Fighter Tactics and Strategy 1914–1970.
The American Fighter: The Definitive Guide to American Fighter Aircraft from 1917 to the Present.
On Special Missions: The Luftwaffe's Research and Experimental Squadrons 1923–1945 (Air War Classics).
Thus, the initial order for the P-51 Mustang (as it was later known) was placed by the British under the "Cash and Carry" program, as required by the US Neutrality Acts of the 1930s. After the arrival of the initial aircraft in the UK in October 1941, the first Mustang Mk Is entered service in January 1942, the first unit being 26 Squadron RAF.
After the Korean War, Mustangs became popular civilian warbirds and air racing aircraft. ==Design and development== In 1938, the British government established a purchasing commission in the United States, headed by Sir Henry Self.
Wilfrid Freeman: The Genius Behind Allied Survival and Air Supremacy, 1939 to 1945.
The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a design team headed by James Kindelberger of North American Aviation (NAA) in response to a requirement of the British Purchasing Commission.
The prototype NA-73X airframe was rolled out on 9 September 1940, 102 days after the contract was signed, and first flew on 26 October. The Mustang was designed to use the Allison V-1710 engine, which had limited high-altitude performance in its earlier variants.
Kindelberger said NAA could have a better aircraft with the same Allison V-1710 engine in the air sooner than establishing a production line for the P-40. John Attwood of North American spent much time from January to April 1940 at the British Purchasing Commission's offices in New York discussing the British specifications of the proposed aircraft with British engineers.
The Purchasing Commission approved the resulting detailed design drawings, signing the commencement of the Mustang project on 4 May 1940, firmly ordering 320 on 29 May 1940.
In March 1940, 320 aircraft were ordered by Freeman, who had become the executive head of the Ministry of Aircraft Production (MAP) and the contract was promulgated on 24 April. The NA-73X, which was designed by a team led by lead engineer Edgar Schmued, followed the best conventional practice of the era, designed for ease of mass manufacturing.
To aid production, the airframe was divided into five main sections—forward, center, rear fuselage, and two wing halves—all of which were fitted with wiring and piping before being joined. The prototype NA-73X was rolled out in September 1940, just 102 days after the order had been placed; it first flew on 26 October 1940, 149 days into the contract, an uncommonly short development period, even during the war.
In September 1940, a further 300 NA-73s were ordered by the MAP.
However, the British Aircraft Purchasing Commission signed its first contract for the North American NA-73 on 24 April 1940, before Lend-Lease was in effect.
In all, 161 J 26s served in the Swedish Air Force during the late 1940s.
Le North-American P-51 Mustang – de 1940 à 1980 (Avions et Pilotes 5)(in French).
(PDF) North American P-51 profile, photos and technical details for each mk "Mustang Squadron" a 1942 Flight article "Army Co-Op Mustang" a 1942 Flight article "Unobtrusive Cleverness" a 1942 Flight article "Long Range Mustang" a 1944 Flight article P-51 in Flight Over California (1942) 1940s United States fighter aircraft P-51 Mustang Single-engined tractor aircraft Low-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1940 Retractable conventional landing gear
Curtiss engineers accused North American of plagiarism. The British Purchasing Commission stipulated armament of four .303 in (7.7 mm) machine guns (as used on the Tomahawk), a unit cost of no more than $40,000, and delivery of the first production aircraft by January 1941.
In November 1941 NAA studied the possibility of using it, but fitting its excessive length in the Mustang would require extensive airframe modifications and cause long production delays.
Thus, the initial order for the P-51 Mustang (as it was later known) was placed by the British under the "Cash and Carry" program, as required by the US Neutrality Acts of the 1930s. After the arrival of the initial aircraft in the UK in October 1941, the first Mustang Mk Is entered service in January 1942, the first unit being 26 Squadron RAF.
Fighter escort was a low priority but when the concept was discussed in 1941, the Lockheed P-38 Lightning was considered to be most appropriate as it had the speed and range.
In May 1942, following positive reports from the RAF on the Mustang I's performance below 15,000 ft, Ronald Harker, a test pilot for Rolls-Royce, suggested fitting a Merlin 61, as fitted to the Spitfire Mk IX.
Initial flights of what was known to Rolls-Royce as the Mustang Mk X were completed at Rolls-Royce's airfield at Hucknall in October 1942. At the same time, the possibility of combining the P-51 airframe with the US license-built Packard version of the Merlin engine was being explored on the other side of the Atlantic.
In July 1942 a contract was let for two prototypes, briefly designated XP-78 but soon to become the XP-51B.
The first flight of the XP-51B took place in November 1942, but the USAAF was so interested in the possibility that an initial contract for 400 aircraft was placed three months beforehand in August.
