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The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by a team headed by James H. Kindelberger of North American Aviation (NAA) in response to a requirement of the British Purchasing Commission .
A North American Mustang Mk IA on a test flight from NAA's Inglewood facility in October 1942. The painted-over serial number appears to be 41-37416. North American XP-51. The first American order for 150 P-51s, designated NA-91 by North American, was placed by the US Army on 7 July 1940. [5] This was on behalf of the RAF in a Lend-Lease deal. [6]
He became the first pilot to shoot down an enemy plane in the P-51 Mustang and was the first flying ace of the 354th Fighter Group. Mike Rogers was a pilot with the 353rd Fighter Squadron, with claims of 12 enemy aircraft destroyed. He remained in the Air Force and retired in 1978 in the grade of general and commander of Air Force Logistics ...
The all African American 332d Fighter Group originally flew 15,550 sorties as bomber escorts in the Mustang; eventually the Airmen, who were originally shunned in the white military, acquired the right to fly combat missions. In 1970, the Commemorative Air Force acquired an original P-51 to include in their educational program.
North American P-51 Mustangs of the 375th Fighter Squadron, summer 1944. The effect of the North American P-51 Mustang on the Luftwaffe was swift and decisive. The result was that the Luftwaffe was notable by its absence over the skies of Europe after D-Day, and the Allies were starting to achieve air superiority over the continent.
Cold and clear weather was predicted for the last week of February 1944. On the night of 19–20 February, the RAF bombed Leipzig with 823 aircraft. The Eighth Air Force's effort was over 1,000 B-17s and B-24s and over 800 fighters. The RAF provided sixteen squadrons of North American P-51 Mustangs and Supermarine Spitfires.
NA-73X NX19998, the first Mustang, as well as the first to crash on 20 November 1940. 20 November 1940 The North American NA-73X (Mustang prototype), NX19998, [1] crashed on its fifth flight after test pilot Paul Balfour neglected to go through the takeoff and flight test procedure with designer Edgar Schmued prior to a high-speed test run, claiming "one airplane was like another."
The North American P-51 Mustang was developed as a fighter interceptor in 1940 by North American Aviation. [1] In addition to the United States Army Air Force, it served with the air forces of a number of countries including the Royal Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Swedish Air Force, the French Armee de L'air, the Israeli Defence Force, and the ...