I’m proud to present Aces & Leaders – The North American Mustang over Italy & the Balkans, a brand-new title co-authored with Phil Listemann. This book is aimed primarily at modellers and aviation historians seeking detailed references and authentic colour material. The book explores the stories of the men who flew the iconic North American…Continue reading New book release – Aces & Leaders – The North American Mustang over Italy & the Balkans
I recently had to revisit “Nooky Booky IV”, the fourth and last Mustang assigned to Leonard Kyle “Kit” Carson when he was with the 357th Fighter Group. I had already made a profile of his aircraft, P-51K-5-NT serial number 44-11622, nearly a decade ago: There are many pictures of “Nooky Booky IV”, which show interesting…Continue reading Revisiting “Kit” Carson’s “Nooky Booky IV”
This profile is oddly pertinent in the current climate of social distancing, lockdowns and isolation. This is P-51D-20-NA serial number 44-63289, which belonged to the 531st Fighter Squadron, 21st Fighter Group, and was named “Is This Trip Necessary ?”. Starting in April 1945, the 21st Fighter Group was escorting B-29 Superfortresses over mainland Japan in…Continue reading Is This Trip Necessary ? – A good motto for the day and an ever better mystery
Mustang Mk III FZ152 flown by W/C Stanisław Skalski, No 133 (Polish) Wing. Stanisław Skalski DSO DFC was the top Polish fighter ace of the war and the first Allied fighter ace of the war, credited, according to official lists, with 18 11/12 victories and two probable. Mustang Mk IV KM112 flown by S/L Witold Łokuciewski, OC No…Continue reading Mustangs of Polish aces in the RAF
“February” is a P-51D-30-NA which was accepted by the USAAF in May 1945 as s/n 44-74391 and served in the US until 1958. It then served with the Guatemalan AF until 1972 when it returned to the US civilian market. It was restored in 2001 and registered as NX351MX. It carries the markings of the…Continue reading P-51D Mustang “February”
This P-51D-25-NA was built in 1944 and served in the USAAF but did not see combat. From 1951 to 1958, it served with the Royal Canadian Air Force, before joining the civilian registry. For a time, it carried the colours of “Old Crow”, the Mustang flown by American ace Col. Clarence “Bud” Anderson. In 2012,…Continue reading P-51 Mustang “The Shark”
This Mustang was built as an F-6K-15-NT (s/n 44-12852) but was later restored as a P-51D and given the markings of the aircraft flown by Lt Col Thomas L. Hayes Jr. of the 357th Fighter Group. After the war, the aircraft flew in the 1946 Cleveland Air Races but crash-landed due to engine failure. It…Continue reading More Mustang survivors: “Frenesi”
This P-51C-10-NT Mustang is serial number 43-25147. Built in 1943, its wartime service is unclear but it served with the Israeli air force after World War II, before joining the Israeli civilian registry. It is painted in the colours and markings of “Princess Elizabeth”, the P-51B flown by Lt William Whisner, a future 5.5-victory ace…Continue reading P-51C “Princess Elizabeth”
And now for another preserved Mustang: P-51B-1-NA s/n 43-24837 registered N515ZB and painted as “Berlin Express” flown by ace Bill Overstreet of the 357th Fighter Group, who became famous for flying under the Eiffel tower while successfully shooting down a Messerschmitt Bf 109 in 1944. “Berlin Express” flew across the Atlantic this year to take part…Continue reading P-51B “Berlin Express”
This profile was commissioned as part of a series on the Flying Horsemen aerobatic team. It is a P-51D-25-NA which previously flew with registrations N5077K, N711UP and N71TF. It was restored in 2005 and received the colours of Lt. Col. William Bailey’s “Double Trouble Two” of the 352nd Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group.