Thus, the initial order for the P-51 Mustang (as it was later known) was placed by the British under the "Cash and Carry" program, as required by the US Neutrality Acts of the 1930s. After the arrival of the initial aircraft in the UK in October 1941, the first Mustang Mk Is entered service in January 1942, the first unit being 26 Squadron RAF.
On 10 May 1942, Mustangs first flew over France, near Berck-sur-Mer.
On 27 July 1942, 16 RAF Mustangs undertook their first long-range reconnaissance mission over Germany.
During the amphibious Dieppe Raid on the French coast (19 August 1942), four British and Canadian Mustang squadrons, including 26 Squadron, saw action covering the assault on the ground.
In December 1942, Allison approved only 1,570 horsepower at 60" Hg manifold pressure for the V-1710-39. The RAF also operated 308 P-51Bs and 636 P-51Cs, which were known in RAF service as Mustang Mk IIIs; the first units converted to the type in late 1943 and early 1944.
Despite RAF and Luftwaffe experience with daylight bombing, the USAAF still incorrectly believed in 1942 that tightly packed formations of bombers would have so much firepower that they could fend off fighters on their own.
A single-engined, high-speed fighter with the range of a bomber was thought to be an engineering impossibility. ====Eighth Air Force bomber operations 1942–1943==== The 8th Air Force started operations from Britain in August 1942.
In the 26 operations flown to the end of 1942, the loss rate had been under 2%. In January 1943, at the Casablanca Conference, the Allies formulated the Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO) plan for "round-the-clock" bombing – USAAF daytime operations complementing the RAF nighttime raids on industrial centers.
The first Polish unit equipped (7 June 1942) with Mustang Mk Is was "B" Flight of 309 "Ziemi Czerwieńskiej" Squadron (an Army Co-Operation Command unit), followed by "A" Flight in March 1943.
The Army Air Forces in World War II, Volume Two: Europe, Torch to Pointblank, August 1942 to December 1943.
(PDF) North American P-51 profile, photos and technical details for each mk "Mustang Squadron" a 1942 Flight article "Army Co-Op Mustang" a 1942 Flight article "Unobtrusive Cleverness" a 1942 Flight article "Long Range Mustang" a 1944 Flight article P-51 in Flight Over California (1942) 1940s United States fighter aircraft P-51 Mustang Single-engined tractor aircraft Low-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1940 Retractable conventional landing gear
The conversion led to production of the P-51B beginning at North American's Inglewood, California, plant in June 1943, and P-51s started to become available to the 8th and 9th Air Forces in the winter of 1943–1944.
After the USAAF in July 1943 directed fighter aircraft manufacturers to maximize internal fuel capacity, NAA calculated the P-51B's center of gravity to be forward enough to include an additional fuel tank in the fuselage behind the pilot, greatly increasing the aircraft's range over that of the earlier P-51A.
By 1943–1944, British Mustangs were used extensively to seek out V-1 flying bomb sites.
In December 1942, Allison approved only 1,570 horsepower at 60" Hg manifold pressure for the V-1710-39. The RAF also operated 308 P-51Bs and 636 P-51Cs, which were known in RAF service as Mustang Mk IIIs; the first units converted to the type in late 1943 and early 1944.
In the 26 operations flown to the end of 1942, the loss rate had been under 2%. In January 1943, at the Casablanca Conference, the Allies formulated the Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO) plan for "round-the-clock" bombing – USAAF daytime operations complementing the RAF nighttime raids on industrial centers.
In June 1943, the Combined Chiefs of Staff issued the Pointblank Directive to destroy the Luftwaffe's capacity before the planned invasion of Europe, putting the CBO into full implementation.
In fall 1943, the 8th Air Force's heavy bombers conducted a series of deep-penetration raids into Germany, beyond the range of escort fighters.
In early 1943, the USAAF also decided that the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt and P-51B be considered for the role of a smaller escort fighter, and in July, a report stated that the P-51B was "the most promising plane" with an endurance of 4 hours 45 minutes with the standard internal fuel of 184 gallons plus 150 gallons carried externally.
The first Polish unit equipped (7 June 1942) with Mustang Mk Is was "B" Flight of 309 "Ziemi Czerwieńskiej" Squadron (an Army Co-Operation Command unit), followed by "A" Flight in March 1943.
P-51 Mustang vs Fw 190: Europe 1943–45.
The Army Air Forces in World War II, Volume Two: Europe, Torch to Pointblank, August 1942 to December 1943.
In December 1942, Allison approved only 1,570 horsepower at 60" Hg manifold pressure for the V-1710-39. The RAF also operated 308 P-51Bs and 636 P-51Cs, which were known in RAF service as Mustang Mk IIIs; the first units converted to the type in late 1943 and early 1944.
With external fuel tanks, it could accompany the bombers from England to Germany and back. By the time the Pointblank offensive resumed in early 1944, matters had changed.
