The P-51K was the variant of the legendary Mustang produced at the North American Aviation plant in Dallas as an evolution of the P-51D. These aircraft operated over Europe, escorting USAAF bombers and serving with the RAF as the Mustang Mk IVa, as well as in the Pacific theater, supporting operations in the Philippines and on Iwo Jima, and escorting B-29 bombers over Japan. The K model was created as a crisis solution due to a shortage of Hamilton Standard propellers, yet it quickly proved its combat effectiveness. It became a symbol of the flexibility of American wartime industry and the global reach of the Mustang.