[Rjel]

P-51 as well as the IL-2 version of P-51 is really the great airplane! It has great speed, nice diving, good energy and long time boost-mode ability. The SPEED is main feature in airfight. Mustang has the REAL SPEED that is why you always stay alive if you act in right way. Driving Mustang you must stay fast, must be good shooter to hit enemy at first time and never NEVER do turnfight even if you guess that you have much energy (many times I did this mistake and always was down). Following these rules you always be successful with P-51 and never be down because fast plane gives you advantages to choose the way of fight. Manoeuvrability is nothing to speed and energy...
So P-51 is the outstanding WWII airplane!

Maybe flying the IL2 version of the Mustang that way works, but it certainly isn't the way the plane was fought in real life. Most P-51 pilots had enough confidence in themselves and their A/C to fly and fight it in both a turning fight and zoom and boom. I dare say that while escorting the heavy bombers over Europe, there were as many instances where Mustang units didn't have the altitude advantage and were forced to combat the enemy in a turning fight. It was fight or die and I really haven't read of (if any) instances where a USAAF fighter unit turned tail en masse when confronted with the enemy who had the advantage or was on equal footing.