By the end of 1944, 14 of its 15 groups flew the Mustang. The Luftwaffe's twin-engined Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighters brought up to deal with the bombers proved to be easy prey for the Mustangs, and had to be quickly withdrawn from combat.
The Mustang's much lighter armament, tuned for anti-fighter combat, allowed it to overcome these single-engined opponents. ====Fighting the Luftwaffe==== At the start of 1944, Major General James Doolittle, the new commander of the 8th Air Force, ordered many fighter pilots to stop flying in formation with the bombers and instead attack the Luftwaffe wherever it could be found.
Beginning in late February 1944, 8th Air Force fighter units began systematic strafing attacks on German airfields with increasing frequency and intensity throughout the spring, with the objective of gaining air supremacy over the Normandy battlefield.
The P-51, particularly with the advent of the K-14 Gyro gunsight and the development of "Clobber Colleges" for the training of fighter pilots in fall 1944, was a decisive element in Allied countermeasures against the Jagdverbände. The numerical superiority of the USAAF fighters, superb flying characteristics of the P-51, and pilot proficiency helped cripple the Luftwaffe's fighter force.
As a result, the fighter threat to the US, and later British, bombers was greatly diminished by July 1944.
The RAF, long proponents of night bombing for protection, were able to reopen daylight bombing in 1944 as a result of the crippling of the Luftwaffe fighter arm.
Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, commander of the German Luftwaffe during the war, was quoted as saying, "When I saw Mustangs over Berlin, I knew the jig was up." ====Beyond Pointblank==== On 15 April 1944, VIII Fighter Command began "Operation Jackpot", attacks on Luftwaffe fighter airfields.
Foremost among these were the Messerschmitt Me 163B point-defense rocket interceptors, which started their operations with JG 400 near the end of July 1944, and the longer-endurance Messerschmitt Me 262A jet fighter, first flying with the Gruppe-strength Kommando Nowotny unit by the end of September 1944.
On 7 October 1944, Lt.
Preddy was shot down and killed by friendly fire on Christmas Day 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge. ====In China and the Pacific Theater==== In early 1945, P-51C, D, and K variants also joined the Chinese Nationalist Air Force.
The first P-51s were deployed in the Far East later in 1944, operating in close-support and escort missions, as well as tactical photo-reconnaissance.
Eric Brown, CBE, DSC, AFC, RN, tested the Mustang at RAE Farnborough in March 1944 and noted, "The Mustang was a good fighter and the best escort due to its incredible range, make no mistake about it.
Air Forces, Flight Test Engineering, assessed the Mustang B on 24 April 1944 thus: "The rate of climb is good and the high speed in level flight is exceptionally good at all altitudes, from sea level to 40,000 feet.
During the war, a Mustang cost about $51,000, while many hundreds were sold postwar for the nominal price of one dollar to signatories of the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance, ratified in Rio de Janeiro in 1947. These countries used the P-51 Mustang: Australia In November 1944, 3 Squadron RAAF became the first Royal Australian Air Force unit to use Mustangs.
Fernando Soto in the last aerial combat between piston-engined fighters in the world. France In late 1944, the first French unit began its transition to reconnaissance Mustangs.
On 13 March 1944, 316 "Warszawski" Squadron received their first Mustang Mk IIIs; rearming of the unit was completed by the end of April.
By 26 March 1944, 306 "Toruński" Sqn and 315 "Dębliński" Sqn received Mustangs Mk IIIs (the whole operation took 12 days).
On 20 October 1944, Mustang Mk Is in 309 Squadron were replaced by Mk IIIs.
On 11 December 1944, the unit was again renamed, becoming 309 Dywizjon Myśliwski "Ziemi Czerwieńskiej" or 309 "Land of Czerwien" Polish Fighter Squadron.
government. Somalia The Somalian Air Force operated eight P-51Ds in post-World War II service. South Africa No.5 Squadron South African Air Force operated a number of Mustang Mk IIIs (P-51B/C) and Mk IVs (P-51D/K) in Italy during World War II, beginning in September 1944, when the squadron converted to the Mustang Mk III from Kittyhawks.
New York: The MacMillan Company, 1944. Loftin, LK, Jr.
Evansville, Indiana: U.S.A.A.F, 1944. Wagner, Ray.
(PDF) North American P-51 profile, photos and technical details for each mk "Mustang Squadron" a 1942 Flight article "Army Co-Op Mustang" a 1942 Flight article "Unobtrusive Cleverness" a 1942 Flight article "Long Range Mustang" a 1944 Flight article P-51 in Flight Over California (1942) 1940s United States fighter aircraft P-51 Mustang Single-engined tractor aircraft Low-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1940 Retractable conventional landing gear
The last RAF Mustang Mk I and Mustang Mk II aircraft were struck off charge in 1945. Army Co-operation Command used the Mustang’s superior speed and long range to conduct low altitude “Rhubarb” raids over continental Europe, sometimes penetrating German airspace.
