An Interesting Aviation What If...

The P/F51D Mustang was one of the greatest fighters of the war-time period. Simple to fly, maneuverable and far reaching, it is widely considered the aircraft that Won the War. Despite being classified as a WW2 aircraft, the P/F51D would also serve in Korea and in the internationally in armies and air-forces of many countries.

One of these nations was Indonesia. They were given to the fledgling nation to equip their early air force and operated them right into the 1970's, well into the age of Heat-Seeking Missiles and High Performance Jet Fighters.

And the Mustang was operating for the Indonesians as they began their plans to invade Dutch New Guinea--equipped with what many consider the greatest Jet Fighter of it's age: The Hawker Hunter.

The Hunter was also a formidable aircraft. Used by all manner of various air-forces in a multitude of roles, the Hawker Hunter is still being used to this very day in many nations.

Had negotiations not stopped the attempted invasion, the F-51D's of Indonesia would have provided air-cover to the invasion forces--becoming the opposing forces for the Dutch Hawker Hunters!

The question now is: What would have likely happened? Sure, the P/F-51D was used successfully against German Jet Fighters. But these were early developments--The Me-262 was notorious for it's lack of manuverability in a turn compared to the Propeller Aircraft of the day. The Hawker was/is a swept-wing high-performance fighter aircraft, and while it is not comparable to more modern fighters it was the highest of high tech back in the day. At least in comparison to the P/F-51D.

So what would have happened? Would the Mustangs be flaming wrecks falling to earth in a hail of Missiles and Cannon? Or would the Mustangs, with their relatively puny .50 Cal guns make the hunters the hunted?

Heat seeking missiles would certainly have trouble with a piston engine. But I don't see a FCR on the Mustang.

I personally don't think the Hunters would be willing to go into the flight envelope where they're at a distinct disadvantage.

Well the P-51s WWII successes against German Me-262 jets was primarily when the latter was taking off or landing, which is unlikely to apply to the Hunter. what is more the P-51s 0.50cal machine guns wouldn't have been much use against the hunter which at any rate was armed with 30m cannon. Most WWII air to air fighter-fighter kills would have been with the victor occupying the 6 o'clock position - something which the P-51 couldn't realistically achieve on a Hunter. All in all it would be a painful mismatch and yes the hunters would have had a duck shoot.

..The P-51 had alot of success/failures against jets in Korea and afterward. If you could sucker a jet boy into 300 knot flying, I'd side with the P-51 everytime, otherwise, energyflying till the P-51 was confetti.....

Hunter is a big step improvement on Korean War jets