for the Messerschmitt Bf 109. The P-51 Mustang flies further: 2,755 km against 850 km for the Messerschmitt Bf 109. The P-51 Mustang has the wider wingspan: 11.3 m against 9.9 m for the Messerschmitt Bf 109. The P-51 Mustang is heavier at takeoff: 5.5 tonnes against 3.15 tonnes for the Messerschmitt Bf 109. The Messerschmitt Bf 109 first flew in 1935, 5 years before the P-51 Mustang (1940).
| Messerschmitt Bf 109 | P-51 Mustang |
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| Top speed | 640 km/h (398 mph) | 703 km/h (437 mph) |
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| Range | 850 km (528 miles) | 2,755 km (1,712 miles) |
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| Length | 9 m (30 ft) | 9.8 m (32 ft) |
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| Wingspan | 9.9 m (33 ft) | 11.3 m (37 ft) |
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| Max takeoff weight | 3.15 t (6,944 lb) | 5.5 t (12,125 lb) |
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| First flight | 1935 | 1940 |
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| Crew and capacity | 1 crew | 1 pilot |
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| Engines | 1 × Daimler-Benz DB 605 V12 | 1 × Packard Merlin V12 |
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| Built by | Messerschmitt | North American |
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| Country | Germany | USA |
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