On 25 February 1945, Mustangs of the 55th Fighter Group surprised an entire Staffel of Me 262As at takeoff and destroyed six jets. The Mustang also proved useful against the V-1s launched toward London.
P-51B/Cs using 150-octane fuel were fast enough to catch the V-1 and operated in concert with shorter-range aircraft such as advanced marks of the Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Tempest. By 8 May 1945, the 8th, 9th, and 15th Air Force's P-51 groups claimed some 4,950 aircraft shot down (about half of all USAAF claims in the European theater, the most claimed by any Allied fighter in air-to-air combat) and 4,131 destroyed on the ground.
Preddy was shot down and killed by friendly fire on Christmas Day 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge. ====In China and the Pacific Theater==== In early 1945, P-51C, D, and K variants also joined the Chinese Nationalist Air Force.
With the capture of Iwo Jima, USAAF P-51 Mustang fighters of the VII Fighter Command were stationed on that island starting in March 1945, being initially tasked with escorting Boeing B-29 Superfortress missions against the Japanese homeland. The Command's last major raid of May was a daylight incendiary attack on Yokohama on 29 May conducted by 517 B-29s escorted by 101 P-51s.
Several other Australian or Pacific-based squadrons converted to either CAC-built Mustangs or to imported P-51Ks from July 1945, having been equipped with P-40s or Boomerangs for wartime service; these units were: 76, 77, 82, 83, 84 and 86 Squadrons.
Only 17 Mustangs reached the RAAF's First Tactical Air Force front-line squadrons by the time World War II ended in August 1945. 76, 77 and 82 Squadrons were formed into 81 Fighter Wing of the British Commonwealth Air Force, which was part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force stationed in Japan from February 1946.
RCAF 400, 414, and 430 squadrons flew Mustang Mk Is (1942–1944) and 441 and 442 Squadrons flew Mustang Mk IIIs and IVAs in 1945.
In January 1945, the Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron 2/33 of the French Air Force took their F-6Cs and F-6Ds over Germany on photographic mapping missions.
Phasing out of the Mustang began in summer 1958. Japan The P-51C-11-NT Evalina, marked as "278" (former USAAF serial: 44-10816) and flown by 26th FS, 51st FG, was hit by gunfire on 16 January 1945 and belly-landed on Suchon Airfield in China, which was held by the Japanese.
The original 30 were being shipped as the war ended in August 1945; these were stored in their packing cases, and the order for the additional Mustangs was canceled.
In 1945, 303 "Kościuszko" Sqn received 20 Mustangs Mk IV/Mk IVA replacements.
The Mk IV and Mk IVA came into SA service in March 1945.
These aircraft were generally camouflaged in the British style, having been drawn from RAF stocks; all carried RAF serial numbers and were struck off charge and scrapped in October 1945.
In February 1945, Sweden purchased 50 P-51Ds designated J 26, which were delivered by American pilots in April and assigned to the Uppland Air Force Wing (F 16) at Uppsala as interceptors.
Indianapolis, Indiana: Bobbs-Merrill Co., 1945. Bowman, Martin W.
Wilfrid Freeman: The Genius Behind Allied Survival and Air Supremacy, 1939 to 1945.
Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems: Volume 1 Post-World War II Fighters 1945–1973.
They remained in service from 1946 through 1951.
Only 17 Mustangs reached the RAAF's First Tactical Air Force front-line squadrons by the time World War II ended in August 1945. 76, 77 and 82 Squadrons were formed into 81 Fighter Wing of the British Commonwealth Air Force, which was part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force stationed in Japan from February 1946.
Postwar, between 6 December 1946 and 6 January 1947, all five Polish squadrons equipped with Mustangs were disbanded.
In early 1946, the Jämtland Air Force Wing (F 4) at Östersund was equipped with a second batch of 90 P-51Ds.
Some of these aircraft participated in the secret Swedish mapping of new Soviet military installations at the Baltic coast in 1946–47 (Operation Falun), an endeavor that entailed many intentional violations of Soviet airspace.
This Mustang, named Blaze of Noon after the film Blaze of Noon, came in first in the 1946 and 1947 Bendix Air Races, second in the 1948 Bendix, and third in the 1949 Bendix.
London: Studio, 1946.
Caccia e aerei da attacco e addestramento dal 1946 ad oggi(in Italian).
The last RAF Mustangs were retired from service in 1947. ===U.S.
As the more advanced (P-80 and P-84) jet fighters were introduced, the P-51 was also relegated to secondary duties. In 1947, the newly formed USAF Strategic Air Command employed Mustangs alongside F-6 Mustangs and F-82 Twin Mustangs, due to their range capabilities.
During the war, a Mustang cost about $51,000, while many hundreds were sold postwar for the nominal price of one dollar to signatories of the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance, ratified in Rio de Janeiro in 1947. These countries used the P-51 Mustang: Australia In November 1944, 3 Squadron RAAF became the first Royal Australian Air Force unit to use Mustangs.
