December 31st, 2022
9minute read
When I was an Army Aviator, nothing was cooler than doing airshows.
Wed fly in for a long weekend filled with pressing the flesh and a little gratuitous hero worship.
The hosts were invariably gracious and the fellowship with other aviators sublime.
Silhouetted against the sky, two 500 pound bombs are visible and attached to the sleek underside of a P-51. This Mustang was part of the Eighth Air Force based in England. Image: NARA
Its tough to do something like that and actually claim its work.
Ever since the genesis of manned flight it has always been thus.
Cool flying machines invariably draw a crowd.
The P-51 Mustang was the archetypal World War II American fighter plane. Its iconic lines cut a dashing figure through the skies above Europe and the Pacific. Image: U.S.A.F. Museum
However, there is also great danger to be found there.
Most military pilots are, by definition, young, bulletproof and immortal.
So it was at a particular English airfield in the lead-up to D-Day.
This white-nosed North American P-51 is an earlier variant assigned to the U.S. Eighth Air Force. In this photo, it patrols the skies over England. Image: NARA
Overlord and the Mustang
Operation Overlordwas the largest amphibious invasion in human history.
The basic idea was quite sound.
These young pilots knew where to report and when but had no further guidance.
A P-51 C sits on the runway at Castel Volturno, Italy with smoke rising from Mount Vesuvius in the background. Image: NARA
They had never met before.
Once on the ground the three pilots held a confab.
They were all the same rank, and their specific command guidance was sparse.
This North American P-51 was photographed as it peels off during heavy bomber escort mission. Note the invasion stripes that were applied to many Allied planes starting in June 1944. Image: NARA
The P-51 Mustang driver was purportedly a short man who was quite full of himself.
He immediately took charge and began issuing orders.
They would knock out the static portion of the day and then take off in series.
These P-51 pilots are engaged in conversation next to one of their P-51 Mustangs. Members of the 332nd Fighter Group, these Tuskegee Airmen fought the National Socialists in Italy. Image: NARA
They would coordinate cycling in and out of the airspace via radio.
The other drivers had no issues with the plan, so they played along.
All went swimmingly right up until the Mustang did an extreme low pass right over the runway centerline.
Lt George W. Jones stands with Cpl Ruby Newell. Jones named his plane “Miss E.T.O.” after Newell who had been voted the “prettiest WAC in the Eighth Air Force.” Image: NARA
The P-51 pilot pulled up hard at the end of the tarmac into a beautiful vertical climb.
He rightfully assumed the crowd would go wild.
Alas, military aviation can be terribly unforgiving of stupidity.
P-51 Mustangs frequently flew bomber escort missions. This P-51 is one of several Mustangs covering a B-17 formation flying out of England. Image: NARA
Thankfully no one was injured on the ground.
By the wars end, American industry had built some 15,000 copies of the nimble little plane.
Mustangs accounted for 4,950 downed enemy aircraft.
This North American P-51 sits in the English snow in early 1945. Image: NARA
Produced by North American Aviation, the esteemed P-51 nonetheless had a rocky start.
In 1940, the British were starving for fighter aircraft.
As a result, Sir Henry approached North American about producing a fresh new design from scratch.
Yellow-nosed North American P-51s form up as they climb to altitude over England. This mission was to escort a group of U.S. bombers over the ETO. Image: NARA
The original discussions orbited around a series of drawings scrawled freehand on a piece of paper.
They were powered by Allison engines similar to those found in theP-38and P-40.
The resulting plane had much to commend it, but performance fell off badly above 15,000 feet.
Major Sam J. Brown sits in the cockpit of his P-51 Mustang. Flying in Italy, Maj. Brown downed a number of the enemy as indicated by the swastikas painted on his plane. Image: NARA
The answer came from a Rolls Royce test pilot named Ronald Harker.
The resulting hybrid plane could reach 440 mph at 28,000 feet, breathtaking performance for its day.
The final operational versions fitted half a dozenAN/M2 fifty-caliber gunsin the wings.
These men carry the six .50-caliber machine guns used in the P-51 Mustang. The cartridge belts shown are only 1/6 of the total loaded before a mission. Image: NARA
Impressions of the Fighter
The Mustangs sexy lines and impressive performance create a timeless allure.
The P-51 that Tom Cruise flew at the end of the latestTop Gunmovie actually belongs to him.
He originally christened itKiss Me Kateback when he was married to Katie Holmes.
This photo shows the ordnance that could be loaded on a P-51 Mustang. Image: NARA
I suspect he calls it something else these days.
The plane has ample power and rolls faster than aSpitfire.
The laminar flow wing had its own eccentricities, but the P-51 was a generally stable and forgiving machine.
Trigger warning for OSHA employees: Cpl. Lloyd Shumway directs a crane while riding a 500-pound bomb into place on a P-51 wing. Image: NARA
In addition to pure numbers, when equipped with drop tanks the Mustang enjoyed a simply breathtaking range.
Special thanks towww.flyaspitfire.comfor their support with this project.
Go to forum thread
Fly a Spitfire
During the Italian campaign, this armorer removed one of the .50-caliber machine guns from a P-51 for maintenance. Image: NARA
This P-51 undergoes repairs at Manston Air Base on the Dover Coast in England. Image: NARA
These P-51 fighters escort a group of B-29 Superfortress bombersover Iwo Jima. Image: NARA
A group of P-51 Mustang fighters had to be a reassuring sight for the crews of Flying Fortresses over Europe.
Lt James T. Fisk examines the damage his P-51 received during a mission against the Germans over Italy. He stands where a large part of his wing had been prior to being hit by flak. Image: NARA
