Ran across this really interesting piece on the P-51H, a variant I didn't know about. It was about 600 lbs. lighter than the D and "
though the P-51H was first flown during February of 1945 and it was in production before the end of the war, the P-51H never saw combat. A few squadrons in the Pacific received P-51Hs and were preparing for operational missions but the type never saw operational use in combat.
...snip..... Many of the F-51Hs that were completed by war’s end served with Air National Guard squadrons during the late 1940s. When Korea happened the combat-proven F-51Ds and F-51Ks made their way to Korea because they perceived to be stouter against ground fire."
The Ultimate Mustang: North American’s Advanced Lightweight P-51H
https://www.avgeekery.com/the-ultimate-mustang-north-americans-advanced-lightweight-p-51h/