In conjunction with a surprise parachute drop at the Mitla Pass, four P-51s were specially detailed to cut telephone and telegraph wires using their wings in extreme low level runs, which resulted in major interruptions to Egyptian communications. Italy Italy was a postwar operator of P-51Ds; deliveries were slowed by the Korean War, but between September 1947 and January 1951, by MDAP count, 173 examples were delivered.
The Japanese repaired the aircraft, roughly applied Hinomaru roundels and flew the aircraft to the Fussa evaluation center (now Yokota Air Base) in Japan. Netherlands The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force received 40 P-51Ds and flew them during the Indonesian National Revolution, particularly the two 'politionele acties': Operatie Product in 1947 and Operatie Kraai in 1949.
Postwar, between 6 December 1946 and 6 January 1947, all five Polish squadrons equipped with Mustangs were disbanded.
This Mustang, named Blaze of Noon after the film Blaze of Noon, came in first in the 1946 and 1947 Bendix Air Races, second in the 1948 Bendix, and third in the 1949 Bendix.
coast-to-coast record in 1947.
In 1948, the designation P-51 (P for pursuit) was changed to F-51 (F for fighter) and the existing F designator for photographic reconnaissance aircraft was dropped because of a new designation scheme throughout the USAF.
After the failed invasion, they were placed on display with other symbols of "revolutionary struggle" and one remains on display at the Museo del Aire. Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic was the largest Latin American air force to employ the P-51D, with six aircraft acquired in 1948, 44 ex-Swedish F-51Ds purchased in 1948, and a further Mustang obtained from an unknown source.
A final batch of 21 Mustangs was purchased in 1948.
This Mustang, named Blaze of Noon after the film Blaze of Noon, came in first in the 1946 and 1947 Bendix Air Races, second in the 1948 Bendix, and third in the 1949 Bendix.
The Nationalists retreated to Taiwan in 1949.
The Japanese repaired the aircraft, roughly applied Hinomaru roundels and flew the aircraft to the Fussa evaluation center (now Yokota Air Base) in Japan. Netherlands The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force received 40 P-51Ds and flew them during the Indonesian National Revolution, particularly the two 'politionele acties': Operatie Product in 1947 and Operatie Kraai in 1949.
This Mustang, named Blaze of Noon after the film Blaze of Noon, came in first in the 1946 and 1947 Bendix Air Races, second in the 1948 Bendix, and third in the 1949 Bendix.
Chicago: University of Chicago, 1949. Darling, Kev.
By 1950, although Mustangs continued in service with the USAF after the war, the majority of the USAF's Mustangs had become surplus to requirements and placed in storage, while some were transferred to the Air Force Reserve and the ANG. From the start of the Korean War, the Mustang once again proved useful.
18th Fighter Bomber Wing and had suffered heavy losses by 1953, after which 2 Squadron converted to the F-86 Sabre. F-51s flew in the Air Force Reserve and ANG throughout the 1950s.
The Mustangs remained in service until the early 1950s, when they were replaced by jet fighters. Germany Several P-51s were captured by the Luftwaffe as Beuteflugzeug ("captured aircraft") following crash landings.
Further aircraft were bought from Sweden and were replaced by jets at the end of the 1950s, but not before the type was used in the Suez Crisis, at the opening of Operation Kadesh.
The Mustangs were replaced by 56 F-86 Sabres in the late 1950s, but some were still in service for COIN roles up to the early 1980s. Poland During World War II, five Polish Air Force in Great Britain squadrons used Mustangs.
In 1950, 2 Squadron SAAF was supplied with F-51D Mustangs by the United States for Korean War service.
The J 26s were replaced by De Havilland Vampires around 1950.
The S 26s were replaced by S 29Cs in the early 1950s. Switzerland The Swiss Air Force operated a few USAAF P-51s that had been impounded by Swiss authorities during World War II after the pilots were forced to land in neutral Switzerland.
Later Lend-Lease deliveries of the P-51B/C and D series, along with other Mustangs abandoned in Russia after the famous "shuttle missions", were repaired and used by the Soviet Air Force, but not in front-line service. Uruguay The Uruguayan Air Force used 25 P-51D Mustangs from 1950 to 1960; some were subsequently sold to Bolivia. ===P-51s and civil aviation=== Many P-51s were sold as surplus after the war, often for as little as $1,500.
They remained in service from 1946 through 1951.
The Mustangs were replaced by Gloster Meteor F8s in 1951.
In conjunction with a surprise parachute drop at the Mitla Pass, four P-51s were specially detailed to cut telephone and telegraph wires using their wings in extreme low level runs, which resulted in major interruptions to Egyptian communications. Italy Italy was a postwar operator of P-51Ds; deliveries were slowed by the Korean War, but between September 1947 and January 1951, by MDAP count, 173 examples were delivered.
