3 Key Points: The P-51 ... V-1710 engine, its performance was limited at altitude, leading to the crucial switch to the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. -This enhancement transformed the Mustang into ...

I took a ride in a P-51. The pilot was Korean ace Bob Love—he had a beautifully restored two-seat Mustang in Livermore, California. The amazing sound of his Merlin 12-cylinder engine stayed with me.