In 1951, the stored Mustangs entered service in 1 (Auckland), 2 (Wellington), 3 (Canterbury), and 4 (Otago) squadrons of the Territorial Air Force (TAF).
Blair used it to set a New York-to-London (circa ) record in 1951: 7 hr 48 min from takeoff at Idlewild to overhead London Airport.
The type performed well in South African hands before being replaced by the F-86 Sabre in 1952 and 1953. South Korea Within a month of the outbreak of the Korean War, 10 F-51D Mustangs were provided to the badly depleted Republic of Korea Air Force as a part of the Bout One Project.
Due to its lighter structure and a shortage of spare parts, the newer, faster F-51H was not used in Korea. Mustangs continued flying with USAF and ROKAF fighter-bomber units on close support and interdiction missions in Korea until 1953 when they were largely replaced as fighter-bombers by USAF F-84s and by United States Navy (USN) Grumman F9F Panthers.
18th Fighter Bomber Wing and had suffered heavy losses by 1953, after which 2 Squadron converted to the F-86 Sabre. F-51s flew in the Air Force Reserve and ANG throughout the 1950s.
The Mustangs were also the first aircraft of the Philippine air demonstration team, which was formed in 1953 and given the name "The Blue Diamonds" the following year.
The type performed well in South African hands before being replaced by the F-86 Sabre in 1952 and 1953. South Korea Within a month of the outbreak of the Korean War, 10 F-51D Mustangs were provided to the badly depleted Republic of Korea Air Force as a part of the Bout One Project.
RNZAF pilots in the Royal Air Force also flew the P-51 and at least one New Zealand pilot scored victories over Europe while on loan to a USAAF P-51 squadron. Nicaragua The Nicaraguan National Guard purchased 26 P-51D Mustangs from Sweden in 1954 and later received 30 P-51D Mustangs from the U.S.
together with two TF-51 models from MAP after 1954.
They formed the backbone of the South Korean Air Force until they were replaced by Sabres. It also served with the ROKAF Black Eagles aerobatic team, until retired in 1954. Sweden Sweden's Flygvapnet first recuperated four of the P-51s (two P-51Bs and two early P-51Ds) that had been diverted to Sweden during missions over Europe.
The previous record of had stood since 1954. ==== Incidents ==== On 9 June 1973, William Penn Patrick (43) a certified pilot and his passenger, Christian Hagert, died when Patrick's privately owned P-51 Mustang crashed in Lakeport, California. On 1 July 1990 at the National Capital Air Show (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada), Harry E.
The Mustangs remained in service until they were prematurely retired in August 1955 following a series of problems with undercarriage and coolant-system corrosion problems.
These became the backbone of the postwar Philippine Army Air Corps and Philippine Air Force, and were used extensively during the Huk campaign, fighting against Communist insurgents, as well as the suppression of Moro rebels led by Hadji Kamlon in southern Philippines until 1955.
Washington, D.C: USAF Historical Division, Research Studies Institute, Air University, 1955.
The Mustangs were declared obsolete in 1956, but a number of special-duty versions served on into the early 1960s. Republic of China The Chinese Nationalist Air Force obtained the P-51 during the late Sino-Japanese War to fight against the Japanese.
44-74936, which was finally withdrawn from service with the West Virginia Air National Guard's 167th Fighter Interceptor Squadron in January 1957 and retired to what was then called the Air Force Central Museum, although it was briefly reactivated to fly at the 50th anniversary of the Air Force Aerial Firepower Demonstration at the Air Proving Ground, Eglin AFB, Florida, on 6 May 1957.
Four Mustangs served on as target tugs until the TAF was disbanded in 1957.
Phasing out of the Mustang began in summer 1958. Japan The P-51C-11-NT Evalina, marked as "278" (former USAAF serial: 44-10816) and flown by 26th FS, 51st FG, was hit by gunfire on 16 January 1945 and belly-landed on Suchon Airfield in China, which was held by the Japanese.
They served until 1958. Soviet Union The Soviet Union received at least 10 early-model ex-RAF Mustang Mk Is and tested them, but found them to "under-perform" compared to contemporary USSR fighters, relegating them to training units.
A number of conversions included a Cavalier Mustang specialty: a "tight" second seat added in the space formerly occupied by the military radio and fuselage fuel tank. In 1958, 78 surviving RCAF Mustangs were retired from service's inventory and were ferried by Lynn Garrison, an RCAF pilot, from their varied storage locations to Canastota, New York, where the American buyers were based.
After the success of the revolution in January 1959, with other rebel aircraft plus those of the existing Cuban government forces, they were adopted into the Fuerza Aérea Revolucionaria.
The last Mustangs were retired from these units in 1960 when CAF units adopted a nonflying role. Bolivia Nine Cavalier F-51D (including the two TF-51s) were given to Bolivia, under a program called Peace Condor. Canada Canada had five squadrons equipped with Mustangs during World War II.
The Mustangs were declared obsolete in 1956, but a number of special-duty versions served on into the early 1960s. Republic of China The Chinese Nationalist Air Force obtained the P-51 during the late Sino-Japanese War to fight against the Japanese.
The Mustangs were used against Commonwealth (RAF, RAAF, and RNZAF) forces during the Indonesian confrontation in the early 1960s, and was used to fight the CIA-backed PERMESTA rebels.
Later Lend-Lease deliveries of the P-51B/C and D series, along with other Mustangs abandoned in Russia after the famous "shuttle missions", were repaired and used by the Soviet Air Force, but not in front-line service. Uruguay The Uruguayan Air Force used 25 P-51D Mustangs from 1950 to 1960; some were subsequently sold to Bolivia. ===P-51s and civil aviation=== Many P-51s were sold as surplus after the war, often for as little as $1,500.
All aircraft of this type were retired from service by 1964. Philippines The Philippines acquired 103 P-51D Mustangs after World War II, operated by the 6th "Cobras" and 7th "Bulldogs" Tactical Fighter Squadrons of the 5th Fighter Wing.
The last Mustang ever downed in battle occurred during Operation Power Pack in the Dominican Republic in 1965, with the last aircraft finally being retired by the Dominican Air Force in 1984. ===Service with other air forces=== After World War II, the P-51 Mustang served in the air arms of more than 25 nations.
In 1967 and again in 1972, the USAF procured batches of remanufactured Mustangs from Cavalier, most of them destined for air forces in South America and Asia that were participating in the Military Assistance Program (MAP).
military use of the F-51 was in 1968 when the U.
This aircraft was so successful that the Army ordered two F-51Ds from Cavalier in 1968 for use at Fort Rucker as chase planes.
They were used during the 1969 Football War against Honduras, the last time the P-51 was used in combat.
Torino: Editrice S.A.I.E., 1969.
New York: Doubleday and Company, 1970.
In 1967 and again in 1972, the USAF procured batches of remanufactured Mustangs from Cavalier, most of them destined for air forces in South America and Asia that were participating in the Military Assistance Program (MAP).
The previous record of had stood since 1954. ==== Incidents ==== On 9 June 1973, William Penn Patrick (43) a certified pilot and his passenger, Christian Hagert, died when Patrick's privately owned P-51 Mustang crashed in Lakeport, California. On 1 July 1990 at the National Capital Air Show (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada), Harry E.
Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio: Air Force Museum Foundation, 1975. United States Army Air Force.
Granada Hills, California: Sentry Books Inc., 1978.
London: Pan Books Ltd., 1978.
Washington, D.C.: Office of Air Force History, 1978.
Minneapolis, Minnesota: Zenith Press, 1979.
Fallbrook, California: Aero Publishers, 1979.
Despite the advent of jet fighters, the Mustang remained in service with some air forces until the early 1980s.
The Mustangs were replaced by 56 F-86 Sabres in the late 1950s, but some were still in service for COIN roles up to the early 1980s. Poland During World War II, five Polish Air Force in Great Britain squadrons used Mustangs.
13, August–November 1980.
New York: Time-Life Books, 1980.
Le North-American P-51 Mustang – de 1940 à 1980 (Avions et Pilotes 5)(in French).
London: Bison Books, 1980.
New York: Arco Publishing Company, Inc., 1980.
Fallbrook, California: Aero publisher Inc., 1980.
London: Jane's Publishing, 1981.
London: Salamander Books Ltd, 1981.
Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Ministerstwa Obrony Narodowej, 1981.
Crescent Books, 1983, . Gunston, Bill.
Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens, 1983.
The last Mustang ever downed in battle occurred during Operation Power Pack in the Dominican Republic in 1965, with the last aircraft finally being retired by the Dominican Air Force in 1984. ===Service with other air forces=== After World War II, the P-51 Mustang served in the air arms of more than 25 nations.
It was the last nation to have any Mustangs in service, with some remaining in use as late as 1984.
Milan: Peruzzo editore, 1984.
Yeovil, UK: Winchmore Publishing Services Ltd., 1984, . Johnsen, Frederick A.
New York: Orion Books, 1985.
London: Aerofax, 1985.
New York: Sterling Publishing Co., 1986.
Derby, UK: Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust, 1987.
Nine of the final 10 aircraft were sold back to American collectors in 1988. El Salvador The Salvadoran Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Salvadoreña or FAS) purchased five Cavalier Mustang IIs (and one dual-control Cavalier TF-51) that featured wingtip fuel tanks to increase combat range and up-rated Merlin engines.
"Empire of the Sun." Air Classics, Volume 24, Number 1, January 1988. White, Graham.
New York: Crescent Books, 1989.
The previous record of had stood since 1954. ==== Incidents ==== On 9 June 1973, William Penn Patrick (43) a certified pilot and his passenger, Christian Hagert, died when Patrick's privately owned P-51 Mustang crashed in Lakeport, California. On 1 July 1990 at the National Capital Air Show (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada), Harry E.
New York: Gallery Books, 1990.
"A Retrospective: Computational Aerodynamic Analysis Methods Applied to the P-51 Mustang." AIAA paper 91-3288, September 1991. Lednicer, David A.
West Chester, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing Company, 1992.
Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 1992.
Paul, Minnesota: Motorbooks International Publishers & Wholesalers, 1993.
Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians), 1993.
Naval Institute Press, 1993, . Tillman, Barrett.
New York: Simon & Schuster, 1994.
Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1994.
Paul, Minnesota: Phalanx Publishing, 1994.
Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, Inc., 1995.
Paul, Minnesota: Motorbooks International Publishers, 1995.
London: Aerospace, 1995, pp. 56–115.
"Technical Note: A CFD Evaluation of Three Prominent World War II Fighter Aircraft." Aeronautical Journal, Royal Aeronautical Society, June/July 1995. Lednicer, David A.
United States Naval Institute, 1995, . Stevenson, James.
Warrendale, Pennsylvania: Society for Automotive Engineers, 1995.
Burgess Hill, West Sussex, UK: Classic Publications, 1996.
North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press Publishers and Wholesalers, 1996.
Carrollton, Texas: Detail & Scale Inc., 1996.
Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 1996.
London: Osprey Aerospace, 1996.
Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1997.
Etobicoke, Ontario: Prospero, 1997.
Carrollton, Texas: Detail & Scale Inc., 1997.
Paul, Minnesota: Voyageur Press, 1998.
London: Cassell & Co., 1999.
Staplehurst, UK: Spellmount, 1999.
"World War II Fighter Aerodynamics." EAA Sport Aviation, January 1999. Leffingwell, Randy (and David Newhardt, photography).
Herndon, Virginia: Smithsonian Institution Press, 2000.
Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing, 2001.
The Mind of War: John Boyd and American Security, Smithsonian Institution Press, 2001, . Hastings, Max.
New York: Michael Friedman Publishing Group Incorporated, 2001.
"Magnificent Mustang: A Production History of the North American P-51." Air Enthusiast, Issue 95, September/October 2001. Yenne, Bill: Rockwell: The Heritage of North American.
Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife, 2002.
Minneapolis, Minnesota: Zenith Imprint, 2002.
Paris: Histoire et Collections, 2003.
Edison, New Jersey: Chartwell Books, 2003.
Paul, Minnesota: Crestline (Imprint of MBI Publishing Company), 2003.
New York: Ballantine Books, 2003.
I Grandi Aerei Storici (Monograph series) N.7, November 2003.
Hersham, Surrey, UK: Classic Publications, 2004.
Reno, Nevada: Jack Bacon & Company, 2004.
Novara, Italy: De Agostini Editore, 2005. Anderson, Peter N.
London: Atlantic Books, 2006.
Crowborough, UK: Hikoki, 2006.
Retrieved: 22 April 2006. Lowe, Malcolm V.
Milan: Mondadori Electa, 2006. Mietelski, Michał, Samolot myśliwski Mustang Mk.
Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 2007.
Paul, Minnesota: Greenhill books, MBI Publishing, 2007.
London: Aurum Press, 2007.
Hinckley, UK: Midland Ian Allan Publishing, 2008.
Ramsbury, Wiltshire, UK: Crowood Press, 2009.
North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press, 2010.
"Mustang Warbirds: Civil Registered Mustangs of Australia and New Zealand Then and Now." Warbirds of Australia and New Zealand 2010.
St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia: Chevron Publishing Group, 2010. Wixey, Ken.
on the FAA registry in 2011, most of which are still flying, often associated with organizations such as the Commemorative Air Force (formerly the Confederate Air Force). In May 2013, Doug Matthews set an altitude record of in a P-51 named The Rebel, for piston-powered aircraft weighing .
Tope was killed when his P-51 Mustang crashed. On 16 September 2011 The Galloping Ghost, a modified P-51 piloted by Jimmy Leeward of Ocala, Florida, crashed during an air race in Reno, Nevada.
Stroud, UK: Fonthill Media, 2012.
on the FAA registry in 2011, most of which are still flying, often associated with organizations such as the Commemorative Air Force (formerly the Confederate Air Force). In May 2013, Doug Matthews set an altitude record of in a P-51 named The Rebel, for piston-powered aircraft weighing .
Retrieved: 15 July 2014. Boyne, Walter J.
Retrieved: 24 June 2014. Jackson, Robert.
All text is taken from Wikipedia. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License .
Page generated on 2021-08-05